Mirella grins, "Heylas. So, what do you guys want to learn about?

Brina shrugs up at Mir. "What ever my dear mentor wants to teach me?" She smiles and uncrosses her feet. "Anything would be nice."

Marika walks in quietly, stopping midstep as Mirella speaks, then nods in agreement with Brina. "Yeah, anything'd be nice..." Since she hadn't had any lessons yet.

Mirella leans back on the desk, "Either of you hear the naming song before?

Geraint walks in from the Office Corridor.

Brina shakes her head. "Not yet actually! I would love to hear it though."

Thunder blinks in from ::between::!

Geraint calls to Thunder, who flies over and lands on his shoulder.

Geraint walks in swiftly like the wind "morning to all"

Brina looks over at Geraint. "Hello!" she greets.

Marika looks rather blankfaced, as she moves further into the room. Obviously she's never even /heard/ of the naming song. "No...." She sits in a chair, leaning forward picking a green lizard off her shoulder. "Be quiet now, Kris," she whispers to it.

Mirella grins, "Morning. I was just starting a lesson, if you'd like to pull up a seat and join." She scoots back on the desk, pulling her legs under her, "The naming song is how the dolphins pass down the memory of the first twenty five dolphins here on Pern. Usually it is sung at the gathering near the great subsidence

Brina nods as she listens to her mentor. She had heard of the naming song, but was never actually fortunate to hear it of course.

Geraint pulls up and chair and pulls out a note book

Marika's lips move as she repeats the words under her breath, trying to store the information somewhere in her mind by saying them to herself.

Mirella smiles softly, lightly keeping the beat with fingertips on her knee, her voice soft soprano in the room, "Five and twenty more there were who made the great journey, swam across the great dark sea. Five and twenty more they were, come, join in the naming..." She pauses to take a breath.

Brina starts to tap her fingertips in time with Mir's lovely voice...

"Five and twenty more," Marika repeats, under her breath to herself as she listens to womans voice fill the room, while she constantly scritches the green's chin to keep her quiet.

Mirella sings, "Ajay, Aleta, Amadeus and Aphro, the first four named. Aphrodite, Bessie, Cal and Captiva, eight named now. Carolina, Cass, China, and Corey, twelve named now. Dart, Delfy, Kibbe, and Lottie, Sixteen named now. Malawi, Maximillian, Olga and Oregon, twenty named now. Pha, Sandman, Theresa and Tory, twenty four named now." Her voice quiets down at the end of the verse, lowering in tone to reflect a more somber note.

Geraint sits listening intently and writes everythign down in his notebook

Sarin knocks at the door from the Office Corridor.

Sarin floats in from the Office Corridor.

Twenty four? Wasn't it supposed to be twenty/five/?! So what was the name if the last, Marika wonders, while trying to remember the names of all the others. She'd have to get a hold of a notebook sometime so she could write such stuff down.

Somber tones fill the room as Mirella continues on with the song, slowing the beat with her fingers, "Italia, she who did not complete the great Journey, Last of the first, first of the last, we sing the names and we remember...." She carries the tone of last word, picking up the beat that she is tapping and nodding to Sarin.

Sarin slips inside after knocking on the door, then knocking herself across the head for having forgotten that she doesn't need to knock. She offers a mild grin to anyone who may be watching, but sombers instantly at hearing music. Lass slips silently into place by a wall, listening intently.

Sarin
At first glance, this girl might be mistaken for a feline. A very large feline, at over 5 1/2 feet tall, but still a feline. Her eyes certainly fit the part well. They are bright green, oft times twinkling and dancing like the sea, but at the same time deep and mysterious. Her short hair teeters on the line between light brown and dark blonde, pushed closer to one or the other in relation to the season. In any aspect, that hair is close to the tone of a certain feline breed's fur. Her skin is well tanned, her frame strong and of medium build, and her figure is slightly past average.
Sarin is attired in a simple, high topped blue swim suit. The back is open, and the suit fastens at the base of her neck. A pair of loose, airy blue shorts have been tossed on, and her feet are bare for now. Athenai nestles 'round Sarin's neck.
A thin, square band of sterling silver etched with x all the way around rests on Sarin's finger.
She is wearing a silver and gold braided chain bracelet with the Journeyman charms.
Sarin is 16 Turns, 10 months, and 19 days old.

Brina moves her head in time to the music before looking at Sarin and shaking her head with a little chuckle before turning back towards MIrella. That's a lot of names to remember. Just like the dolphins that have to learn it correctly.

Marika doesn't notice Sarin come in until the journeywoman moves into her line of sight. Her attention is fully on Mirella's singing and only offers Sarin a little smile before turning back to the teacher.

