Completed Target Practice (Jorin Ertihan)

[Rinya]

Day 38, Season Fall, 513 AV

Rinya was tired of using borrowed arrows from the Warren. After the whole Glassbeak attack, she had been so consistently busy, that finding time to get new arrows had been purely a hassle. And she rarely felt that way about archery. Of course part of that may have been because she hadn’t actually had the need to shoot an arrow since the accident.

While her arm was healing, Rinya had been doing simple tasks around the Warren, and Rhys had been temporarily reassigned to someone else until she had been cleared. But since the accident, Rinya hadn’t spotted a thing to shoot at. And it was starting to drive her nuts actually. Archery was a second outlet for her—as natural as flying. She had been lucky that the wound to her arm had not been more serious. Chances were that both could have been taken from her.

So Rinya finally buckled on her day off to make a trip to the Stained Pelt. She really did need the arrows. Before Jorin had left to go to his Quarterstaff training that morning, Rinya had offered for him to join her after he got off work. She didn’t actually have a specific reason for inviting him, other than wanting to spend time with him. Granted they lived together now, but they hadn’t attempted to actually go out anywhere since Farline and the whole grotto incident. And they both had such hectic schedules some days.

Rinya was still getting used to the idea of living with someone—a man none the less. And Jorin was certainly a man. Not that he did anything—wrong per say. But she was acutely aware of his presence even when he wasn’t home. It may have been the kissing session on his bed right after they had moved in that nearly escalated, if he hadn't been injured. The memory was still capable of rendering her completely red and made her heart beat faster. Things since then however had been tame between them, and Rinya wasn’t sure if she should be happy about that, or wonder if they had stalled again.

Rinya sighed slightly. Rolling between her fingers was the shaft of an arrow. The arrows here were slightly different wood from the arrows back in Sylira. Perhaps in the future, she would be able to make her own, but for now she had little choice but to buy them. Rinya twirled the arrow between the fingers of her right hand. She was almost afraid—having not been able to practice in so long.

Taking a deep breath, Rinya lifted her longbow in her left hand. The muscles had knitted themselves together quite nicely, though the scar hadn’t quite finished healing itself. It still stuck out against her skin in an angry red line. But she wasn’t focused on the scar—right now she was focused on the target in front of her. She had spent the extra ten Mizas for the use of the range for a season. She would have to make sure she put it to good use.

Rinya tested the strength of the string, tugging on it with one finger several times. She had been lucky, the fight with the Glassbeak hadn’t ruined the bow in any way. She was glad Rhys at least had the foresight to have one of the guards pick it up. Nocking the arrow, Rinya adjusted her sight. With a deep breath, Rinya pulled the string tight. Her muscles rejected the weight at first—weeks without practice. But with insistence, Rinya managed to draw her right hand back to her mouth.

She remained there for a long moment, letting the string pull at her muscles. The burn was familiar, almost comforting. And then she breathed out, letting the arrow fly. The arrow hit with a resounding thud. Just inches from the bull’s-eye. Rinya lowered her bow slightly. Well—that was at least better than she had expected. If her life depended on it, she could still hit something at least. Honestly she had expected the first arrow to miss completely.

Rinya adjusted her stance, drawing another arrow and nocking it. Another deep breath, another loosed arrow, another thud into the target… still inches from the target. But Rinya would worry about the accuracy later. She could feel her muscles protesting already.

”Out of shape… lovely.” Rubbing her left bicep, Rinya grumbled under her breath. She couldn’t aim properly if her muscles wouldn’t stand up to the weight of the string.

Ledger-11 GM

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Fall, Day 38, 513 AV

The Stained Pelt was not a place Jorin would normally go. In fact, he wasn't even aware of the existence of the place. He'd heard of Loads of Leather, of course, the small but popular leather-working shop that he occasionally passed by on his way from home to the Amphitheater. He'd been mildly surprised that morning when Rinya had proposed he go with her to this place, presumably to shoot some arrows at targets.

The truth was, Jorin had no interest whatsoever in archery. It was for the same reason he was reluctant at first to pick up a quarterstaff; he disliked violence, and tried to avoid it whenever possible. He'd intended his training in the staff to be for defense only, but he quickly learned that the Akalak did not look favorably on someone of that mindset. So he carefully left that part out, leaving only that he wished to improve himself, which was absolutely true.

The bow was a purely offensive weapon, though. It really could not be used very effectively on the defense. It just took too much time to draw the string and loose an arrow if the enemy is already charging you. Used aggressively, the bow was highly effective at picking off targets from a long distance, especially the longbow that his mate favored.

Jorin sighed. He knew why he had walked out the city gates and down the small dirt path that Rinya had described, to the little burrow that marked the Stained Pelt. It wasn't for the archery, nor was it for being a better warrior. No, it was simply a way for him to spend time alone with Rinya. It really was just that simple. He couldn't care less what they were doing, honestly. They could be basket weaving, and he'd be just as happy.

Jorin gave a mental shrug and entered the small burrow, and approached the bar, where the proprietor Karlak approached him and asked him what his business was there. When Jorin mentioned he was meeting his mate for some target practice, the Akalak looked him over and asked him where his bow was.

