Humans Are Encountered

Swimming

"This has no point." Zork'ak refused to step forward.

"Swimming is a very useful skill!" Carrie reached forward to grab at Zork'ak extremity, but xe pulled back.

"Klyls have not developed this skill because we have no use for it. There is not an instance in which we will be in a liquid, especially one we will not be able to walk through."

"It seems you need that skill right now." Zork'ak opened xer mouth only to close it again. "Mmhmm," Carrie smirked, "now come here."

"Technically, cliff diving is also a pointless activity."

"But you like it." Zork'ak could not deny this. "I'm not arguing with you."

She snatched up xer extremity before xe could react, yanking xem forward. With xer balance thrown off, xe lurched forward, giving Carrie several steps. The water was encroaching towards xer face.

"Just move your arms." Carrie was slowly moving her upper extremities in a repetitive horizontal motion. Xe mimicked her motion, finding that it did slightly propel xer head above the water. "Perfect. Now, you just cycle your legs a little bit." Xe watched again, then mirrored her, finding that xe was now comfortably floating in the water. Carrie began to move backwards, and Zork'ak cautiously tried to follow until xe could no longer reach the ground.

Carrie continued to move, the other humans already farther out waiting on the two of them. Zork'ak kept kicking, but xe did not move very far. Carrie stifled a laugh. "So to move you have to do it a little differently. You have to move your arms in front of you and push the water behind you."

Carrie turned and propelled herself forward in one movement. Zork'ak nodded, leaning forward, and immediately dunking xemself under the water. Xe began thrashing, attempting to kick xemself back up to the surface. When xe finally managed to climb above the liquid, xe found Carrie laughing, the back of her hand pressed against her mouth. Adam was arriving next to her, Wren not far behind.

"Carrie! You can't let xem drown!"

"I," another giggle, "I'm not."

Adam rolled his eyes. "Are you okay?"

Zork'ak began back peddling. "I informed you that swimming is an impossible skill." Xe finally hit the ground, but Carrie reached out.

"Zor, you have to practice something to be able to do it."

"But this is something that is dangerous before you are able to practice! You should not have to put a skill in place before it is developed!"

"Zor?" Xe froze where xe was halfway out of the liquid, climbing to the ground. Xe turned to look at Wren, standing right behind xem. "Let me teach you."

Xer heart stuttered, and they nodded. She wrapped her hand around xer talons, gently pulling xem back into the liquid. She was much gentlier, the way she held xer extremities as she slowly backed towards the group, helping xem move appropriately.

"You're doing great." Xe was carefully watching her, the way her nose softly sloped upwards, the way her hair now fell in wet strands across her head instead of being pushed back. She looked up, and xe couldn't even bother to look away. Xe did not care that she caught xem staring.

"I'm going to let go of your arms now."

"What?"

A small grin spread on her face. "You'll be okay, just move your arms in a circular motion, pushing the water behind you." She gently let go of xer extremities and made the motion with her own extremities.

Xe made the motion, but too slowly, causing xem to slip a little. "Oh!" Wren caught xem, pulling xem back up. "Try again." Zork'ak looked at her hesitantly. "Don't you trust me?" Xe offered a small nod, attempting the motion again. This time, xe actually moved forward without going beneath the water. "Good!" Her lips stretched into a full smile.

Xe kept repeating the motion, Wren moving next to xem, until they reached the humans. As Zork'ak paused next to Adam, carefully moving xer arms in the horizontal motion to stay still and above the water.

Carrie, Jessica, and Steve started clapping and yelling. "Look at you!" Carrie said.

Xe couldn't help xer grin. "Good job," Adam said quietly.

Steve, however, had a different type of congratulations. He jumped forward, collapsing on top of Zork'ak and knocking the two of them underneath the liquid. Xe pulled backwards, flailing to get back to the surface. Xe coughed, wiping water from xer face.

"Steve!" Wren yelled, smacking his upper extremity.

"What!" He was laughing, and as Wren lurched forward to pop him again, he snatched her up, wrapping one of his extremities around her middle.

"Let me go!"

He chuckled. "Okay." He lifted her out of the water, tossing her a distance away. Zork'ak's heart tightened, holding xer breath until she popped back up. "You are such an ass!" She pushed her hair out of her face, swimming back to the group.

"Come on, guys." He splashed Carrie, who screamed in return. "Don't be such a stick in the mud!" Carrie tackled Steve, shoving him beneath the liquid as she climbed up onto his shoulders to keep him underneath. She was giggling until Steve resurfaced, Carrie still on his shoulders, and slammed backwards to dump her beneath the liquid.

"It appears that you all swim to give you a new method of harming each other."

Adam and Wren both laughed. "That seems to be a fair assessment," Wren said.

"Actually-"

"Oh, hush, Adam. Zor is aware of the actual use of swimming." She looked to xem, her blue eyes beautiful. "Aren't you?" Xe nodded, any question evaporating. Her mouth opened right as Jessica grabbed her from behind, knocking her into the water. "Hey! You jerk!" And Wren swam away, chasing after Jessica as Zork'ak watched the two of them, smiling gently.