Mirella continues with the song, "Ajay, he who knew the way of weaving word and song. We sing the names and remember. Tory, he was gaurdian of the bay, brave, swift and strong. We sing the names and remember. Captiva, she knew the currents and how to chart the ways. We sing the names and remember. Pha, he who watched the sun, tracked the passing of the days. We sing the names and remember. Amadeus, he who knew how to look within, the hidden hurt to find. We sing the names and remember. Lottie, she kept the names of dolphineers, and the ways of their kind. We sing the names and remember. China, was keepter of the bell and watcher of the quay. We sing the names and remember. Aleta, she was seeker of new places, never long to stay. We sing the names and remember." She pauses to take a breath, mentally noting where she's at as she continues, "Maximillion, he knew the currents, fast, swift and deep. We sing the names and remember. Olga, she guided ships afar, remembered for her leap. We sing the names and remember. Delfy, she saved the drowning children, but lost her partner there. We sing the names and remember. Bessie, taught new partners duty, instructed every pair. We sing the names and remember. Malawi, he knew the way of reef and shoal, althought deprived of sight. We sing the names and remember. Aphrodite, she sought out the touch of children, always her delight. We sing the names and remember. Sandman, he sought new fish and tasted, and told which were good. We sing the names and remember....

Kurt stalks in from the Office Corridor.

Brina sighs and just listens very close to her mentor. She is glad that she is getting a chance to learn the song or to at least hear the song that the dolphins must learn to remember the names of past dolphins.

Sarin is absolutly delighted to be in a class that she's not teaching and that doesn't involve cleaning old master's equipment, so she keeps quiet. Her foot taps silently against the floor in time to the music, but otherwise doesn't move. She's heard this before, but never managed to memorize it, so it's still about as thrilling as the first time.

"...Cass, she swam deeper and stayed longer than any other could. We sing the names and remember. Oregon, he was the first to find blood fish, and the painful bite. We sing the names and remember. Aphro, he swam as well as any, but always longed for flight. We sing the names and remember," takes another deep breath, pausing a moment and not remembering this song being this long when she first learned. Smiling, she nods to Kurt, continuing the beat and song, "Kibbe, he showed the men the placement for the first seawall. We sing the names and remember. Corey, he was the first scored by thread, in the first fall. We sing the names and remember. Dart, she survived the storm, and found the cargo lost. We sing the names and remember. Carolina, she found the Great Subsidence, and was the first to cross. We sing the names and remember. Cal, he was swiftest of the swift, no other was so fast. We sing the names and remember. Theresa, she was our first Tillek, the keeper of our past. We sing the names and remember." She pauses, letting that part sink in before continuing.

A smile spreads across Marika's face, listening to the woman sing of the first dolphins, hearing of their names and abilities.

Mirella continues, voice a little more energetic again, "You have sung the five and twenty, and you have sung it true. Follow now below the wave, I've other tests for you." She holds the last note for a few seconds and lets it fade, glancing at everyone.

Mirella takes a deep breath, "So, what do you think?

Brina lets a smile brighten her face as she starts to clap. "Mir, that was a powerful song, and now I know why the make the 'phins learn it. I think I might have to learn it as well, it's just so..powerful." she said that once before, didn't she? Bri sits up a little straighter in her chair and just smiles. "It's..." her voice drops off as if she didn't know what to put in there.

Marika can't talk. Or at least the words doesn't seem to want to come out after the beautiful performance by Mirella. Instead she just nods, the smile on her face as broad as can be.

Geraint seems fixated and hypnotized by the song

Sarin straightens against the wall and joins in the applause. "Amazing, Mir," she offers. She'd say more, but it would probably devolve into enthralled babbling, and no one wants to hear that.

Mirella grins, "Not as amazing as hearing the dolphins singing it

Mirella glances up at Kurt, "You missed the first half, but what did you think?

Marika takes a deep breath, then surprise crawls across her face. Kurt? Somebody else had entered the room while Mirella had been singing?

Kirana walks in from the Office Corridor.

Kurt smiles. "It sounded wonderful. Is it written down anywhere?"

Mirella chuckles, "I think I have a copy somewhere amongst my notes. I know Toxi had a copy. Took me a long time to remember that song, but it was worth it

Brina smiles as Kirana walkes into the office and gives her a slight wave. "It is a wonderful song, Mir!"

Mirella takes a deep breath, "So, what can everyone tell me about the Tillek?

Kirana slips in, almost uncertainly, peeking around. She grins at Brina, returning the wave a little.

Sarin tosses a quick wave in the direction of the newest arrival, but keeps her mouth shut.

