Closed Archery and Avora

[Drusilla]

Drusilla watched the arrow stuck dead center. Her eyes seemed blank. She had said it... There was no way to recover from saying something like that, admitting that one was going to kill her half family.. Well she wasn't really related to her step mother, but her sister... No, she had put Devad though a living hell! As she pondered over everything in her head, she sighed. Drusilla knew how to end them but... "No, a bow and arrow would be too obvious and too risky. Besides shooting someone with a bow is much too impersonal. Kalinor's roads are like strings we climb, that's why it's hard for visitors to get around. No one has been to the bottom of the cave and lived to tell about it. We know there are 'things' that live down there... As for what they are, I couldn't tell you. No this would require a dagger an up close and personal kill. Then let them fall to where they belong." A sad smile found it's way to her face, "If I did it, killed them... You'd never see me again. The price for murder in Kalinor is death." "It's a well thought out pipe dream, at the most... If I did that I could never pray to my goddess ever again. I don't think she'd tolerate what I did, if I did it." It was strange how her interests conflicted with one another. Drusilla wanted them dead. But she also sought out the mark of her goddess Ra'keli. Although she had never known a Symenestra to be marked, she wasn't a normal Symenestra... She closed her eyes and sighed, "I can't kill them no matter how much I want to, no matter how much they deserve to die..." Drusilla shook her head. "The only way, it could be done would be in self defense." A thought entered Drusilla's mind, what if she wasn't really deserving of the goddess's time, she struggled with the thought of murder deep down inside maybe she was too tainted to receive any blessing or maybe her ego got in the way, thinking she deserved this gift. That was it, she really didn't deserve any of the goddess's time. "Azira...Please keep what was said between us... I mean we can talk of my family just, not what I said before..." She cleared her throat, "Now how is my stance looking? Any better?" She doubted Azira would make heads or tails of what just happened. The streak of wrath she held finally showing it's nasty face, only to be forcefully pushed back deep inside the Symenestra covered by her hopes of healing... Maybe that too was just a pipe dream...

[Azira]

Drusilla's response had Azira raising her eyebrows. The woman had clearly given the matter some serious thought. Not only had she vowed to kill the hated members of her family but she had actually thought about how she would do it. If it hadn't been for the conviction in the Chiet's voice when she'd said she'd kill them, the huntress might have believed that it was a well thought out fantasy but nothing more. However, conviction plus a plan suggested deadly intent and that it would only be a matter of time before the action was carried out. It sent a shudder through the teen to imagine killing someone and knowing that you would be committing suicide in doing so. Suicide by death penalty. The choice of death was in Drusilla's hands, it was up to her whether she wanted to kill her stepmother and half-sister or not and suffer the consequences.

The Avora wasn't sure that there was anything that she would be willing to die for. A natural sense of self-preservation was what kept her alive in the face of danger and she was fond of staying alive so there wasn't a lot to make her consider sacrificing herself. She didn't want to be a Dek of course. She'd willingly die rather than become one of the lower caste members but it wasn't quite the same thing as Drusilla was talking about doing. Drusilla's was more self-sacrifice for the sake of some greater good: ridding the world of those two evil people. Azira's willingness to kill herself rather than be reduced to the lot of a drudge was a purely selfish thing, no one else considered in such a decision.

The other changed her tune abruptly, religion entering the dilemma as doubt seemed to cloud her ambitions of committing murder. The huntress could only regard her blankly, wondering what goddess she was talking about and why prayer would matter if she went through with her intentions and was killed. The revelation of Drusilla's willingness to kill had been surprising enough but it was beyond the huntress how she could talk herself out of it so quickly. She had been so sure of herself and yet in a bare tick, the conviction seemed to have vanished. She examined her critically and wondered if the woman was simply pretending or if something else had occurred that she couldn't see. She had mentioned religion, a goddess, so perhaps it was thought of this deity's disapproval that had snuffed out the desire so successfully. What goddess it could be was a mystery, there were rather a lot of them after all but a mystery easily solved.

