Making a Better Hunter (Solo/Flashback)

[Massacre]

Making a Better Hunter Timestamp: Summer 18, 495 AV An arrow whizzed past the Zith and up into the deep blue night sky and he swerved out of the way. Massacre's wings ached from the strain put on them by his evasive flying. The archer who was shooting at him was bound to run out of arrows eventually, and then Massacre would be able to safely approach. Massacre had stumbled upon the archer as he was hunting for deer or some other game. The woodsman was likely doing the same as the Zith was, but Massacre preferred the taste of man far more than deer. The human was alone, and Massacre saw no reason to go find the rest of his tribe. But he had bitten off more than he could chew and the archer had nearly killed him twice now. But the danger would be gone soon enough, the archer would run out of arrows eventually and then Massacre would take him. Massacre dodged two more arrows, and when a third never came he realized the archer must have run out. Scanning the ground below him he spotted the archer running through the trees, trying to escape the Zith or at least find place to hide or make a stand. Massacre wasn't about to let him get away, and the hungry Zith flapped his wings hard in hot pursuit. The archer was fast, but Massacre did not have the obstacles of the ground to slow him and was faster. He needed to catch the archer quickly. Reason told him the archer would not be out hunting alone in the Sea of Grass, it was too dangerous. Or if he was alone his camp was likely very near by. Either way it would be best if Massacre could catch him before he got to wherever he was running. Massacre flew faster and eventually he overtook the archer, knocking the man off his feet as he passed overhead, clipping the archer with taloned feet. The archer's bow flew from his hands as he fell to the hard soil of the ground. Massacre landed next to the bow picked it up curiously. It was truly a beautiful thing, an instrument of death. It allowed the human to fight him even when he was trapped on the ground. Massacre's eyes shifted to the human who was now climbing back to his feet. His knees were scraped and red from the ground and his beard was covered in dirt. One arrow still hung in the archer's quiver, but without his bow it was useless. The Zith also noted the dagger tucked into the man's belt, which he pulled out as his eyes met the Zith's. The archer gripped his dagger tightly and took a step back and away from the Zith. Massacre frowned, disappointed by the action. Was the human so cowardly that he would not stand and fight? Bead's of sweat formed on the archer's forehead and ran down his face. The human's breathing was heavy. Massacre listened and he could hear the accelerated beating of the human's frightened heart. So afraid he was, for he was not a warrior, but just a simple hunter. His skill with the bow was commendable, but it wouldn't help him anymore. Massacre tossed the weapon aside, ignoring it as it clattered into the ground. He took a step toward the frightened archer, licking his lips in anticipation. Massacre could imagine the taste of his salty flesh already, and he could not wait any longer. The archer watched as the weapon fell to the ground and Massacre thought he saw the slightest glimmer of hope in the man's eyes. Did the human truly think he could get to the weapon and fire it before Massacre stopped him. He did think that and the human darted for the discarded bow with speed that surprised the Zith. Still, it wasn't a wise move on the archer's part. Massacre was much closer to the weapon and there was no way the human was getting past him. Massacre leaped at the human as he ran past, tackling him to the ground. The man struggled, trying to reach his bow, but Massacre dug his clawed fingertips into the man's legs and would not let go.

[Massacre]

The human inched forward, stretching with his fingers to reach for the bow. Massacre held onto the man's and slowly clawed his way up the man's body. The entire picture was quite ridiculous, and Massacre thought the human a fool for still trying to get to the bow when he had a perfectly good dagger in his left hand. But the archer stretched as far as he could, and when the tips of his fingers finally touched the bow he struggled still to pull it into his grasp. Massacre let go of the human and stood, and the human lurched forward and finally got a hold of his bow. The man reached back for the final arrow in his quiver and lightning fast he withdrew it. He rolled over on his back and nocked the arrow, pulling back on the string and taking aim. Massacre wasn't about let himself get shot, and the moment the human had begun moving so too had the Zith. Massacre kicked the humans arms just as he released the string and the arrow fired astray, imbedding itself into a nearby tree. The human's eyes went wide, as if he had actually expected to succeed, and then he scrambled to retrieve his discarded dagger. Massacre stepped on the man's hand, causing him to retract it, and then the Zith kicked the dagger away. Now the human was unarmed except for his bow, which he swatted at Massacre like a club. Massacre grabbed the bow and yanked it from the man's hands, then tossed it aside. The archer was trembling with fear, but he still managed to rise to his feet and raise his hands before him defensively. Massacre laughed and slashed at the human with his razor sharp claws. The man tried to block, though it was more of a cringe, and Massacre cut open his arms. The fight was hardly worth the trouble it was turning out to be and Massacre decided he needed to end it quickly. Unleashing a flurry of attacks he shredded through the human's defense. Blood covered the man's arms and when finally there was a real opening Massacre got in behind the human's guard and raked him across the chest. The man's hands went to his chest wounds and the Zith followed up with a slash across the human's gut, spilling his intestines. The man staggered and fell to his knees, but he still clung to life. Massacre looked into his eyes and saw in there the pain he wanted, but not the humility. Frowning Massacre walked over to the fallen bow, picking it up and examining it. Despite being used as a club it still seemed to be in good condition. Massacre went to the tree next and after a bit of effort he managed to get the arrow free. Bow and arrow in hand, the Zith walked back over to the human. Massacre had no practice with a bow, really, but it seemed simple enough and at point blank he doubted he would have a problem hitting the man. Massacre nocked the arrow as he had seen the archer do, and then he pulled back on the string. It was more difficult to hold in place than he had imagined, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. Massacre pressed the tip of the arrow against the man's chest, right over his heart. "The location of your hunting partners for your life," Massacre said cooly. The human looked up at him, but said nothing. "I didn't think so..." Massacre released the bowstring. The string stung as it whipped past his arm and the arrow pierced the man's chest, driving straight through out out his back into the ground behind. Blood poured from the hole in the man's chest and the life faded from his eyes almost instantly. He slumped and fell forward, causing Massacre to have to take a few steps back to avoid the corpse falling on his legs. Massacre stared at the body for a moment then slung the bow over his shoulders, adjusting it until it was comfortable with his wings. He then knelt and grabbed the arrow out of the ground and slid it back into the archer's quiver. The last thing he did was to pick up the archer's body, and once he had the man secure in his arms he took to the sky, headed back to the tribe.