"The Tillek, the Tillek," Marika mumbles, trying to remember what had been said... No, sung, about the Tillek in the song. "Her name was Theresa?" she finally says, loud enough for Mirella and the others to hear.

Brina thinks a bit. "She's the leader of the 'phins, and that isn't what she was named before she became the Tillek."

Geraint smiles "well the tillek is the keeper of the past and past knowledges

Kirana nods in agreement, speaking up quietly, "She knew the history of the dolphins, and more than the rest on that line."

Mirella nods, "Aye on all accounts. About seven or so turns ago, the new Tillek was chosen after the old one died. Once again, another Theresa was chosen. The current Tillek used to be Utoxin's partner, before she was chosen. If everyone would like, I can sing for you the life song...

Brina nods. "I would like to hear that life song."

Marika smiles, nodding, "me too," she says, almost a whisper, thinking that Mirella sang beautifully and wouldn't mind hearing her sing again.

"So would I." Kirana says with a small nod.

Mirella grins at Kurt, "Can you do me the favor of tapping a four count beat for me?

Kurt nods and reaches down to his boot, extracting a pair of thin sticks and twirling them between his fingers, using the surface of teh desk to tap out the rhythm.

Mirella quietly listens to the rhythm, adding her soft soprano to it, "Eighty years and more she lived. For thirty years, as Olga was she known. For fifty years, the Tillek has she been. Now, her time has passed, and we sing her song." She pauses, remembering the last time she heard the tune, "Many great things did she do. Many great songs did she sing. Now she goes to join the sea. Now she sings no more..."

"...I remember Olga for her unfailing memory. And for her ability to pass on what she knew. I remember Olga for her wisdom, for always knowing what to do. I remember the Tillek because she helped teach the humans. Helped them remember what they once knew. I remember Olga because she helped me. She helped remove the bloodfish when I was hurt," Mirella continues, softly taking a breath.

Mirella's voice softens, "The Tillek may die, but still the Tillek lives on. The tradition will continue, and life will go on. Today we pick the Tillek anew, as we have done before." Her voice fades softly on the last word, pausing as the rhythms still tap out, "We think of the future, of where we will go. We think of the future, of the dolphins not born. We think of the past, of the great deads done. We think of the past, of the many passed on. We now pick the new Tillek, to lead us from now on. And for our new leader, we will pick the best we can...."

Brina taps her feet to the rhythm that Kurt taps out, and listens as Mir sings the song..

"...The new Tillek has been picked! She is Theresa, of the Tillek Pod! No longer known as Theresa, now she is The Tillek!" She ends the song on a cheerful note, glancing up as her voice fades.

Marika's finger scritches the lizard in her lap in time with the singing and Kurt's tapping, while she tilts her head listening carefully to the words. Theresa! Such a beautiful name.

Geraint smiles and mumbles the life song quietly

Kurt taps out the appropriate rhythm, memorising the words as he hears them.

Mirella grins, "So, what do you think?

Geraint snaps out of trace like song mumbling " they are beutiful songs, are there anymore?"

Kirana keeps her hands locked behind her, if she taps the rhythm she's bound to get it wrong and probably mess someone up. She grins as the song ends, "That was beautiful." she remarks softly. "Really interesting too."

Mirella shrugs, shivering a little, "None off the top of my head. Members of the craft have written different ones, but I don't have anymore of the dolphin ones memerized.

Brina nods. "Mir, that was...wonderful" to say the least. "I wonder how many more dolphin songs there are out there."

Geraint looks up with a smile, the loook of wanting to learn more today in his eyes "oh thats ok"

"Uh hu," Marika manages to say, her eyes wide as she nods to Mirella. Clutching the lizard in her arms, the green suddenly gives a creel of complaint, then wiggles out of her crasp to crawl back down in her lap.

Mirella grins, "There are probally hundreds of tunes, and old songs that they know. Most of the history of the dolphins is passed down generation to generation via songs and tunes.

Sarin nods. "Aye, that's what the dolphinsingers do; recording the songs on paper to make them available, and to have a written record should the songs change or anything. Those two were beautiful, Mir."

Mirella nods, "Something we're fairly lacking of right now. If everyone's interested, I can take you to where I have found some of the old tunes...

Geraint smiles "i would love to but my heart is set on a different speciality

Sarin perks up. So what if she's not an apprentice, she still likes new stuff. "That'd be great."

Mirella laughs, "You'll find you do a lot of cross specializing here. Makes the time pass easier.

Mirella says, "You up for a trip, Kurt?"

Brina nods. "That would be very interesting." Bri winks at Sarin. "Hopefully, we can get more people interested in dolphinsinging."

