Open [Seasonal Event] Shots Fired

[Amunet]

40th day, Summer, 515 a.v.
8th bell of the day
Endrykas
Emerald clan ranged training grounds

It has become increasingly necessary for Amunet to have some means of defending herself. Her foraging expeditions were long ones and she often needed to find small game. She also could use the additional defense. The girl knew the hunters of the Emerald clan were hosting a training session with ranged weaponry. The girl surveyed the range of weaponry at the market. The price gave her a bit of shock. The various types of bows most of them were either too heavy or too long for her. The short bow seemed a nice choice but it was way past her budget. One of the traders pointed at a ‘Y’ shaped object called a sling shot. It fit her hand reasonably well. The trader mentioned that with some leather she could get it more fitted to her hand at a later date. That and 10 stone bullets and she had purchased something suitable to train with.

Her brothers scoffed at it when she showed them the slingshot. “wasted good money. What is that going to bring down in a hunt?”

She countered them. “It’s not like I’m bringing a deer down. Or do you want me going out into the Sea with nothing more than a dagger?”

“You should be tending to the pavilion as a woman should. “ They preferred she stay home and tend to women’s business.

“Foraging food and herbs for dyes and medicines IS women’s business. “ Amunet hotly contested. They rolled their eyes, she gave a frustrated groan. She picked up a piece of wood and ,threw it at them.

“Hey!” One of her brothers glared at her. Though the piece was aimed decently they blocked it aside easily enough.

Her expression remained stormy as she went to the training grounds to see of her having a chance. It was teaming already by the 9th bell with arrows shooting forth and spears being thrown. The red hair kind of stuck out in the dawn sun. it was if it had a life of its own shimmering in the morning sun. The sparkle in her eyes were excited as she softly and quietly looked to see if anyone else was doing slingshot.

The more she looked, the more apprehensive she got. The Drykas were known for the bow, especially on horseback. The Emerald clan was well known for this. Her dismay was distracted by watching a demonstration of such wondrous accuracy and precision. She bit her lower lip as her slight form found a good view of the demonstration. The white ribbon in her hair gleamed in the early morning light a bit today. She watched one by one showing their marksmanship with arrow or spear. Once the demonstration was over then it was open for the offered free lessons.

Amunet let the men go first as she followed the others in as her small self easily could trail to the side and enter in to watch and see where she would fit best. This was hard. Those little hands raked her hair behind her ears as she watched curiously as the boys got started. There were some sporting fancy new bows. Then there were some had bows from family. Others had spears and was going with that ranged lesson. She had this slingshot she wondered if it was a poor purchase. Then shook her head and was bound and determined to learn how to use it.

[Amunet]

The girl edged around to an empty spot with a lone ragged target. It looked like it had been shot out a thousand times or more. The girl looked around as those of the Emerald were guiding hands with bow, spear or javelin. Amunet then took the sling shot out and got a good look at it. The thing was deceptively simple. The two side thingies was attached to a pouch where the shot went into. She guessed that those thingies should attach to the ‘Y’ shaped device. The girl worked to get those stretchy bands to attach to both sides. Her fingers pressed down and pressed hard as it resisted as it seemed a tight fit. When she thought she had it on, she went to the other side.

Those fingers idly scratched her red head in thought as she turned the thing over in her hand to determine if the stretchy bands were on right or not. “Well, let's see.”

The red head went ahead and pulled back the bands. One side slipped off and zoomed back to pop her in the forehead. Her hand went to her forehead as her mouth opened. Amunet tried desperately not to scream or yell as the strangled noise that came out was soon followed by gritting teeth. There was definitely an angry welt on her forehead that she quite well earned.

The young woman went to try and put the stretchy band back on that side it snapped off of. “guess I didn’t have it far enough on. “ Those little fingers worked to press and press and press down on that fork of the ‘Y’ of the device. It was a little further down. Amunet tried again to pull the shot back. If hind sight was twenty, twenty she would have checked that side, but she was ignorant in ranged weaponry much less this one. The other side popped off as it smacked her in the cheek. The girl dropped the slingshot as both hands went to her stinging cheek. She bent at the waist as her eyes widened and bit back the pain. The red head isn’t one for profanity but she was definitely spouting a bit of it under her breath.

The poor girl stomped around and kicked at the nearby haybale just because it was there and it made her feel better. The little woman took a deep breath and breathed it out. The deeply furrowed brow was extremely and stubbornly determined. She went back to pick up the sling shot. Those blue eyes stared at the denuded side of the ‘Y’ fork and worked to press as hard as possible to get it further down on that fork so it won’t slip off. She stared at it, flipped it over and over to determine if it was going to betray her again and pop something else off.

