Completed [Bronze Woods]Long Time, Let's Fight III

[Sei Tendo]

Sei Tendo TP: 49th of Summer, 513AV Sei stretched his arms. He held his shoulder firmly, and windmilled his arms, repeating the process several times, awaiting Roderick's arrival. He had already removed his gauntlets, equipped his gloves, slipped on his quiver with arrows in place, and was just exercising his arms. He pulled his arm over his chest, reaching far enough to feel a strain, and switched arms. He had already practiced lining up the arrow with the string, and shook his arms to loosen his tight muscles. Sei reached behind him for an arrow, pulled the dull end against the bowstring, and released the arrow, aiming at the center of a tree a few meters away. It horribly missed the tree, and instead thudded into the ground a few feet away from the center of the tree. "Shyke... He muttered, lowering his bow to his waist. He could feel the location, and was focused on his target, yet he could never make his goal. He walked to a nearby tree and leaned against it. I'm early, so hopefully Roderick will make it on time. He thought.

[Roderick]

Roderick strode quickly towards the agreed meeting place in the Bronze Wood. Sei had accused him of being late the last time - even though the Kelvic woke up far too early - and the hunter was determined not to suffer through the same thing again. When he saw Sei he slowed his pace, watching the Kelvic nock an arrow and loose it at a tree a few meters away; it missed, landing a few feet away from the tree in the dirt. Roderick stepped forward to lend a hand. "A good effort," he said encouragingly, "But the stance isn't right. Here." he slipped quickly into his stance, as he'd done so many time before; "Left foot front, right foot behind. Arm up and pointed at the tree." he held his fingers up to his cheek, so the knuckles brushed the corner of his mouth, "Whatever you do, don't let your hand move around - if it moves even a little you'll send the arrow off by a lot." he kept himself in his stance so Sei could mimic it, ready to move in and adjust it til he was happy with it, "Use this stance and have another go at it." he nodded encouragement to the Kelvic.

OOCFeels a little brief and abrupt, but Rod doesn't really know all the fine points of teaching; I'll try and show that by having him gloss over some things. They'll both get better in time, I'm sure.

[Sei Tendo]

Sei Tendo Sei looked breifly around to spot Roderick. He then followed Roderick's instructions-Spreading his right foot behind him, standing straight up, his left foot forward, and drew an arrow from his quiver, using the dull end of the arrow to pull back the bowstring, and steadied his hands. Propelled by Roderick's encouragement he steadied his hand, bringing it back ti his cheek and released the arrow. It flew through the mass of trees, and landed closer to the center of then tree. "It's still on the Petchin' ground. Now what?" He demanded. He was ready to learn and go try it. Sei walked over to Roderick after lowering his bow. He gave Roderick a glare and spoke. "Why the petch can't I hit the tree?" He asked coldly. "Your crappy teaching didn't work genuis." He said accusingly. He was just trying to make excuses, however, because he knew it wasn't Roderick's fault. He turned and walked a few feet, and turned back. "Show me how to use it, not how to hold it." He said. No matter what it was, He always learned faster by doing, not listening.

[Roderick]

Sei turned around and listened intently as Roderick instructed him; he assumed the same stance as the archer and nocked an arrow to the bowstring, bringing it all the way back to his cheek and releasing it. It shot forward through the trees and then began falling downwards, burying itself in the ground. "It's still on the petchin' ground. Now what?" Sei walked over and glared, "Why the petch can't I hit the tree?" he demanded coldly, "You're crappy teaching didn't work genius." he accused. The Kelvic turned and walked away a few feet, turning back to face Roderick. "Show me how to use it, not how to hold it." Roderick took off his cloak, pack and rucksack and stashed them at the base of a nearby tree, taking his own longbow in hand. He walked back over to Sei. "If you want to know how to use a longbow, you have to follow my 'crappy teaching'. If you learn how to hold it, you'll learn how to use it." all the same Roderick slipped into his stance, nocked an arrow, breathed out, then back in, drew the string back to his cheek and loosed it at the tree; it struck the trunk as he'd planned - doing it that fast wasn't a good idea, but maybe a little showing off would give him a little authority in the Kelvic's eyes. "Into the stance again," he instructed, "When you go to draw the string back, let all the air out of your lungs - then take a deep breath and draw the string." Roderick demonstrated for the Kelvic, "Try not to wait around too long - the strain's a killer." he released the arrow at the tree and watched it thud into the bark.

