When Boredom Threatens (Open)

[Colt]

3rd of Winter Hunter’s Allegiance Pavilion Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Khasr trotted over to the target and removed his javelins from the woven straw, then returned to his spot. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. He shifted his stance a small amount. Thunk. It hit much closer to the mark, and he smirked to himself and retrieved the weapons again. He was on the outer fringes of Hunter’s Allegiance, at the far end of a line of targets so than no one would bother him. Though he was loathe to socialize more than required, he loved the place in spite of himself. Everyone here was a hunter like him, and everyone could relate to him in some way. Despite the fact that he talked to practically no one, he felt comfortable here, and came whenever he had free time. He would usually just practice, but sometimes he would sneak and listen to the stories of some of the more experienced hunters. He sighed and sat on a log that had been placed near the targets, tapping the ground with the point of one of his weapons. He wasn’t particularly interested in practicing, at least for a little while, and the log was very comfortable so he didn’t really want to get up and look for something to do. He placed his chin in the palm of his hand, wondering…

[Skram Silverstrider]

He was no hunter so his training made a different sound. Following the drykas migration pattern for now Skram had no choice but to stick around until he was sure that it was time to work but it did not mean that he cannot hone his skills in preparation for it. The Sea of Grass was a dangerous place for sure without any protection and Skram only had his bow. Something he was not considered to be good at but still manageable because he learned how to use it on the move. That was what he did on Mornax, using his feet on the horse's side to tell it how to move around his target since his hands were on his bow going

Clop.

Clop.

Twang!

Clop.

Clop.

Twang!

Clop.

Clop.

Twang!

Clop.

Clop...

Everyone knew that hitting the mark was a tough feat even when their feet was set on the ground but here Skram was on horseback and moving no less. His arrows when he let them loose flew here, there and everywhere other than his target, the straw was clean from any of his own arrows. The good thing about being in a training ground was that he did not have to worry about hitting someone else, or did he? That was not something he could worry about yet though it would seem.

That last arrow never left because at the moment that Skram was about to release it he also tapped his foot on Mornax. The horse misinterpreting it suddenly came to a halt and forced Skram off balance when his body went forward to smash right on to the horse's front. "Ouch!" That was enough training with Mornax. Maybe it was time to change it and shoot on foot.

Stowing his bow, Skram grabbed on to Mornax's reins and rode towards the logs because there he could tie the horse for a few more chimes until it was time to leave. He saw the man stabbi...tapping the ground looking rather uninterested and ignored it. Tethering Mornax to one of the nearby logs and fetching his bow to get back, he saw that the man was now thinking? What a waste of time. Why was he here? Curiosity got Skram that the man probably has not been "having a good hunt?" and that was the words that escaped his mouth.

[Colt]

Khasr turned at the hoofbeats. He expected to see a strider, and was instead quite surprised to see a seme instead. The jealousy he had expected to see turned to curiosity, though he wasn’t one to pry. His question, the way he said it, the rough tone, it send chills up Khasr’s spine. The sarcasm was so familiar that the reply came before he was aware of it. “Of course,” he said with a smirk, “What of you?” he nodded towards the practice targets. “Vicious, aren’t they?” The way he said it was uncannily familiar to someone Khasr had once know, but he blocked his mind from the memory before he could even think of his name. “Hey,” Khasr said. “You hunted with us. I remember you.”

[Skram Silverstrider]

It was not really Skram's intentions but at least he had his answer. Looking at the practice targets that he was being shown Skram could do nothing but smile as he agreed that "they are vicious. More than the ziths. It is a good thing they are not out there as well." The straw men's ability to dodge all his shots were scary indeed. Skram would never want to meet anything like those out in the grasslands. He already had enough to contend as it is with the monsters and animals.

Like that glassbeak too. Yes he remembered that he hunted with this man as well "but you should also remember that I am a very bad hunter too." Though he could fight to try and protect himself, Skram's specialties lay elsewhere like getting people across the Sea of Grass if they needed to. The only way he could really take down one of those dangers is running them down with Mornax and his cart while trying to escape them. Not very drykas of him but it gets the job done.

Since he was here like Skram, "I can only assume that you are trying to get better for the next hunt?" The results then did not really matter regardless because out here there would always be bigger and stronger challenges waiting for them. "I really need to get the better as well..." he said since Skram was well aware that he was not good either. Demonstrated again when he held his bow out and tried to take a show at one of the nearest straw men.

Pulling back and quickly letting go, the arrow flew straight towards one. Could this be the time that he hit? Not so. It was not his best shot despite his efforts. Doing it so quickly, he had to worry more about reaching than hitting. Without the proper energy the arrow just went downwards until it pierced the ground, just a few steps away from its target. Sighing, Skram remarked that "out there, I won't have a second chance."

[Colt]

“Depends,” Khasr said, shrugging. “Not sure what you think of as a ‘hunter’, but you were just as valuable as me or the other. You might not be a good shot, but that’s not all you need.” Next hunt? Khasr fell silent, thinking. He had hunted for virtually his whole life, but the glassbeak hunt, it had been… different. He had hunted because he wanted to, not because he needed to. Did he plan on hunting by the time next fall came around? He his thoughts halted as Skram drew his bow and let an arrow loose. It glided through the air, graceful as a bird, and Khasr nodded to himself. It was a nice shot, even though it missed. Silently he stood and drew one of his javelins from his quiver. Sinking into a light crouch, he hurled it after the arrow. It sailed and clipped one of the target’s corners, sending a bit of straw falling, then rotated wildly and clunked onto the ground. Khasr’s smirk returned despite his attempts to hide it. “Yeah,” he said, “I’m going to hunt next fall.” He pulled out another javelin and hurled it. This one sank into the target’s imitation of a leg. “By then I’ll be better. The best. I’ll be able to hunt the big things.”

