Closed Alone in a Crowd (Khara)

[Turrin]

Time Stamp: 10th of Summer, 514AV
Location: Bent Arrow
Who: Khara

Tracing a hand along the warm stone cliff face, Turrin made his way along the narrow trail towards the Bent Arrow. A outdoor archery range shared by all the castes. The Endal wasn't keen on sharing a the range with dek or chiet because the food riots last winter, but Turrin wanted to feel the warmth of Syna on his skin as he shot his bow, so he would suffer their judging eyes on his way to the archery range. As he walked along the trail, he noticed the backward glances of a few chiet in front of him. He didn't care for glances, so the Endal tapped his the top of the hilt of his sword with his middle and pointer fingers and said with a low growl, “Do you have a problem, chiet?” The young man with copper hair eyes widened, shook his head, and said in with a frown, “No...we have no problem, Endal....I...” The copper haired man gave him a weary smile and said with a laugh, “I...I just recognized you...from somewhere.” The myrian frowned because for the spring season, Aponivi (his wind eagle) and him had been avoiding Wind Reach like a sickness after the winter riots. He was a part Warhawk, so he was on the front lines during the whole bloody unrest, so he wasn't surprised that these chiet might have recognized him.

Turrin returned the chiet's awkward smile with a toothy grin of his own and disguised a thinly veiled threat in with a few words of advice, “I suggest you pay attention to the trail, friend. The trail is narrow, and you wouldn't want to be one of those unfortunate fools who dung their own graves on the bottom of the cliff because you weren't paying attention. Would you?” Staring into the green eyes of lower caste, the chiet narrowed his eyes at the endal and was about to more than likely say something stupid, but the chiet in front of the copper haired man grabbed his friend and said with a polite grin to Turrin, “Forgive my friend for staring. The heat must be going to his head if he recognized you. Come on Brim.” Turrin watched as the other chiet escort his friend away from the endal. The endal was glad the lower castes left him alone because he didn't want to have a confrontation with anyone especially on a narrow trail on side of cliff, but he would defend his honor and pride if the chiet pushed him.

When Turrin made it to the entrance, he noticed the Bent Arrow was crowded with Inarta honing their skills for the summer hunting season. Turrin went to the nearest open target and slung the short bow and quiver from his shoulder and placing the short bow his quiver on the ground. Suddenly, a dek came hobbling up and said meekly with a toothless smile, “Can I get you some arrows?” Turrin tied back his hair with some twine and said with nod, “Yes, get me a dozen broad tipped arrows.” The myrian knew that he should be using the lighter hunting arrows, but during the summer, he was going to venture deep into the Unforgiving in search of better hunting grounds. He knew it was safer in the shadow of the mountain, but he knew if he wanted to find better sources of game. The endal needed to take chances in unexplored parts of the Unforgiving, so the broad tipped arrow could be helpful in bind with undesirables or fearsome predators of the mountains.

When the Dek ran off, so Turrin decided to do a stretches before the dek came back with his arrows. The myrian started to rotate his shoulders forward in a circle for a about thirty ticks than he reversed the motion for thirty ticks in the opposite direction for another thirty ticks. When he was finished, he started to swing his arms up over his head and down to his waist. He did this stretch for a chime than he crossed his arms over his chest and held it there for ten ticks till the muscles outside of his arms started to burn. After ten ticks, the endal stretched out his arms as far as he can muster. He held his arms out till the muscles inside his arms started to burn. When he finished his arm stretches, he shook out his arms and bent over trying to touch his toes. The endal could only get down to his middle of ankles, so he held it there for thirty ticks till the muscles and his hamstrings and lower back started to burn. When he was finished stretching, he stood up and tried to unbuckle his sword scabbard from his waist, but the humidity tightened the knot more. Feeling slightly annoyed, he muttered to himself as his tried to loosen the leather strap on his waist. Keeping his eyes on the knot, he worked on his knot.

[Khara]

.

The Bent Arrow had been loud that day, the air filled with the sound of Inarta honing their skills and tossing the occasional playful jab among friends whether targets were hit properly or not. But suddenly the atmosphere changed, tension grew and the casual conversations quieted, especially among the Chiet. The disquiet that had come when a handful of Avora arrived earlier in the day was nothing compared to the stillness that took over when the Endal made his presence known. Or at least, that was how Khara perceived the shift from the somewhat irritating ongoing banter among the rest of her caste to their uncomfortable shifting and sudden awareness they all seemed to take on in regards to their stances and techniques.