Marika nods. Having not decided on any specialty maybe this could point her in a direction. She'd certainly enjoyed Mirella's singing. "I'll come," she notes quietly.

Kurt blinks. "Trip? Trip to where?"

Kirana nods, "I'll come too." she pipes up. Just cause she can't carry a tune herself, doesn't mean the stuffs not interesting.

Mirella softly chuckles, "A slightly water trip that a whole group of dolphincrafters would make sure nothing happened to you on?

Sarin grins at Brina. "Aye, that'd be good. I'd like to do it myself, but there doesn't seem to be anyone at the moment who could mentor me in it," she explains. "But if we could recruit a few more people..." She's been trying, but all her harper friends seem to lack the interest.

Brina laughs. "Where exactly are we going to go to?"

Mirella winks at Brina, "The library?

Brina giggles. "Wheee!"

Sarin snikkers. "Ahh, the second dorm! Great!"

Marika looks rather confused. Water? Library? Probably she hadn't been here long enough to hear anything about any library... Or second dorm. Not that that would keep her from coming.

Mirella hops off the desk, zipping up her jacket, and looking at her harper friend, "I promise I'll let nothing happen to you while you are with us

Kurt lifts a brow warily. "That's reassuring...where are we going?"

Brina nods her head in agreement. "And we won't. I promise as well." Like that would make him assured. Brina stands up and stretches her arms over her head. "Come on!"

Mirella grins, "A surprise?

Rendall walks pondering quietly to himself in from the Office Corridor.

Kurt smiles. "Ok then. We;d better get going before Aerrin notices I’m gone and worries,"

Mirella glances at everyone, nodding to Rendall as he enters, "Everyone suit up and meet at the infirmary. If you don't have a wetsuit, there are spares in the dorms for everyone." Reaching up, she pulls one from the shelf and hands it to Kurt, "There's a changing room behind that tapestry. The sooner everyone's changed, the sooner we leave

Kirana keeps pretty quiet in general, giving Rendall a small smile and wave when he comes in, and nodding at Mirella's instructions.

Kurt looks down at the outfit and narros his eyes warily. "Ooooohhhkaayyyyyeee..." with a pouting expression he slips behind the tapestry.

Wetsuit? Yeah, Marika didn't have a wetsuit yet, wondering where to get one of her own all of a sudden. Hadn't she been here long enough to secure one? Obviously not.

Mirella grins, "Meet everyone in the infirmary."

Amber blinks in from ::between::!

Mirella walks to the Corridor.

Kurt stalks to the Corridor.

Rendall walks pondering quietly to himself to the Corridor.

Sarin floats to the Corridor.

Kirana walks to the Corridor.

Geraint walks to the Corridor.

Brina skips to the Corridor.

Kurt enters, pulling his hair up into a loose pile and clipping it securely, his braids hanging down over his back. "Fishie?"

Kurt stalks to the Infirmary.

Syrra swims in from the northwest.

Syrra squees, lightly splashing everyone, "Hihi!

Sarin beams and splashes back gently. "Hey Syrra!"

Syrra bubbles, bumping her dolphin partner in crime, Achilles, "Hihi, Sarin! Hihi, everyone!

Brina smiles and waves at Syrra! "HI!"

Kirana grins at Syrra, "Hi there!"

Geraint smiles and chuckles "hiya"

Mirella walks in from the Dolphineer's Ledge.

Kaelya slips timidly in from the Dolphineer's Ledge.

"Hello," Marika says, grinning at the dolphin as she holds out a hand toward her.

Kielyn wanders in from the Dolphineer's Ledge.

Mirella walks over and picks up a pack, sliding it over her shoulder, "I'm going to have Kurt with me, Kaleya. This is his first trip out, so I want to be careful.

Syrra bumps Marika's hand with her nose, bubbling, "Hihi." She pauses to listen to the dolphineers as they talk.

Sarin idly tugs at the wrist of her wetsuit, trying to get it to sit someplace comfortable while she awaits further instructions. Despite her rank, she's hovering by the apprentices and seems to be as enthralled by the 'phins as a person seeing them for the first time.

Kurt shifts from foot to foot, somewhat unfomfortaly. "Ummmm ummmm ummmm....yeeaa,,,," he then nods to the dolphins."Hey there...."

Kaelya nods in agreement, "That's a good idea. Do you want any to come with us?" She scans over the gather apprentices with a smie, rolling her eyes at Syrra, and letting a soft chuckle out. She gives Kurt a particularly calming grin, she nods again, waiting more information.

Achilles pushes forward, bubbling water at Kurt, "Hihi, Music-makerrr Kurrrt.

