The lake is calm and glass-like, except for a bubble trail that appears to move further out to the deeper parts of water. This means that Shalnth is lurking somewhere in the depths and that all swimmers should steer clear if they do not wish to be bothered. He's a right pain in the you-know-what when he gets an idea to pester folks. Meanwhile on the shoreline is R'xim getting ready for a swim now that Arroyo's PT is over. His sleeveless shirt is removed and tossed onto his sandals before he begins to wade into the lake for a much needed rinse.

Kyara and Liareth could have just gone to the Weyr lake for a rinse and a cool-down, of course. But some days, after being surrounded by weyrlings, the greenrider simply wants a little peace and quiet during such things. With her charges being less dependent now than they were a few months ago, she and her lifemate break away to the Crater Lake. She is not, of course, in the least unhappy to find R'xim there when they land, watching him wade out into the cool water as she removes Liareth's straps, then strips down to the two-piece she'd thrown on underneath. "I'll never tire of finding you anywhere," she informs him as she draws near. Meanwhile, Liareth goes aloft and watches Shalnth's bubble trail, teasing at him with tendrils of steam subtly scented with night blooms as she decides where to make a dive.

Shalnth's Lia-Radar is on point today and he can sense her drawing near before those steamy tendrils touch the very edge of his 'scape. It just so happens that he's made his way closer to R'xim when he took note of his wading into the lake, which means that there is a sheet of water tsunami'd when the bronze very suddenly surfaces. Of course it happens right when Rix turns to regard Kyara that said sheet of water surges toward him — which he has exactly two seconds to brace for. After the wave hits, he's no longer dry. He's soaked. Both hands scrub down his face to wipe away any extra droplets and he pivots to glare at Shalnth (who's conveniently ignoring him now). "If that had knocked me over I'd consider flaying him."

Kyara is close enough by the time Shalnth makes his wave that she doesn't keep entirely dry herself. At least she can say she'll be used to the temperature before going in, more or less! With a sigh and a chagrined chuckle, she steps close and rubs away a few extra drops from R'xim's neck. "Yes, but I know you'd leave it at that," she notes wryly before rising on her toes a bit to kiss him in greeting. "And so does he, of course." Reaching up now, she pulls her hair back to secure it with a tie that had been waiting on her wrist. "How was PT?"

R'xim will let that glare linger until Kyara distracts him with a kiss and he's able to refocus. Since they've both suffered water damage from Shalnth's sudden tsunami, he casts A Look up toward Liareth who was the inspiration behind the disaster. "I bet she did that on purpose." How does he know? Simple. "Shalnth's a bad influence." She teases him, he reacts. It never ends… The fact doesn't help rid the thought of getting back at the bronze somehow, and Rix doesn't exactly grumble his response. "Just glad it's over before the real heat of the day sets in. One of the newer riders usually passes out when we run in the heat and I get sick of hauling them to the infirmary. I told Th'bek it's his turn next."

"She may have…" Even bonded, it's still hard for Kyara to tell when Liareth is actually teasing sometimes. The greenrider steps past R'xim with a subtly impish glance back over her shoulder that invites him to follow as she moves to waist-deep water, then lets herself go under for a moment before lounging in the blessed coolness. "His turn to haul, or to pass out?" she asks cheekily, though she knows full well what he means. Either would be considerable retribution, though. "So how is your new wingleader?" she asks, slicking burnished hair back over her shoulders. "I haven't gotten to meet her yet."

Like bronze, like rider. R'xim can't seem to ignore Kyara when she moves deeper into the water and he finds himself following without realizing it. He's too busy considering whether or not Th'bek will be the next one to pass out, hence the smirk that tugs at his expression. "He's not weak. His genes won't allow him." There's a tinge of pride for the brownrider's lineage etched into the tone of his voice. When Arroyo's new wingleader is brought up, Rix shrugs his shoulders with ambivalence. "She's not bad so far. If she doesn't give me shit, I won't give her shit." It's like an unspoken agreement has yet to be formed between them. "How're the weyrlings today? I heard that a blue ingested a kite the other day."

