Once on the shell, Synthesis sat down and allowed her legs to dangle over the edge. They didn't quite reach the water so she didn't bother to remove her boots. Instead, she gazed into the water and tried to work out how deep it was. From what she could tell, it was getting quite deep quite quickly and she itched to try swimming in it. The weather was warm enough and it tooked so cool and enticing. The reason she didn't just jump in, though, was that predicted it would very, very cold. Rivers and lakes usually were, in her expirience. As she continued to look leisurely around, she noticed Vinsue had her wings spread as she floated them along. The sun glinted off of them attractively.
After a minute she asked, "So, does spreading your wings like that help you float?"

"no it helps me gather the sun so i say warm and can digest my morning meal." she said to the girls question. as she swam along. "Since I'm aerodynamic i almost automatically float. and movement also helps." 

"Oh, I see…" Synthesis nodded, interested, "And I suppose because your a repile, you're cold blooded and you need the sun's warmth a lot? I read about the different types of animals once ages ago. I can't remember much of it now, though. So how does that work? Are you warm blooded when you become a human? How do you find the heat and the cold? Are you cold now? Is this lake cold? And if you float naturally, can you dive when you want to? Sorry for so many questions."
She gave a little laugh. She sure was being nosy, but at this point she trusted Vinsue wouldn't take offense. Also, this was a brilliant opportunity for her to find out if the water was warm enough for her to swim in.

"yea i need the sun to digest food and have energy. as of the water." she forced her wings down which sent a spray up on the girl. "i do not know it is hard for me to tell. in human form i gain some of the warm blood traits but can still use the sun to my advantage. right now i am not cold if i where i would likely slow down and sleep." she than stopped and dove. 

a few mantis past before she dropped a root from a lake plant onto the shell. "yea acutely it is just like flying." she said "but more of a slither." she again started pushing the makeshift boat. 

Synthesis squealed when the water sprayed her. It was cold, but it wasn't as icy as the rivers she had swum in in the past. She decided she would have a go in the water later, once they had got to wherever they were going. Learning about Vinsue's use of the sun was interesting, as was the revelation that cold would send her to sleep. Synthesis mused that they were opposites in this regard, as the cold often invigorated the girl, while the heat made her feel sluggish, lazy and irritable if she was forced to stand in it for too long without shade. Also, her pale skin burned easily.
When Vinsue dived, she flashed and slipped silkily through the water, a little like an eel. Synthesis clapped when the dragon came up and nodded vigorously when she said it was like a slither.
"That's so cool!" she grinned, "You look properly serpentine doing that."
They must have been half way across the water by then. As they lapsed back into silence, she layed back beside Vinsue's head to wait and watched the clouds. They were far and few between, in little white puffs that moved almost imperceptably across the blue sky.

"yea the wiggle is a lot easier than paddling if i kept my wings folded but you would likely get sea sick." she said than smiled at the way the girl laid down. she was so egger to learn and so easily joyed to see new tricks. Vinsue will miss her when they part ways. 

she thought of spraying her again just for fun but resisted for a wile tell she could see the other bank and stopped. she filled her mouth with smoke and puffed it at the girl before going under the water.

Synthesis was so lost in thought that she was immensly surprised by Vinsue's puff of smoke. She turned just in time to see the dragon disappear again under the water. She looked on slightly jelously. From where she was, Synthesis could see the bank of the lake not far off at all but still enough distence away that she would have to swim or fly there. In the end she decided to fly and landed gratefully on the grassy waterside.
She proceded to deposite her things beside her and pulled off her trousers so she was only in her tunic, which came down to just above her knees, and her underwear. Then she jumped in, gasping at the cold up to her waist and waded in deeper. She knew if she pushed on she would warm up but for now she was shivering and squeaking with every new bit of the skin the water reached.
"Vinsue!" she called, her voice a little jittery but proud, "I'm in!"

Vinsue swam as fast as she could tell she broke thew the surface than let her wings keep her in the air for a bit. she looked at the shell to see it empty than turned to see the girl on the bank. she folded her wings and dived than swam to the girl stoping just a foot from her. all the water kept its momentum though and sprayed the girl. 

"Your soaked" She replied than walked to the dryer land than laid down. "I did not leave you for you to find on your own. I was going to come back." 

"I guess I knew that." shythesis giggled in between squeaks of cold shock, "But I was impatient to get in too! It looked so nice in here."
By now the girl was in to her shoulders and in one fell swoop she plunged her head under. When she came up, she felt like an icicle but knew the worst was over with. She could swim properly now. It had been such a long time but she remembered from her youth how much she had loved to dive underwater and look around. It was a shame it stung her eyes so and she envied the second eyelid that many creatures had. She wondered if Vinsue had one.

"I was more hoping you would jump in out there." She had folded her wings and watched the girl swim about. She decided that a nap could not hurt seeing that the girl could swim. 

She suddenly sat up and scratched at her neck than frowned. it was time for her to shed her old skin.  She again laid down. she laded shedding do to it being supper itchy. the skin on her neck now frayed a bit, but the new skin was still covered and no blood showed.