[Massacre]

Timestamp: Summer 19 495 AV Massacre had only been able to retrieve four arrows from his battle with the archer the previous day. All the others were either lost or broken. At some point he would need to acquire more, but four arrows was enough to learn on. Already he had found some difficulties. His claws could potentially cut the bowstring, and so he had to be careful to grab it carefully. Also he had no idea what he was doing. More than once the arrow had gone nowhere or flown in a random direction. The arrows kept slipping off the string. But finally he was starting to get the hang of it. Massacre knocked an arrow, gripping it carefully between his index and middle finger. To his left Arri watched, finding it all quite amusing. Massacre was a great hunter, though he was not considered a full warrior yet, and to see him fumble so clumsily with a bunch of sticks and strings was quite the opposite from what she was used to seeing. The large Zith pulled back on the bowstring slowly and pointed the arrow in the direction of the tree he had been trying to his all morning. He looked down the shaft of the arrow and then suddenly it branched off into two arrows. What the petch? ..oh. Massacre closed his left eye and things were normal again. Only one arrow was in his hand and he was better able to aim. The moment of truth had come. The arrow still remained firmly in his grasp. The string was pulled back, ready for release. And the tree, the elusive tree which had evaded his attacks all day long, it was still standing there. Waiting.. A gentle breeze rustled it's leaves and moved it's branches ever so slightly. It was taunting the Zith, daring him to try to shoot it. Massacre was ready to take that dare. His fingers released the string of the bow and the arrow shot forward. It soared through the air and fell short half way to the tree, barely even piercing the ground. "...what!?" How could he have missed. Everything was perfect, and the arrow had even cleared the bow smoothly. What could he have done wrong!? Arri started to laugh and Massacre turned toward her furiously, but she as already approaching him. "Be calm, my love. We had many archers in Xy, and from what I saw you did everything right except for one thing. Here, let me show you."

[Massacre]

Arri reached into the quiver that was slung over Massacre's back and withdrew an arrow. Massacre handed her the bow and stepped back, giving Arri her space. The Zith nicked the arrow and drew it back. "Okay, so this is what you did. What I always saw them do was this." Arri straightened her back and pushed out her chest, then pulled the string back even further. "I.. think.. this is what makes archery hard," she said as she struggled to maintain the pose. When she let go the arrow flew out across the field, past Massacre's arrow, and past the tree and into the woods. "Well.. it went farther." Massacre was impressed. Rarely was it that Arri showed him up when it was combat related, but her arrow at come far closer to striking the tree than anything he had done that morning. It was just another reason he had chosen her as his primary mate. Massacre took the bow back from Arri and withdrew another arrow, his third one, from the quiver and mimicked Arri's moves. With the arrow firmly in place on the string between his two fingers he pulled it back. Standing up straight he pulled the arrow back even further, until he was having difficulty holding the string in place. Massacre drew in a deep breath, steadying himself, and looked down the shaft of the arrow once more. There was the tree again, still taunting him. It was full of confidence, so full it didn't even flinch when Massacre released the arrow. The string popped forward and launched the arrow with a satisfying twang. Massacre watched it fly straight and true, though it dipped a little at the end of it's flight. Even so it managed to imbed itself into the trunk of the tree. Suddenly the tree was no longer taunting him. It had an arrow in it's trunk and if it were an animal it would have been dead. The tree could laugh all it wanted, but Massacre's training had been a success. Thanks to Arri, who had shown him how better to shoot. Massacre continued to practice throughout the night until his muscles ached and he could take it no longer. Finally he stopped and returned to the caves for sleep. The following morning he would practice some more.

[Baku]

Thou has written, and thou has completed, so I award thee the following.... Massacre: +1 Observation, +1 Flying, +2 Hand to Hand, +3 Longbow, Lore: Being Patient in Battle, Giving Chase, The Advantages of the Bow, Taking One’s Time With Prey, Disemboweling a Human, Point Blank Shooting, The Difficulties of Using a Bow, The Full Draw of a Bow Additional Notes: A decent beginning for the use of the Bow, keep up the good work.