23.Sep.22, 12:45 AM
Ch'es's lips twitched with amusement as L'ri's dragonet felt the need to let him know the man was joking. He didn't break it to Oncaeth that he could tell by the overly dramatic way the man groused. Still, he was glad his classmate actually drank some water. He certainly looked rough for wear. He supposed he hadn't realized how much exercise others weren't used to doing until he saw how many of his classmates struggled with the physical demands of it. Maybe it was just because they were older. And some had been in positions of nobility before Impressing, hadn't they? When he thought on it, he guessed they weren't the kind of people to go tromping around the woods for hours at a time hunting for their dinner.
With Pardrith leading the way to his favorite place, Ch'es took up the rear if only to ensure L'ri didn't simply collapse on the way from sheer exhaustion. When they reached the lake edge and the older man began to strip, Ch'es quickly averted his eyes and felt his face flush with heat. The youth still had yet to grow accustomed to nudity as many of the others were, going so far as to wait until there were as few people in the baths as possible. He mourned the more private baths Sironar had access to.
Ch'es was more than grateful when the dragon siblings began to roughhouse in the water, drawing L'ri's attention like he were a chiding father. During the distraction, Ch'es stripped his own clothes and rushed into the lake.
Pardrith huffed at the implied insult.I am an excellent swimmer! he boasted with annoyance, already looking for how best to get his brother back even as Oncaeth slinked back towards the shallows obediently. Narrowing his eyes, the dark bronze slipped under the equally dark water's surface and rushed underneath to tangle in his brother's legs. Planting his feet on the sandy bottom, Pardrith tossed his brother up and over his back before bouncing along the edges of the lake in clear enticement for more play.
Amused by their antics, Ch'es swam in easy, relaxed circles, letting the water cool his heated muscles. He'd gained weight, he realized, since coming to the Weyr. Before, he'd been wiry muscles built over a too-thin frame. Now, he was better balanced and certainly more routinely fed.
He glanced over at L'ri as he swam, making sure the older man's muscles didn't lock up from the change in temperature. He'd heard of drownings from similar behavior before when even strong people found themselves suddenly unable to tread water and succumbed to the water. His discerning eye noted no such distress from his classmate, so he resumed his own aquatic exercise while their dragons played.
With Pardrith leading the way to his favorite place, Ch'es took up the rear if only to ensure L'ri didn't simply collapse on the way from sheer exhaustion. When they reached the lake edge and the older man began to strip, Ch'es quickly averted his eyes and felt his face flush with heat. The youth still had yet to grow accustomed to nudity as many of the others were, going so far as to wait until there were as few people in the baths as possible. He mourned the more private baths Sironar had access to.
Ch'es was more than grateful when the dragon siblings began to roughhouse in the water, drawing L'ri's attention like he were a chiding father. During the distraction, Ch'es stripped his own clothes and rushed into the lake.
Pardrith huffed at the implied insult.
Amused by their antics, Ch'es swam in easy, relaxed circles, letting the water cool his heated muscles. He'd gained weight, he realized, since coming to the Weyr. Before, he'd been wiry muscles built over a too-thin frame. Now, he was better balanced and certainly more routinely fed.
He glanced over at L'ri as he swam, making sure the older man's muscles didn't lock up from the change in temperature. He'd heard of drownings from similar behavior before when even strong people found themselves suddenly unable to tread water and succumbed to the water. His discerning eye noted no such distress from his classmate, so he resumed his own aquatic exercise while their dragons played.