"Well, can I borrow a bow?" Jorin had asked. Karlak had grunted and replied that he wasn't running a charity. Either Jorin borrowed Rinya's bow, brought his own, or bought his own. Karlak did mention, though, that if he purchased a bow, he would have free use of the range for practice for the entire year.

It was a tempting thought, honestly. If this was going to become a regular thing between Rinya and himself, he'd want his own bow anyway, as it would be too awkward to borrow RInya's every time he wanted to shoot. Not to mention, Jorin noticed how meticulously Rinya maintained her bow, even though for the longest time her arm did not permit her to use it. It was clear to him that the bow meant a lot to her, and he did not wish to damage her weapon with his own clumsy attempts at archery.

"How much for a longbow?" Jorin asked.

Karkak extolled the benefits of the more expensive composite longbow instead, saying how it had greater power with a smaller size. Jorin considered this for a moment, then asked how the bow was actually constructed. Karlak explained how a composite bow was created from laminating several different types of wood together for a lighter, smaller frame, yet retaining the power of a self-bow.

Jorin considered that for a moment, then remarked how, if such were true, wouldn't a composite bow be less effective in humid conditions, where the animal glue holding it together would degrade much quicker? Karlak shrugged and agreed, but pointed out that Riverfall was rarely humid enough for that to be a problem.

Jorin very nearly plopped down the 100 Gold Mizas before a thought occurred to him. He looked up apologetically and remarked that it seemed to him that a composite bow, being smaller and lighter, would be quite helpful for someone on horseback, but he could not see how it would impart any particular advantage to someone on the ground. Karlak was silent for a moment, before grunting and nodding, noting that most people who purchased composite bows were Drykas.

Jorin sighed, and requested the standard longbow, handing over 75 Gold Mizas in exchange. He couldn't ride anyway, so it wasn't like he had a pressing need for a composite bow. And even if he did learn to ride someday, it wasn't like a standard bow was not possible to use on horseback, just less convenient.

Jorin decided to also put down 20 more Gold Mizas for a leather quiver, and another Gold Miza for a set of twenty arrows. All told, his funds took a hit of 96 Gold Mizas, a fairly hefty expense. But Jorin had never done anything by halves; he'd agreed to this excursion with Rinya. He would follow through. And he refused to subject her beloved bow to his own clumsy handling; if any bow was going to break, it would be his.

"Wysar, god of discipline, I have embarked upon this new journey. I ask that I not lose my way. I will not give up. I do not quit. Watch over me, I pray." Jorin rarely prayed to the gods at all. It was not that he did not hold them in esteem; after many bruising days at the Kendoka he had gained a great respect for the Akalak god Wysar, but he always felt that the gods would only help those who helped themselves. Wysar, especially, would not simply step in. Not unless he stepped up.

Having said his little prayer, Jorin left the burrow and went above-ground. He heard a thunk as arrow struck target. He walked around the sunken burrow, turning just in time to see his mate notch another arrow, take a breath, draw it back all the way to her mouth, aim carefully, then fire again, the arrow sailing in a graceful line to hit the target a bit off-center.

Jorin thought she looked absolutely beautiful in that light, with the sunlight hitting her brown hair just so, to bring out the gold.

"Out of shape… lovely." she had growled to herself, but Jorin was just close enough to catch it. It certainly didn't look that way to him; she seemed as fit and trim as ever. But then, he'd thought himself fit and trim before he'd practiced at the Kendoka, and his first day at the school was a sobering lesson. Prancing about the stage was not the same as the brutal training a warrior received. He had no doubts he'd need strong arms for what he was going to be practicing with Rinya.

Walking up to his mate, Jorin smiled at her little frown. He wasn't sensing anger across the bond, just frustration. No doubt she wished her arm could take more, but Jorin knew first-hand how difficult it was to get back into the swing of things after so many weeks. His first day at the Kendoka after his brush with death had been brutal; he'd lost a lot of valuable muscle-mass he needed to regain, and his staff strikes were not nearly as powerful as he wanted them to be. Fortunately, two bell's worth of quarterstaff training that morning had restored at least some definition to his arms, with further practice sure to restore more.

"Hello, Rinya!" he called, waving at her slightly. He lifted his new purchases for her to see, giving her a sheepish grin. He didn't know how Rinya would react to his somewhat impulsive purchase, but the deed had been done. And truthfully, seeing how beautiful she looked, standing there with her bow, hair gently blowing in the breeze, Jorin couldn't find anything to regret. Nothing at all.

Ledger-96 GM

[Rinya]

Day 38, Season Fall, 513 AV

"Hello, Rinya!"

Rinya jumped and whirled around to face Jorin. She had been so focused on the targets before her; she hadn’t even realized that Jorin had in fact, arrived. But despite being startled, she smiled shyly at him. He was wearing a sheepish grin himself and it took her a moment to put together why. In hands was—a bow similar to hers and a quiver full of arrows. Well that was… unexpected to say the least. While Jorin used a quarterstaff, Rinya was fairly certain he was only training with it for two reasons. The ability to protect himself—or anyone else for that matter—and because Riverfall required their residents to know some sort of weapon. Though it was pure speculation on her part.

”Jorin… when I invited you to join me, I didn’t actually mean you had to join me.” Rinya stated lightly, gesturing with her free hand at his newly acquired purchases. She had figured that he may have taken up to writing a few poems while she stretched her unused muscles. She was always interested in how his day went, as it wasn’t unusual for him to come home with some rather interesting tales from the Amphitheater.

