carabadgermum
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~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
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Post by carabadgermum on Dec 18, 2007 21:23:18 GMT -5
"I thought you were wonderful," Tamar said genuinely and then she looked down at the bow in her paws shyly. "I, I mean we all need a little discipline so we can be ready for whatever is coming." Rather distractedly she tried to set one of the practice arrows to the string.
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Silas
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Squirellking*~*Southsward[P:NaN]
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Post by Silas on Dec 18, 2007 21:41:49 GMT -5
Silas seemed to gesture in agreement, then a second later realized that Tamar was setting up an arrow on string. He moved to put a paw on the bow, pointing it down gently. "Discipline is right. I'm afraid you'll have t' wait a minute to shoot some arrows." He explains, a tinge of regret in his words as he told the squirrelmaid what she isn't advised to do as of yet. "Safety an' all that." He winked, hoping she'd understand, and after a second departed to adress the group.
"Ahem. Alright. Now who here have shot a bow and arrows before?" He asked them. The majority of paws shot up into the air.
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carabadgermum
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~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Dec 18, 2007 22:17:54 GMT -5
Tamar looked a little disappointed that she couldn't get started right away but it was actually even more disapointing that he had left her side to talk to the whole group. She was actually one of the few creatures who was not able to raise a paw for having shot an arrow before. Oh, she'd seen it done but today was actually the first time she'd ever held a bow in her paws.
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Silas
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Post by Silas on Dec 18, 2007 22:39:22 GMT -5
A few minutes later, after taking into account the left-paw beasts and the inexperienced, Silas led everyone to the firing line. "Pick up a bow and one arrow but don't shoot it until I say." He directed. Everybeast did as ordered, a small percentage fumbling about in the cold weather. Silas walked about, adjusting a stance here, lifting a bow arm there, generally making sure everybeast was in a good position. He worked his way over to Tamar.
"So, uh," Silas came around to Tamar's front side, his tone indicating a slightly regretful feeling as he had left Tamar. He gathered that she did not catch the wink. "How're we doin' over here, Tamar?" He examined her stance, and her grip on the bow.
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carabadgermum
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~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Dec 19, 2007 0:00:43 GMT -5
She'd followed the directions he had given to the group to the letter but now that he was right next to her she was nervous again. "Alright, I think." She raised the bow and sighted down the length of the arrow, trying her best to pay attention to what she was doing rather than to his close proximity. It was when another beast bumped him and he brushed up against her that she accidentally let go of the string and sent the arrow bouncing a few feet in front of her. But she wasn't paying attention to where it landed only to the fact that they hadn't been given the order to fire yet. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't meant to. . ."
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Silas
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Post by Silas on Dec 19, 2007 7:30:38 GMT -5
"It's alright." Silas reassures her. "Things can happen." He went over to her left side, seeing how was holding the grip of the bow. "Now, uh, your wrist is goin' to the right," He said, making Tamar's paw move so that the back of it was not perpendicular with her arm. "If you hold it like that, then the string won't smack ye when you release it." He added. Glancing down the line of archers, silas gave the command. "Alright. You all have six arrows, now y' may use them. Fire at will."
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carabadgermum
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~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Dec 19, 2007 10:50:54 GMT -5
Tamar was very aware that Silas's eyes were on her more than on his other students and that the eyes of other beasts were on both of them. She blinked, took a deep breath and tried to focus on firing her weapon. Wrist strait as he had shown her, she sighted down the length of the arrow, strait at the target. She pulled back the string as far as her strength would allow, which wasn't nearly as far as some of the other creatures, but she would get stronger with with practice. Then she let the string go and the arrow flew true. It was short of the target because of weak pull but had she the strength it would have been a bulls eye.
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Silas
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Post by Silas on Dec 19, 2007 16:39:22 GMT -5
Silas did indeed hang about Tamar's side of the firing line, mainly because she was there, but the inexperienced archers were also grouped near there as well. He altered the aim of a young otter, prodding it to the left. "...Just move over to the left here, and that should fix it." He said, moving down the line again, making sure everybeast retained their stance while shooting. While waiting for a mouse to sight in on his target, he secretly glanced over at Tamar to see how her second shot would fare.