The red head pulled it back again and kept it extended as if testing it to see if it would dare to smack her again. Satisfied, she got one of the shots she bought and logic told her it went into the little pouch at the end of the stretchy thingies. ‘Ok let us point it forward and see what happens.’ The diminutive woman thought this as she pulled the whole thing back her wrist tilted oddly and the whole ‘Y’ part slipped from her hand and came zooming towards her face. The girl tried to duck but she got full on face of the slingshot. The girl was on the ground moving side to side in a bit of pain as she held her now bloodied nose. This time there was a rather significant “OWWWW!” This had the men and women there looking at her oddly at first and a few laughed.

This included Trail who had been watching this poor young lady who hadn’t waited for instruction. He cringed when the device smacked her in the face. It was just funny and he just laughed. He wasn’t unkind as he got a cloth to come to her with it. Still laughing, “Come on, get up girl. “ Giving her a hand up and handing her the cloth.

Amunet took the cloth, held it to her nose and looked up. “For the sake of the Gods, how does that thing work?” She asked rather angrily.

[Amunet]

She kept her nose up for a few chimes with the cloth held to it. Her face throbbed in places and she what excitement she had this morning was gone. The girl looked up at Trail who was trying to stop laughing. Her glare at him made him laugh a bit more. He held his hands up. “You should have waited.”

“It looked like everyone was busy so…” Amunet let that thought drift off. She sighed a very long painful one. She felt embarrassed having made a complete fool out of herself.

Trail went over to the Slingshot and looked at the weapon. He pressed the stretchy bands to make sure they were secured and pulled it back. “Good basic slingshot. Come here. “

Obviously the girl was going to need basics. Trail recognized she was a complete novice, but at least she had the guts enough to try. Just about took her face out, but brave. Once she was at the spot he designated, he started to go over the basics. It had been a while since he seen one of these.

“You must keep your wrist straight. Do not let your wrist wander or go limp. You will want to get extra bands as well. “ He demonstrated his arm being out strongly and keeping the wrist straight. “Some people get wrist guards like those with bows use. It keeps the wrist firmly straight. Now you try. “

Amunet went to where he was standing and took the slingshot. Trail had his hand on her wrist as she pulled back. “Straight like that. Do not turn it or you will get a face full of something. “ He had to grin on that as she glared at him a bit softer. He was teasing but she still felt the throbbing of her face. She focused on the task at hand though.

“Wrist straight. Got it. “ The little lady kept her left arm straight as an arrow as she pulled back. She repeated the pull back as she kept her wrist and arm straight. It was much better. No face full of sling shot.

Trail nodded. “Good. Though not as entertaining. “ He couldn’t resist the jibe.

Amunet looked at him with the expression of ‘Really?’ clearly written on her face. Her lips pursed in frustration before focusing back on the lesson.

Trail suppressed the mirth a bit as he got serious. “Why is it that you learn this, why not the bow?”

“I can’t afford a bow and well I am out in the Grass a lot foraging. Thought I should need more protection or maybe even hunt small game for myself. “ It was the stark honest truth.

The man nodded on the explanation as he was not as familiar with this weapon as he was with the traditional weapons. He could at least get her started on the basics. The rest was practice and time. “I understand. “ With a no nonsense approach he put a single target on a horizontal pole that was twenty feet away. “Aiming takes a steady eye. The ‘Y’ gives you a natural sight to work with. Line up the target with the ‘Y’ and fire. “

Amunet went to him and took up the slingshot. He stood right beside the long red haired young woman. She pulled it back, kept her wrist as straight as possible and let the thing go. Only she forgot something. There was no pling of stone against target. There was nothing flying towards the target. The girl looked down at the thing and groaned. Trail just about fell to the ground rolling with laughter.

The poor young woman looked to the side and closed her eyes. Then suddenly she huffed a laugh. Yeah it was funny. “you left out something. “ She said to the man who was holding his knees absolutely roaring with laughter over the whole situation.

He pointed at her and was trying to catch his breath. Then finally, “Ok , OK, OK. Get a shot out. “ Giggling he waved her over to try again.

[Amunet]

Amunet takes a deep breath as she moves back over to where Trail was at. This time, she had a shot out and into the pocket. “Alright, get your arm straight. Keep your wrist straight and place the target between the fork there. “ He pointed to the middle of the ‘Y’.

The red head put her slender arm out and locked her wrist. Those sky blue eyes narrowed. She was a little sideways naturally and had the stone cocked back towards her ear. She let the thing fly. It flew beside the target edging close enough to move it a little. It bounced on the hay bale behind it. No need to waist good ammo. Her brow went up as it wasn’t as bad as she thought it was, but she wished she hit the target. Trail grinned. “Again. This time I want you to aim, take a breath and hold it for a tick or two. Get your target in sight and exhale on the release. “ He suggested

“yes, sir.” The girl put another shot in the pouch and cocked it back to her ear. She took the breath in narrowed her eyes on the target with a focus and when she exhaled her fingers let go of the pouch. The shot hit the target. Pling! Amunet gasped and looked at Trail.