For her part a wary glance was given towards the Endal that everyone else had taken notice of and Khara found a sudden chill run through her. It wasn't just any Endal that had shown up, after all. She had heard stories of the half-Myrian before, none of them favorable, especially after the riots. Not that she really believed them, especially not the ones about how he may have eaten some of the Dek when the upper castes had restored order to Skyinarta. But rumors, even the ugliest ones, always seemed to have some sort of truth to them and it was always better to be safe than sorry.

Unlike most of her caste, Khara never really had blamed the Avora and the Endal for what had happened during the famine. After all, she had spent most of it in the Unforgiving, scouting with Avora hunters in search of precious game. Her and the other game-scouts had become important. It had put her in an awkward position, certainly not one of the upper caste, but the rest of the resentful Chiet had accused her of thinking she was better than them. A small shudder worked its way up her back as a particular confrontation was remembered.

As Khara found herself gently shaking her head to rid herself of the thoughts of the last two seasons, the young Chiet realized she had been staring at the Endal. A sudden redness that attempted to fight her hair for vibrancy raised in her cheeks and she quickly looked away. Nice one, sparrow-brain! What if he saw you?? What if he thinks you're trying to size him up? Don't look again. Don't. Look.

She found her hands shaking slightly as she plucked one of the arrows she had placed into the ground in front of her and forced a deep breath that did little to calm herself as she nocked the arrow, raised the bow and drew the string back. Damn it, damn it, damn it... should have just kept shooting. Shouldn't have looked. Her aim was off, Khara knew it before she released the arrow and felt a cringe run across her face as it barely impacted the lower edge of the target.

A constant repeated string of Don't... repeated in her head before she found herself uncontrollably casting another glance at the Endal on the range.
.

[Turrin]

Looking up from his knot, Turrin can't help, but notice the once jovial crowd changed their tune rather quickly when he entered the range. Now the loud ruckus was just a quiet hush as the chiet diligently worked on their techniques rather than socialization. In truth, it made him laugh to himself because in Taloba, he would never have that type of influence over a crowd since he was a man. However, in Wind Reach, gender played no part in social status. Looking at the people around him, Turrin noticed a young woman staring at him; however when he looked up at her, she quickly looked away when his golden eyes met her's. The myrian smirked to himself and turned his attention back to the pesky knot on his scabbard. When he finished loosing his knot, he laid his talon sword up against the firing wall and picked up his short bow. When the dek approached him with the arrows, Turrin took the bundle from him and reward the dek with a nod. Setting the bundle of arrows by his talon sword, he reached down and picked up a arrow from the pile.

Holding the short bow in his left hand, Turrin glanced over at pretty young woman as she was shooting. The myrian noticed that her stance was awkward and slightly ridged from his vantage point. It was sloppy, but he wondered if the woman was having a hard time focusing. Turrin made a mental note to talk to her after his shot. He remembered when he first started archery. He was just terrible, but he had his father, mentors, and complete strangers willing to help him, so he figured if she was willing, he would take the time to help her out too. Turning his attention to the target, Turrin widened his stance, so the right foot is behind him and horizontal to the target and his left foot was in front of him about forty five degrees to the target. Turrin relaxed his knees slightly and placed the broad tipped arrow on the bowstring. Raising the short bow with his left hand, he aligned the metal tip of the arrow with a circular target in front of him. Pulling back the bow string to his cheek, Turrin readjusted his shot till back on to his original target the bull's eye. As his arm and back muscles started to burn, Turrin took a shallow breath and released the bowstring on the exhale.

Turrin kept the short bow up as the arrow soared towards the center of the target. Turrin smiled to himself as the arrow struck inside the center above the bull's eye. He noticed he missed the elusive center dot by about five or seven inches, but in real world, it would have struck his prey or opponent all the same. Smiling to himself, Turrin reached for another arrow, and he noticed the copper haired woman was glancing at him again. When he stood up, he gave the woman a nod and smile. The myrian wasn't not sure why the woman taken interest in him, but he decided to introduce himself to her. Unlike the chiet on the path, he doubt the young woman meant him any ill-will towards him. Walking over to the woman, Turrin mulled in his head a introduction, and the only thing that he could come up with was hi my name is Turrin. It sounded so stupid in his head, but it was straight to the point unlike the elaborate introductions some of his endal peers had perfected throughout the years.