Brina stands beside sarin as she looks at the uncomfortable Kurt shifting from foot to foot. "I'm so excited" She can hardly keep from bouncing from foot to foot.

Kurt lets out a nervous giggle. "Hihi....you remember me huh? You're Mirella's partner?"

"How's the water today?" Marika asks, giving Syrra a stritch, still smiling and looking around at the assembled crowd.

Mirella nods, "I'd say split everyone up evenly. If you don't mind, I'll keep Sarin with me and Achi as well.

Achilles bobs his head, amused, "Yes, Achi Mirr's partner. Yes, remember. You make music stick when Mirmirrr sick

Mirella thinks for a minute, "Let's see, Have Kirana, Marika, Rendall and Kielyn with you and Syrra. I'll take Sarina, Brina, Geraint and Kurt with me and Achi, how's that sound?

Sarin nods to Brina, her eyes sparking in anticipation. "Aye, me too!" At Mirella's directions, she nods, half to herself.

Syrra squees softly, splashing a couple of the apprentices, "Water warm!

Kurt kneels down and tentatively touches the water with a nervous hand. "It is warm...."

Kaelya nods, shifting her weight between feet, and touching her chin breifly in thought, "That's fine." She gives a grin and cocks her head as she's assigned apprentices, "Excellent," She runs over the names in her head, just to keep reference. She's subdued today, rather easy going, and smiles.

Brina nods to Mirella, and the others before moving closer towards Achi. "Hey Achi!" Oh, isn't there a fish bucket somewhere around here?

Geraint jumps into the water making a wave fly towards Syrra when comes back up "yup water warm"

Kurt scuttles backwards with a muffled 'eep!' and pants. "Don't /do/ that..."

"Glad to hear it," Marika says. That the water is warm, that is. The lake back home was usually warm, at least in summer, and a good long time into the cold season.

Rendall smiles, and step aside from the next splash, awaiting for the other to enter, since the only male in the group of theirs "Fear of the Water?" he asks the Harper.

Sarin slips into the water with little show, ducking under and surfacing while making few, small waves. "Water's nice," she agrees. Of course, she /always/ thinks the water's nice.

Kurt pushes Sarin out.

Kaelya nods, jutting her jaw a little toward Kurt, "Don't worry, you couldn't be in better hands than with these 'phins here." She nods affirmatively and begins to slide intot he water herself.

Mirella holds her hand out to Kurt, nodding for the others in her group to join her with Achilles, "Just slide in the water, it's shallow here and you're safe. I promise that noone here is going to let anything happen to you

Kirana, whose been standing quietly to the side, approaches the water slowly, sliding in with as few ripples as possible, and treads water calmly, just waiting for further instructions.

Marika drops into the water, looking around to make sure she's not in anybody's way, then starts to tread water, waiting for someone to show her which way to go.

Kurt gulps and sets one foot and ten the other into the water, carefully sliding himself in, "HmmmmMmmmm..." be brave, harper...

Brina walks towards the water and starts to tread water waiting for her lovely mentor to tell her what to do.

Sarin bobs in place near Brina, waiting for instructions.

Geraint treads water by achi waiting for instructions

Mirella grins, "Go ahead, Brina and position yourself next to Achi. You and Sarin show the others in our group how to

Brina swims over towards Achi, and gives him a scrtich on his melon. "Hey, Achi, long time no see!" She smiles, and sets herself right next to the 'phin and grabs hold on to Achi's dorsal fin."

Kurt sits on the edge of the pool, staring at his reflection in the water. He's wearing a divesuit, but as of yet, he's still dry.

Geraint swims about ontop and under the water with ease when surfaces "i am glad i learned to swim at shouthern"

Sarin is still bobbing in the water, but drifts over towars the eldge and the harper. "Learning to swim is a good thing, Geraint. Speaking of learning, would anyone be interested in a little impromptu swim class? Your choice of stroke?"

Rendall bobbing up to the surface "I thing we should do basic for the harper, Srin" he said looking at the dry Harper on the edge.

Geraint smiles "i agree basics for the harper would be best srin

Kurt narrows his eyes slightly, a bit of hair drifting into his vision. "Swimming...lesson?"

Kirana keeps on treading, smile growing wider at the mention of a class, "Sure..." for stroke choice she glances at the others with the faintest of shrugs, eyes drifting towards the harper, "That might be a good idea." she agrees with the others.

Sarin smirks. "Basic as in crawlstroke or basic as in arms and legs only?" she asks the apprentices. Are they still teaching arms and legs only? They better be; if she had to learn it everyone else does too. Kurt recieves a broad grin. "Well, why not? You'd probably be more comfortable in the water if you swam better..."