"What goddess do you mean? Who wouldn't tolerate it?" she asked curiously, searching the spider's face as if expecting the answer to be written there. She really hadn't expected the seamstress to be religious but then she didn't know her that well. They were simple acquaintances, ones that bumped into each other every now and then, shared some of their personal details and then parted ways. The fact that she didn't have any ideas of the woman's beliefs was to be expected given the circumstances. Drusilla managed to confuse such a simple dynamic though, the huntress treated more like a friend that she knew well and so Azira felt as if it was expected of her to know more than she did about her acquaintance.

The termination of that line of conversation was accepted with a mute nod, the shift in topics disorientating after what they'd been discussing. She adjusted quickly however, rising to the task put before her. Still filled with thoughts of the other's vendetta, she walked around her with a thoughtful frown etched into her features.

"It's better," she commented, scrutinising the set of her shoulders, the placement of her feet, the way she held the bow. A hand was placed softly on the woman's back, run gently over it to get a feel of the muscles beneath the surface. "I think you have too much tension in your back. Lower the bow and take a slow, deep breath. Hold it and let yourself feel all the tension in your body and then when you release it, let go of all the tension with it from the toes upwards. It might take a few breaths but it'll stop you from doing harm to yourself." She managed a small smile. "In other words, relax."

Azira waited for Drusilla to do as she'd told, belatedly remembering the hand that remained on the woman's back and was still testing the muscles through her vinati. She withdrew it hastily and took a step back.

"Try the bow again when you think your tension free and tell me if you can feel the difference."

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara

[Drusilla]

Drusilla sighed heavily, "Ra'keli... I worship Ra'keli, the goddess of healing... I've disowned the god worshiped by the majority of Symenestra or maybe he has disowned me..." She rolled her eyes, "Viratas, god of blood and heritage. Be loyal to those of the same blood. But, how can I be loyal to my blood when they were the ones who abused me? Be loyal to a god who is letting his people suffer and die? Ra'keli is the Symenestra's last hope to humanify us. Plus with all that happens here, she is needed." How could anyone be relaxed with all that Drusilla has just said? She had gone and rambled on more than she should of. Urg, this would haunt her for forever like in those quiet moments alone or when she was trying to fall asleep this conversation would echo for years. Still she listened to Azira and took a deep breath in and held it for a few ticks and exhaled. Drusilla did this twice more a thought crossing her mind. Had Azira smiled at her? Drusilla was sure she had as if to reassure her even though she had just spouted the craziest notions to Azira. She still had tried to reassure the Symenestra. She retook her stance another thought floating through her mind. No, she could not carry out her anger. She could not afford to allow her life to be ended just like that. No matter how much she hated these two women, they were past. Besides, she had a new reason for living. Her web she had found here in Wind Reach. What good would she be to them if she was dead? Now in this stance Drusilla felt lighter. "It does feel better. Now if luck can only grant me another good shot!" Taking an arrow she prepared her shot and let it fly. While it was nothing like her amazing shot earlier, it hadn't just barely hit the target either... It had stuck between the bull's eye and the edge. Not perfect accuracy, but getting better. A smile found it's way to Drusilla's face and jokingly asked, "So how many more years of practice before I can go out on a simple hunt with you for fun?" She prepared herself for a less than favorable answer from the huntress.

[Azira]

Azira's eyebrows shot up at the mention of Rak'keli. The Symenestra was just full of surprises, wasn't she? Admittedly, the spider hadn't acted the way that the huntress had expected in the past and she was no doubt quite different from her brethren so perhaps it wasn't that strange. Considering their racial god, it was as if Drusilla had chosen a god to worship that was as far from her own as she could get. Rak'keli didn't privilege any individual or one race over any other, she was helpful to all. This Viratas sounded like he had a very closed group of followers, that he privileged certain people over others. It was almost as if the seamstress had chosen her for the purpose of defying the worship of her race. She might have a point though about the goddess of healing being the only one who could save the Symenestra from dying out.

Drusilla was certainly an interesting one. She'd put thought into who she worshipped rather than going with blind faith for one thing. Could it be counted as proper worship then if it was done in such a calculated way? Perhaps she had been drawn to the goddess first and thought about it later. Whatever her reasons, she was right about her being unhappy about the idea of murder, that would go against what Rak'keli upheld. She'd probably allow killing in defence but not in revenge. Not that the huntress could see the seamstress ever being marked. The notion of it just seemed too peculiar. She just couldn't picture the spider woman as one of the workers in the Infirmary, placing hands on people to cure their ailments. She imagined that others would feel even more uncomfortable with the idea, especially if they were the ones who needed healing. The huntress wouldn't bet on it happening but then the woman wasn't to be underestimated nor gods either.