When Turrin walked up to her, the myrian froze for a moment as he totally forgot his introduction. After a few ticks, Turrin figured out that talking about the weather was the most neutral and nonthreatening way to start a conversation. Looking at her once again Turrin said with a awkward smile, “It seems like the weather is cooperating with us today. Not a cloud in the sky....” Another pause and quickly remembered that he should actually introduce himself, “Oh.. yes! My name is Turrin. What is your name?”

[Khara]

.

As the Endal approached, Khara had the very real notion that she now knew what a rabbit must feel when ensnared and could only helplessly watch as the hunter approached. It's not like that. You aren't a rabbit just a... little... bird. Wait. Eagles eat smaller birds too sometimes, don't they? Bad example, bad- Her inner tirade was cut short by the Endal's question about the weather. Of all things she had been trying to predict he would say, that certainly wasn't among them. Worse, it left her feeling entirely dumbfounded.

"Turrin." While the intent was to only repeat the name to herself to solidify his name in her mind, the sound of her voice meekly uttering it brought on a whole new wave of foolishness.

"Y-you're Turrin, I mean." Her left hand remained firmly gripping her short bow while her right took on a life of its own, gesturing in a half realized point towards him before the move was reversed and directed at herself. "I'm Khara."

Nice recovery. It was remarkable just how much sarcasm could be laced into a thought, it left Khara wondering if her own internal dialogue was far crueler than any of the upper castes had ever been to her. Her eyes left where they had been trying to avoid meeting with Turrin's and glanced downrange to where the evidence of her rushed shot remained.

"It is a nice day. There isn't too much wind either, which is nice too. Means you don't have to try and adjust your aim to compensate." She shook her head slightly and pulled her attention away from the target. "Not that I'm making very good use of it, apparently. Unlike you." Her head nodded towards the target he had been using.

Of course he's better than you! He's a petching Endal! What's next, you going to point out how much taller he is than you too? Her free hand threatened to reach up and wind a strand of hair around her fingertips in a nervous habit Khara had often caught herself doing, but a halt was brought to the motion and she settled for resting it on the back of her neck as she looked back up at Turrin.

"I'm sorry, I'm not normally this nervous, it's just... You Endal don't normally notice me."
.

[Turrin]

Turrin noticed the greeting between them was a awkward, but he didn't seem to mind. The young woman named Khara seemed to be equally awkward in social situations too. It was refreshing for the endal. Turrin couldn't help himself from smiling when the woman agreed that the weather was almost perfect today for shooting. However, in the same sentence, she insulted her own shooting ability too. Turrin looked at the target that she was shooting at and saw her arrow sticking out of the bottom of the target. The endal wasn't sure how long has practicing her archery, so he could tell if she was really as bad at archery as she thought she was. Turrin smiled at her said with a chuckle, “I not sure how long you been practicing, but at least you hit the target. When I first started to shoot, my arrow never made it to the target.”

Turrin golden eyes watched Khara, and she seemed to fidgeting with her hair. The myrian first thought was she found him attractive, but after a time, the myrian just thought that the young woman was just nervous that she was having a conversation with a endal. Khara confirmed it when she told him that she wasn't normally nervous around people, but Turrin knew that he was the cause of nervousness. When Khara mentioned that endal don't normally notice her, the endal was about to disagree, but he realized that she was completely right since most endal were to self absorbed to notice the lower castes. Turrin understood and decided to said with a smile, “Don't take it to hard Khara. Most endal are to self absorbed to take the time away from their busy schedules to mingle with the lower castes. Unless they want something.” Turrin paused for a moment, thought to himself, and said with a smile, “Would you like to shoot with me? It could be fun to bird shyke with someone while we practice...”

