Chapter 12: Water Cont'd

   Rheto came out of the water and shook himself so that his hair returned only slightly to normal and then came to sit by Ardan.
  "Start slowly. Put your feet in and work your way deeper. Neither of us expect you to swim like a fish. You have never had more than a bath. We will keep you safe. You will not drown." Rheto spoke quietly as if his words were a secret. Glancing at his pet, Ardan stood up. He removed his bag from across his chest and laid it in the sand. Next he took off his vest and folded it on top of his bag. His bare chest shone in the sun; his young muscles strong and taunt. His dark skin seemed even darker here against the backdrop of green. He walked toward the water slowly. He was determined to be brave, but there was no bravery in foolishness. The water lapped at his toes, making the sand under his feet squish and stick to the tops of his feet. He walked until the water flowed up around his ankles and then stopped. Fulkar was still in the water, Ardan could see his nostrils, eyes, and ears peeking from above the waves. He was less than twenty yards ahead. The water must be very deep. Fulkar watched him intently, his eyelids the only perceptible movement.
   The water was cool, but not cold. It had been warmed by the long, hot sun. Ardan stared out across the waves wondering if his mother had had to cross this lake. If she could swim, perhaps the sad look that had often flitted into her eyes was not just for his father. It was easy to understand how someone could miss this. It was beautiful and serene. He stared and stared; making sure that he would be able to remember this place in his mind as long as he lived.
   Ardan gradually walked deeper in the water until the bottoms of his shorts were dark with wet. The water began to creep past his knees and he stopped again. Rheto and Fulkar couldn't see, but his feet were buried in the sand under the water. Perhaps he was afraid the waves would carry him away or perhaps it was just something familiar to hold onto. He leaned to his left until his fingertips brushed the water. He let them dance across the surface, and then he proceeded deeper. The water reached his thighs, his waist, and then it was up past his navel. He stopped again, letting both hands drop to his sides. He could feel the soft current against his palms, making his body sway gently. He knew he could not breathe underwater and yet he desired to know what it felt like to be encompassed by something so great and vast; to feel the water lift his hair. He took a deep breath and just sat down.