”Do you know how to shoot? You haven’t been keeping secrets from me have you?” Rinya teased, snagging another arrow from her quiver leaning against a stump on the ground. Rinya nocked the arrow and pulled the string tight in one fluid movement. Rinya took a chime, holding the string and trying to focus her aim further before releasing the third arrow. This one landed much closer to the bull’s-eye, though it still hadn’t hit home. Letting out a satisfied hum, Rinya leaned her bow against the stump as well before turning back to Jorin.

”I missed you.” It was a simple statement, but none the less true, especially with the way he was looking at. Rinya didn't have the words to describe it... never did, but she always flushed when he looked at her like that. Closing the distance between them, Rinya leaned up and pressed a small kiss against his lips before looking down at the bow in his hands. Even without holding the bow for close inspection, she could tell it was well made. It really shouldn’t have surprised her really, the Akalak were very disciplined.

”So… do you know anything about archery?” She inquired gently. She didn’t want to actually offend him, after he went through so much trouble to join her.

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Fall, Day 38, 513 AV

Jorin could help but grin wider when he saw Rinya's shy smile. As always, her smile lit up her face, making her even more beautiful in the soft afternoon light. It was like she glowed, the gold in her hair matching the gold of her eyes, and Jorin could help but be reminded once again of why gold had become his favorite color. He'd never seen Rinya smile like that for anyone else. He felt a surge of warmth to think that maybe it was a smile that only he got to see. It was certainly something to treasure, in that case.

"Jorin… when I invited you to join me, I didn’t actually mean you had to join me," Rinya had stated, and Jorin just shrugged.

"Well, I'd feel pretty useless just lounging in the shade, shooting the breeze while my mate does all the hard work," he half-joked, with a playful wink.

"Do you know how to shoot? You haven’t been keeping secrets from me have you?" she asked him teasingly, before turning to shoot another arrow. Jorin just shook his head, even though her head was turned and couldn't see. He observed her form as she slowly drew the arrow back, almost to her ear, and focused, clearly aiming the shot.

Not wanting to disturb her concentration, Jorin remained silent, almost holding his breath, until she released the arrow. It flew straight and true, striking the target closer to the center this time. As she hummed happily, Jorin answered her question, laughing as he spoke.

"You know I'd never keep secrets from you," he grinned, "Not that it would even work, anyway. And no, I've never shot a single arrow in my life. Today would be the first time."

Jorin shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, you've got to start somewhere, right?" he said. He would have said more, but Rinya had turned back to him.

"I missed you," she said. And it was such a simple thing for her to say. So why did it make his heart beat faster? Why did it make his cheeks flush? Why did it draw him to her, like there was an invisible thread pulling him? Maybe it was the soft breeze rustling the trees overhead. Maybe it was the fact that there was truly just the two of them there.

He could feel the air between them become charged, and he just barely got out the words, "I missed you too..." before she leaned up and kissed him on the lips.

Even the brief contact was like a spark. He'd missed this; the last few days at home had been uneventful. He didn't know how to brooch the topic of his ... daring, during their kissing session the day they'd moved in. Rinya hadn't mentioned it at all, and there were some days he wondered if she even noticed in the heat of that moment.

And other days, he'd catch her looking at him with a strange look on her face, and flashes of emotion would flicker across the bond, too fast to grasp. Was she thinking about it? He'd tried to ask, but the words wouldn't come out. How to phrase something like that? He'd always been good with words, but he'd never been in this situation before.

Giving himself a mental shake, Jorin returned to the moment, just catching Rinya's next question. "So… do you know anything about archery?" she asked gently. Jorin just grinned, his flush going from his cheeks almost down his neck has he glanced down at his feet, shuffling them nervously. He looked back up at her and shrugged.

"No, not really," he confessed. "I was ... hoping you could teach me?"

[Rinya]

Day 38, Season Fall, 513 AV

Rinya took a deep breath. Part of her wondered if she was pulling back a little too much from Jorin. Almost like the saying two steps forward and one step back. Granted she never actually said no to anything, but it almost felt like before—when she had refused to admit that Jorin could be more than just her bondmate. Things between them always seemed to constantly shift, but oddly enough it was almost never in a bad way. She just had no idea how to keep up. What was too much—or was she just over thinking like usual.

"I was ... hoping you could teach me?"

Rinya couldn’t help but laugh. Shaking her head, she looked up from the bow in his hands to his eyes, perhaps one of her favorite details about him. He looked sheepish again, and he was red all the way down his neck. Even if they had no bond, she would have been able to tell he was nervous. It was incredibly endearing. Her smile widened and she reached up to cup his cheek with one hand.

”Jorin… the last time I tried to teach you something you nearly drowned.” Rinya whispered in an even tone, though she was sure the bond gave her away. She was pleased he wanted her to teach him. This was something she could do a lot better teaching at, and there was less chance Jorin was likely to kill himself. Harming himself was another thing entirely, but that generally came with the training of any weapon.

”Come on then, only way to learn is to try.” Rinya stated brightly, leading him over to where she had been standing before. She left her bow leaning against the stump for the time being. There were other things to get started on first. ”I just need you to promise me one thing. If your shoulder starts to hurt we have to stop. You could seriously injury yourself—again—if you push it too much. Alright?” Rinya raised a brow at Jorin, not quite stern… if he paid too much attention he would probably realize it was worry.

