Flying Feathers From Furry Friend (Solo)

[Dimitri]

Spring 20, 511 AV

Dimitri walked into the stables with his quiver on his hip and bow on his back, enjoying the sunshine peaking through the cloudy weather. He could smell the impending rain mixing with the grass carried on the wind. He loved coming before it stormed, allowed for more open space in the training yard. He intended to teach himself how to fire a bow a from a moving horse. He knew it would take a while to do so, but you have to start somewhere. He looked around the stables and found a reddish brown mixed breed. He quickly got it's cleaning kit out. First he brushed the horse head to leg with the stiff brush using small concentric circles. Then he grabbed another brush to remove the dirt the first brush brought to the surface of the fur. After removing that he used another brush to smooth down the fur on the legs and tail. When he finished up he mounted the horse bareback.

He led the horse out of the stable and walked it around the yard, to allow it to get used to his weight, and for himself to get used to it's feel. As he steered with his knees, he began leading the horse to the squire training grounds. Many people were clearing the streets, as the wind stopped blowing, a calm before a storm. He arrived in the yard and arrived at the archery targets. He sat upon the horse about half his bow's shot range away from the targets. He drew and strung his bow. He then grabbed an arrow and nocked it. He looked down the end of the shaft, trying to get used to the height difference. As he pulled the arrow back, he found his legs squeezing the horse a bit tighter. He realized this was to adjust to the lack of a stable base from standing. He breathed, lined up the shot and released it.

[Dimitri]

The air filled with a slight whistle, as the arrow streaked toward the target. The arrow was a dark streaking line. He watched it miss off to the right if the target, sinking into the dirt many feet back. He sighed hard, he wasn't even close. He shook off the disappointment, and his fingertips clamped on another arrow in his quiver. He slid it out slowly, taking note at the darkening storm clouds. He knew he didnt have real long to train but he'd squeeze it in. He brought the arrow up slowly to his bow. He slipped the string into the notch, his forehand gripping the wood tightly. He placed the shaft atop his fingers. He looked down the shaft at the target. He breathed in deeply, while pulling the string back to his ear. He continued to gaze at the target, feeling the tension struggling beneath his grip. When he was confident in his aim, he tightened his gripped legs against his horse, his abdominal and back muscles tightening to hold him in place. He breathed in deeply, and held it for an instant. He let the breath out as he loosed the missile.

The arrow darted toward the target like a fish skimming across the surface of the ocean. To Dimitri's untrained eye it looked like it would land true. However a professional would be able to tell that it's arc was flawed, it's initial targeting off, and the arrow was wobbling all over the place. The arrow completely missed the target, clattering and skidding across the dirt. Dimitri's face showed his utter disappointment, he couldn't believe it missed. It looked like such a good shot too. He walked his horse idly over to the area behind the target, leapt down, stumbling slightly, adding to his chagrin. He bent down and picked up the two misguided arrows. He examined them quickly, determining them fit for continued use. He slid them back into his quiver, and leapt atop his horse, nearly sliding off of the other side. Today was not turning out well for him.

[Dimitri]

He straightened up on the horse's back, and slowly lead it back to where he was originally. He tried to figure out just why his shots were going wide. He sat there gripping the horse with his knees, he noticed something quite unusual. Well not unusual, but rather important. He decided to check this revelation. He drew another arrow and nocked it slowly. He raised it up, his body turning so as to achieve proper shooting stance. He took a deep breath, and when he let it out, his suspicions were confirmed. As the breath left his lungs, his body twisted to the left, and he unconsciously tried to compensate. He got back into aiming position, and tried the breathing again. He tightened his muscles, and as he let the breath out, he was able go hold himself in alignment. He smiled, knowing he had learned the trick.

He held the bow up, and slid his fingers around the shaft of the arrow near the feathers. He gripped down, and pulled the winged death back, the string humming with new found tension. He looked down the arrow, past the bladed tip, at the target. He knew he would hit it this time. His knees tightened down on the horse, his torso tightened up, and he took a long slow breath in. He quickly aimed, breathed out and released. The arrow streaked across the yard, not flying wide either direction. Instead it buried itself in the dirt in front of the target. Dimitri was happy and annoyed at the same time. He would master this.

[Dimitri]

Dimitri didn't know what was wrong, he had done it all right. Why had his shot gone so low? He pulled another arrow to recreate the scene. He slipped it onto the string and held the bow up aiming at it. He tightened his knees once more, tightened his torso once more and everything seemed perfect. He pulled the arrow back as he breathed in. He then slowly eased the tension off the arrow when he found himself leaning forward at the waist. Amazing, he would have to keep his muscles vigilant with each shot. He removed the arrow from his bow.

He would compensate by staying completely rigid while he shot. He placed the arrow in his quiver. He would do this all at once as if it were an attack. He closed his eyes, took in a shallow breath, and let it out. He opened his eyes, saw his enemy. He quickly drew an arrow without fumbling it, raised his bow as he slipped it over the string. He quickly lined up the shot. He breathed in deep, pulled the arrow back to his ear, and breathed out, keeping his entire torso rigid and straight. He prepared to shoot, when he felt himself sliding to the right. He didn't know what was going on, but loosed his arrow toward the target. He twisted as he fell so that he fell onto his back knocking the air from him. He could see from his position that the arrow flew high over the target. He lay there in the dirt, and slammed his fist into the ground. He would hit that damned target. He realized he hadn't remembered to squeeze his knees. He lay there, silently cursing himself.

[Dimitri]

The horse looked down at Dimitri, and the squire could've sworn he'd seen it chuckle. He lifted himself up on his elbows, noticing the sky continued to darken. He slowly stood up, checking himself for injury. He appeared to be fine, so he walked over and picked up the two arrows. He placed them in his quiver, and walked back over to his horse. He leapt up and over it, managing to catch himself properly this time. He would get it this time or he'd eat his bow. He looked at the target and closed his eyes once more. He opened his eyes and visualized an enemy in place of the target. His hand shot into his quiver and snatched an arrow, while his other arm raised his bow. He slipped the string into the arrow notch, and tightened his knees to the horse. He tightened his abdominals and lower back muscles to keep him straight. He breathed in deep as he pulled the arrow back to his ear, aimed down the shaft, and smiled.

Dimitri rode up to the target, a huge grin on his face. He reached down and plucked the arrow out of the top edge of the target. Not a perfect center shot, not even a kill shot, but he finally hit the target. He slipped his arrow into his quiver as he took the horse back to the stables, smiling the whole way, as the first drops of rain began to fall.

[Archon]

Illumination of Development Dimitri +5 Shortbow +3 Horse Riding +1 Animal Husbandry Lores: Firing from a stationary horse, Make sure to hold on, Observing yourself Care to see more? : Pretty much as you see it, most of your work was with your Shortbow so that's where you get the most experience, with some Horse Riding and Animal Husbandry for your work with the horse. Notes:A nice straight forward training thread, it was refreshing to see Dimitri struggling so much to get something down.