Target Practice. [OPEN]

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Alec had been visiting the forest nearly everyday for a few years now. It was part of his routine, waking up, looking around the marketplace for a job, drinking at the Mary, then heading out to the forest until sundown. It was a sad routine, but it was one he was accustomed to. He didn't talk to many people, most people thought he was rude, or even feared him. He didn't like it, but it was preferable over being betrayed. So now, he came to the forest, alone other than the animals who came to greet him. He practiced out here, different forms of combat and weaponry. This time, it was archery. He'd fashioned a decent bow out of wood, and had spent the last week carving arrows. He was already good with a sword and knife, as well as hand to hand. He wanted to try something new- of course the other things could always use work and practice, but having new skills could never harm someone.

Growing up, he and his father would spend time together, practicing hand to hand combat, having fun with learning in between. It was one of the fondest memories he held in his heart, and since the day he died, Alec spent everyday practicing, to keep the memory alive. He'd made friends with the animals, the friendly ones that is, and the often came to greet him upon his arrival, so he began to bring bits of food for them. It was an odd friendship, but he rather liked it.

As of now, he stood in the pose he had seen others do, and aimed his bow at the makeshift target he'd carved on a tree with his knife. After taking a breath, he let the arrow loose, and missed the tree completely. Cursing to himself, he let the bow fall from his stance, and pulled out his flask from the inside of his jacket. Taking a swig, he aimed the bow once more, notching another arrow in the others place. He narrowed his eyes and shot it, once again missing the tree. He fully intended to stay in the woods, practicing until he could at least hit near the target he created. 

After an hour and half, he had improved, and learned that the stance he was holding the bow in, was wrong, causing the arrows to fly off balance. Now he was able to shoot the arrow, he just needed to learn how to improve his aim, and shooting power. It was a decent amount of information for on day, and he was oddly proud of himself, so he took a break. Putting the bow and arrows down, Alec sat against a tree, leaning back into it with a sigh, taking the last sip from his flask, finding it empty now. 

Well that's certainly a pain. He grumbled to himself, knowing he would have to make another trip into town before he went home, to pick up more from the Mary. He was staying at his parents house currently, but he knew that wouldn't last to much longer, as someone would try to claim it, seeing as Alec currently didn't own it. He needed a job to pay for a new house- he no longer wanted to live in the one his parents had. It hurt to much. With another sigh, Alec stood back up and notched another arrow, letting it fly without hesitation, hitting the edge of the target this time.

Heh. This isn't that hard at all. He was light humoured, not at all mean hearted, but he created a mask for himself, a bubble. He didn't trust people, didn't want to be betrayed. That was what he told himself. The real reason was he no longer wanted to lose people- he'd lost enough for his lifetime, after his parents, and any friends he may have had after that. All the friends, once finding out his secret, left him, calling him an abomination, or wrong with nature. He'd come to terms with it, and no longer told people, but it was such a burden to live with. 

Alec shook his head, clearing his mind from those thoughts, and shot another arrow, hitting close to the other. He knew he'd have to head back soon, the sun would be going down, and the air would chill into yet another cold winter night. 

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The crossbow was a good reward. It seemed well designed, and Ilta could use a long range weapon if she planned to continue adventuring. There were times she couldn’t always hit something with her blade. Versatility was important. Yet she never much liked the quiet of archery, preferring the sound of the clash of blades. As a result, she had never used one of those things before. Thankfully, it was an accurate weapon. More so than the longbow, especially without training. It was bulky and heavy, and thankfully, she was strong enough not find it or its bolts particularly cumbersome.

The Forever Forest was a decent place to practice besides the Training Grounds. However, there was less of a chance of accidentally hitting someone out here. She barely trusted herself with the weapon despite the fact that she probably wouldn’t accidentally shoot someone herself.

Careful and alert, she notices someone in the forest up ahead from her. A man about her own age with a bow. She looks over at him and then his target. He wasn’t a bad shot. Far better than her for damn sure. When she had tried in the past, her arrows would consistently end up too far left. It didn’t take long before she abandoned the weapon all together. Perhaps she would have more luck with this than she did the longbow.

“Looks like we had the same idea there,” she calls out to him. “Mind if I try?” If there was a target already out, it saved her the energy of setting one up. However, it was polite to ask first, especially when both people were armed.

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Alec had another arrow notched and ready to fly, but at the sound of a woman calling out to him, the arrow flew out of the bow, and into the forest, missing the tree entirely. Alec stumbled backwards, stunned by the impact. Once he regained his balance, he turned to see a woman, looking nearly the same age as himself, asking to use his target. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, stepping away from the tree, and towards her slightly. 