While Jorin’s injuries were healed, Rinya could only imagine the strain of a bow on a shoulder that was recently dislocated. Especially since he had never used a bow before, proper stance would be something that just took time and teaching. But she knew Jorin wouldn’t refuse her of this request. And there were so many places to start too. Rinya inwardly sighed—teaching was honestly not a strong suit of hers. Teaching usually required words.

”Well… first off, we won’t need the arrows quite yet. You can put them next to mine.” Rinya motioned next to her, watching him closely. She wondered if she could even do this… teach him. She tried to remember her father’s lessons, but they seemed so vague now—distant.

”Whichever is your dominant hand, will more than likely be your bow hand. The wood itself is like any other bow. If it becomes too wet or too dry, the wood could be compromised. Especially if it is still strung.” Rinya came up to stand next to Jorin on his right side. Running her fingers along the wood, Rinya hummed to herself before glancing up at him. ”Normally I would teach you how to string and unstring first, but I can teach you that at home later.”

Rinya reached out, wrapping her fingers around his holding the bow. ”Your arm must remain straight, but not overly tense. When you draw the string with an overly extended bow arm, the string will bite when you release.” Rinya let go his hand and placed it on the inside of his bicep. ”And trust me… that hurts. The string will drag along the skin, and unless you do it a lot it won’t bleed, but it will bruise, but once is enough to cause one.”

Rinya didn’t enjoy the thought of a bruise on Jorin period, but it was something that came with the training of any weapon. And at least he was forewarned about it. Her father had let her learn that lesson without one. She could remember the bruise from over extending her arm too much, leaving the inside of her arm much too close to the string when she released. The bite was instant, and of course the arrow didn’t exactly go far. Shaking her head a little, Rinya released his arm and took a step back.

”Go ahead and pull the string back as far as you can.”

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Fall, Day 38, 513 AV

Jorin loved it when Rinya laughed. She did it with her entire soul, at least when she was with him. He could feel the mirth and happiness, and it made him happy too. She was clearly pleased that he wanted her to teach him, despite her warnings about what happened the last time she did that. In any case, she led him over to where she'd been standing, leaning her own bow against a tree. When she turned to him, her face and her emotions turned serious.

"I just need you to promise me one thing. If your shoulder starts to hurt we have to stop. You could seriously injure yourself—again—if you push it too much. Alright?" she said. Jorin couldn't help it. She just looked so cute when she was trying to be serious. But he knew his mate was genuinely worried about him. And she was right. Even Sohyrn, slave-driver that he was, refused to allow Jorin to do any strenuous work on his left arm, forcing him to mainly practice thrusts and stances which did not require use of his shoulder.

"Of course," Jorin replied with a quick nod. There was a fine but important line between dedication and foolishness. Straining oneself to the point of injury did not help. Recovery time, plus the deterioration of muscle mass, meant that anything you gained from doing that would be quickly lost, and then some.

Rinya then motioned for him to put his arrows next to hers, which he did, carefully laying his leather quiver beside hers. She then told him to grasp the bow with his dominant hand, suggesting that she teach him how to string and un-string the bow at home. Good idea. Since they lived together now, they'd have plenty of time for practicing those things that didn't need a range. He gripped his new bow in his right hand and looked at Rinya for further instruction.

She reached out and took his right hand in hers. Jorin could feel a pleasant warmth radiating from the contact, and he suddenly noticed that she was quite close to him. He could feel heat on his face as she quietly adjusted his arm, telling him how it needed to be straight but not tense. Right. It reminded him of Sohryn repeatedly admonishing him to not hold the staff in a death-grip. Firm, but not rigid. At least the instructor was much more pleasant to look at this time, as Jorin found himself admiring Rinya's slender but very attractive form.

His wayward eyes were brought back forward when Rinya placed a hand on his bicep, telling him what would happen if he drew the string with an over-extended bow arm, that the string would snap back and bruise. He nodded dumbly. It was, after all, his first time, so all he could do was obey her instructions, and try not to be too distracted by how close she was, and how nice she smelled...

Concentrate, Jorin! he shouted at himself. You'll have plenty of time to look at your mate when you both go home! Remember why you're here!

"Go ahead and pull the string back as far as you can," Rinya instructed, as she stepped back a bit. Jorin felt a bit of disappointment at the loss of her closeness. He liked it when she was next to him, hand gently on his, her beautiful face so close to his, her scent wafting up... oh right! The bowstring.

Taking a breath, he tried to do what Rinya instructed. Holding his right arm out straight, making sure not to tense it too much. Right, pull the string back. His left hand came forward, plucking the string, and he tried to pull it back in a smooth motion like he'd seen Rinya do. It looked so easy, but the string resisted, and Jorin found himself tensing both arms in an effort to get the string to pull all the way back.

Jorin glanced at Rinya with an embarrassed grin on his face. She must have a lot more strength than her small body would imply, to be able to do this so easily. He didn't know if he just needed better technique, more strength, or more likely both, but he could barely get the string half-way down his arm before it sprang back, out of his hand, and onto the inside of his bicep. Just like Rinya had warned about.

