[Flashback] Arrow Hunting

[Behn]

Day 22 of Summer, AV 485 "This is a recurve bow. Look at the shape here, how it bends in the opposite direction of the rest of the bow here. It's the 'recurve'. Here, son, your uncle made one especially for you. It's a bit big, but you'll grow into it soon enough. Come, let's practice. It's past time your hands have learned to defend you." Behn nodded as he took the bow in his twelve-year old hands. The weapon was intimidating, large, a longbow for an adult, a longerbow for someone with several inches to grow into still. He followed his father, a man of impressive height and natural muscular physique. The man was a hunter, a warrior body yet the footfalls of a woodsman. It was so strange to look up at that bearded face and think he was as silent as a panther when he wanted to be. His aim with the bow was deadly as well. He was a true predator. "We aren't going to try anything fancy to begin with, son. You've never held a bow. Mimic me." Behn watched in awe as his father took his own bow, identical to Behn's new bow, brought up the arrow. The string fit in the notched area in the rear of the bow. Behn could just tell that it was a perfect fit, intended to connect like that. The arrow was pulled back by three strong fingers, and faster than his heart could beat, it vanished. He saw the vibrating string shake and tremble in silence as the arrow parted, colliding into the tree some twenty yards away. All Behn could do was stare. "Son, take this arrow and try to hold your bow." Behn nodded fervently as he did just that, try. The arrow found itself embracing the string fairly easily, but just holding the bow steady, the arrow still and level, it was a difficult task. He pulled back the string, and the arrow fell. Behn growled as he lifted the arrow once again to the string. He had to steady the bow, keep the arrow balanced and at the correct angles. Angles, his father mentioned it often before when demonstrating. Angles escaped Behn, whatever ninety degrees was, he didn't know. He wasn't blessed with a wealthy-enough family that cared for or afforded tutoring in scholarly topics. This, learning to shoot a bow, was his tutoring. Hunting was to be his scholarly path.