[Flashback] Practice Your Aim (Solo)

[Aello]

Summer 20, 509 AV Aello was standing behind the large strip of wood, which represented the shooting line, staring out into the elongated, dark building. It was still early morning. Syna must have been just rubbing her eyes, stretching her arms, and yawning tiredly after having fallen from the sky for the night, only to have to rise early to illuminate the lands. Only a few thin bands of light managed to trickle their way inside through the dusty glass windows which lined the long hall. The main source of light than, was provided by the torches that were scattered along the wall. Their orange light flickering against the wood as they sent tiny spirals of grey smoke upwards, into the ceiling. Aello stood alone in the building, behind the line closest to the twenty yard target. In her left hand she held the bow's frame, gripping it tightly towards the center. In her right, she held a single peacock-feather fletched arrow, which she quickly laced onto the serving. When she head a click, she knew it had taken, and begun to prepare herself to take a shot. She re-adjusted her footing, making sure that the left was about a foot in front of the right. The left was pointed forward, towards the target, while the right was turned to the right side, so it was pointed towards the wall. From her waist upwards, she made she to turn her body towards the right, while she left her face turned towards the target. Aello placed the index and middle fingers of her right hand above the arrow she had nocked, and the ring one below, as she inched the bowstring back. Curling them into the string a bit, as it cut across her pale flesh, causing it to sting a little and turn red, as she closed her left eye, and began to lift her bow a little higher. She was aiming down the length of the arrow as she pulled the string back, farther and farther until it came past her smile, and then her right ear. Aello moved the bow slowly back and forth, trying to lock onto the center of the target. She knew that because there was no wind in this place, that it was unlikely she would have to aim high, or low, or greatly to the left or right to compensate for how it may displace her shot. Instead, she would only have to do enough to compensate for gravity. Finally, when she had positioned the arrow towards the upper ring of the bulls-eye, Aello let go. The arrow erupted out of the bowstring, sending it into a series of rapid vibrations that produced a low humming sound. The string smashed into Aello's left arm, between her elbow and wrist, causing it to sting as she watched her arrow glide upon the air, towards the target. Within seconds, it had inched close enough to hit, but it was not where she had intended. Instead, she had struck the outer red ring. Aello sighed. It was not bad for her first shot of the day, but she wanted to do better. Aello lowered her bow, and turned it on its side, so that it ran from left to right. She raised her right hand, over her shoulder, and plucked another arrow from her quiver. She held it delicately between her fingertips, and slowly, brought it forward. So as not to strike herself. She laced it onto the bow, and when it had taken, lifted it once more into the proper shooting position. As she raised her bow higher and higher, Aello inched the bowstring back, causing it to creak. She held her breath as she inched her bow to the left, thinking that perhaps, the last time she had shot her arrow, she had been aiming too far over. When she felt as though it were in the proper position, Aello let go. Allowing the arrow to break free from the string, and soar through the air. Until it struck the target in the red, the inner ring. "Well it's a bit better than last time," Aello whispered, as she quickly reloaded, positioned her bow, and shot again. This time, she missed the target completely, her arrow skidding to a halt in the dirt several feet in front of the target. "Petch," Aello muttered through grit teeth as she lowered her bow, and quickly reloaded. OOCArrow count- used three, have 7 more to go.

[Aello]

