Arrows of Endrykas [Rhuric]

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

60th Winter, 510 A.V. Sama'el was not in his body, but sitting there in the grass near the target range some Emerald clansmen had set up, it looked as if he were simply enjoying the weak winter sun with his eyes closed. In fact, he was but an energetic version of himself clinging to the Web around his body, soaking up bits of information, practicing this new discipline while attempting to quash the desire to keep following the lines farther and farther away to where he would eventually get lost. This was an eventuality he wished to avoid at all costs. Webbing was wonderful, but he didn't want it to take him away from the people he cared about. Tuned in as he was, he saw an Emerald clansman approaching and so he pulled himself "hand over hand" along a ley-line and back into his body. It tingled strangely when he began to blink his eyes, as if all his extremities had fallen asleep and were now angrily recovering themselves. It would, he hoped, get easier with practice. His golden mare, Dohaina, whickered a welcome at him, as if she knew that he had gone out and come back into himself. Perhaps she did know. He stood up and stretched, taking his shortbow down from her yvas and slinging his quiver of arrows over his shoulder. Perhaps he would get some target practice in and pick up a few tips from the approaching man. He assumed an Emerald clansman would be better at it than him, theirs being the clan of greatest hunters. "Ho, stranger!" he called when the man approached.

[Rhuric Bloodgrass]

Rhuric had spent most of his time back in Endrykas recovering from his past experience. Though wondering the streets also gave him a chance to catch up on the news of late, gossip rarely brought good tidings. It seemed people always preferred to talk about things that weren’t going right rather than compliment things that go according to plan. He tried to avoid directly entering conversations unless there was no mean of excusable escape. It was rare people would openly approach him or invite him to there conversation, it must have been the way he held himself while in large crowds.

Nonetheless, he was out on this day for a specific reason. He needed to acquire a new Longbow. He had gone to long with one, and had enough coin on hand to get a decent one. Or at least a new set of tools and create his own master piece of weaponry, designed for him specifically. “Here boy” Venestus was idling behind him a little to far for Rhurics comfort. Not that he didn’t trust the dog to find his way back to his master, but he didn’t trust most others around his friend. The massive dog bega bounding forward until he was nearly on Rhurics heels. Stopping with just enough room not to be kicked from Rhurics moving feet.

He was about to turn a corner when he heard a man calling him. He noticed the beautiful animal next to the man, a Strider no doubt. His first instinct was to ignore the call and walk away in the other direction. Most Drykas his age intentionally, or unintentionally, put him on edge over his situation. But it had been a relatively good day so far, maybe the guy just needed some directions or something simple like that. Rhuric knew he had to change, he could not go his whole life being on edge and ready to fight over misspoken words or jealousy issues. So in that instant he made a choice, no more self pity and moping around all day. Rhuric had to be chosen eventually, maybe it had taken this long because he was always so angry. But first things first, Rhuric had to stop standing in the street like a mindless idiot and see what the young man wanted. “Ho! That is a magnificent horse you have there” He was glad his voice was normal again, deep and commanding. Rhuric figured a compliment to the mans beast was a good way to break any tension. Maybe it would be a good day after all…

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

The man seemed to be rather of a height with Sama'el, though of stronger build than his own whipcord, rangy frame. An impressive animal came in his wake as well, and Sama'el smiled, friendly enough, at the new arrival. "Well met," he said, holding out his hand to clasp wrists with the other young man. "The lady you admired is Dohaina, and I'm Sama'el of the Sapphire Clan." With his pavilion dead, he let the name die as well. When he had built his own pavilion from the ground up, he would assume a new name, become a new person. But for now he was merely Sama'el of the Sapphire Clan, and that, as they say, was that. "Come to shy a few arrows at the targets?" he asked. The young horseman was intent on building his archery skills, for it was a running joke among those who knew him that while he could likely ride down any prey on horseback and hack them to death with his scimitar, he was less likely to tag prey with an arrow, even if the target wasn't moving. He was going to have to remedy that situation, and fast.

[Rhuric Bloodgrass]

Rhuric matched the strangers’ friendly gesture and they locked wrist. The man was rather small, frail if you wanted to say. But Rhuric had seen far to many men his own size be embarrassed at the hidden strength and vigour those scrawny arms could dish out. Rhuric never underestimated anyone, friend and foe alike. Expect the worst, and whatever unfolded was likely far better than what you assumed.

“Dohaina you say? A name to match the beast.” He mused, hoping he did not take offence to calling the horse a beast. “I am Rhuric Bloodgrass of the Emerald Clan. And this” he gestured to Venestus who was coming to a rest at his side” is Venestus” Even while the dog was in a sitting position he looked menacing and massive compared to normal sized canines. He was proud of his dog, bred, raised and trained by himself. If others could see what he was capable of, they would Mizas at his feet for one of Venestus’s offspring.

Rhuric let his hand fall to his side, patted the dog on the head a little and paused when he heard the next question. What was at work here? Was it mere coincidence that on is way to locate a new Longbow, this man singled him out for instruction? Probably, but Rhuric went with it anyhow. “Would be a fine day for such. But I am currently Bowless…” He could tell the man he would meet him in the field after he acquired a new one. Or the man could find help elsewhere, the choice was his.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"I'm fond of her," he agreed, smiling at his golden lady. He looked then with great interest at the dog. There had been dogs in his old pavilion, but he had never personally owned one himself. Someday he would, when he was also the Ankal of a pavilion, of course. "He's ... menacing." He laughed. "I hope he knows I'm no danger to you." Of course he missed the obvious fact that the man had no bow. "Well, ahh... You can borrow mine if you like. We can take turns. Give each other tips. Or not..."