Treading water, Marika nods her agreement. A swimclass for the harper might be a good idea. If the man didn't know how to swim.

Geraint "i would start with treading water but that my own opion"

Kurt emits a snort. "Swim better? I can't swim at all."

Geraint releases Thunder, who launches into the air.

Thunder lands behind kurt and gives a tiny firelizard nudge

Kurt looks over his shoulder and lifts a brow. "Can I help you?"

Thunder looks at kurt and at very shallow knee deep area of water, points with a wing and chirps

Sarin goes into teacher mode. "Well, then it's about time you learned, isn't it? I've taught six turn olds to swim, so I'm sure we can get you winning races in no time. Best to start with the very basics, floating and treading water and such, and then we can move on to either the crawlstroke or arms and legs only," she states matter-of-factly.

Rendall bobbing up and down on the water, and nodding agreement.

Geraint nods his agree ment and flips so is flaoting on his back

Kirana just nods an agreement, like everyone else

Rendall releases Blair, who launches into the air.

"Yeah, tha's how I learned to swim," Marika offers to the harper. Of course that had been turns ago, when she'd been a little girl in the forrest lake.

Geraint looks over to kurt "you can do it comeon it's fun and easy"

Blair begans to swim in the water, doing a bit of dog paddling with it's firelizard paws.

Geraint remembers swimming with 'phins back at southern and how he learned to swim

Llyr rides a wave of air to the southwest.

Sarin bobs in place a moment longer, then flips onto her back. "Floating's the most basic part of swimming, and it's easy once you get the hang of it. A good way to get started is with something underneath you, such as a board or someone's hands, just to get the feel of it. Once you're comfortable with that, you'll want try it on your own. Start where it's shallow, then move farther out," she suggests.

Kurt looks nervous. "Mmmm I dunno...do you think this is a good idea?"

Sarin nods. "Yes, I'm sure. You'll be fine. We have several dolphins and plenty of crafters around. Nothing but good will come of this. I promise," she assures him, looking around for something good and floatable to get started on.

Geraint swims overto far ledge and grabs a board and swims it back "will this work sarin?"

Kurt continues to emit a steady "Hummmmmm..." as his brow furrows. "hmmm...floating? Can I float?"

Kirana grins brightly, "I think everyone can float, can't they?" she pipes up.

Sarin takes the board and gives it a once over. "Yes, Geraint, this should be fine. Thanks. And yes, Kurt, you can." She sets the board down where the water is only about a foot deep. "All right, let's try it like this. Lay down on the board and we'll pull it out into the deeper water; between us and the wood you're sure to stay up. Once you're comfortable with that, we can try it without the board, ok?"

Marika can swim, but isn't sure she's one to teach others to swim, so she keeps treading water where she is, watching the poor harper. "Everybody can float," she says, "and it's easier in saltwater..."

Kurt mumbles, and steps into the water. "Salt? It doesn't burn, does it?" he asks, kneeling down, a little self conscious to be laying down in front of apprentices. "OooOookiieeeedooo...." the harper gets a little weird while nervous.

Sarin nods. "Aye, salt water does make it easier, and it only burns if you get it into open wounds." Lass keeps a firm grasp on the board, though it seems to be keeping him up well enough on its own. Very slowly, she tugs it towards the deeper water, stopping when it's about five feet deep. "There, now, that's not so bad?"

Kurt is literally vibrating, his entire body shaking from nerves. "Uhh huhuh huhhuhuh y y yyeah...nn nn not so b bbad..." breathe, Kurt, breathe!

Geraint smiles softly "kurt it's safe, sarin won't let anythign bad happen to you nor would i or any of the others, and i know the 'phins would help"

Sarin stays in place at the five foot depth, her feet firmly planted on the ground and her hands keeping the board steady. "You're doing great. Just imagine that you're a leaf, floating on a pond..." It may be funny, but it's how she was taught, all those turns ago.

Marika grins slightly, trying to keep from laughing at the harper, as she still treads water watching the poor man get into the water. Of course, she couldn't even remember how she'd reacted to the water when she'd first learned to swim.

Kirana watches the floating lesson from a bit of a distance, eyes widening at the shaking harper making all the strange noises. She paddles closer to Marika, "D'you think he's alright?" she asks the other girl in an undertone.

Marika nods to Kirana, "don't think anybody'll let 'im drown, if that's what you mean," she whispers back to her, eyes still on Kurt, though she does get a little worried about the harper looking so scared.

Kurt relaxes a bit, struggling to maintain his cool. "Ok ok ok...I cando this...." he breathes, letting hsi feet flip a little.