Kyara can't help but laugh over R'xim's assertion about Th'bek, giving a little shake of her head and quietly appreciating that she's able to make him smirk as she does. The greenrider floats a bit on her back as she watches R'xim follow, only her feet and some of her legs submerged to brush the bottom and keep her from drifting too quickly. "Only seems fair," she opines over the matter of how he's doing with the new wingleader. Mention of the kite-eating dragonet earns a groan. "I hear it caused some considerable thicktail I did not have the privilege of witnessing or helping to treat. Fortunately," she answers with chagrin. "They certainly keep life interesting. Always an interesting mix of personalities to be dealt with - surly, reverent, quiet, feline-like…" Just to list a few of the current characters that spring to mind from the current class.

“Like teaching children.” R’xim’s tone is indicative of the lack of patience he would have if he had to deal with weyrlings on a daily basis. His arms go out in front of him and he dives into the water, dips, and resurfaces a few yards away. “You ever get nervous about teaching them how to ::between:: for the first time?” A hand wipes away droplets of water from his face and then both hands slick back his hair now that he’s gotten wet on his own accord. The thought sends another pointed look toward Shalnth who’s now swimming wherever Liareth glides overhead.

Kyara chuckles at R’xim first, amber gaze dancing knowingly. Perhaps she secretly thinks dealing with weyrlings might be good for him. That gaze follows him appreciatively as he makes his dive. His question, however, sobers her a bit, and she nods as she treads the water. “Every time,” she replies. “Lia and I… We’re good at envisioning. She can give an image to the young ones as clear as crystal, and we can tell them all what exactly needs to happen, simple and straightforward until we’re blue in the face.” Her eyes fall to a middle point upon the water between herself and R’xim, flickers of memory crossing her mind’s eye. “But ultimately…what allows them to survive is their ability to handle it. We’ve been lucky so far, not losing any on the first try each time we’ve been in circulation. But it never stops each of them from ending up in my nightmare at least once.”

Weyrlings would be scarred for life if they had R’xim as an assistant to teach them the ins and outs, dos and don’ts of dragonriding. If Parhelion thought he was a task master as their Wingleader, they would flinch at how much of a hardass he’d be when training weyrlings. “I’d like to think that a hatchling wouldn’t select a lifemate that didn’t have the ability to handle the basic elements of dragonriding. But, shit happens. I get that.” Even full fledged riders have accidents and misjudgements more often than not, and it’s a rare event when there are threadfalls without fatalities. Rix directs his gaze toward Kyara and closes the gap between them to pull her close. “Threadfall, ::betweening::, it’s a nightmare we all have.” Turns later, he still has dreams of the ‘fall that took F’dan from him. “All you can do is give each weyrling the best foundation that you can give them.”

Kyara goes readily into R’xim’s arms, sighing as she rests her head against his shoulder. “That just about sums it up. ‘Shit happens,’” she echoes. “Not that it makes it ache less when it does. The same goes for knowing I’m giving them the best I can. At least the nightmare doesn’t come as often as it used to…” She lifts her head again to peer up at him. “I do think each class is getting stronger, though. So many Candidates are getting to the point of having lived most of their lives in a Pass. There’s a toughness to a lot of them that might not have been there in earlier Turns.”

“I think there’s some truth behind that.” R’xim considers how tough some candidates can be and recollects his own experience many moons ago. He then smirks after thinking of how Igen’s candidates compare to others, “Cremla has done a decent job at keeping them busy with never ending chore lists. Although, her assistants will have to step up to the task now.” Due to the Headwoman’s (unexpected) pregnancy. “Then there’s Vosji during weyrlinghood.” The fellow High Reachian with a similar take-no-shit attitude that mirrors his own. His arms then wrap around Kyara as he catches sight of Shalnth near the center of the lake, still following Liareth like a puppy on a string — although the bronze will never admit it. “When was the last time you were in Tillek?” Random question, that.

Kyara nods over the matter of Cremla, the motion becoming more pronounced when R’xim mentions Vosji. “If we’d had her during weyrlinghood…” Perhaps certain things wouldn’t have happened, purposeful or accidental. As she settles further into R’xim’s embrace, she too glances out toward their lifemates. Liareth finally decides she’s tired of circling and suddenly darts out over the island, plunging into the water once she reaches the other side and then staying submerged for a bit, waiting to see how long it will take Shalnth to get to her. The bronzerider’s question catches Kyara slightly off-guard, and she has to honestly think about it for a moment. “…Weyrlinghood, for betweening practice,” she answers, though it’s inflected like a question. “I might’ve been once since then, but I honestly don’t remember.” It’s obviously been a while, either way. “Why?”