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carabadgermum
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~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
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Post by carabadgermum on Dec 19, 2007 17:02:13 GMT -5
Tamar sniffed disappointedly at her first shot and looked down the line at the other beasts. They were all bigger and stronger than she was and even though most of them seldom hit the target at least they could get the arrow to fly the distance. Determinedly she set her second arrow on the string and pulled it back even further. This made her paws shake and ruined her aim. The arrow spun off crazily to the side landing on the field where another group were practicing paw to paw fighting. A hedgehog stepped on it and slipped falling back on his rear end. Tamar winced. "Sorry," she called.
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Silas
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Post by Silas on Dec 19, 2007 17:25:36 GMT -5
The hedgehog directing paw-to-paw, Trent, got up stiffly, retaining most of his dignity as everybeast near him smiled or chuckled. "Y'see, that's the only downside t' fightin' with yer paws. Ranged beasts could 'ave a go at ye." He grinned, turning it into a lesson with a little thought.
Meanwhile, Silas noticed this, forwning inwardly, but waited for the mouse to release his own shaft, which hit the target to the upper left. After a few seconds, he seemed to magically appear by Tamar. "Hey again." he said. "Uh, would you like a different bow, Tamar? That one's for longer range..." he suggested. Her shaky aim from the force of the last shot obviously wasn't due to her form. It was just the draw strength.
OOC: Yep, I myself shot a few arrows, so...
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carabadgermum
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~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Dec 19, 2007 17:34:15 GMT -5
((glad somebody has, last time I tried was 8th grade PE and that was longer ago then I'd care to mention.)) "Could I?" Tamar asked excitedly she was just thinking that something like that might be just the thing. Then she looked down and blushed realizing that he had to have been watching her to notice something like that. "Thank you."
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Silas
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Post by Silas on Dec 19, 2007 17:54:09 GMT -5
((They trusted 8th graders with bows? They wouldn't at my old school. Last time I shot a bow was last year.))
Silas nodded. "Here, I'll take that off of your paws." He reached out with a paw to take the bow from Tamar, setting it on a nearby picnic table, returning a moment later with a shortbow in paw. "Try this one." He said, offering it to her.
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carabadgermum
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~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Dec 19, 2007 18:08:56 GMT -5
((I went to Christian school so it was just like 20 girls in the class. It was a blast we had the teacher convinced that we couldn't run because our class was right after lunch that and other than archery we got to go bowling))
"Thank you," Tamar said again as she took the short bow from him. It was lighter and suited her much more than the other weapon. She liked the way it felt in her paws. Setting an arrow to it she recognized the difference immediately. She was able to draw much further. Sighting carefully, she let the the arrow fly and was rewarded with the 'twock' as it hit the target barely outside the center ring. "I did it!" she cried excitedly.
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Silas
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Post by Silas on Dec 19, 2007 20:23:12 GMT -5
"Good shot." Silas said, grinning and patting her on the back before thinking about the action. "I'd say you found your bow." He adds, looking back at the target with an arrow near the center. Moving off after a minute, he stuck around the area after that, helping a nearby dormouse with his stance. Everyone seemed to be finishing up rather quickly, while Tamar had three arrows to go.
"Take your time, folks." He instructed. "Accuracy's better than speed." The last few archers took this into account, and aimed the best they could with their final two or three arrows. As soon as everyone was done, Silas looked down the line to see if anyone has yet to shoot off their final arrow.
((Prepare to speed through forty-five minutes of archery...))
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carabadgermum
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~Badger Matriarch~[P:NaN]
the paw that rocks the cradle rules the world
Posts: 3,409
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Post by carabadgermum on Dec 19, 2007 21:13:38 GMT -5
Tamar beamed at Silas's praise She nodded at his comment about the bow. After two more consistently accurate shots she was beginning to take ownership of the weapon. Grant it this was shooting at a stationary, non-living target. She didn't want to think about what it would be like to go up against an actual creature.
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