Jorin yelped and swore, dropping the bow and rubbing the bruised bicep. His eyes grew wide when he realized what he'd done. "Never drop your weapon! Dropping your weapon is tantamount to death," Sohryn's voice echoed in his head.

Quickly leaning down, he picked up the bow. At least to his untrained eyes, the weapon had not suffered any damage from his clumsy first attempt at pulling the string. This was a lot harder than Rinya made it look. Jorin looked back at Rinya with a nervous laugh.

"So, umm, what am I doing wrong?" he asked, his voice low with embarrassment.

[Rinya]

Day 23, Season Fall, 513 AV

Rinya watched Jorin closely. It took him a moment it seemed before he attempted to draw the string back, and Rinya wondered if maybe she had confused him at some point. But he didn’t seem to be projecting any confusion, so Rinya did her best to dismiss the thought. There seemed like there was a lot to cover in her mind, but really she was doing this from her own instinct. The little things that she had to do, though in a much more fluid and easy movements.

Rinya had misjudged poor Jorin though. For her it was as simple as anchoring her left arm, and using her right to pull. But Jorin didn’t know that. Just as she realized just how much he was struggling, the bow slipped from his fingers and snagged his arm just as she warned. The bow hit the ground and Rinya flinched. The pain in his arm wasn’t terrible, but she knew it was there. She would have to make that up to him later.

As Jorin picked up the bow, Rinya reached out and touched his arm gently where she was sure it would take no time for a bruise to form. Frowning slightly Rinya looked up at him.

"So, umm, what am I doing wrong?"

”It wasn’t you… I’m sorry. I just… do this and I forget some of the more basic ideas in instinct.” Rinya gingerly pulled her fingers away from his skin. For a moment she hesitated. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea—teaching was always much harder than it sounded. But Jorin had put too much into this, including embarrassment. Sighing to herself, Rinya stepped up behind him, placing one hand on his shoulder and the other on his lower back.

”First… stance is very important. Keep your back straight, it will keep your arms more level.” Rinya stepped around to his left side and reached out to pull his bow arm up. Taking a deep breath, Rinya tapped his elbow lightly. ”Second, your arm is like an anchor, set in the shoulder.” Shifting her right hand, she rested on his right shoulder. ”Always try and keep the rest of your arm in line with your shoulder. Even if you have to move up or down, this shoulder is your anchor.”

Rinya twisted herself so she faced Jorin’s chest. The guilt eating at her gut slightly faded when she realized just how close she had gotten to him. The palm of her hand tingled where it was pressed against his shoulder. Licking her lips slightly, Rinya tried to force the distraction into the back of her mind. She was going to get him hurt further if she let this sink into her head. Bringing her right hand down from his shoulder, she rested it high over his heart, before the left hand mirrored it on the other side.

”Third, these muscles are what give you pull. If your stance is correct however, you will feel it throughout here too.” Rinya’s left hand trailed down his chest to his stomach. Almost immediately Rinya couldn’t focus. Jorin’s shirt wasn’t exactly heavy; it wasn’t quite chilled enough for heavier clothing. She could feel muscle beneath her fingers and her mind couldn’t help but conjure up the only time she had seen him shirtless.

In her opinion she didn’t understand what Farline was talking about when she said that she needed to find someone more handsome than Jorin. Rinya herself didn’t actually enjoy the overly muscled men—not that she really looked all that often. And the last time Rinya had seen Jorin shirtless he had been more than ideal to her in a physical sense. With him working out with the quarterstaff, she was sure he was just more… defined.

Actually, she could feel it. And it was that thought that had her snapping her hands away from him like she had been burned. In some ways she had, since her hands echoed warmth from his body. Her face flushed red and Rinya had to clear her throat, however she didn’t actually back away from him.

”Your fingers should hook around the string. Keep the elbow of your left arm down however, as it will throw off your stance.” Rinya finally took the chance and glanced up at his face. Focus was becoming harder by the second, and Rinya blinked up at him several times before opening her mouth. ”Lastly, you need an anchor point. For most, it is some part of your face. I use my mouth, but your chin or nose could work just as well. It’s a light touch of your left hand to whatever anchor point you choose.”

Rinya swallowed hard and tore her eyes away from his. She felt hot all over—a familiar feeling actually. Rather reluctantly, she took a step back from him again. ”T-try again.” Rinya winced at her stutter. She really needed to get control, in some aspects she was feeling a little ridiculous—she couldn’t even get close to her mate without her thoughts turning elsewhere.

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Fall, Day 23, 513 AV

It wasn't really that bad, the bruising on his arm. Jorin had suffered far worse before. The Kendoka was an excellent school, but it was a hard one; bruises were to be expected. Complaints were to be swallowed. Not to mention, he'd been hit by lightning once. Since then, no pain even compared. Not that the bowstring didn't hurt, he could still feel the dull sting where it had struck him. But if he could survive that and come out relatively unscathed then he could survive a few slaps from a bow string.

The pain almost seemed to disappear when Rinya came up to him and placed her hand gently where the string had struck him. Even her lightest touch seemed to alleviate the pain. Or maybe it was her gentle concern coming across the bond. Either way, his bicep didn't hurt nearly so much. Not that he was entirely paying attention to it anyway.