Turrin glanced around and noticed a few of the chiet and even some of the dek were throwing curious glances in their direction. The myrian knew that he wasn't liked by the lower castes after the riots because he was one of the endal who help put down the uprising. The endal glanced at Khara and wondered if she noticed the rest of peoples' eyes on her too. He didn't want to put the young woman in unnecessary trouble with her peers, so he leaned forward and said quietly in her ear, “I don't want to put you in unnecessary trouble with your peers, so if you say no, I completely understand.” Turrin glanced at the same young men on the walkway and continued, “I have a idea would you like to join me at the Second Quiver? There will be less judging eyes watching us there. Accept for a few uptight avora. If you are interested, meet me there after supper.” Turrin eyes darted back to the two male chiet and back to her and said softly, “Don't be alarmed about what I say next. Khara. I mean no offense by it. ”

Turrin stood up with a look of disappointment on his face and said to her with a wink, “Well aren't you a tease! Maybe you should keep your eyes on the target instead of me.” The myrian whirled around with a look of anger across his face and walked back to where his talon sword and the rest of his equipment were.

[Khara]

.

Turrin had left her speechless in more than one way. The first being that he wasn't anything like she had expected. But somehow that seemed to be in the best way possible! The Endal had been kind to her. It wasn't completely unheard of but to have it happen to her of all people... Khara even had felt her heart leap at the offer of joining him to shoot - at the Second Quiver at that! While no one in their right mind would turn down such an offer there was no way that Turrin could have known of how much Khara wished she could practice there. Technically she still had a lot to learn before she should be allowed to even think of entering the range; her skills with a bow weren't quite up to the standard, and then there was the problem of finding an Avora that would sponsor her. The Avora... They weren't going to be too pleased with her being there, but being the guest of an Endal would no doubt quiet them. At least publicly.

Still, it did seem preferable to the glares from her own caste. The Chiet girl had learned to expect Avora looking down on her, both figuratively and in most cases literally, but similar looks from those she was considered equal to? They weren't quite as easy to ignore, that was for sure. She wasn't quite sure what sort of trouble others would make for her, if any, for daring to socialize with an Endal but the memory of the riots were still fresh in most Inarta minds.

All things considered her excitement still overwrote any sense of danger she may have felt. Khara had been pretty surprised she hadn't blurted out an immediate and emphatic I'll be there! when Turrin told her when to meet him, but her gaze had followed his to the two other Chiet who were watching them and she managed to hold her tongue.

What she couldn't hold back, however, was the actual surprise in how the Endal turned away from her and the words he left her with. No amount of warning was enough to prevent the sudden sheepish expression from forming on her face, even if she knew he hadn't meant anything by it. At least she was playing her part properly. The smile that wanted to force itself upon her was suppressed as she watched him for a few more ticks before visibly shaking herself as if from a daydream.

She caught the eye of the two Chiet men who still watched her and let a shrug of her shoulder brush them off. "If I didn't know better I'd think you boys were looking to start a fight. You know, I'm sure you could call him back, he'll probably even bring his talon sword with him. Here, why don't I do it for you?"

Two fingers raised to her lips as if to whistle and she caught the two men suddenly turning away from her. Khara lowered her hand without following through with the sound and returned her attention back to her bow and the arrows in front of her, thankful they hadn't called her bluff. Even if Turrin seemed nice, she wasn't about to disrespect an Endal in such a manner.

One last quick glance was cast back towards Turrin, this time she was unable to keep the small smile from forming as she thought about meeting him later. Somewhere in the back of her mind she couldn't help but wonder if this was all some sort of trick, but the thought was silenced as she once more drew an arrow back and raised her bow towards the target down rage in front of her. Don't be negative, there's no point in it. Accept the good things as they present themselves or you'll never enjoy anything. This time when the arrow was released it found its mark quite a bit further in on the target - still on the outer ring, but it was definetly better than her last shot. If nothing else, it'll be nice to see how a real hunter shoots. Who knows, maybe he'll even give you a few pointers. Supper couldn't come and be over with soon enough, though Khara had a feeling the bells until then would fly by far faster than she expected.
.

[Turrin]

Walking into the Second Quiver, Turrin kept his head high. He knew most of the Avora hated him just as much as the lower castes, but in reality, it didn't matter to him because they couldn't do nothing to him. The myrian tried not be a arrogant man, but the winter months have hardened the endal's heart, so he was turning into more and more into the uncaring and selfish stereotypical his caste in know for. As Turrin walked through the Second Quiver, he could feel the hate filled stares on his back. He figured if he just ignored them with a smug smile on his face. He would just annoy the avora even more.

