Closed (Bent Arrow) Eagle and Bow (Napua)

[Ash Vanor]

“Perfect!” Ash Vanor said, clapping his hands together and putting on his best smile, hoping it would calm the girl.

His sudden outburst attracted some panicked looks from passers-by, but he didn’t mind, it was not wrong to show ones happiness so widely. It had been a while since the Endal had been anxious for something, as he felt the same as the Dek, wondering how much skill he could bring to the table, hoping that Napua wouldn’t outclass him too badly. Despite these worries being unnecessary, he still felt them; it was strange to feel a need to impress someone, especially a Dek.

Ash felt a slight wind come from behind and knew that Vanor had come closer, making his presence known as his voice rang out in the Inarta’s mind. A friend would have been preferable; the Eagle spoke, less risk and less reward.

But does justice not require a lot of risk to gain the ultimate reward? Ash asked, his opinion staying firmly in place despite his companions cryptic warnings. And is it not a just thing to elevate one such as this, who clearly possesses the skill, but was fatefully ignored?

Your wisdom has indeed grown, Vanor said, taking a softer tone as he spoke. Though you still have the brash fire that sometimes clouds your vision.

Another smile crept across Ash’s face as he thought back at Vanor, brash fire is what drives me, and it doesn’t help that you fan my flames.

Realizing he had left a pause in conversation and that the girl had undoubtedly grown more worried at his silence, the eagle rider put on another smile. “There is only one other thing that I need from you then,” he said, “a way to contact you when the time has come to hunt.”

[Napua]

She was visibly startled by the Endal's exclamation and her eyes quickly darted around her, her cheeks colouring visibly as well when the stares came, even if only briefly towards her and the Endal's direction and all she could wonder is why that made him so happy. The young dek girl's smoky gaze lifted to look at the Endal again and she stared at his smile down at her and she returned one of her own, though it looked more like she barely lifted the corners of her mouth before her eyes averted his gaze once more.

Napua wondered what kind of partner he would make, what his skill level was like compared to her own. Would she even be good enough around someone like a trained Endal? When she was a Yasi, they told her she was a natural with the bow and she felt she just innately knew how to use one. The method came easily to her and even her stance for it came naturally, the only thing she lacked she felt was practice and opportunity to be seen and recognized.. again. Could this be a new chance for you now, Napua? She asked herself as her eyes looked up at the Endal and she bit her lower lip.

She seemed anxious now as the Endal fell into silence and she shifted her weight and twisted her lips faintly, unsure of herself now and if she was to say something else. She didn't speak unless spoken to by the higher caste or if she did it was just to report something or offer apologies for mostly committing the offence of breathing. She stood there and waited as she had no other choice and then she saw another smile come to the Endal's lips before words departed from them and she nodded gently, responding softly and respectfully, "I am often here, Endal Ash Vanor.. or sometimes I am at Second Quiver. Just... yes.. I will await you to let me know when you wish to have me be of service to you.." She cleared her throat again and exhaled a breath. She was nervous now.

[Ash Vanor]

“Then it is settled,” Ash Vanor said, his tone becoming slightly more serious, “come fall season I shall come and retrieve you for a hunt, best keep your practice up.”

Best keep your practice up, Vanor spoke into Ash’s mind, I can’t imagine how you’d skulk if a Dek beat you in a hunt.

I do not skulk, Ash replied calmly, I congratulate victors for their prowess, skulking is simply foul and unjust.

“Now then,” said the Endal, “let us practice for the sake of the mountain and Wind Reach.”

He turned and entered a shooting lane beside Napua, nearby Dek instantly bringing piles of arrows for him to shoot before ducking away. Notching an arrow, Ash paused to feel the string on his fingers, letting the vibration of tension move through him as he released and let an arrow sail. Not bothering to watch the arrow, he slid another arrow into place and let it fly behind the first.

“You may practice as long as you like today Dek Napua,” Ash said, looking back to the girl as he prepared a third arrow, “I shall quell the complaints of any who believe you should be doing something other than training to serve the mountain. Take as many arrows as you need, and as much time as your arms can muster, for come fall we will need all our strength and wit if we are to be successful.”

The Endal let loose another arrow which sailed wildly off course, but this did not discourage him and he smiled as he readied his hands again. Success is measured in failure, he thought to himself, and by the time I succeed, I will have failed enough to make it a great success.