[Skram Silverstrider]

Exactly the problem. Skram is no hunter but there was no reason to correct that with every single drykas he met so he chose to remain silent then. Speaking about the previous hunt "its only a year to next fall. Plenty of time for you" especially if hunting was all he was going to do. At least he already had a head start since he was able to touch his target with his weapon. However with what happens to the other drykas men, "you should take your time and choose your prey wisely." Not to talk about the hunter but "the Sea of Grass has claimed so many already" and not everyone of them were bad with a weapon either.

Skram took out another arrow and decided to try one more time. Maybe this time he would be able to hit? Choosing the middle of the straw target he let go off the arrow but although it did not hit where he wanted it to, it scraped the side of the shoulder drawing straw. Smiling he remarked that "i'd rather stick to what I know" and no it was not the bow even if he was happy with his success.

[Colt]

Khasr nodded. He liked this man. “Yes. I have more time than I know what to do with.” As if to illustrate, he withdrew a third javelin and hurled it. This one missed the target by a handsbreadth, and sailed to land gently next to Skram’s missed arrow. He nodded and sat back down on the log as Skram spoke again. “Yes,” he said. “Yes it has.” The grasses were wild, the very joining of earth and sky, their patrons Zulrav and Semele. The Drykas could not control the grasslands any more than they could control their striders. You asked, and they would choose whether or not to answer. Skram shot another arrow, and this one nicked the target. Khasr smiled and nodded. “Good shot. You only know what you bother to learn, and if archery is one of the things you bother to learn than you’d know it.” He paused. “I don’t think that made sense.” He was quiet for a few seconds, then shook himself. “It’s funny, when I met you I didn’t think you would be much for the bow.”

[Skram Silverstrider]

Skram did see the point that was being showed to him. All three of them in fact. Even if they somehow were able to survive that hunt, if the javelin showed that both their ranged skills are more or less the same "you could try learning something else with that free time. A new weapon or a skill." Specializing was one thing but there was always more things which would be learned to complement and improve what is already known. For Skram that came as webbing for his driving. Even the knowledge on how to survive in the wilderness known as the sea of grass since it can take days just to get through.

With that he was right. "I had to learn archery because it is always better to get rid of your enemies before they reach you. Especially when you are also responsible for the safety of others" like the people he drove around. That was the only sense that was made for Skram unless the statement meant something else. "So tell me. Is there anything you think you would bother to learn now?" They were where the hunter's are and those men are practicing their own weapons. Watching the display might help them learn even if it would not be too accurate without any practice.

"What do you think I would be then?" Skram asked while he was trying to line up a shot with his bow. The arrow was looking right at the strawman when he fired, sending it forward, forward and then down and down until it hit the leg. At the time he approached them during the hunt, Skram had his horsedrawn cart with his working equipment in it. Could it be that he was seen as "a hunter?"

[Colt]

Khasr shrugged. “I don’t know. If anything… sneaking. That’s be useful. And tanning. Or maybe carving.” He sighed, too thoughtful to monger in bad memories. Skram drew another arrow, and Khasr smirked at the larger man’s question. “By the look of you, I’d’ve though sword. Or maybe spear.” This time, he watched Skram instead of Skram’s weapon as he sighted the arrow’s shaft. The bowstring thwacked and it flashed towards the target. This one struck the straw person in the leg, and Khasr nodded in congratulations. “Good one.” He stood and gestured towards Skram’s legs. “But you might want to change your feet. They’re a bit close. Spread them the width of your shoulders and point them outward.” He demonstrated. “The farther apart your feet are, the stronger your stance, and the stronger your stance, the stronger your aim. Same for most ranged weapons.”

[Skram Silverstrider]

Tanning or carving maybe Skram could see for a hunter to utilize his prize but "sneaking?" Oh, that actually might work. There have been many a time that Skram could have been caught off guard by one of those beasts but he always knew where they should be with his webbing. He always seems to forget that there might be some people who would not know how to use it themselves since there were other things more useful to them, like sneaking.

"A spear sounds quite likely" like so many others who needed a good weapon on horseback. The problem was that Skram might not be on horseback most of the time and so he chose the bow. It was still not that useful now but when he becomes more experienced to shoot faster, he will feel more secure even out there. "Maybe I will try my hand in it one day. Maybe you can teach me since you are already using one" weapon which is so similar to it. Javelins or spears all they are is nothing but piercing metal on a long stick.

Looks like the lessons already started because Skram followed the spot that was being gestured to. "Really?" He only thought that his hands were important since they were what was touching his weapon. The bow would also most probably be used while he was sitting too so there was probably no reason to correct his stance but he was not going to lose out if he tried it. Following he spread his feet pointed out "like this?" and took aim to put the truth to test.

Twang!

Releasing it felt slightly better this time and the arrow hit not too far away from what he wanted. The arm of the strawman instead of the chest. "It really does work?" or it could have been a fluke and he did not want to find out which was it when he was out so he released another arrow which hit the side of the chest this time. "It does. That was some good advice. Why don't you become a teacher?" That was a funny suggestion which came together with a laugh.