Be my guest, I guess. Alec didn't really know what to say, other than to let her. He wasn't expecting anyone to show up here, let alone attempt to join him. He reached for his flask, but remembered it's lack of liquid, and dropped his hand with a sigh. 

Sorry, I wasn't expecting to see anyone here. He apologized in a muttered tone, referring to his shocked state. He didn't know how to interact with people when planned, let alone unexpected as it was now. Alec walked towards a tree on the sidelines, and waited for her to make her shot, to see what skills she had. He could tell that her being out here, meant that she was doing something similar as he, and therefore must have some other combat skill, or she wouldn't have asked to take a shot as well. Though he appreciated her asking first, and not scaring the wits out of him by shooting silently. 

Go on ahead. He gestured his head towards the target. 

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Séanait loved to hunt. Although very much an extrovert, she sometimes felt the need to be alone with her thoughts. Hunting was an excellent way for her to get away from everything, and it was occasionally rewarding. Sometimes you tracked your prey all day, followed it down secret paths and across rivers, only to go home empty-handed. She didn't mind those days much, but she loved the days when she caught something better.

Today she'd tracked a young roe buck about four miles and taken him unawares. It had been a clean shot, right through the heart and lungs, but he'd still managed to run a hundred yards before dropping dead. Her arrow had gone through both sides of him and had broken on trees as the buck had run. The fletchings she didn't care about, but the steel head was expensive enough for her to scour the ground for it.

Arrowhead found, Séanait had set to work gutting the buck. She'd skin and butcher it back home, but it was a lot easier to carry a gutted carcass than one that hadn't been touched. Stripping to the waist, Séanait opened the buck's belly and scooped out the guts, cutting away at windpipe, arteries and rectum until it all came out freely.

Grisly work done, Séanait cleaned her arms in the snow before donning her shift and aketon once more. She slung the carcass over her shoulder and headed home, quiver and langseax at her belt, deer slung across her shoulders and her bow resting on top of the buck, she headed home, whistling all the way.

She was almost home when she heard a voice over the sound of her whistling and saw a flash of colour in the trees. Then there was a arrow in her deer, right next to her hand. Séanait went into survival mode, flinging the carcass aside and dropping to the ground almost in a single movement. She retained her bow and, on hitting the ground, drew an arrow from her arrow bag and put it to her string. Then silently, slowly, she began to move off to one side, intending to get behind whoever had just tried to feather her.

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“Shit…” Ilta says as she obviously startles the man and the arrow goes flying into the woods. He goes backwards a bit. Damn, she didn’t think she was that frightening. Sure, the horns could be intimidating, but it didn’t usually illicit that reaction.

“Thanks. Saves me time setting up a target.” She draws the crossbow back and loads the bolt, looking up to see his flask. “I wasn’t really expecting anyone out here. Actually I was kind of hoping on it. Never used one of these things before...” She aims to the target, looking through the metal grid. Yeah, this was a bit easier than a longbow. “Never used one of these things before…” She pull the trigger and ku-chunk, the arrow goes flying. She hits the target, but barely.

She takes a step back and gestures to the target, allowing him to take his turn. She was starting to notice the faint smell of alcohol. “It’s kind of impressive that you’re managing to do this kind of buzzed. Still a better shot than I ever was.” However, she imagines it becomes second nature after a bit. She could still swing her sword when she was drunk, so it might be like that.

She can hear something faintly in the bush, but decides to pass it off for now. All manner of creature lived in these woods. They were hardly alone even if far from other people.

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Alec ducked his head and stood again, grabbing another arrow. Sorry, you're voice startled me. Like you, I wasn't expected to see anyone either. I'm here everyday, I got used to the silence actually. He looked apologetically at her, and shook his head, taking aim at the target.

Impressive is it? Well, I only started learning how to use it two hours ago. Was buzzed then and I'm buzzed now. With a breath, he aimed and shot the arrow, hitting the upper edge of the target. Alec coughed lightly and tossed his head, trying to rid his eyes of the hair that covered them.

Though, from the way you were mumbling, it sound like you haven't had much practice with one either, yet your shot was decent. he laughed. Though, I get the feeling, you're sober. He was far more chatty than he predicted he'd be, but he had a feeling it was the buzz. He wasn't sober and he wasn't drunk, that was his problem. He heard a slight rustling behind him, and glanced back, but saw nothing and looked back at the woman before him. He gestured for her to go, leaning up against a tree once more.

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A screech of an owl could be heard off in the distance; it sounded again much closer this time. Out came a burst of red as a blood red barn owl came into view. It glided down and took perch on the horned girls head. Its large blue green eyes scanning the strange man. She turned her head and looked down at the women and chortled.