[Napua]

"Yes, Endal.. I will Endal.." The dek girl says with a bow of her head, grey eyes lowering in respect towards Ash and she looks down at her bare feet and wrung her hands together a little, 'Come on Napua, not so nervous, he did not atleast try to beat you or worse. It is just another job to perform like any other even if never asked of you before.' She exhaled a soft breath and thought about getting away to find time to practice later. A part of her was very nervous to be performing what she loved to do with an Endal present but she was also excited. She didn't know what could happen as a result and these things always held a measure of risk but one thing she wasn't was scared. She'd just show him what she could do.

"I will be ready for you come fall, Endal Ash Vanor.." She says now as she lifts her gaze but doesn't keep it on the Endal long before he stands in the adjacent shooting lane and fellow deks run forward to fetch him arrows and she simply nods at his request. Once the arrows are brought for the Endal, Napua turns her sights towards him, watching the Endal bring his bow arm up and notch the arrow before his fingers release it and it thumps soundly into the target ahead before another accompanies it soon after and she smiles slightly. 'Well he isn't bad at all.. but I knew that already.. he's an Endal after all.'

Her features lighten up with the news of being able to practise as long as she wished but she quickly hid it and bowed her head gratefully, "Thank you Endal.. thank you." spilled the words from her lips. She'd never had this happen before and her heart began to race, this was an opportunity here, right now for her to practice today to not have to run off and do other dek duties but she got to actually stand here and practice on the orders of her new Master for the present time.

The young dek girl wastes no time in drawing her longbow up, notching the slender arrow and feeling the tension of the bowstring as she draw back, her elbow straight and her fingers in line with her eye as she lets the string grow taunt before she gives a swift release with the parting of the arrow from her fingers and watching it hit dead center in the target 50 paces away. She blushed when it did strike true but she continued, notching another and continuing to practise, her heart within her chest still beating with excitement and her countenance content.

[Ash Vanor]

“That’s the spirit!” Ash yells, a light chuckle entering his voice and a crooked smile playing at his lips as he spectates Napua’s shooting.

Readying yet another arrow he lets it fly in tandem with Napua’s next shot. It is another miss however, the arrow dipping down and skidding along the stone of the plateau to thunk into the stopper wall. Luck seems not to be with me, the Endal thought to himself, but luck is my enemy, skill my ally, I’d rather met luck on the battlefield than covet him in my pocket.

He heard Vanor laugh into his mind. It was a rare occurrence to hear the great Eagle laugh, and it filled Ash with a new vigour which he quickly fed into his shooting, accuracy improving as he let fly arrow after arrow. He hears the Dek’s bowstring snap and an arrow enter the target, the two archers making an almost rhythm with their shooting.

“I cannot wait to see you shoot something that moves Napua,” Ash says as his bow string pulls up to his ear, not realizing how informal he was being, “hunting live game just has its own kind of magic, wouldn’t you agree?”

[Napua]

Napua looks aside to the Endal at his enthusiastic encouragement and immediately her cheeks colour, mostly due to the attention given and she can literally feel the stares on her back when some pause to look before they carry on with their work or training. The dek girl quickly drops a nod towards then Endal as a small smile comes to her lips, her eyes downcast before she lifts them to place her attention back to the target ahead.

With a lift of the longbow and a notch of the slender arrow, she draws the bowstring back slowly and gives a swift release, hearing the twang of the bow and seeing her arrow hit the target's center and she sees the Endal's arrow also release in time with her own but misses. 'We sure make a really... interesting pair..' Napua thought to herself at the reality of her new-found odd partnership with an Endal and she again lifted her bow, notched the arrow and released it again, continuing to practice beside the Endal now and with more confidence in her skill as her posture visibly improves and she notes with an inner smile that the Endal's shots were faring better as time passed and they kept on shooting together in tandem; thump after thump being sounded in harmony against the targets ahead.

"Shooting something live is always such a different experience Endal.. so many factors come into play and I do enjoy it.. it makes one think more." She comments softly as another arrow is drawn back before being released and she falls back into silence, a tiny smile on her lips.

[Phoenix]

Ash

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Climbing	1
Meditation	1
Webbing	2
Interrogation	2
Rhetoric	4
Leadership	3
Weapon (Bow)	2

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Waiting for the Bent Arrow to open
•	Finding hand and foot holds is hard
•	Webbing: Challenging in its simplicity
•	Interested piqued by a Dek: Napua
•	Excited for the hunt with Napua

Napua

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Weapon (Bow)	5
Observation	4
Rhetoric	2

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Seemingly angry at the world
•	Spilling under the inquiry of an Endal
•	Greatest Achievement: Being Alive
•	Invited to hunt with an Endal
•	Archery: Enjoying the moving target

The Order of the Phoenix

Great thread! I liked the interaction between the two. Ash's enthusiasm is quite infectious!

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.