[Sei Tendo]

Sei Tendo Sei watched as Roderick laid down his rucksack, removed his cloak, and took up his long. Roderick walked toward Sei and resumed his stance after he spoke. "Fine." He said with a sigh, lifting his bow, gripping an arrow, and pulled back the bowstring with the dull end of the arrow. He steadied the bow, and let the arrow fly. It soared, once again, through the cluster of bushes. He had just realized he'd closed his eyes when he heard the thud of the arrow. He immediately opened his eyes and spoke. Alright!" He exclaimed. He hadn't hit his target on the tree , but the arrow had landed ON the tree for once. On a root that is. Sei smacked Roderick on the back. "See, I told you I could do it." He said with a mischievous grin. He then ran toward the tree. The arrows had cracked, however, and there was no way to use them now. He came back to Roderick and shouted in his face. "I demand better training!"

[Roderick]

"Fine." Sei sighed, nocking an arrow and breathing out then in, drawing the bow back to its full width. He steadied the bow, and let the arrow fly, and they both watched the arrow soar through the air; the Kelvic suddenly closed his eyes, and Roderick saw the arrow hit the tree first, before the sound reached them and Sei opened his eyes, "Alright!" He exclaimed. The arrow had stuck itself in a root at the base of the tree, far improved from his previous tries. Sei smacked Roderick heavily on the back, rocking the hunter forward on his feet, "See, I told you I could do it." Sei grinned mischievously, before running off toward the tree. As he began roughly tugging the arrows free of the bark, they cracked and splintered; they'd be useless now. He marched back over to Roderick and shouted in his face, "I demand better training!" "You're just impossible to please, aren't you?" the hunter said dryly. He glanced over at the tree - the wood was too soft; the longbow was driving the arrows in deep - too deep for them to be saved. He'd have to save up and buy a proper target. For now though they'd stick with trees - and how to save arrows from them. Roderick handed his bow to Sei and pointed him toward another tree off to their right, smaller and made of harder wood, "Stand opposite that tree," he said simply, then walked over and knelt down beside his rucksack and started searching through it, pulling out a bar of soap and his waterskin after a few moments of rummaging. Rising he walked back to the Kelvic and knelt down beside him. Roderick pulled his gloves off and picked up the soap, half unwrapping it, then setting it down again to pick up and uncork his waterskin, "We started so fast I forgot to do this," he said to the air. He held the soap in his left hand and started pouring a slow trickle of water over the bar, wetting it and feeling it sliding in his grip. Setting it down on the wrapping, he corked his waterskin again and set it down, then drew out an arrow and held it with his right hand with the soap in his left; he began rubbing the soap all along the tip and upper end of its length, so it was slick and wet. When he was done with the soap he set it down on the wrapping again, wiping his fingers off on the paper. He stood and took his bow from Sei, nocking the soap-coated arrow to the string and taking his stance; air out, then in as he drew back and loosed. The arrow thudded into the trunk of their newly chosen tree. Roderick handed his bow back to the Kelvic and started making his way towards the tree, taking a knife in hand. When he reached it he started stabbing at the bark around where the arrow had entered, chiseling through into the wood beneath, soon making a small crater about the arrow. Slipping his knife away, Roderick took hold of the arrow firmly and began pulling it at the same angle it had entered the wood; the bark he'd taken away made the wood's grip on the shaft weaker, and the soap made it slick, so that it slid out after a little firm pulling. Roderick turned and held the intact arrow up for Sei to see. He raised a brow at Sei for his earlier outburst. "Let's get back to the archery," Roderick said, taking his bow back and walking away from the tree.

