Icy Ice was charmingly laid-back and embodied the philosophy of “why do more than necessary?” He spent his days trudging through the forest, eating wildflowers and sleeping in the shade of the tall pine trees. Although he was by no means lazy, he simply believed in efficiency.

One sunny afternoon, Icy wandered to the beach. The brilliant sun sparkled on the water’s surface, and the rhythmic sound of waves was music to his ears. This was unfamiliar territory for him. Here, he noticed something remarkable: another buck, a sleek creature with blue and green fur, gracefully wading through the ocean waves without a care in the world. Icy watched, wide-eyed, as this buck dove under the water, leaped like a fish, and then surfaced with a triumphant flick of its tail.

Fascinated, Icy ambled over. "Excuse me!" he called out, trying to keep his calm demeanor while bouncing with enthusiasm. "You seem.. uh, amazing at swimming!"

SkylerKarashi wrote:

Swim Saver was in what he easily considered his most favorite part of the swamp, the water edge. Swimming around gave him a sense of calmness, the only sound being the occassional spash of his tail when it got a little too close to the top of the water. The smell engulfed his nose and his eyes were closed, enjoying the quiet for a long moment.

After his few moments of peace, Swm decided it was time for a bit of a work out, swimming around with a bit more meaning. He would dive and spring up to get some air, going again and again to see just how high he could spring out. He did this a few times before his concentration was broken from the sound of a voice. Swim looked around, confused for a moment before his eyes fell on a spectacular looking buck. If blush showed on him, he'd be red as he admired the other bucks long hair, orange fur, and beautiful tail feather formation.

He blinked, then shook his head to snap himself out of his daze as he swam to the edge of the water, "Aha... I like to think I am yeah. Thank you!" He gave a soft smile, "Care to join?"

Icy Ice watched as the buck swam closer.
He couldn’t help but beam at the invitation. “Oh, I’d love to! But, uhm.. to be honest, I don’t know how to swim,” he admitted with a hint of nervous giggle. He pawed the sand with his hoof and then continued “I admire your breathtaking jumps, I thought maybe you could teach me? Just the essentials, of course. You know, enough to float around.” he said, trying to sound a little more confident and stepped a little closer to the water. After all, how hard could it be?

SkylerKarashi wrote:

Swim didn't even think twice about the admition. He beamed a bright smile and nodded excitedly, "I'd love to. I wouldn't make you learn any more than you could handle, promise." He chuckled and pulled himself from the water for a moment, "I bet you're a faster learner though~" He looked the buck over curiously, then nodded, "Are you good at relaxing?" He asking, blinking innocently.

Fasti wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 12:07 pm

Icy Ice chuckled nervously, glancing first at Swim and then at the vast expanse of water that shimmered under the sun. “Relaxing? Oh, I’m a master at that!” he replied with a mischievous grin. “But when it comes to floating, I’m a bit concerned." After a short pause while starring at the water, he mumbles more to himself "I mean, how do I not sink?”

Icy took deep breath, feeling both exhilarated and slightly terrified. He approached the water's edge, the cool surf lapping at his hooves. Watching Swim dive and play brought a flutter of excitement to his heart, and he thought, Why not? After all, he had spent so much time in the calm embrace of the forest, perhaps it was time to embrace a new adventure.

“Alright,” Icy said, surprising himself with his newfound resolve. “I’ll give it a try.” and splashed into the water until the water was near his chest.

SkylerKarashi wrote:

Swim Saver looked excited, "Just breath like you're relaxing, but make sure you're still kicking your legs to keep yourself afloat. Watch." He dove back into the water, letting just his head stay above the water and kicking his legs, eyes closed and focusing on his breathing.

He looked to Icy Ice, glad to see the other buck getting comfortable with the water, "That's it. Now just, ease yourself in, practice with your front legs while the back ones still touch the ground." He swam back over, wanting to be close in case anything went wrong.

Fasti wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 8:06 pm

Icy Ice took a moment to gather his thoughts as he watched Swim's graceful movements in the water. As he stepped deeper into the blue, he could feel the coolness enveloping him, inviting yet intimidating. He took a deep breath, channeling his relaxation technique as he tried to mimic Swim’s effortless strokes.

“Okay, I can do this,” he murmured to himself, feeling a swell of determination. He moved his front legs in the water while his back legs stayed on the ground, as Swim said, feeling the gentle support of the ocean beneath him.

Taking another deep breath, Icy shifted his weight onto his forelegs, lifting his back legs slightly off the sandy bottom. As he did, he felt a moment of panic, as if the water was pulling him under, but he quickly remembered Swim's instruction. “Just relax,” he whispered, letting the gentle rhythm of the waves guide him.

Feeling his way through the new experience, Icy tentatively started try to kick his back legs. He splashed noisily, it looked unrhythmically, sending tiny waves crashing against Swim.