Aello raised her bow, slowly. Circling the tip of her arrow around the target. At first, she started in the upper right hand corner, in the black. She knew, instinctually, that aiming that far up the target would cause her to miss. Thus, she eased her arrow over the white. Still too high, she told herself, as she moved the tip over the dark blue rings. This should be better, but with the lack of wind in this place, it is likely still too far over... she thought, as she moved the arrow over the red. That should be better, although it may be a little too far to the right. Perhaps if we move the arrow inwards... towards the left, like this, it would be a bit better... no that's a bit too far to the left, go back a little. NO! Stop! There, right there, shoot! Now! Aello instantly obeyed, letting go of the bowstring. The arrow shot outwards, towards the target. It cut through the air in a relatively straight line, until it dipped a little towards the end of its flight. A fraction of a second later, it had imbedded itself in the outer yellow ring. Well that's more like it, Aello thought, as she lowered her bow, and quickly strung another arrow onto the serving. Aello raised her bow once more, and swiftly shot another arrow, this time, it flew over the target, and landed close to the thirty yard line. A little short. "Bags!" Aello shouted, as she laced another arrow onto the string, and prepared herself for another shot. She was barely breathing as she squeezed her left eye shut. Her palms had grown sweaty, and her fingers ached from pulling back so tightly on the bowstring. They were bright red, and a slender line from where it always rested had etched itself into her skin. Soon, they would stop stinging, and grow numb. Aello sighed as she took a deep breath in through her nose, and out through her mouth. She could do this. She could hit the bulls-eye within ten shots. The girl sighted down the length of the arrow. She pushed the point over the rings. Back and forth. Ignoring the black and white rings, and going inwards, towards the blue, and then the red. She was circling the inner red ring with her arrow, wondering where best to place it, so that she may hit the center of the target, this time around. For the life of her, no matter how much she thought, she could not remember where she had aimed the arrow to get so close to the target last time. She sighed. She would just have to figure it out on her own. She decided then, not to aim for the bottom of the red ring, knowing that the arrow would dip in its flight. That left her to choose between shooting towards the upper portion of the ring, or to the left or right side. Aello decided then, that aiming for the upper portion of the red ring, may still leave her shooting too high. That to the left or right would be too far over. Thus, she decided to try aiming somewhere between the two points- in the upper right portion of the ring. Next time, she could try for the upper left, and see if that worked any better. When she had finally managed to get her arrow over the proper position, Aello let go of the bowstring. The arrow shot off the string at a surprisingly fast pace, towards the target. The string was humming as Aello's heart hammered in her chest. Thumbing over and over, beating like a drum. Thwack, her arrow struck the upper-right portion of the outer yellow ring. Perhaps we should try from the other side then, Aello thought, as she reloaded her bow, and assumed the proper shooting position. OOCArrow count: Used another three, four more to go.

[Aello]

This time, Aello lifted her bow with ease. She pushed the point of her arrow over the upper-left portion of the inner red ring, and let go an instant later. As the arrow erupted off the string, it was once more sent into a series of rapid vibrations. Its familiar humm filled the air, as it whacked Aello's left arm. The arrow flew straight and true. Cutting through the cool air like a knife cut through butter, before imbedding itself in the upper-left portion of the outer yellow ring. "Petch," Aello whispered, as she quickly lowered her bow, reloaded, and then raised it again. This time, she aimed for the slender line that divided the inner red ring, from the outer yellow one. She followed the slender line, slowly, barely moving her bow, until the arrow stretched over a point on the line, in the upper-right hand corner. It was then that Aello let go of the string, sending the arrow flying until it came to a point where it could go no further. It imbedded itself in the center of the target, the upper right hand corner of the mark. "Well it's about time," Aello whispered, as she quickly reloaded, and tried to shoot solely from her muscle memory of the most recent position. This time, Aello's arrow imbedded itself in the outer blue ring. So much for that idea, Aello thought, as she plucked the final peacock feather fletched arrow from her quiver. "Lets make this one count," she whispered, as she laced the arrow onto the serving, and slowly raised her bow. The muscles in her arms twitched. Causing tiny ripples to form beneath her skin as several salty droplets of sweat trickled down her brow. Her fingers had grown white, they ached with the strain around her knuckles, while the tips themselves had long ago grown numb. Partly with the cold, partly with the pain. Aello's arms shook a little, making it difficult for her to follow the line of the arrow, as she attempted to position her bow. "Oh don't say Morwen's got you down," she whispered, angry at herself for freezing so quickly. For surely, a round of ten arrows wasn't enough to make such a young girl tired. It had to be the cold, and the cold alone. Aello sighed, her breath forming a small silver cloud about her trembling, pale lips. She moved the bow towards the center of the target, as she eased the bowstring back a little farther before letting go. The last arrow soared through the sky, before getting stuck in the target's wooden base. Well that went over well, Aello thought, as her teeth chattered, and she stepped over the line to retrieve all of her arrows.

[Cheshire]

Character: Aello Experience: Weapon (Shortbow) +3 Lore: None Additional Note: Good training thread. PM me with concerns.