When Turrin got to the range manager, he stated with a nod, “My name is Endal Turrin Aponivi, and I will be joined by chiet woman named, Khara tonight. Make sure that she finds me as soon as she arrives. Also, I want a fresh bundle of arrows us.” Turrin paused for a second a looked at for a moment and said in a low voice, “Also, I want her treated with respect. She is my guest, so if anyone disrespects her. They will have to answer to me...” The manager was a Avora, so she could only just stand there and nod silently.

Turning his attention from the manager, Turrin looked around for the perfect and found a spot with circular target about fifty feet from the wall. Unfortunately, their was young avora man practicing. The endal was hesitant on going to another spot because he had his doubts that Khara could hit any of the circle targets in other locations because they were either at odd angles or distance from the wall was to much for a novice archer. When he got to the archer, the endal watched him shoot for a moment, and he noticed that he was talented archer. Turrin adjusted his quiver, walked up to him, and said with nod, “Avora, I am going to need your spot.”

The avora glared at him for a moment, but the endal watched the Avora mutter something under his breath, picked up his things, and stormed away from the endal. Feeling kind of paranoid, Turrin decided to keep on his quiver and talon sword as he shot for the night. Ever since the riots, he found the lower castes even avora tended to be unpredictable. When the dek arrived with the bundle of arrows, the rider picked up one of the hunting arrows and walked to the wall.

Turrin looked at the deer shaped target about a hundred feet away from him. It was a long shot, but he knew that he needed to practice hitting targets at his distance. Widening his stance, Turrin made sure right foot was back and his left foot was forward. Both feet were horizontal to the target. He remembered Marrin telling him that it was a more solid stance, but as Turrin tried it out in the field, it lack mobility needed to move after prey. It was ridged; however, the stance added stability for long distance shots. Bending his knees slight, Turrin raised his short bow and lined it up with the center of the target. Pulling the bowstring back to his cheek, Turrin readjusted his shoot, so it lined up center with the center of the target. Taking a shallow breath, the myrian released his arrow on the exhale. As

Turrin watched the arrow soar towards the target, he noticed the arrow had enough power to make it to the target, but it didn't have enough lift to make it to the target. The arrow landed about ten feet from the target, skipped about another five feet, and stopped leaving a cloud of dust in it's wake. Keeping his short bow in the air, Turrin was starting to realize that he was keeping his shortbow to level with the bulls eyes, so it didn't have enough lift to make the rest of the distance to the target. Lowering the short bow, the endal ran a hand through his hair as he realized his mistake. Turning around Turrin looked around for Khara.

[Khara]

.

Awkward was far too simple of a term to describe how Khara felt as she entered the Second Quiver. This was an Avora place. Despite the fact that Chiet were allowed under certain conditions and the fact she had been invited by an Endal, that thought never quite left her as she neared the range with that evening's meal not sitting exactly calmly in her stomach. The others she passed weren't exactly the type to let her forget the fact either.

A few curious glances turned into narrowed unwelcome stares as she had passed through the Craft Gallery, her bow and direction signaling her intended destination. It wasn't so bad, even the rather burly Avora who pretended she didn't exist as he was leaving the range didn't bother her much, though the shoulder he had rather nonchalantly jutted out and clipped her with had caused her to stumble and blurt out a quick apology for something that obviously wasn't her fault. Of course, maybe it was just her fault for being there in the first place.

Khara kept herself thinking of Turrin's kind invitation as she walked, determined to remind herself that it was an Endal that had asked her to come. While she wouldn't ever openly admit the fact that she would enjoy watching the Avora squirm at her presence, the knowledge that there would be nothing they could do about it did bring about some satisfaction, however fleeting.

The short-lived sensation ran out the moment she entered the range and various pairs of eyes settled on her. Other Inarta weren't that much taller than her, but sure enough the unwelcoming gaze of the various Avora archers made the girl feel suddenly very small. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked around the range, trying her best to not show the full extent of the wonder she felt. It's just an archery range! Get over it, sparrow-brain!

The young Chiet girl took a deep breath to try and steady herself but still found that she shied away as the range's manager approached her. Already the expected accusations of her not belonging began registering in her mind before the woman spoke, but her actual words were even more shocking.

"You've been expected." The Avora began, her ability to remain professional providing only a thin veil over the detest she felt at having to speak to the unfamiliar lower caste member. The woman gestured down range and Khara's eyes followed until they spotted Turrin. The feeling of relief that came over her was instant, granting the girl a sudden smile that faded as she looked back to the Avora manager.