Jorin frowned a little when Rinya apologized. She had nothing to apologize for. He was the one who'd messed up, and he fully expected that he would mess up. His first day with a quarterstaff was no different; in fact his first time acting was no different. He still remembered how he'd forgotten his lines; the sheer horror that seized his heart. It seemed almost funny now, but at the time it was utterly terrifying.

Jorin shifted as Rinya put a hand on his shoulder and back. Right, back straight. Well, at least that was the same as with the quarterstaff, so it was easy to remember. Jorin tried to do as Rinya said, setting in his shoulder. It was awkward and uncomfortable, though. Probably because, as a quarterstaff user, he was used to this shoulder being as loose and mobile as possible. It was critical to the arm's ability to redirect the end of the staff where it needed to go.

Nevertheless, this was archery, not quarterstaff. So he set his lips into a firm line and tried again, this time listening carefully as Rinya explained how he needed to keep his arm in line with the shoulder. Doing this made his right arm feel unnaturally stiff and heavy, but he suspected that, with enough practice, he'd get used to it.

Rinya had swung around to face him, placing one hand over his heart and the other mirroring it, and Jorin had a wild urge to just drop the bow, grab Rinya by the waist, and kiss her full on the lips. He even had a suspicion that she would not have resisted very much, if at all, should he have done that, but as quickly as the urge came it disappeared. Well, no, that wasn't correct. It didn't disappear, it just... receded, a nagging desire rather than an overwhelming need. As the haze cleared somewhat, Jorin tried mightily to remember what Rinya was saying. Right. Muscles that give draw. Chest muscles, then.

Her hands slid down to his stomach. A pleasant chill trickled down Jorin's spine. Even though the action was wholly innocent, it just felt so... intimate. The urge to kiss Rinya came roaring back, stronger than ever. He wondered if she could feel that urge too, across their bond. He certainly wasn't doing very much to hide it. He nearly missed her saying that proper bow use would cause him to feel it in his core muscles. He was more concentrating on the feeling of her soft, gentle hands through his shirt, which warmed him more than even Syna's rays filtering through the trees.

Rinya pulled her hands away quickly, and Jorin couldn't suppress a feeling of disappointment. He liked her touch, her closeness. At least she didn't pull away completely. Rinya;s face had flushed, and Jorin smiled. He could feel her own desire across the bond. Well. Maybe he wasn't the only one who liked being close. It was a warm, pleasant feeling, to know his mate enjoyed it as much as he did. Rinya started talking again and Jorin gave himself another mental shake. Right! Archery.

Right. Elbow down. He'd not done that the first time he tried, he pulled like someone was drawing a bucket up from a well. Clearly that didn't work. Then Rinya mentioned an anchor point. Someplace on his face he'd draw the string to. He'd noticed earlier, while watching Rinya, that she drew it to her mouth, which she confirmed a moment later. Well, if it worked for his mate, it would work for him.

It also occurred to him that he'd noticed she had been holding her bow in her left hand when she had been shooting earlier. That would mean Rinya was left handed, then, since she'd just told him to hold the bow in his dominant hand. Huh. It was a small detail, and perhaps ultimately unimportant in the grand scheme of things. But Jorin committed it to memory nonetheless. Rinya was left-handed. Just another detail about his love that he would keep. To him, every detail about her was important, no matter how small.

When she looked up at his face, it was all he could do not to kiss her right there. He truly wondered just how much self-control he was going to have today, whether he'd even make it to actually shooting an arrow before he just grabbed her. He'd not had a deep, loving kiss with his mate since that day when they'd moved in together, and he so desperately missed that electric tingle, the fire, that not just spread across his skin but into his core. Would one kiss be so bad?

But before he could act on his instinct, Rinya had pulled away completely, face totally flushed. "T-try again," she stammered, and at that moment Jorin felt a powerful surge of love for Rinya mixed with disappointment at an opportunity lost. If only she'd stayed closer for just a little longer... oh well. There would be other chances. It wasn't like either of them were going anywhere.

Jorin sighed, willing himself to concentrate at the task on hand. In some ways, this was a lot easier than learning the quarterstaff at the Kendoka. Then his gaze wandered and he looked at Rinya's flushed face, her lovely golden eyes. Across their bond, he could feel her embarrassment, her happiness, her love... and he realized in some other ways this was the most difficult training in the world. How on Mizahar was he supposed to keep focused, with the love of his life so close? Grunting, Jorin gave a quick shake of his head. Focus!

Right. Try again. Jorin focused, trying to remember everything Rinya had just taught him. As he did, his mind wanded to the memory of her closeness, the feel of her soft touch on his arm, shoulders, chest, stomach... the bow nearly slipped from his hands again as his mind hazed over. Shyke. No, no. Don't focus on that you petching idiot.

He took a deep breath and gave Rinya an apologetic smile. "Sorry," he said, blushing heavily. "I guess I'm a bit distracted today. I'll try harder, I promise."

Jorin had almost assured Rinya that it wasn't her fault, but he had promised himself he'd never keep secrets or lie to her. And it would be a lie. Rinya had everything to do with why he was distracted, but only in the best ways.

He just needed to remind himself that Rinya was his bondmate and his mate. She wasn't going anywhere. She'd still be there when they got home, tonight and every night. And it all sounded so reasonable, so rational, so logical when he said it like that, but he knew deep down that if he looked at her again, if she got close again, all his reason and logic would go out the window. He coughed as he brought the bow back up, setting his shoulder like she had said. Back to archery.