Liareth’s splash into the water encourages Shalnth to swim closer, and her whereabouts is easier to detect when the bubble trail finally surfaces. He’ll follow that next. There might be a tinge of smugness toward the green’s underwater stalking skills since the tactic is clearly one of his favorites. “If you can’t remember then it’s been too long.” R’xim says matter-of-factly. He loosens his arms around Kyara and considers a thought before speaking again, “I was thinking you might come with me on the next trip.”

Liareth really makes no secret of where she is; it’s difficult to do so with Shalnth anyway. But she’ll happily go back and forth with the stalking with the bronze, subtly smug in her teasing of him. Meanwhile, Kyara chuckles softly and nods in agreement with R’xim’s first, looking up at his last and smiling warmly. “I’d love to! Especially with the weyrlings getting more and more sturdy; I’ll have a restday or two coming up.” And much as she does love her job…a break involving a little getaway would be very welcome.

“Good.” Kyara’s schedule will dictate when they’re able to go, which means that R’xim will be able to send word to his parents with plenty of time to spare. It won’t be a spur of the moment visit. Shalnth continues to swim along and pretends not to notice the stalking bubble trail that is Liareth while very nonchalantly keeping track of her whereabouts — he’s just stealthy like that. “But if Vosji needs you here, then don’t worry about it. You’re the one with the obligations.” There’s a sense of relief in his voice when he says that. If he never had to push hidework or manage riders again, he’d be just as happy as he is now.

“It don’t think it’ll be a problem unless something major comes up,” Kyara assures R’xim, “and I’m not shy about taking the days I need to preserve my own sanity.” With a little grin, she loops her arms around his neck, pulling herself up against him to ply him with a soft kiss. “So we’ll say it’s a date.” One she is now firmly intent upon keeping unless, as she said, something “major” arises.

R’xim quite willingly accepts that kiss and runs his hands up Kyara’s back when she presses close. Her body against his has him toying with the idea of loosening her top until voices are heard closer to shore — no doubt folks looking for a swim. A wave of aggravation has him breaking the kiss so he can glance toward the splashing taking place further down the shoreline while his hands reluctantly trail down her back toward the water. “Then let’s plan on it.” His attention is then directed toward Shalnth and Liareth. “It’ll be nice to get away from Igen for a while.”

It’s always a gamble, kissing R’xim. Even if she means for it to be a brief display of affection, Kyara simply can’t help the rise of the compulsion toward more, especially when his hands end up doing what they do. There’s a rueful chuckle in her throat when she, too, hears the voices, loosening her arms as their lips part so that her hands rest flat upon his chest. “Definitely,” she agrees, glancing out toward their lifemates as well…and then a bit beyond. “You know where that,” the intrusion from others, “isn’t a risk?” Her head tilts out toward the middle of the lake, lips tilting into a subtly suggestive little smile. “The island out there.” Unless other dragonriders get the same idea, of course…but at the moment, it’s plenty deserted.

There’s a brief moment when R’xim is torn between spending the rest of the morning with Kyara in his weyr, or spending the rest of the morning with Kyara on a small island in the middle of the lake. Given the current temperature, it’s much more appealing to have the privacy of the island and cool water close by — not to mention that Shalnth is absolute aces at keeping people away. “Good point.” he says with a smirk. A quick glance toward the island has him sizing up the distance, “Think you can make it?” It’s a tease as he starts to swim in that general direction. And, yes, his Seacrafter roots run deep.

While swimming to the island wasn’t exactly what Kyara was thinking, she grins at the challenge. “I do, but the question is whether or not you’ll be worn out by the time we get there,” the greenrider teases back, tossing R’xim a wink as she pulls herself through the water to catch up to him…and possibly pass him here and there, though his upper body strength will always be able to keep him ahead in the end. This sailor’s daughter certainly won’t shy away from a good swim! And she certainly won’t be drained enough to enjoy the rest of her morning with R’xim once they reach her destination. There’s always a reserve of energy kept just for him.