Flashback A Splish and a Splash[Baylin]

[Rykanis Dakshata]

3 Summer 509 Location: A beach near Syliras Rykanis had been over many parts of Mizahar. He'd fought with thieves in Sunberth, hunted beasts in the sea of grass, and many other foes. However one foe he had been putting off combating was none other than the sea. Rykanis knew the basics of how to swim, he'd seen dogs do it before, but he had yet to spend much actual time practicing the skill. Standing on a sandy beach, looking out at the Suvan, Rykanis had decided his time to fight this foe had come. It took him but a few chimes to strip down, tossing aside his pack, his shirt, even reluctantly unbuckling his weapon harness. He did not like the idea of not being armed, felt far more naked for not having his lakan by his side than he did by taking off his clothes... But he knew he was not a good enough swimmer to risk taking it with him. Setting his weapons atop his clothes, and having stripped down to his underthings, he slowly put one foot into the water. He initially jerked back, the cool waters biting when compared to the hot summer air. But he slowly eased himself into it, one foot and then the other. Slowly he took a pace forward, and another, kept going till the water was up to his waist. A few more steps and it was up to his chest. That seemed a safe enough depth to attempt treading water. It was then Rykanis attempted some clumsy slow swimming, kicking off and bobbing to the top of the water, and paddling not unlike a dog with his hands and feet to keep himself from sinking. It was simple, unrefined, slow, but it got the job done if only just. Luckily for Rykanis he wasn't a muscle heavy Akalak, as many were, but he also had little to no fat, and so did not float easily. Which meant that if he stopped treading water he would quickly begin to slip lower in the water. As the surf came in and pushed and pulled he was slowly pulled further outward. After a few chimes of this Rykanis could only touch the ground below him by the very tips of his toes.