Season of Summer, Day 82, 501 AV
Fall is drawing near and made apparent by the few leaves that have changed their color to the mix of yellow, red and brown. Zenai rode down the course on his horse, Stryker, and aims his composite short bow at the target ahead. There was a certain kind of skill you need to use a bow while on horseback; you need to have a really good distance estimation skill to hit a target while you’re riding on a galloping horse. It’s all the more difficult when your target is moving as well. For now, Zenai satisfied himself by firing at an immobile practice dummy. He let loose his arrow and was disappointed that he missed it by two fingers.
He rode pass the dummy and nocked another arrow for his second shot. He came about, turning Stryker around for the next pass at the dummy. He drew his bow once again, and used his dominant eye to project to line up his shot from his arrow to the dummy. He had taken into account of wind factor and how fast Stryker was galloping to compensate his aim. He fired his arrow and pumped his fist as his arrow hits the “neck” of the practice dummy. Zenai was about to ride around and back again to shoot another arrow at the dummy when he heard a familiar voice calling his name. “Hey, Ian! Get your rump over here, boy!”
It was the bearded knight, Ser Bernard who had planned to train Zenai in the ways of horseback melee combat. Zenai rode to Bernard who was also on his own horse. “Hey, you’re late for our appointment.” Zenai accused his Patron-Knight. “Ooi! I was having a bit of breakfast before coming out here. My belly needs sustenance if we’re going to this physically-exerting training.” The knight explained himself. “I see that you’ve done a bit of bowing and arrowing. Enough of that; I’m gonna teach you how to fight like a real knight! With a sword and shield in hand, and charging down on your opponent on your galloping horse like a comet!”
Zenai strapped his composite short bow besides his quiver of arrows on his weapon harness then taking out his sword and shield. Zenai had learned to fight on horseback but it was mostly with his composite short bow while on hunting trips with his patron-knights. Ser Bernard had realized this and demanded that Zenai be taught the proper way of engaging opponents while on horseback. So here he was with the bearded knight training in the ways of mounted combat. Zenai had seen, from a distance, how the Syliran Knights fight on their horses. They would normally charge in, using the momentum from the galloping-charge to put a power into their strikes. It was especially devastating when they wielded lances. After the initial charge, the knights would use their advantage of height to strike down at their opponents. The horses would be trained to keep on galloping into the enemy and to trample and kick those threatening its knight-master.
“Alright, boy; let’s see what you got. Go whack that dummy for being a dummy. GO!” Zenai spurred Stryker into a gallop and charged towards the practice dummy. Zenai got his ready for the strike, raising it just above his head and ready to take a swing at the target. His shield-arm had the shield strapped to it thus leaving Zenai’s left hand free to take the reins. Closing in on his target, Zenai swing his sword down hard and was able to hit the dummy. The strike was more powerful than Zenai had anticipated and he could still feel the vibrations going through his body. The dummy, on the other hand, had a very deep gash across its “chest”. Zenai was in awe at just being able to do that much damage just by swinging down his long sword while riding a galloping horse. It intrigued Zenai and he wanted to learn more. Maybe he would consider taking up the lance instead of a bow.