SkylerKarashi wrote: ↑

Swim watched Icy getting slowly comfortable with the water, keeping a close eye on him to make sure he would stay afloat. He let Icy have a moment to figure things out, chuckling a bit fron the small waves as he moved in closer to let his body rest gently against Icy's, hoping it would give Icy a way to feel the movements and mimick them, "Keep focusing on your breathing. That's what keeps you afloat." He spoke just loud enough for Icy to hear his voice over the splashing, not wanting to break his concentration too much.

Fasti wrote: ↑Mon Nov 04, 2024 6:17 am

As the foam swirled around them, Icy Ice felt the warmth of Swim Saver’s calm presence beside him. He steadied himself, focusing on the rhythm of his breath, inhaling that salty ocean air and letting the waves guide him. For a moment, he felt that enchanting sensation of weightlessness.

“Just like floating on a cloud,” he mused, grinning as a tingling shiver ran through him. He kicked his legs a little more rhythmically now and found that the water supported him naturally. “I’m doing it! I’m really doing it!”

SkylerKarashi wrote: ↑

Excitement filled Swim as he watched Icy get the hang of things. He grinned widely, "You are! You're doing amazing!" He let Icy drift away a bit to give him more confidence, admiring him from a distance. He started swimming around Icy, chuckling happily, "You'll be diving before you know it." He laughed, not even knowing if that's something Icy wanted to do, but he couldn't help feeling like the buck could do anything in that moment.

Fasti wrote: ↑Mon Nov 04, 2024 11:48 am

Icy Ice's confidence began to swell with each stroke, and he reveled in the new sensations of the water. The cool embrace transformed from a source of fear to a playground of possibility. He playfully splashed at the shimmering waves, causing them to glisten like diamonds under the sunlight.

He heard Swim's words and shouted back “I’m starting to feel it!”, laughter bubbling from inside him, making him get water in his mouth and coughing, which only made him laugh even harder. The rhythm of the waves paired with his newfound embrace of floating felt like a dance he was learning for the first time. He looked at Swim, noticing the way the sunlight reflected off his vibrant blue and green fur, making him look almost like a moving jewel under the ocean.

“What’s your secret?” Icy asked, a glimmer of admiration in his eyes. “How do you make it look so easy?” He moved a bit closer towards the buck that still effortlessly gliding through the water.

SkylerKarashi wrote: ↑

Swim. Saver watched Icy getting comfortable and couldn't take his eyes off him. He loved seeing anyone go from that phase of fear to enjoyment as they learned. He started zoning out a bit, now more focused on Icy Ice himself and how incredible he looked gliding through the water, seeing when he bobbed over the water and the way it glistened in the sun. He was entranced watching-

Words broke him out of his moment, shaking his head, "j-just a lot of practice I suppose." He smiled brightly, practically hearing his own heart pounding through the water, "I was practically born in the water." He laughed, giving Icy his full attention and even getting a bit closer subconsciously.

Fasti wrote: ↑Tue Nov 05, 2024 3:34 pm

Icy felt a strange flutter in his chest, a sensation he had never quite experienced before. It was as if the water had not only awakened his physical senses but also stirred something deep within him. The playful splashes and laughter seemed to weave a spell around them, and for a moment, the world beyond the shimmering water faded away.

Icy’s heart was pounding at Swim’s laughter, resonating with an unexpected resonance. Determined to not overanalyze the feelings brewing in him, he decided to focus on the water.

“I have to admit, I’ve never really considered swimming as a fun thing to do,” Icy confessed, his voice softening as he swirled in the water. “But with you here, it feels... different.” He saw Swim studying him and swam a little closer, the water rippling around them.

He grinned. “Alright, teach me more! I want to explore everything beneath the surface.”

SkylerKarashi wrote: ↑

Swim looked excited at Icy wanting to learn more, "Absolutely! That sounds fun!" He beamed a bright smile, "ill show you how to swim under, cause underwater life is super cool!" He ducked under, getting himself slick once more. Coming back up, he quickly says, "Take a deep breath, and don't be afraid to open your eyes underneath." He took his breath and lowered down slowly, swimming a couple laps around Icy before coming back up, "And breath out slowly as you come back up." He nodded confidently.

Fasti wrote: ↑Fri Nov 08, 2024 10:52 am

Icy watched for a heartbeat and then dove down like him.

His worries were unfounded, when he got over the initial shock that the water brought with it and he opened his eyes, a wide, shimmering blue landscape opened up to him. He felt weightless, looking around in this new world he just discovered. Then he followed Swim's instructions, mimicking his movements (not as elegant as him, but it worked), reveling in the thrill of being submerged. Fish darted around him, and the vibrant colors of the underwater world became a breathtaking backdrop to their playful adventure.

As air ran out, Icy emerged from the water, breathing out slowly like he was told, drops of water clinging to his fur like diamonds. "This is incredible!" he shouted, feeling the rush of freedom and joy, swimming in little circles around Swim, splashing water playfully.

SkylerKarashi wrote: ↑