“Good. Again. Keep practicing till you run out of shots. Go collect them and bring them back to keep going. I will be back in a few chimes. “ He then went to go check on other students.

Amunet’s nose might be hurting a bit but she was making progress. Her wrist was feeling a little achy and made a mental note to get a wrist brace. Meanwhile, back to practicing. She put the shot in and put it out straight, wrist straight. The aim at the target with focus, breath. Exhale then release. It hit the side. Wait. Was that aim, target, focus.. or aim target breath, focus. Meh!!

She put another shot in the pouch and took aim. The girl checked her wrist put the target inbetween the Y. The bands were cocked to her ear and she took the breath and held it. The girl was focused for a tick or two and released the shot on the exhale. Pling!!

The red head was rewarded with a sound that was soon becoming music to her ears. The steady motion of extend arm, keep wrist firm, cock the bands back, aim and release on the breath was repeated. Most Hit on the sides of the target. This made Amunet reasonably happy as it was progress. Maybe she could set this up in the grass or outside of the city somewhere. The red head walked to behind the target to find her shots and pick them up. This took her a few chimes to find them all. They had bounced off the bale and landed in several spots. The girl did pay good money for them and took the time to find them all.

Once she had collected her shots she went back to the target and started to practice more. She had ten shots. The person she bought it from told her she could find rocks of similar size would work as shots also. The little woman put the shot in the pouch, pulled back, aimed took a breath and held it. The target was in between the Y as she released on the exhale. Pling! She was getting close to hitting straight on. The girl did it again till she ran out of shots and had to go retrieve them. Now it was getting fun.

[Amunet]

Amunet settled again to practice. Her arm extended straight. Her stance shifted more sideways naturally and unconsciously as she looked down the ‘Y’ into the target. On the exhale she let go of the stone and was rewarded with a the plink. Trail was at her elbow nodding at her back and then said “Good.”

The red head jumped out of her skin and held her heart. “what are you sneaking up on a person for?”

The man shook her head. “You should be aware of your surroundings, young woman.” She wasn’t exactly warrior material or hunter material, but she had spirit.

That little face became contrite. She was only angry because he startled her. “Sorry. I usually rely on my horse to clue me in. I don’t know about such things. “

The man furrowed his brow with some concern. This was a weapon’s lesson and not a survival lesson. “sometimes you be still and listen to whats out of place” Trail said cryptically. “Let’s move your target a bit further out. “ The tall lean man went to move the target to twenty paces. “Now more distance, more tension to the bands. “

Amunet listened to him and stored those words away to ponder later. She didn’t really understand what he was getting at but felt it was important. When he came back from moving the target she nodded to his words as she lifted the slingshot and drew the bands back a little further and let the shot fly. It fell short. “Guess I need to bring it back a little more.”

“That would be logical yes.” Trail nodded for her to continue. The spirited ruby clan girl perplexed him just a little. This was an odd weapon for this woman child, he had heard talks of a wayward redhead that wandered a little too far out sometimes. This sounded like the redhead.

The long strands the ends danced a bit in the wind as she took aim and drew the bands back a little more, placing into memory the stretch of the band and the distance it would give. Her arms were starting to feel the burn as well. She let it fly as it hit the edge of the target with a dull tonking sound. The determined girl drew back again remembering where she had it to get the distance and let the stone fly. The magic plink sound greeted her as the stone hit. She went through the methodical process of shooting the target.

“I hope I can rig something like this up at home. Im going to need the practice. “ The girl’s head looked up to Trail’s strong face.

He smiled. “Come down to the range here and practice. Or find a spot out in the grass away from the tents. Out in a hunt it’s a whole other matter. Take someone with you before you try to hunt with that sling shot.”

The girl nodded though had no idea who to take with. “Thank you for the lesson. It was really helpful. “

The girl needed to tend to her now bruised face. She located and fetched her shots before she thanked trail again and took her new confidence with the slingshot home.

[Tribal]

G R A D E S

Amunet

Experience

• Socialisation: 3
• Observation: 2
• Weapon, Slingshot: 4
• Endurance: 1
• Rhetoric: 1
• Logic: 1
• Bodybuilding: 1

Lore

• Amunet: Brothers don't always say what a girl needs to hear
• Diamond Clan: Host a ranged weapon class
• Weapon, Slingshot: Not a toy
• Trail: A kind man
• Weapon, Slingshot: Keep your wrist straight
• Weapon, Slingshot: The basics
• Observation: It’s important to stay aware of your surroundings

Penalties

Amunet will have a headache for the next two days
Amunet will bruise and heal within the next seven days

Note

Good self-moderation.