Open Fear & Determination

[Simpriana Whiterose]

Feeling his golden gaze on her, Simpriana checked herself, quickly ridding her hands of playing with the journal. She instead let them fall to simply sit upon its surface instead. When he didn't respond with his name, Simpriana furrowed her brow with curiosity. It wasn't common for one to not respond to the question. Shrugging it off, Simpriana turned her attention to a girl who had just entered the range. A girl with flaming hair who had a strong presence. The Inarta shot a single arrow before turning to face the map knelt next to her.

When she spoke, she spoke in Nari. Simpriana tried to pick up some of what she was saying, but it was tough. She bit her cheek as she figured out a few words. Something about his bow, and then asking to see something. Feeling triumphant, the corners of her lips turned up just barely into a small smile. She had been so focused that she hadn't realized that the boy was speaking to her now. Looking up at him, she kept the faint smile on her face as he searched for his words. Once he had finished, Simpriana shook her head and replied, "I don't. I've tried to before but I've never been able to."

After thinking for a moment, Simpriana narrowed her eyes, turning to look at the wooden targets in the distance. "Can you show me?" she asked him after deliberating. It wasn't often that anyone offered to let her use the range. Mostly because she hardly knew anyone here, and because she wasn't an aspiring hunter.

[Iosha]

When Iosha heard her sisters voice telling her that she had improved. Iosha turned around with a big bright smile on her face and said softly, “Yes, I have decided that I want to learn how to hunt, so I have been frequently coming to the archery ranges to improve my shot.” Iosha watched her sister's eyes flicker to the blond human writing in her book. The konti was curious if the foreigner was lost since she had no bow around her. The konti started wonder how long it would take for a another Avora to ask her to leave if she was part of the lower castes. She knew the upper castes take archery seriously since it could be their primary way of income, so they would most likely take offense if someone was just lodging in their area with no intention of shooting a bow. Iosha smiled at her sister and asked softly, “You can shoot with me if you like Arandolya?” Iosha watched the experience hunter pick up her bow and watched her fire and shoot in almost one fluid motion. The arrow flew straight towards the target and hit deeply in the target just left of the bulls-eye. The konti said with a smile, “Great shot sister! Let me see if I can hit the target.”

Iosha pulled another arrow from her quiver, set it on the bowstring, and slowly raised the arrow to the target. She wanted to hit the bulls-eye with the next shot, so she pulled back the bowstring to her cheek, aligning the tip of the arrow with the center red dot, and held it there for a chime making sure bow was aligned up was correct in her head. Suddenly, she heard a loud bang of falling arrows behind her. Startled, Iosha released her arrow prematurely and the arrow's flight path was not straight instead it soared at the target in a high arch over the target. Iosha cringed when she saw it hit the hay wall about seven feet into the air. Iosha blushed in embarrassment and said with a chuckle to her sister, “In my defense, I was startled...? I'll go retrieve the arrows for us.” When the archers were done shooting, Iosha leaned her bow aganist the wall and ran out and started to gently take the arrows out of the target and the hay wall behind the target. When she got to the lone arrow eight feet into the air, she decided to ask Arandolya for her assistance getting the arrow down.

When she came back, Iosha violet eyes noticed Arandolya walked over to the blond woman and her Inarta companion. The konti saw Arandolya was trying to talk to man and young blond woman by the wall, but the man seemed to absorbed in talking to blond foreigner to notice her sister. A mischievous smile appeared on her face, and she set her bow on the side of the stall. As she made her way to the group, Iosha slowly tipped-toed towards Arandolya since she was absorbed in the conversation with the other two at the moment. When she got close close enough to group, she signaled to the blond human woman and Inarta male to be quiet by putting her webbed index finger over her mouth. Seeing her opportunity, she decided to pounce on Arandolya. Iosha raised both hands over her head, jumped forward at her red headed sibling, and wrapped her arms around her stomach, and giving her a hug from behind. She said in common with a laugh to her father's daughter, “You have to watch out for me, Arandolya. I have tendencies to pounce like a cat!” Still embracing her sister, She blew a lock of her sister's red hair out of her face and smiled over at the other two humans, “Sorry for theatrics my name is Iosha Moonchaser. It is nice to meet you both!”

[Stardust]

As the group practiced their talents at shooting arrows at targets, the air in the Second Quiver began to get thicker, humid even. As they began to speak more with each other and introduce themselves, as well as give some advice and compliments, something about the area was different.

Suddenly, with little warning, a ground quake rumbled through the area, shaking everything in a steady rhythm. Though it wasn't a strong one, it would be noticeable to anyone paying attention to their surroundings, or to anyone trying to take aim. Maybe what one thought to be stable ground, wasn't as stable as expected! Just as it started, quiet and quick, it ended just the same, lasting only a few ticks. Like any groundquake, some may be left with fits of dizziness, ringing in their ears, or even some confusion.

x

[Arandolya]

Arandolya turned slightly as Iosha went to shoot, watching her form and hand with a sharp gaze. The Konti paused for a chime, aiming, and Arandolya opened her mouth to comment on the time it took for the woman to feel confident, though a loud bang sounded behind her. Arandolya flinched slightly, looking behind her as the rest of her body tensing slightly. Iosha on the other hand, startled and released her shot wildly, the arrow embedded deep into the hay above them. Letting out a small laugh, the Inarta lay a hand on Iosha's shoulder. "You, ah, cannot ... let sudden noise, um, surprise you. Shooting when ... ah, surprised. Dangerous, for your partners, and ... and could scare off other prey." Iosha ambled off to fetch the arrows, in which Arandolya turned to the two sources of her curiosity in the meantime.