(yep short post)

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Séanait began to make out voices as she moved through the trees. There was a man's voice, young and a little slurred - though from alcohol or habit she couldn't tell - and a woman's voice that sounded familiar. She crept closer, until she could make out the voices better.

It was quite a surprise to hear Ilta's voice. It didn't sound distressed and there was perhaps even a hint of admiration. Séanait moved closer, until she could see who was where, bow still held ready.

Ilta was getting ready to reload her crossbow, while a young man about their age leaned against a tree. Near him was a crude bow and a few skinny arrows that didn't look to be made by a bowyer. Across the clearing, facing Ilta, was a tree with a target carved in it. A few arrows were embedded in the wood, along with a bolt. What had happened suddenly dawned on Séanait and she felt anger replace caution and cunning. Did they know nothing of archery? Were they so wholly ignorant?

Stepping out into the open, Séanait loosed an arrow at Ilta's crossbow, carefully aimed at it's string. Ilta, whatever wrong she'd done today, was a friend and Séanait didn't want to damage the crossbow. Swiftly drawing another arrow from her bag, she turned to look at the man and, judging when it was safe, put an arrow through the string of his bow too.

"Do I have your attention? Yes? Good."

Séanait's voice was cold, icy. She calmly drew another arrow from her bag and set it on her string. Her hands were still a little bloody, and there was blood about her shoulders and neck from the deer carcass. There was even a bit on her face that she hadn't noticed before.

"Now, what the FUCK do you think you're doing?"

Ice gave way to fire as Séanait roared at them in the voice she only used on the most dim-witted of recruits.

"Were you trying to kill someone? Those are not fucking toys, kiddies. Those are fucking WEAPONS! What do you have to say for yourselves?"

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Ilta gives a slight shrug as he calls her a good shot. “Not really. I have a crossbow. You can learn to be deadly accurate with one in about a week. The longbow however? That takes much more time. My shots always went too far left, and I was never that patient. So I consider hitting a target buzzed to be a pretty big accomplishment.”

Ilta looks up at the screech to see the familiar blood red owl. She lets the bird perch on her head, beginning to ready her crossbow again. She asks, “I really don’t know why you are so intent on sitting on my head.”

Just as she is aiming, an arrow hits her string. That was far too close to her head for comfortable. She drops low to the ground, placing a hand on the earth and casts her sense out into the ground. The earth makes an uncomfortable rumble, but she retracts her hand as Shy comes out into the open. She sighs in relief as Shy yells at her.

However, it takes a few seconds to notice that Shy is covered in blood. “Did we hit you?” she asks concerned. Shit, she didn’t get anything like bandages.

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As the arrow hit the cross bow and shy came barging out and yelling, the owl proofed up its feathers in an aggressive display. It let out an ear piercing shriek as it took off to go pummel Shys head. Aria didn't give a shit about whether target practice in the woods was safe or not shooting one at a comrad no matter how good you were was unacceptable! The owl would dive bomb her head at least three or four times making sure her talons either got some hair or skin or something. When it seemed its assault over it perched back on Iltas head with a stream of angry chirps. If an owl could curse this one certaintly was doing so.

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Alec shrugged, not really wanting to explain how he was able to do this buzzed, but let out a low chuckle as the owl landed on her head. It was an odd sight, but he'd learned to stop questioning things like these. He watched as she prepared to shoot, muttering to the bird, and jumped up, surprised when her bow was shot away from her. When his was shot at he turned to face whoever it was, falling into a stance he was taught to fight in.

Who the hell is out there? He called out, not liking the situation. When the figure emerged, yelling at them, Alec stood straight, loosing the fighting stance. He did however, jump when the owl went batshit, but couldnt help but laugh when it returned to the woman, seeming to yell at the stranger. Alec wasn't happy about being yelled at, but he doubted it would come to a fight, the guy just seemed serious about crossbows. Alec stayed silent while he yelled, watching him closely.

What do I have to say? I say, how is it any of your Goddammed business what we're doing? It's called practice for a reason you loon basket. Alec didn't take being yelled at well. He studied the mans face when he was finished, his blue eyes narrowed. He had a nice face, and for some reason Alec noticed. He looked over to the other woman while she responded speaking cal my, and it seemed to Alec like they knew one another.

At the woman's mention of hitting the stranger, Alecs eyes shot up. It was his arrow that went loose when the horned one scared him, so if he was hurt, it was Alecs fault. He jogged over to the man, intending to help if he was.

I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit you! His voice was full of worry, never intending to hit an innocent.