"It's best you don't keep him waiting." She gestured towards the Endal and Khara quickly took her leave, though she couldn't help but look back at the Avora woman only to catch a roll of the manager's eyes before she turned away.

The other scornful looks from the others at the range were easy to ignore as Khara's eyes met Turrin's for a moment before she quickly glanced downward as she approached, settling instead for taking another look over the range before forcing herself to look back to him. "I somehow thought it would be... smaller. "

A shy smile was offered in exchange for the rather pitiful observation. "I didn't get a chance to say it earlier but, thank you. I never thought I'd actually get to come here."
.

[Turrin]

When Khara approached him, Turrin watched the scornful looks from avora at the range. The endal noticed the young woman was defiant as she walked through the crowds of avora, but once she met his gaze the chiet woman immediately adverted her gaze to the floor. The endal frowned slightly because he hoped that she would keep her confidence when she was around him. He started to worry for her future if the pretty young woman didn't find her fire. He could see her being taken advantage by a overbearing endal or avora. He hoped she found her fire quickly for her sake. Turrin listened to Khara with a smile on his face. Khara didn't believed that she could never shoot at this range, but the myrian shook his head and said with smile, “Well...than you have to prove to yourself that you are good enough to shot here.”

Picking up a arrow from the bundle, Turrin placed the arrow on the bowstring, walked to the shooting wall, and said without looking at her, “Khara, you shouldn't look down at the ground when you walk. You might end up running into something.” Turrin added, “Also, you can just call me, Turrin. You don't have to add endal to my name. Are you ready to shot? I'll take the first shot to let you relax before you shot.”

Turrin walked up to the shooting wall. Widening his stance, the endal put his left foot forward and right foot was back. Both feet were horizontal and to the deer target. He bent his slightly, so he didn't fall over. Holding the short bow in his left hand, Turrin lifted the bow, so the metal tip was aimed slightly above the long body of deer target. The endal knew that he made a mistake the first time because he just shot straight at the target. Yes, shooting straight was good for close shots, but he needed to add lift for longer shots, so he adjusted this time around for the extra ten feet. Pulling back the bowstring to his cheek, Turrin readjusted his shot slightly over the back off the deer target. The myrian took in a shallow breath and released bowstring on the exhale.

The bowstring released with a twang, the arrow soared straight and up and in a arch towards the deer target. Turrin kept his bow up as he watched the arrow soar the full one hundred feet towards the target, but the arrow just the the top of the target by a foot and landed in the dirt behind the target. The endal just shook his head and said with a smirk, “It was better than the last shot at the target. The first shot landed ten feet in front of the target. At least this shot made it past the target.” Running a hand through his burgundy hair, Turrin pointed to a circular target only about thirty feet away from them and said, “Your shot, Khara. I suggest you aim at the circular target over there. It is about thirty feet away from us, and you are almost center with the target from the wall. It a good target for your skill level. Try to work on your shooting stance when you shoot.”

Turrin walked away from the firing wall and stood behind her as he watched her shoot. The endal wanted to see her shoot, so he could correct any issues in her stance. In truth, he didn't need to help the chiet at all. He could just watch her fail and laugh at her like the rest of the other endal and avora hunters, but he knew Wind Reach needed young hunters now more than ever. To many avora and endal hunters died in the riots, so if he can help out potential chiets, he would to help the city too. Turrin decided to inquire about what Khara did for a living, “What is you job in the city, Khara?” The endal paused and made a joke, “If you haven't guessed, I am a hunter...” It was a bad joke, but he had to try to lighten the atmosphere somehow.

[Khara]

.

She couldn't help but smile as Turrin talked to her. That, Khara realized, was an important distinction to her. He was talking to her, not at her. Everything that could have been taken as an order, or a direction to be followed sounded far more like a suggestion; from telling her to keep her head up when she walked to telling her that she could simply call him by his name. Though as much as it was appreciated, it felt confusing too. Everything that she had ever been taught about Endals always seemed to end with the need to treat them with the utmost respect, to never question them, to always know that they were the best of what Wind Reach had to offer, and that she and the other Chiet were utterly insignificant in comparison. Those concepts seemed to completely war with how Turrin was treating her.