It was still a lot to take in, this idea of this woman who wanted to help others committing murder. It was hard to connect that look of murderous intent with the person who'd been worried about a Dek that Azira had punched. The other could tell her all this and not seem the slightest bit fazed. Admittedly this was something Drusilla had considered and come to terms with herself but she could show some sort of reaction rather than just continuing with her archery as if nothing had happened. It was certainly hard for the huntress to come to grips with the fact that she was supposed to be giving a lesson as opposed to discussing this. It wasn't what one could call idle conversation. It was a little too deep for this informal shooting session. She'd just have to prod the other away from the subject altogether.

She kept a close eye on Drusilla's stance as she lined up the next shot. "It should feel better. Once you're used to the bow and you're in the right stance, it shouldn't feel awkward. If you cause yourself pain or discomfort then you're usually doing it wrong. It probably feels strange right now but it seems correct. This way you won't be doing any damage to yourself," she explained matter-of-factly. "Good positioning doesn't automatically lead to good aim or we'd all be superb shots. Just focus on the stance for now, make that a habit and then worry about getting the arrow to go exactly where you want it to go."

Pleasure surged up in her guiltily when the spider didn't succeed in another perfect shot. The woman was supposed to be worse than her and the huntress didn't want to be shown up, even if it was only because of the other's good luck. Azira managed to return the other's smile weakly, well aware of her own selfish thoughts as she did so. "A hunt? For fun? What and have you scare all the game away? It's scarce enough as it is without having you tagging along for the thrill of it," she commented, her tone only half-serious. She tried to make it something of a joke, throwing in a crooked smile for good measure but she didn't think it came across quite right. The Avora just wasn't good at this kind of thing. She needed to interact with people more.

"I guess I could bring you when you can slip into position automatically and do some work on your aim. It isn't all to do with bow skills though. You need stealth, you need skills to survive out there if we couldn't get back for some reason and you can't guarantee that you'd have me. I can probably see to myself but you as well? I don't know. I don't like being responsible for others on a hunt, not if they're clueless." She'd learned that much from experience. Inexperienced companions were disastrous to bring into the forests outside the city. It could be trouble enough for the hunters but it was worse for someone who could be seen as a liability. "Maybe if you can prove yourself to me I might consider it. Now work on that stance and think about the future later," she ordered.

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara

[Drusilla]

Drusilla watched Azira, who seemed semi-deep in thought. Was what she had admitted that profound to the Avora? In her own mind it made absolute sense. But then so did a lot of different things that most would disagree with. She didn't try to be so....strange or complex. Things just always just kind of ended up there. In fact, the Symenestra tried to be completely honest and open minded. The Symenestra smiled and gave a soft chuckle, "Easy for you to say. I always feel awkward, no matter what I do." A little bit of humor never hurt right? Eh, maybe not for Azira though... "You're almost a perfect, if not a perfect shot, right? I can only imagine how much work and effort you've put in. I have a large amount of respect for someone who works so hard at their craft. I have to ask, besides hunting... Do you have any other hobbies or interests? Or is it hunting day in and out?" Azira seemed uncomfortable with her earlier chatter... Perhaps, this was more appropriate? Drusilla took in the Avora's advice and aimed up another shot. It hit the target a hair more toward the center. The chiet gave a shrug, "You don't seem that confidant in your teaching if you think that I'd be that much of a burden on a hunt. It's okay, I can climb the wall and go practice as much as I want. That way my mess ups effect only me." Azira demanded her to get into stance and shoot. Drusilla did so, in her mind wondering if she could ever impress the huntress. She doubted it was possible. The chiet let the arrow fly and resumed her stance. She'd be doing this over and over. A bath sounded like a good relaxing idea after all this.... Not that she could let her mentor know she was already thinking of what she'd do after this. Another shot was lined up and fired and back into stance.