This time, he truly did concentrate, remembering Rinya's words. Set the shoulder. Arm straight. Don't tense up. Anchor with the dominant arm. Now that he thought about it, he remembered her mentioning that her eyes were as sharp in her human form as in her osprey form. Given how good osprey eyes had to be to spot fish under the water, he wondered if maybe they also gave her an edge in terms of accuracy, at least during the day?

It wasn't important. He could always ask her later. For now, he took a breath and dropped his left elbow as he hooked his finger around the string, like Rinya had said, and pulled. Like Rinya had told him, he could feel the muscles in his chest burn a bit as he did this, and even a little bit down to his stomach. Quarterstaff training did not much train those muscles, mainly the biceps and thighs, so Jorin could feel his chest and core muscles strain against the pressure.

He continued to pull, back, back, all the way until his left hand gently touched the corner of his mouth, then stopped. It was a silly thing to do, really. Maybe he'd be a better shot if he'd used his chin or nose, but he wanted to be closer to Rinya, and for some reason, using her anchor point seemed like the thing to do. He held the string taut in that fashion, feeling the burn in his chest and stomach and arms. After about a chime, he released the string slowly, lowering the bow and rubbing his right shoulder slightly with his left hand.

It didn't hurt, but he could see he'd need practice. He'd have to do this every day if he was going to get any better, because given the amount that his chest and stomach were burning, those muscles needed to be trained a lot before he'd be willing to rely on them. He turned to Rinya, grinning happily.

The sun was lower now, and from the direction she was standing, it almost wrapped around her form like a halo. Jorin's breath caught in his throat. It didn't matter that her hair was a bit tousled, or that she wasn't wearing her peach-colored dress he liked so much. She still looked absolutely stunning. The most beautiful woman in the world.

"Not too bad for my first time, right?" he asked finally, face red. He seriously considered just marching over and kissing her right then, but he knew that once that started, they may well not get any more archery done that day.

[Rinya]

Day 38, Season Fall, 513 AV

Rinya was starting to feel a little lightheaded. Between the two of them, Rinya was having trouble figuring where the emotions were coming from in the first place. Was it Jorin, or was it her? What was worse—she couldn’t figure out what he wanted. Rinya was unsure just how much of this was new for him. It didn’t take a genius to figure that Jorin might be far more experienced than she was—after all she wasn’t sure just how far Farline had gone with him before breaking his heart. For her… everything was new. And so petching hard to understand—much less control.

"I guess I'm a bit distracted today. I'll try harder, I promise."

Rinya frowned. Distracted seemed an appropriate word for both of them, and Rinya felt intensely guilty all of a sudden. She had thought archery would be a safe venue for both of them. Rinya hadn’t taken into account that he might want her to teach him, or that being so close would be that much of a distraction. Which seemed a little foolish now that she thought about it, she was always distracted by Jorin. Ever since Rinya had first laid eyes on him, he caused her to react to his indescribable energy—why should this be any different.

Releasing a small sigh, Rinya watched closely as Jorin finally pulled the string. She studied him… and at first it was completely focused on his stance. He had chosen his mouth as his anchor, and Rinya followed his hand to his shoulders. They trembled slightly, from his effort to hold the string where it was. And once again her mind wandered from keeping track of his stance, to simply watching him. The pull of muscle, the look of concentration in his green eyes…

Rinya blinked and realized he had turned to face her, grinning happily. But more than that, he had that look on his face again. The intense one that knocked the breath out of her—as if she was the most precious thing in the world to him. When had he released the string?

"Not too bad for my first time, right?"

Rinya quickly shook her head, unable to actually speak. He had done wonderful actually—though she hadn’t been paying attention like she should have. Rinya realized she wasn’t going to get far at this rate. His emotions seemed to flare again—a desire for something and she couldn’t make it out. Rinya sighed and turned away, snagging two arrows from his quiver. He had invested in this lesson—in the very least he should get that far.

Rinya stepped up next to him again, though for her own sake she didn’t bother trying to keep a proper distance from him. She was nearly pressed into his left arm—despite every urge to touch him otherwise—being close just made her feel… better. Holding up one of the arrows, Rinya pointed to the fletching on the end of the arrow. One white feather, two black.

”The white one is an index fletch. It lets you know the proper alignment with the string. It should always be facing upwards, vertical with the string.” Rinya mumbled. She was feeling shy again, completely unsure of herself. A new feeling actually—and any other circumstances would have driven her completely mad. She had been the one to initiate the kiss in the condo. But she felt for sure that she might have lost him otherwise if she didn’t.

This situation was nothing like that. There was no fear that he might up and leave her because he was unsure of himself. However the desire was the same—maybe stronger this time. Out in the open she wasn’t sure of anything other than that he loved her, but she would hate to make a fool of either one of them because she didn’t have the ability to keep her hands to herself.

Taking his left hand, she placed the arrow between his forefinger and middle, on the edge of nock behind the fletching. Rinya could feel the hum of energy between them, and she wondered vaguely if it would ever fade. Thus far it had only gotten stronger—something that Rinya was not bound to complain about. Leading his hand over to the string, Rinya fit the nock to the string, before placing the shaft to rest against his fist around the bow, supported by his thumb.

