2025-01-19 - Ski Bunny

They've made it.

The top of the bunny hill. It was a bit of a comedy of errors getting Artemisia into a pair of skis, then practicing the general movements down below, but now she stands with her tips peeking out over the hill and dark eyes wide. "This is the bunny hill?" She confirms to Zara, who has so kindly offered to give her some pointers. She looks a bit like a bunny rabbit in her white snowsuit with pink stripes.

Zara's gone over a couple of the basics with Arte before they made it to the top: how to stop, being the primary thing, of course. The 'wedge' manuever. Effective at low speeds. She's been proud that Arte's even agreed to come up with her to give it a try and so now, with her looking down from the top, Z gives her a grin and a nod. "Yeah, this is it. We're not going to go straight down, we'll take it side to side so that we can control our speed."

Contrasting Arte's adorable get-up, Zara is in some darker and more 'bland', nothing eye catching in her snow-gear. "If you get too anxious, just drop down and sit on your butt. I'm not going to be far, promise. Want me to hold your hand to get started?"

Artemisia has only fallen over her skis twice so far! That's not... the worst for a beginner. She swallows thickly and looks up at Zara. "Okay," she says trying to hide the hint of nerves in her voice. "It's just snow. Won't even hurt to fall on - right?" Sort of. Maybe.

"I thought I needed these?" She asks, giving the poles a bit of a wave. Artemisia bites her lip. Then musters her courage. "No. I'll... I'll try." With that, she pushes off down the hill and immediately goes off, veeeeering towards a snowback. "AaaaAaaah," she squeaks, closing her eyes and crossing her skis. Thud. The tips of her skis get embedded in the side.

Zara nods slowly and makes up for whatever confidence Arte lacks. "Absolutely. We won't be going fast enough for any real damage, and it'll just be like falling in the grass. Just remember: drop your butt. You've got enough padding there." Of course, she means via the snowsuit and not necessarily about her actual butt, though it could be taken any number of ways!

"Poles aren't really necessary here. We'll worry about staying up first." Arte looks down the hill and off she goes. Zara is right behind her, but lets that first crash happen without intervention, to show that there's nothing to worry about! Still, that squeak can't keep Z from grinning a bit. "It's okay, we'll try again. Let me hold your poles and you hold onto my hand. We won't go anywhere until you're ready."

Drop your butt.

Artemisia remembers that part when she's already collided. Floof. Looking up at Zara, Arte holds her poles for a moment before offering them over. Then, with a grunt, she schooches backwards to get free from the bank. "This is harder than it looks," she admits on a breath, cheeks red from the cold. And some embarrassment. Slowly getting to her feet after some wobbly starts, she reaches out to take Zara's hand. "And a little scary."

Zara tucks the poles beneath her outside arm and smiles with a nod. "It's not easy, but from this spot here? I promise, you're through the worst of it. Not saying that you won't fall again, but it's not any scarier. Promise. Besides..."

Z gives that claimed hand a playful squeeze. "I got you now, we'll be fine. Ready?" She's not looking to rush, and neither is she helping Arte's skis slip from that snow. The struggle is a part of it, after all. Not trying to be an asshole, just giving her the full experience.

On her feet, Artemisia gives Zara's hand an answering squeeze and offers a small smile. "Thanks," she says with genuine gratefulness. "Okay. I'm ready."

With her young ski-protege in hand, Zara starts up again at a snail's pace, just enough to be moving and just enough so that Arte can feel what it's like to stay standing. The more slender woman doesn't seem to be having as much trouble with it this time and Z gives her a little smile. "There we go, look at you."

She starts to slow down and pivot to the other direction, picking up the pace akin to something of a brisk walk. "Doing great."

"Pretty sure this is all your doing," Artemisia manages with a delighted giggle, dark eyes warm as she looks to Zara. "This is-" She gasps a little as they pivot and pick up speed, a few blonde locks dancing across her cheeks. "oh. Oh! Wow."

"Not so sure about that. Don't think I could do this if I were just dragging you across the snow on your butt." And she's not! Arte is up on her skis and doing a fine job of remaining upright.

The giggle that follows is a lovely thing and illicits another grin from Z. It's slow and incremental, but Zara starts picking up the pace a bit, now that her companion is over the hardest part. "Good so far, yeah?"

"I- I think so," Artemisia says with a bright smile, carefully following Zara as she leans on her skis. She's pacing herself to the woman next to her, rather than focusing on the downward slope of the hill. (Which is still a little bit scary). She even loosens her death grip on Zara's hand... a little.

"I think I can see how this is fun," Arte says softly after a moment. "It's a bit like flying? Isn't it?"

They reach the other side of the bunny slope and Zara turns back around easily. They're about halfway down the hill now and Arte's reaction--and smile--have Zara enjoying this all over again. "If you want to try it by yourself, I'll let go any time. Just say the word, yeah?"

A nod follow up with and grin. "It's a little like flying, yeah. And maybe this just isn't your type of fun, that's okay. Just wanted you to see that you could do it, if you wanted. Conquer that first, and if it's fun too? Great. If not? Still a victory."

"I think..." Artemisia considers, sighing at the feel of her skis sliding over the snow. "Can I try it? I mean, I'm probably gonna fall again but- that wasn't too bad." She giggles. "It is fun. When you aren't running into a snow bank."

Z gives her a soft laugh and nod, slowly pulling her hand away, but staying close by. Zara's no expert on the slopes, but it more than capable of ensuring that Arte doesn't just go running away wildly down the hill. "You've got this." Just a few feet, she slows herself down to let the lean figure in the white suit get herself going.

"I've got this."

Artemisia repeats it, not 100% certain herself. Holding her arms out, she carefully turns slightly to descend the hill at a slow speed that's around a light walk. "Look!" She calls back to Zara with a grin.

She's definitely got this! Zara is smiling broadly behind Arte, watching her carefully. No, it's not the prettiest skiing that's ever been done, but she's upright, moving and shows no signs of falling anytime soon.

"Nice!" comes a bit of enthusiastic encouragement whenever Arte meets her gaze again. "Doing great, keep going. You can make it to the bottom by yourself."

There's a trill of giggles that follows Artemisia to the bottom of the hill. Once there, she watches Zara finish her run with diamond dark eyes that glitter as the light catches them. "That-" She waits till the other woman is in range for an impromptu hug that has her almost tripping over her skis. "Thank you."

There's joy in Zara's expression too, if somewhat more contained. She does, of course, make it down not far behind the world's newest snow bunny. It's a fond thing, looking at the exhilarated expression of Arte.

The hug that follows catches her offguard, but an arm sweep out to hug the woman low at the waist to make sure she doesn't tumble. "Of course." He gives a little pat before leaning back and looks into those glimmering eyes. "Not so bad now, was it?"

"Can we do it again? Also hot chocolates are on me," Artemisia says delightedly. There will be more snow banks. More falls. And maybe, she'll eventually get a handle on using her poles. Not bad for a first day out on the hill. Snow bunnies unite!

"For sure, yeah." The promise of hot chocolates is a sweet inclusion, but not likely one that Zara is going to take her up on. It's an indulgence that she doesn't allow often. Especially so soon after that champagne!

"Let's get back to the lift then." She hands the poles back to Arte now that they're on flat ground in case she needs them to push back to the chairs. Zara's able to more or less 'skate' back to the pickup area and waits for that enthused companion of hers before going at it all again.