One considers that, tilting his head the other way, then darts a glance to Deka, and back to Figment. "I can come too?"

"Of course."

One looks eagerly to Phantasm and Figment.

Phantasm gives him a companionable nuzzle, and the two of them head for the door; Deka stops to pick him up before following.

The lake isn't an especially big one, but even a small lake is more water than he'll have ever seen in one place before. Deka lets Tag go off to chase the ducks around the edge of it while she walks the banks, looking for some suitable shallows for One's first experience with it.

One snuggles contently in her arms, and watches the lake with wide, curious eyes.

There are elves bathing in it, half-hidden by reeds, and a group of elf children in a more open space on one side playing some kind of ballgame with lots of splashing, and in the middle of the pond, a mixed flock of ducks and geese, paddling around and occasionally tipping upside down to catch fish or nibble at underwater plants.

Deka passes on a few of the reed-hidden bathing spots, but finds one to her liking in short enough order. "You know anything about swimming?"

He's a little intimidated by the splashing from the children, but he seems mostly relaxed.

He shakes his head in response to the question. "I- no?"

"Okay." She settles onto a rock on the shore. "So water is a little bit dangerous - only a little, but some. If you try to breathe it, it doesn't work, and it's heavy - hard to move in it, and moving water will push you around. Here is very safe - still water, not too deep, probably nice temperature - it's easy to get too cold in cold water."

He nods his understanding as she speaks.

"Also because it's heavy, it holds you up, and you can push on it to move. Not as much as rock, but some. That's the easiest way to swim - stay on top, let it hold you, push it behind you to go forward. Easiest to stay on top if you're relaxed, and spreading out helps too." Phantasm goes down to the water to demonstrate, as she talks, bobbing on the surface of the water in a way not entirely unlike a duck.

"Easiest to just try it, really. Want to?"

One considers the question seriously, and then nods tentatively. "I- you'll- if I get it wrong, you'll...help?"

"Yeah. Stay close, but I'll watch you."

He nods, and will, somewhat tentatively, go into the water. It's a...peculiar sensation, at first, and he's not sure if it's good or bad? It's not something he's used to, and it feels like it should be painful, but he doesn't think it is?

Phantasm paddles over, using his wings as much as his feet. "You okay? Look..." he trails off, searching for the word, and then nudges One with his head when he can't come up with one.

"I...think so?" One says, paddling out a little further. "Feels...strange? Water and fire don't...mix? But...mostly just strange?"

"Wuk," he opines, following closely along.

He's a little ungainly as he starts out, but fairly quickly seems to get the hang of it, even if he's not particularly confident about it. And it...is actually quite enjoyable?

Figment joins them once One seems comfortable in the water, and shows him how to duck under the surface and splash around to wash.

He seems to enjoy that! He still seems uncertain about the sensation, but that seems to be outweighed by the enjoyment. He cleans up as best he can, and then paddles back to the shore.

The griffons join him, and show him how to shake himself mostly-dry.

"Ready to go? No - last minute worries?"

One thinks for a moment. "They won't make me sit for drawing if I don't want to?"

"We'll leave if they try. And they probably won't."

Phantasm ruffles up his feathers. "Yeah. They can't make you."

One nods. "Okay. That was- all. I was worried about."

Deka reaches down to offer to pick him up. "Some people - think it's okay, to tell people what to do. It happens. And - sometimes they get mad, if you say no. But you can still say no, they don't get to make you. Almost all places other people will help you, if someone tries to make you do something."

He'll accept the pick up offer, standing up onto his hindlegs to hold out his forelegs. "You won't let them."