It made Khara wonder if maybe, just maybe it could be lonely at the top sometimes. If being constantly treated like you were better than everyone else could become taxing. If maybe, not entirely unlike how she wished she could simply talk and learn from the upper castes, if sometimes Endals wished they too could just be treated like everyone else.

Guilt immediately followed the thoughts and she banished them from her head. Her comparison between herself and an Endal seemed completely inappropriate. They were chosen by Wind Eagles, after all. They couldn't possibly have the same pitiful desire for acceptance that she did!

All this happened within just a few short ticks, more than enough to have her feeling properly embarrassed and slightly thankful when Turrin's attention turned downrange. She watched as he prepared to take the shot and couldn't help but think that the deer shaped target he had chosen was so far away. The girl's attention shifted back to the Endal, noting how he stood, the stance echoing what she had been taught but never quite seemed to manage to perfect. She watched as he drew back the arrow and adjusted his shot every so slightly upwards before releasing. There was a sense of excitement in watching the arrow's course, she wanted to see just where it would strike the target that she couldn't even fathom hitting. The fact it missed took a bit to realize and caught her entirely by surprise.

Khara turned back to Turrin, even more surprised to see him simply shaking his head in response. He didn't seem all that phased by the fact it hadn't hit, that he'd missed the target right in front of her watching him so closely. One more bit of surprise came from the fact she smiled at that. Maybe her earlier guilt at thinking he genuinely just wanted someone to talk to was completely unfounded. Don't bet on that, her cruel inner voice replied.

Before she could get into some sort of internal argument with herself, Turrin was speaking to her again. Khara followed his direction to the closer target and nodded as she readied her bow, took an arrow from the bundle, and walked up the firing wall. She couldn't help but notice the quality of the arrows were far better than those she was used to using at the Bent Arrow, Don't get used to it.. She let out a slightly annoyed breath but halted from letting it take control of her as she heard Turrin address her again. With a bit of a laugh, the Chiet looked behind her, another shy smile forming.

"A hunter? I figured as much. You don't seem like the type who could find much excitement in doing trade runs." The smile faltered, marred by the sudden realization that she'd unintentionally insulted the other Endals who had volunteered for such jobs. The sudden wave of unease that fought for attention was pushed down and she forced herself into answering Turrin's question.

"I'm," she began, wincing at the fact her voice sounded more squeak that certain. Khara tried again, attempting to put a bit of pride in herself for a change. After all, not everyone went for the rather dangerous task she'd chosen as her lifestyle. "I'm a game scout. I usually work with the other scouts, though. I haven't had a chance to work directly with a hunter just yet."

Try as she might it sounded more an admission of her inexperience than an opportunity she was looking forward to. That thought persisted as she turned back to the targets, narrowing her focus to the circular one that Turrin had pointed out. A glance to the side didn't help matters as she caught the disapproving look of one of the Avora.

Another breath was forcefully drawn in as she tried to relax and step into the basic stance she'd been taught, feet shoulder width apart, parallel to each other and the target. Next she focused on nocking the arrow and raising her bow, her mother's voice cutting through her own inner set of directions with it's sharp edge Don't grab it, let it settle into your hand. Now, relax your fingers and aim your thumb towards the target. Make sure the crease of your elbow is pointing down, not across. You must relax, little sparrow. This isn't a war against the bow. Khara mentally waved the woman off, hearing the words of a dead woman in her head was doing nothing to raise her confidence. If you're even remembering correctly, her own voice returned in her head, adding absolutely nothing helpful to the situation.

Khara could feel the tension building in her even before she drew the string back, causing her to lean just every so slightly back. Her knees locked in an effort to keep herself as straight as possible, leaving her mother's warning about staying relaxed completely unheeded. Although she kept her wrist in line with her elbow, she could feel most of the pressure of the pull being done with her arm, her back working more on forming a firm knot between her shoulder blades than baring any of the load. The nervous tightening spread through her shoulders just as her hand came to her chin and the breath she hadn't entirely willingly been holding in was released as she forced her fingertips to ease off the string and arrow, releasing the shot.

The arrow's short journey grazed off the edge of the target, hitting the dirt behind with an all together unsatisfying puff as it was disturbed. Her own overly critical evaluation hit her before the faint chuckle of the Avora ever did. Slowly she lowered her bow and turned back to Turrin, forcing a shrug that she knew looked just as stiff as it felt. "Guess I could use a few pointers, huh?"
.