”Some bows have a rest for an arrow, but I always preferred my own skin. It’s easier to feel the direction of the arrow—though that could just be me. Now pull back like you did before. Try and hold it.” Rinya slowly released his hand, but she didn’t step back like before. She stood close, letting him pull the arrow back. His stance was decent, something that would have to be perfected over time, but she pressed her fingers against his chest as she had before.

”Deep breath Jorin. Aim… and breath out as you release.”

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Fall, Day 38, 513 AV

Jorin couldn't help the surge of joy when Rinya came up close to him after taking two arrows from his quiver. She was right up against his left arm, holding up one of the arrows for him to see. She pointed out the difference in colors on the fletching; that there was one white feather to two black ones.

He figured there must be a reason for that, and Rinya confirmed it a moment later by explaining that the white one was called an "index fletch", whose purpose was to guide him to aligning with the string of the bow. She continued by telling him that it should be facing up, and parallel with the string.

She was mumbling her instructions shyly, and as she stood there Jorin felt warm and happy. He really wouldn't mind it if she just stayed there for the rest of the evening, just pressed against him gently. Why didn't they do this more at home? Jorin really couldn't answer that question. It wasn't that he loved her any less. Indeed, every day he spent with her, he fell more and more in love with her. So why weren't they more overtly affectionate in the one place where they were the safest to do it?

Jorin sighed inwardly. He'd have to do something about that. He'd wanted to be more intimate with Rinya, but she seemed so unsure, and he didn't want to frighten her or go further than she was willing. But it also meant they weren't moving forward, and the last thing that Jorin wanted was for their budding relationship to backslide.

During all this, Jorin barely noticed Rinya taking his left hand and placing an arrow between his forefinger and middle. But with the renewed contact with her bare skin Jorin's mind snapped to the present, and he was immediately aware of their closeness again. He flushed a bit and he could feel the charge in the atmosphere.

Her hands proceeded to guide his left to the string, fitting the nock to it and putting the shaft on his right hand, telling him that some bows actually had a rest, but that she preferred her own skin because it gave her more accuracy. Well if it was good enough for her, it was good enough for him.

She then told him to pull the arrow back. She hadn't stepped away like before, a fact for which he was very grateful as her presence was, while distracting in some ways, also extremely pleasant. Jorin complied with Rinya's instruction, mimicking the motions he'd performed before. This time though, there was an arrow in his hands, and at first he'd almost dropped the arrow when he tried to pull it back. Shaking his head, he tried again, re-nocking the arrow to the string, and slowly drawing the string back, until he could feel his left hand resting against the corner of his mouth.

"Deep breath Jorin. Aim… and breath out as you release." Rinya's voice was close, like the sweet whisper of the breeze in his ear. He did as she said, feeling the burning of his chest and stomach muscles as he kept the bow upright, his shoulders shaking slightly from the strain. He sighted the target as best he could, but he wondered if aiming straight at it would actually work.

"What is the first law of motion, son?"

"What goes up, must come down."

There was a formula. He'd remembered, like an unbidden memory, from the misty past. A formula ... the line was called a parabola. It was the same principals that made catapults work. That over a long enough distance, the arrow would drop. That he'd need to aim above the target.

But Jorin realized, he was not nearly a skilled enough archer for that. His background in mathematics might have told him the theory, but this was reality, and besides the target was too close for the parabolic arc to matter. He took a breath, holding the air in his lungs as he aimed carefully. The moments ticked by and his lungs started to burn just as much as his chest muscles.

Then, with a whoosh of breath, Jorin released. The arrow sang across the span ... and missed the target completely, landing in the grass a few meters away. Jorin was silent for a few moments, and then started to laugh. His eyes started to tear up a bit as he just guffawed at the awful shot he'd just made. Oh wow, and there he was, thinking about parabolic shots, when he couldn't even hit a target fifty feet from him.

He turned to Rinya, wiping away his tears of laughter. She was still there, still close to him, her warm presence just as inviting and radiant as ever. Jorin decided he just didn't care anymore. He didn't even know what was stopping him. He'd figure out why they weren't more intimate at home later. For that moment, he decided to just let his instincts take over.

So rather than trudging off to retrieve his wayward arrow, Jorin let his right arm fall to his side, and dropped his bow next to himself. He used his left arm to hook behind Rinya's waist, just above her buttocks, and pulled her in. Before she could protest (and Jorin had a suspicion she wouldn't protest anyway), he pulled in, pressing his lips against hers.

And oh, how he missed this. It was just as intense, as fiery as he remembered. Jorin found himself wishing that the fire would last forever. It was like the burn when he pulled the bow back, except it tingled and warmed him and wasn't unpleasant at all. Heat radiated outward from where their lips met, and he couldn't help but selfishly pull her even closer, crushing their bodies together in his desire to get more of her.

Once again, his right hand slipped around and started to approach dangerous territory, except this time they were not on a bed, and his injuries had healed. No chance of injury aggravation interrupting them this time. In some small, ignored part of his brain, Jorin knew this couldn't go too far. They were in public, and there were certain lines they shouldn't cross, not out here. But every other part of his mind was consumed by his desire for her. He was like a starving man, and her lips like the first meal he'd had in weeks. He vaguely wondered how far this kiss of theirs was going to go.