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Padparadscha was excited to get down to the lake. The other day he met a native boy named Kanja who had taught him a new way to fish: by standing in the shallows and grabbing them. He wanted to get better at it and actually capture his first fish that way. He expected it would cost him long hours, a sore back, and a sunburn on his neck and ears, but it would be worth it! He did not know what Kanja's plans were for the day, so he half-expected to spend it alone. That was fine, although he would prefer the company.

In his impatience to get down to the lake, Dash fell. This was normal for him. His coordination as such a young child was still shaky at best. His joints felt rubbery and his legs all wobbly. It was a challenge! But when he concentrated he could walk or run just fine, so he knew it was just a matter of time before he got this down right. But until then, he was frowning in concentration, forcing everything out of mind, and walking deliberately.

Once at the water's edge, he took a deep breath. He made it with no new scab on his chin. He felt elated! Now, to catch some fish.

He waded out until he was somewhere near the middle of the water-submerged reeds, concentrating on slow movements and absolutely no splashing. He crouched a little, watching and waiting.

The fish came back and he gave them some time to catch their bugs. Partly he wanted them relaxed but he also needed to gather his confidence. Once he had that he started practicing what Kanja had told him. Mostly he missed and the fish scooted away. They became wary again, so he waited. Then tried again. After several more tries he became impatient and they would not come back.

Grumbling to himself he straightened up and stretched out his back. "Well, now what?" he sighed. He had not brought a lunch with him because he was determined to catch his lunch. Bad call!

After stretching a bit more, he glided through the reeds, or rather tried to mimic how he saw Kanja do it, which brought him further from the shore. The water was cooler here but he did not take it as a warning that there was deeper water nearby. He waited for the fish to come out again and sure enough they did, happily hunting their own quarry.

From out of the darker water came a fishy face. A larger fish than what he was used to was rising up from the deeper water and he felt his heart want to leap from his chest. Quickly he grabbed at it on either side of the face. But this fish was a wily one and it performed a twisting maneuver that Padparadscha could hardly follow. The fish slapped his fingers with its tail as it went back down below and he pitched forward trying one last time to grab it. Big mistake because he kept falling right after that fish.

Desperately he tried to right himself but in doing so he got turned around. He tried to scrabble at the lake floor but it was not where it was supposed to be. Where was the lake floor?!

Panic descended upon Padparadscha like the darkness of the water all around him did. One was fast while the other slow but they both lay heavy upon him. He made no conscious effort to swim (thrash), he simply did. But he did not know how to swim and in fact it had occurred to him more than once to ask Kanja to help him learn. But he had yet to ask, and so he thrashed and sank.

Luckily Kanja was nearby, and lucky for Kanja Padparadscha did not kick him in his panic. The arm around his waist acutely piqued his sense of danger, though the restraining arm was only there to help. So he kept thrashing. But once he felt the warm sun on the bottoms of his feet he stopped. He watched the lake waters recede beneath him as Kanja pulled him ashore. Then all he could do was choke, getting that lake water from his mouth and lungs.

It was nice, comforting, the feeling of a hand rubbing his back. At first he could not respond to Kanja's questions. Then he nodded, and shook his head. Every time he tried to speak he coughed again. Finally, he collapsed in exhaustion and looked up at Kanja. "Thank you. I wanted to catch fish like you do. But I went out too far. There was a really big fish and I lost my balance and fell into the deep water. I should have listened to you and stayed away."

Padparadscha thought about it. Did he remember grasses tangling with his feet? No... he did slip though. "The fish turned and I tried to grab it as it swam away. But I slipped and fell forward."

He shook his head. "No, I don't." Well, there it was. The thing he had intended to say before had just been said. "Would you teach me? Maybe just a little bit, like how to float. Or how to swim back to shore." He had no idea how complicated this request might be, though it seemed like it would be more difficult to learn than catching fish bare-handed.

Padparadscha smiled. He was very happy that Kanja would teach him. Then it would not have to be one of the adults, and they could have fun too. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything about it. I have wanted to tell you and ask you if you will help me learn it. I didn't want this to happen. I'm just very clumsy." He made a fist and was going to pound it on the ground but thought better of it when he saw a small beetle there in the grass. His shoulders slumped and he merely rested his hand on the ground (not on the bug).

"Okay, I will rest." Interesting things? He liked to learn about the outdoors. Just being outside made him happy. But that was not a fun thing. "Oh! I saw an adult practicing to fight. His name was Argent. He also gave me a second name: Dash. So... I guess you can call me Dash if you want," he chuckled.

Padparadscha nodded when Kanja repeated him thoughtfully. Clumsy. "Uncoordinated?" That made him wonder, What's the difference? since he was so forthright he quietly mulled it over in his mind. Maybe he would ask an adult.

"Yes! The one-eyed man. He said that he lost his eye saving seeds, back when I was still a seed." He wondered what could have happened to make him lose that eye. Perhaps he did not want to know, he thought, covering up both of his eyes. Or perhaps he would learn about it while he studied History.

The name 'Dash' simply felt alien to him. But did he like it? "Dash... I don't dislike it. I do not know why I was given a long name but this one can make it easier, so I guess I like it."

"He did! He is good at training, I think... so he must be a great warrior!" Padparadscha sat up and nodded, full of conviction. "I will tell you any stories he shares." Certainly he must have many stories to tell.

Cute? It had never occurred to Dash that any part of him might be 'cute.' Maybe what Kanja meant was 'clever,' which he thought he had heard before. He liked to do things quickly, or forgot himself and moved quickly. Perhaps someday he would be coordinated and quick and cute all at once. "Yes, I guess I do dash about, don't I?" he chuckled.

"My chest hurts a little," Dash said. He took a deep breath. "But I think I'm okay now."