Sarin nods, slowly taking her hands away from the board. She stays nearby, just in case, but now it's just the harper and the board. "You're doing great. Stay relaxed, and think light. When you're comfortable with that, we can try it without the board."

Geraint swims around a bit a lil way away from kurt not to scare him

Kirana hmmms, "Oh I don't think so either, the waters not that deep, and there're lots of people around." she gestures to Sarin and the other apprentices, "He just looks incredibly afraid or something." she didn't even think it was possible to be afraid of water.

Kurt starts to panic as Sarin moves away from his board. "Uhh---!" his feet move, but then he relaxes, steadying his nerves, his eyes wide, but his panic subsiding. "Ok ok ok..."

Marika nods slowly, getting more and more worried about the poor man, as Kirana talks, but isn't able to find any words to comfort him. She couldn't understand either how people could be afraid of water.

Geraint swims under Syrra and trys to tickle her and get her playing

Sarin moves back a little closer, but still keeps her hands down. "Good, you're doing great. Try kicking a little bit if you like, and let me know when you're ready to try without the board. No pressure, take all the time you need," she tells him soothingly. A wink goes to the apprentices; everything will be ok.

Kurt draws a deep breath and nods. "Go ahead..." slowly he pries his aching fingers away from his death grip on the board. "MmmmmMm...ok...I'm ready.."

Rendall stops bobbing and look at the Harper, trying first time to learn how to swim (and probably going through it) he looks as he flit who was paddling happily in the water.

Sarin nods, slowly sliding the board out and pushing it out of the way with one hand before returning to ready position. "All right, there you go. I'm right here, and I've got my hands ready, so don't fear. You're doing great," she assures him. "The water's only about five feet here, so you can put your feet down whenever you feel the need to."

Kurt floats, smirking to himself, then accidently faceplanting in the water. "EeEeeeeeee!" bubble bubble bubble. He lifts his head and shakes it, "Arrgh." hey, he didn't faint or scream or anything.

Marika's eyes grow wide as she watches the harper's head drop in the water. "Are you okay?" she says, wondering if he'd even hear her question, being busy trying to stay a-float.

Sarin grins assuringly after making sure he's ok. "That was great. Floating is the most basic part of swimming, but once you've got that down the rest is easy. It's just a matter of moving your arms and legs. However, before we do that, we ought to do treading water. Like so." She moves out a little bit farther, then lifts her feet from the ground and starts kicking them up and down.

Kirana's eyesbrows go up as the unfortunate harper gets his face rather wet and she winces slightly, "You okay?" she echos Marika, craning her neck to peer at the learning harper, before settling back down in the water again.

Geraint swims out a bit near sarin and flips so is upright and starts treading water, legs kicking back and forth and arms moving up down and sideways

Kurt is an acrobat and a dancer, and yet..he never mastered the art of swimming. "Ok.." he moves his feet, trying to lower his lower half so that he's almost standing, moving his arms and feet. Hey...he almost has it..."Woah...am I doing it?" he asks, though he starts to sink a little.

Rendall just watches and looks at his flit doing or trying to do the same thing, by mimicing the journeywoman, he chuckles at the sight, then looks up and began to practice to swim by kick in a wheel motion and stroking backwards away from the harper and Journeywoman.

Sarin shifts back to where she can stand and watches carefully. "Aye, you've about got it. Try to keep your legs a bit closer together, but other than that you just need some practice. You're doing great."

Blair doggy paddles to Rendall as he began to crawl on the stomach, chitter-giggling at his little achievement.

Marika tilts her head, listening to something rumble outside. "Is that thunder?," she whispers, to the person nearest her, which would be Kirana, her face turning even more worried, though not for the harper this time. Taking a few strokes she swims back to where she can touch bottom and stands in the water, still listening for another rumble.

Kurt does as instructed, squinting his eyes as he concentrates. "This isn't so hard...." he grins, splashing a little. "Hey! Hey! I can swim!"

Sarin nods, grinning broadly. "Aye, you are! See, we told you you could. Good job!"

Rendall pausing from swimming for a moment, floating on the water, since his back on the water, eyes his brown on his chest, chitter-giggles at it's firelizard triumph, he chuckles also, and paddling with his head, he move himself to the opposite direction slowly.

Kirana tilts her head to the side, listening carefully, "Sounds like it might be." she responds after a few moments. She follows the girl a bit, asking curiously, "Do you not like storms?" right after she asks she grins at the harper, "Good job."