While the man seemed eager to show her his ability, the female could not even shoot an arrow? "... For, ah, knowing, next time .... The Second Quiver is, um, off limits to anyone but the Avora caste. It is dangerous, for you to, ah, sit there and write," Arandolya pointed out, a mixture between annoyance and amusement stirring in her chest. She had to admit the foreigner was probably unaware of such rules of the archery ranges, and by the sound of it her Nari was few and far between. Though, why someone would come to an archery range to write was completely beyond her. Well, non-Inartans always were a bit strange ... maybe it was the lack of ginger hair that always set her off. A newbie using a long bow? It would be difficult for her to pull the draw-weight of a short bow, let alone something that's almost as big as she is ... Arandolya acutely remembered her first time using a bow, and the strain to pull the string back was surprising. A long bow was even worse ... About to suggest using a shortbow, Arandolya found herself interrupted once more, this time by a young Konti.

Concentrated on the two in front of her, Arandolya wasn't aware of Iosha creeping up. Feeling arms wrap around her stomach, her first instinct was to move away, though Iosha's familiar laughter and the blond hair that briefly evaded her vision prevented Arandolya from acting rashly. "Ah, sister," she muttered, huffing as the taller woman peeked over her shoulder to the two, introducing herself. "Pay ... uh, no attention to her. Silly Konti," Arandolya teased, shouldering Iosha away with a chuckle. Moving a piece of hair from her face, Arandolya noticed she was beginning to sweat, though she had barely begun the practice. Is it that hot in here? she wondered, her honey eyes narrowing slightly as she felt the humidity each time she breathed in.

Before she could ask the others their opinions, the ground shook. What the-! Cries went up in the ranges as people suddenly lowered their weapons, staring at the ground. Bows rattled on their holds, and quivers laying against the wall spilled, arrows skittering across the ground. Arandolya instinctively grabbed Iosha's arm, as though to ensure herself the Konti was still safely there, looking around as the ground continued its vibrations. After a handful of breaths, it stopped, though Arandolya bit her lip as she unconsciously tightened her hand on Iosha, her expression bleak and struggling to stay composed.

It took her back. Took her back to when the ground shook and the walls fell, and the panic of thinking she was to die inside the mountain she loved the most. Arandolya's breath quickened as she held onto her sister determinedly. The fear and horrendous anxiety was too keen a memory. Seeing her fellow Inartans fall, crushed by rock, lost in the mountain. Some strayed outside, and weren't seen again. The Endal that struggled to protect the home, the Wind Eagles that died like snowflakes in a fire. It was too soon, too new, the pain still eagerly present in her mind. So many, and so much, had been lost in that Djed storm. Please, Priskil, don't take anymore away from Wind Reach ...

Note: "Nari" or "Common"

[Nakiru]

Nakiru listened as Arandolya spoke, she was right of course, only Avora were allowed here. He knew he should have told her, but then Nakiru always was one for an audience. It wasn't in him to send a fan away, not when he knew someone else would eventually. He knew it was lazy of him, though perhaps not as reckless as Arandolya might believe. Hearing her speak of the danger, he couldn't help but imagine a fellow Avora sending an arrow in the opposite direction of the target wall. It made the smile that was nearly constant at the corner of his lips grow just so. While not one for bullying, he would likely never let one of his brothers or sisters live that one down; Nakiru knew she was right though.

While he didn't wish to spoil the konti's fun, he hazarded a glance behind the fiery haired Avora to behold her sneaky assailant. Never one to ruin another's ambition, unless it conflicted with his own goals of course, he remained seemingly ignorant to the ambush nearing it's zenith. Once the trap had sprung, he couldn't help a chuckle. She was playful, beautiful, and charming. None of her attractive traits were lost on him.

The heat was beginning to become unbearable. A fine layer of glistening sweat developing across his bare torso, arms, and face. It wasn't natural for it to be this hot at Second Quiver. Before Nakiru could delve any further into the thought, the cause became clear. The ground shuddered beneath his feet, on instinct he immediately went to one knee. Placing the hand not holding his longbow to the ground for added stability. His eyes darted to his company, as if looking for confirmation. He got it. Sure beyond all doubt it was indeed another quake, his mind, just as Arandolya's had, flashed back to the recent calamity that had befallen his beloved city. The nearly perpetual smile that played at the edge of his lips wasn't there anymore...

Where stacks of arrows fell, his mind's eye saw rock and earth. Where people braced themselves, he saw that rock and earth take them. He closed his eyes tightly for a breath, mastering his fear, and banishing the would be images. He was alive, where others had lost everything, if it was his time to pay the same price, so be it. Then as quickly as the quake came, it fled. As if nothing more than a reminder of what once was, and a promise of what could be again. It reminded Nakiru of his mortality. That he was no different, better, or worse than those lost that fateful day.

Feeling something close to foolish for the fear that invaded his heart now that the tremor was over, he did his best to hide it and return to his normal self. Standing he looked to his company one by one, "So, where were we?" his smile had returned.

[Harrier]

Iosha

Skills	Amount
Shortbow	2
Observation	3

Lore

Yasi: GIving them the look of death

Shooting with Arandolya

Arandolya: the mentor

Archery: You can't make noise when hunting

Additional Comments: A pity there wasn't more interaction in here.

(c) abstract