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Ilta's owl took exception to Séanait's display of marksmanship and attacked. Séanait didn't realise that it was planning on attacking until it had almost reached her, and so her arrow only nicked the bird's tail feathers, flying off to be lost in the trees. Then the owl raked its talons across Séanait's scalp, taking a chunk of hair with it and opening a couple of gashes in her scalp. Séanait grunted and fumbled with another arrow, having to wave her bow at the owl in attempt to fend it off as it came again. It wasn't until the owl returned to Ilta that Séanait managed to get an arrow on her string, and by then she was bleeding from half a dozen shallow gashes on her head and face, including one right above her eye.

That was when the man came up and said that he was sorry he hit her. His tone was sincere and he seemed very worried, but the owl's attack and his laughter during it had only served to put her back up even further. She fixed a hard green stare on him, blood running down the side of her eye, and growled at him.

"Another inch, and my hand would have be crippled for life. If you'd put your arrow another few inches to the right and up, I'd be lying out there with an arrow in my throat. And you're sorry? Did you even think boy?"

She was really slipping back into her past role as a fiftigealdor. Everyone in the Thusends, no matter how old, was a "boy" until they'd been through a battle or two. She might have chosen a more appropriate insult if she'd been thinking clearly, but right now, she was only thinking about roast owl. The boy was merely a distraction.

Putting the boy out of her mind, Séanait turned to face Ilta, bow held relaxed but ready to be drawn and loosed at a moment's notice. She didn't want to kill Ilta's pet so, with gritted teeth, she forced herself to give Ilta a chance to take the bird off elsewhere.

"Ilta, if you'd prefer not to have roast owl for dinner, you'd better get the bird out of my sight."

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Aria was not a happy owl; she was still clacking her beak in displeasure. Her tail feathers had been mussed by that stupid arrow...however she wasn't mad at Shy for shooting at her. Considering her attack HAD been on purpose. Her large blue green orbs still staring directly at Shy. Aria had certainly shown her displeasure; her feathers still ruffled as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. Really the woods had hunters….that was a fact of life….and the woods were large. Really no one was at fault for shooting arrows in the woods….now if it was in the middle of the city. Ya made sense to be pissed; but Shy was in the woods…..accidents happen. What she went and did was no accident.

Now…anyone who knew Aria….especially owl Aria, would know…she wasn’t a very polite owl. When the mention of roasting her was made Aria turned around and flipped up her tail feathers at the woman. An owl version of a mooning. Either way it was a rude gesture that spoke clearly Arias sentiments on the matter.

Really even if the owl wasn’t Aria and was indeed a pet loyal to Ilta….she shot at Ilta. Of course she was going to attack. She screeched again scratching her beak with her middle talon….yes Aria did not make for a pet to have in polite company.

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Alec stepped away from the fuming person, and raised his hands as though he was giving up. This guy had some serious anger problems. His arrow was not intended to hit the guy, and yet he was freaking out. If anything it was the woman's fault for scaring him in the first place! - He wouldn't say that though. Alec walked back to his tree and leaned himself against it, watching the display of the owl with a raised eyebrow. That animal sure did have a personality to say the least.

Okay, well, I've apologized, any reason I had to be worried is gone, so if you don't mind, stop yelling over nothing. You're giving me a head ache. Alec rubbed his head as though he could ease it. His yelling mixed with the booze from before were not the best combination. He was pretty ticked at the comment about his thinking, as this guy didn't even know him, but he kept that to himself, not wanting to know them anyways.

Alec moved around to gather this arrows in the various places they had landed in. They were not well made, but they'd gotten the job done for todays purposes anyways. When it came to the ones stuck in the tree, he yanked a few out, but left the rest, not able to pull them out of the woods. He didn't see what the big deal was, practicing here. He'd been doing it all his life, and quite peacefully, and yet now there was a random person yelling at him for being stupid about it. Alec mumbled angrily to himself while he a gathered his flask and bow. He wouldn't leave just yet, but he wanted to have all of his things ready for when he did.

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Ilta doesn’t have any real control over Alex while it is certain that she looks like a pet. There isn’t anything she can do to stop the bird from dive bombing Shy. “Alex isn’t really my pet, but if I told you she was a crazy woman who followed me around, I doubt you would believe me,” she says.

She looks over Shy again. Evidently, she wasn’t hurt, but that didn’t explain much about where all the blood came from. There didn’t seem to be any injuries on her. However, if she was fine, Ilta could address the next issue.

Humans never seemed to have a good grip on their anger. All three of them threw a fit simultaneously, and she wasn’t entirely sure how to handle the situation. She normally got angry due to physical pain. She sighs and says, “Keep calm before the blood consumes your mind.”

She pats the bird on her head, “Alex, aside from the momentary surprise, we’re fine. Unruffle your feathers.” Looking at Shy, she says, “I’m sorry to hear you almost got hit. It’s my fault for startling him. I’m glad to see you are ok.” She wonders whether they are done with everyone being angry now.