Fun At The Birthplace [Flashback]

[Xavior Silhouette]

Summer 02 502AV The trio decided to dedicate a day of leisure on the second day of summer. They had walked the worn paths along the mountainous cliff side to the Lhavit shore. The sand was warm and pleasant under their bare feet. Christy and Evan went off to have their own fun alone and left Xavior with his crossbow. The sun warmed the dark, blue, fur over his body as he stood clad in a loincloth. He wasn't ashamed of his body, even though it projected the image of monster a true and terrifying beast. He stood near the cliff side, the skyglass had transitioned to stone at such a low level. The grey rock had a jagged, sheer, face that extended hundreds of feet toward the heavens. He stood maybe ten paces away from a boulder, a bundle of grass adorned on top of it. The target was a little larger than his head, the size of choice as he attempts to hone his accuracy. "Alright Xavior, you can do this," he psyched himself up as he drew the heavy string back with ease and latched it on to the metal hook. He brought the light weight bow up, meant for short ranged shots, and shoulder it into his shoulder. He brought it back down and drew a small bolt from his pack around his waist and loaded into the hard wood channel carved into the stock. He reshouldered the weapon and too aim down the sight of the bolt. It took him a little less time than when he first picked up the bow, but his eyes soon found the image that he wanted to find. "Here we go," he muttered to himself before his hand squeezed the metal trigger against the stock. It didn't take much before in a flash that bolt took off down range. It made a snapping noise as the hardened tip met harder stone and snapped in half. "Darn a little low." He hissed through his teeth before he began the loading process once more. Once the bolt was loaded he took aim and fired and used the same sight image. The bolt once more struck low, his precision was correct, but now he'd have to account for leverage. "A little higher this time," he coached himself before he drew the string back and locked it in place. He brought a bolt into the channel once more and shoulder the bow. He looked down the sights and could see his original image. He didn't fire this time though as he raised the entire bow up. He squeezed the trigger and the bolt was sent whistling toward the bundle. It didn't strike it, but merely scraped the edge of the top. "Too high!" He grumbled a bit before he began to load another one. This time when he took aim, he moved a little lower. When he fired, the bolt hit with a satisfying schlunk as half of the shaft was embedded into the bundle. "Great shot!" Evan's voice manifested behind him

[Xavior Silhouette]