Sarin listens for a moment. "Aye, I think that is thunder, but we're safe in here. Hopefully it'll blow by and not be a big thing like the last one. Now, we're going to skip arms and legs only for the moment. Would you like to learn the crawlstroke?"

Marika shakes her head at Kirana's question, "not really, no," she mumbles, her eyes on the harper, though she's not grinning anymore. "A thunderstrike started a forrestfire back home once...." she halts her sentence then, and doesn't explain any further, the memory almost too painful for her to think about.

Kirana grimices, "I'm sorry." she remarks quietly, before turning her attention to the swim lesson. Much better than thoughts of forrestfires.

Rendall floating on his back, he grins "Good job Harper" he said congratulation, he continue to float around with his flit spraying water on his face.

Marika moves her hands back and forth across the water, though still standing at the bottom, nervously looking up everytime she hears a thunderbolt, though still trying to follow the harper's swimming lesson.

Sarin turns to Marika for a moment. "If you're uncomfortable with the storm, feel free to just watch from the edge, or go deeper in the hall. We're safe in here, but I don't want to keep you here if you're not comfortable with it," she offers.

Rendall floats around, kicking his feet, moving forward and using his hand to move his sideway, practicing his floating and swimming "So Sarin, what do we do now?" he asked the Journeywoman.

Geraint swims around a bit and dives under the water coming up near sarin but not to close to scare kurt

"I'll be alright," Marika says, "I wanna be here...." Especially if she could pick up any good advice on swimming, though she considered herself a fair swimmer.

Sarin nods to Marika. "Ok. That's good. Now, I suppose we can move onto the crawlstroke. Have any of you had any instruction in that?"

Blair leaps off Rendall and splashes into the water, then bobbing up to the surface, giggles, while he doggy paddle.

Marika nods slowly. If she meant instruction in general, she had had that back home, though not here at the Dolphin Hall. Not yet. "I can do the crawlstroke," she mumbles, moving deeper into the water.

Kirana shakes her head in response to the question, "Not really, I think I sort of know how to do it, not well though."

Rendall floats "I want to crawlstroke, I need more practice on that, I haven't had the time" he said.

Sarin nods. "Good. A basic understanding is better than nothing. The crawl's the most basic of the strokes, and goes like this." She flips onto her stomach and swims to the far end of the pool, then comes back demonstrating. Her legs kick evenly, while her arms alternate. First her left, then her right arcs up and out of the water, then back down into it. Every two or three strokes, she turns her head to the side of the raised arm and catches a breath, returning her face to the water as her arm enters it. Lass continues this way across the pool, keeping her movements slow and exaggerated for a good demonstration.

Kurt tries to mimic the movements, furrwowing his brow in concentration. "mmmm.."

Geraint starts copying sarins movements

Rendall looking at Sarin, demonstration, he follows her example, and begin to do the stroke on his stomach, kicking in even timed, as his arm arches upward going above the water, his face turn to the raised arm, as he his other arm is underneath the water, does that under he reach to the edge, then turning around and doing the same thing.

Kaelya slips timidly to the southwest.

Kirana watches Sarin carefully, before flipping onto her own belly, kicking briskly. She manages to keep her hands fairly cupped as she moves them in and out of the water, though her fingers gape a little. Pretty much having the idea of the stroke she moves fairly easily through the water, biggest problem being that it takes her a little to long to get a good breath of air.

Marika takes a deep breath, then dives under the water swimming a long way under the surface before coming up for breath, then takes long even strokes, her arms only skimming the water in the upward arc, as she moves toward the far end of the pool. Turning, she flips onto her back, doing the backstroke, her arms moving above her head and into the water while she kicks her legs and tries to judge the distance she's come, as not to bump into anybody coming back.

Sarin strokes over to Kurt, since the others seem to be doing all right on their own. "It may make it a bit easier if you start in the shallows, with just your legs. Then, once you've got that down, move out and try your arms as well," she suggests. "You're doing pretty well for the first time, though." Her attention briefly flits to the others, "Very nice, Rendall. Geraint, try to keep your legs a little more even; you're doing well though. Good, Kirana. You need a bit of practice with the breathing, but you seem to have the rest down. Great job, Marika!"

Blair blinks in ::between:: as the human were practicing in the water, then blinks back from ::between:: shivering from the coldness of the water and land on the edge, sneezing little firelizard sneezes.

Marika listens to the storm move in closer, and swims back to the ledge, crawling out of the water. "I think I'm gonna go back to the Hall," she says, shivering a bit, though not from cold.

Sarin nods to Marika. "All right, go head. Good job today, and I'll see you later," she calls.

Waving to the people left in the water, Marika makes a dash for the Hall, trying not to show her fear of a simple thunderstorm.