[Rhuric Bloodgrass]

Rhuric examined the horse one last time. “I have not had the blessing of being Chosen yet…but good for you brother. You probably deserve her, one day you must tell me the story of when your were Chosen.” Rhuric sighed…he could use a little warm up with the bow. He himself has not used one in nearly a month now. Being a citizen of the tent city had spoiled him these last few weeks.

“Menacing? Now? You should see him in the midst of a hunt, it is a spectacular sight.” He was smiling broadly now, he truly loved his companion. If Venestus believed him to be a danger, he would have let him know. More than likely in a most terrifying way. Rhuric felt at ease with this Sama’el. He appeared to be trust worthy.

“Well if you do not mind sharing your weapons, then I do not mind showing you a little of what I know.” He was not an expert by any means, but he was confident and knew his way around a bow. Maybe the other would give Rhuric himself a few good pointers also. Rhuric turned and began walking to the nearest break in tents, he could see the fields beyond. As endless and beautiful as they were, all Drykas knew the dangers that lurked within those plains. “Follow me and we shall get started as soon as we have a target to practice with” His voice probably trailed off as he was not turned completely around as he spoke to the man, and he was walking away from him. The day could turn out to be good as of yet, he could only hope.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Well, Dohaina chose me fairly recently... but it is a good story," he said, laughing. In fact, Dohaina had walked out of a terrible storm and into a chaotic battle with glassbeaks for shelter, and Sama'el had been so entranced by her that he very nearly walked out into the storm. "We could have used Venestus that day..." He quickly pointed to the targets some enterprising Emerald clansman had set up, preventing them from having to walk farther. Sama'el had only been plying the Web because he wanted to practice that too, and the meditation that preceded it would likely help him focus on the archery as well. "We don't have to go anywhere, see?"

[Rhuric Bloodgrass]

Sama’el stopped Rhuric from walking to far away. He was hinting at the story of his Dohaina choosing him. Finishing with a little laugh. It must be a good story, or perhaps he found some irony while remembering the past? Rhuric would never know, he did not comment on it further so Rhuric decided that was enough of that for the moment. But he spoke of needing Venestus, perhaps it was not such a beautiful story. Maybe it was more of a blood spilling one. Perhaps he would share one day, Rhuric doubted today would be that day though.

Rhuric had stopped walking toward the fields when Sama’el started speaking. And thankfully Sama’el was using his eyes a bit more than Rhuic himself as. Because he had spotted some targets a few Emerald clansmen had left since their last use. “Perfect” Rhuric said in his usually deep calm voice. Rhuric took some of his arrows out of the case on his back, he made his own by hand. Rhuric had a belief, it was that accuracy was sixty percent the person using the bow. And forty percent the craftsmanship of the arrow. A evenly balanced arrow also flew true. But one by one he threw the arrows down to the ground, each landing tip down puncturing the ground a few inches. He had a dozen so in the ground when he looked up. “Take a shot whenever you are ready” He was eager to use a bow now. He loved honing his skills, it was what he lived for, mostly.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Glad to have found some common ground and a common purpose, Sama'el took up his shortbow and tested the tension of its string with a few testing pulls. The shorter bow was better for firing from horseback, which was where he preferred to be. Though he had done a little practicing with longbows, he doubted he would ever be an archer like the Sylirans knew them. Instead he would skirmish as cavalry, as did all the best Drykas warriors. He watched with interest as Rhuric produced several good-looking arrows, wondering several things. "Are you a fletcher?" he asked. "Or a bowyer? Or both?" Either way, this would be a good man to know. Since he hadn't offered any of his arrows explicitly, Sama'el merely reached for one of his own. He took his stance, spreading his feet adequately apart, letting his knees be loose even as his legs were straight, and aligned his body as he had been taught. It was good to go through such attempts at precision in the hope that his body would find its balance quickly when he actually needed to fire off an arrow with any degree of accuracy. He breathed with his bow, feeling the tension all along him from bow to body, and released his arrow toward the targets. It was, at least, in the right direction.

[Rhuric Bloodgrass]

Rhuric was a little surprised when the man produced a short bow. He was not used to using one of those, he rarely shot from atop a horse. Which Rhuric himself almost never did. But a bow was a bow, perhaps they would not differ that much in technique, he hoped anyways. Otherwise he would look a fool.

“A Fletcher?” He was not that practiced, yet. “No friend I am neither. I just believe with enough time on hand out there” He gestured toward the stretching plains. “That you can learn anything, including how to perfect bought arrows or craft your own.” He didn’t mind doing either. A little have there, a slit here. It was peaceful work, for himself anyways.

Sama’el took one of his own arrows. Rhuric had to meant offer him his, but he didn’t think the man needed a verbal offer. Either way, Sama’el took his firing stance, it was not perfect but it worked. His shot flew true, enough. Nothing spectacular. Just some minor practice. After a moment of studying the target Rhuric extended his hand toward Sama’el, “Mind if I give it a shot?” He was smiling. Rhuric was honestly excited about shooting the bow, he had not fired one in a month. That was a ridiculous amount of time for him. A normal day in his life had him hunting twice daily.