Xavior turned when he heard Evan and the second splash of foot step he assumed was Christy's. Only when his black eyes focused on the two figures that strode gracefully over the milky white sand that he confirmed it was indeed who he thought it was. Xavior let the crossbow hang beside him as he greeted the two with a smile. "Thanks, I've been practicing almost every day," Xavior opened up his body a bit more when the duo were closer. "Yeah, in the house right? Don't think I haven't noticed the wall," Christy stated as she set her hand on Evan's shoulder. Xavior looked guilty for a moment, his first time with the bow he couldn't wait to try it out. During his exploration of his new toy he had a stray bolt fire and embed itself into one of his room's walls. "Don't let it worry you Xavior. Accidents happen." "Heh, I suppose I should be more careful though." Xavior adopted a more apologetic, hand caught in the cookie jar, type of posture. "Well it seems you've learned your lesson from that encounter, seeing as you have graduated to much smaller targets than a wall." Evan shot back, then continued, "I bet you can't hit that thing while flying." Evan grinned as he issued the challenge. Xavior shot the same grin back. Even though they were not related by blood, Xavior had adopted both Christy's and Evan's personality much like how they have adopted him into the family. "Oh yeah? I bet I can," Xavior chuckled, "but lets put something on the line. How about if I hit the target while in flight you have to by the Ale tonight." Evan smiled, "interesting idea. Any other rules to this bet?" Xavior scratched the fuzz of his chin, "how about I get two attempts. A hit includes a graze of the target. How does that sound?" "Sounds like we got a bet," Evan extended a hand to Xavior. Xavior gripped Evan's hand firmly as the universal gesture of agreement had been made. Xavior took a few steps as his wings extended and began to flap. The wind caught the membrane and made it easier to take flight. Soon he was able to fly at a high enough to use the air stream to help him. He banked hard against the wind and flapped once more when his body finished the turn. He flew low to the beach in a practice run, the cliff side zoomed by next to him. The grey stone a blur as he flew over his target. He noted how fast he moved through the air by how quick the mark had passed him. Before he cocked the bow in air. He began to make a turn around as he loaded a bolt into the channel. He shouldered the bow and took aim down the center and immediately found how difficult it actually was to aim and keep his body steady. He had started to make his round back toward the target, but as he attempted to sight it, he lost it with the constant shake of his body. Though, from the ground his flight seemed seamless as he glided, in actuality the constant turbulence of the wind wanted to blow him out of the sky. He flew past the target and began to make another round. "Come on Xavior you can do it!" Christy's voice yelled boomed with encouragement. Xavior this time looked at the target ahead of him before he shouldered the bow. He at least knew he was pointed in the general area of the target. His aim continued to bounce with the wind, but the target at least shfited in and out of his vision. He was about 20 feet from the ground before he fired. The bolt zoomed through the air and was high and wide from the target. "Yes! That is one down!" Evan celebration was quickly reprimanded by Christy as she bopped his head with her hand. They looked at each other for a moment, Christy with that glare only woman could do. The one that said, "shut up you jerk,". After the brief exchange of glances Evan settled down and stifled his excitement while Christy jumped and hollered and pushed Xavior on. Xavior couldn't help but chuckle at their antics as he pulled the string back and cocked the bow. He knew his aim was way to high and as he placed the second and final bolt into the channel. His wings flapped again as the muscles that controlled them flexed and attempted to stabilize his flight even more. Xavior focused on his muscles of his wings and felt every twitch they made. He attempted to remember what he felt so that he could train them to do precisely what he wanted them to do. Much like those who could control each digit of their hand independently. He flew past the target as he began to make another bank toward his target. He shouldered the bow and noticed the shake of his aim was smothered slightly. He began his approach and aimed lower this time around. The bolt whistled in the wind as he fired it. The spike of wood traveled much closer to the target this time around. It broke on the jagged edge of a boulder about a foot to the right of the target. He cursed as Evan began to celebrate once more. The symphony of sharp slaps to the head only made Xavior laugh while in flight. He swooped down and dropped the bow and an empty quiver onto the soft sand before flying back up. He made a wide turn back toward the squabbling couple and began to fly toward them. He used his wings to slow his flight a bit as he stretched both of his arms out to the side of him. The couple didn't know what hit him as Xavior's strong arms soon wrapped around their torsos and swept them off their feet. The jerk of movement not only took their attention off each other, but made them both focus on the ocean out in front of them. Xavior struggled with their combined weights, but he didn't need to go far or high to do what he wanted. When the water turned bluer he let go of both Evan and Christy. "Xavior, no!" They both protested in unison as their bodies were sent toward the water. They both hit with a splash and Xavior was soon to follow as he flew vertically then tucked his wings to his back. His body fell through the air and crashed into the cool water as well. The sound of the bubbles rang in his ears and as he opened his eyes he half expected to see another image of his past return. But he found only two sets of legs as they kicked under the water's surface. Xavior got a playful idea and swam toward the sandy bottom under those legs. But as he reached up to grab Evan's legs the water tinted red with blood at an alarming rate. It confused Xavior before it alarmed him. He kicked off the sandy bottom and quickly darted for the surface. His head popped above the ocean, eyes wide and alert as he looked over Evan and Christy's body. "You guys alri--" Xavior was cut off when both Evan and Christy's hands shoved him back underwater. He popped back up only a moment later, greeted to the sounds of laughter. "Xavior, you jerk!" Evan splashed water at him playfully. "You know I hate heights!" Xavior took a little longer then he should of to realize that all was okay. But when he did, he smiled warmly out of relief and love. "Oh pfft, Evan I bet when you were a kid you preyed you wouldn't be tall." Christy snickered as Evan sizzled silently on the inside, "might want to take that back Xavior." He mock threatened. "Why is that?" Xavior grinned goofy. But that grin soon vanished when he felt Evan's body on him. The two play wrestled in the surf for some time, Christy even got in on the action too. By the time the sun began to fall toward the horizon the trio was laid out on the beach exhausted. "So, now you know what it feels like to be reborn by the ocean." Xavior grinned as he looked at the sky. The clouds glowed an orange tint and appeared to be made of bronze. "Guess I'm buying drinks tonight aye?" "Aye?" Both Christy and Evan responded.

[Hermit]

Thread Award

Crossbow 3
Acrobatics 2
Swimming 2

Shooting While Flying
Carrying Two People