Costs- 5 sm for bar of soap

[Sei Tendo]

Sei Tendo Sei watched as Roderick gave him his bow and soaped up an arrow. Roderick took back his bow and flung the soapy arrow into a skinny tree. He took out his knife and carved a circle around the arrow after going to it, and pulled the arrow clean out. "And the point of that was?" He asked. He pulled an arrow free, and quickly pulled back the bowstring, and aimed at the center of a thicker tree. He lowered his bow before shooting the arrow and sighed. "Show me the stance again."

[Roderick]

"And the point of that was?" Sei asked. Roderick ignored him and watched as the Kelvic pulled an arrow free, and quickly pulled back the bowstring, taking aim at the middle of a thicker tree. He lowered his bow before shooting the arrow and sighed, "Show me the stance again." Roderick moved away from the tree'd he'd just shot at and took the stance so the Kelvic could see, "You need a good anchor point. Draw the string to the corner of your mouth, and let it brush your nose; hold it there every time you draw or your aim will go all over the place," he tugged the string with the ends of his fingers, "Pull the string like this - don't claw at it or the arrow will shift," he held the bow up and showed how it nestled between the fleshy pads of his palm, "You're not throttling a chicken; keep your grip fairly loose," Roderick jerked his head to the ground beside him, "Come watch," he told the Kelvic, waiting for him to stand beside him and then moving into the movements. Roderick notched the same arrow from before, exhaled, then took a deep breath and raised the bow to full draw, tapping his thumb against the corner of his lip to draw the Kelvic's attention to it. The string touched his nose slightly, providing a second anchor point. He kept a loose grip on the bow, then relaxed his drawing hand and shifted his fingers on the string, sending it snapping forward and releasing the arrow. The archer kept his arm raised until he was sure the arrow had cleared, so as to avoid sending the arrow off in the wrong direction. It struck the tree fairly close to where it had before, just outside the rim of the hole he'd cut with his knife. "When you loose, relax your hand on the string and just let it go; move your hand and the arrow moves with it."

[Sei Tendo]

Sei Tendo Roderick ignored his comment and began to show Sei the stance. Roderick explained a bit and gave him a visual. He took back the bowstring with the arrow from before, and tapped his nose with his thumb. The bowstring brushed his nos, and came to the corner of his mouth. Roderick released the arrow, and kept his hands in the same position until the arrow hit the tree. He explained some more and Sei nodded. "Here goes," He said, using the arrow in his hand to pull back the bowstring loosely. He brushed the string against his nose, and brought the string to the corner of his lips. A streak of sweet rolled down his forehead and he released the arrow. He kept his stance until he heard the thud and looked through the clearing. The arrow had hit the center of the tree. "Now that's what I'm talking about!!" He exclaimed. Sei looked at Roderick with an arrogant grin. "I'm learning faster than you did huh?" He teased.

[Roderick]

He explained some more and Sei nodded. "Here goes," the Kelvic said, drawing the bowstring back. The string brushed against his nose and lip. They both watched the arrow whiz through the air and stick itself into the trunk, rather close to the center. "Now that's what I'm talking about!!" Sei exclaimed, looking over at Roderick with a smug look, "I'm learning faster than you did huh?" he said. "Lucky hit," Roderick said dismissively, only half joking; keeping Sei from becoming cocky was the priority here - well actually getting back at the Kelvic for the comment had made him dismiss the shot, but a humble Sei would be nice too. His body twinged in pain over the beating it'd taken while he had sparred with Sei. Make that a humble Sei with padded gloves. He was met with another twinge of pain."If we ever spar again I'm wearing padded breeches, three gambesons and a helmet... "Most like what you're aiming at won't stand still - and even if it, is it won't stay that way for long if you start shooting pointy objects at it." he winced as he rolled his shoulders, "Again." the order helped him ignore the pain.

OOCHe was serious about wearing the gambeson and everything; he'll look like the michelin man next time they spar.