26 Searing, Year 124
[Closed - Solo]
Practice made perfect in all things, but sometimes the practicing was the hard part.
She was diligently working with her bow and arrows to improve her ability to shoot, and in particular, on moving targets. Something that didn't move was one thing, but it was another entirely to try to hit something that was not standing still. That took more factors than just the wind and distance. It required the archer to think about where and how the arrow needed to go, because there was no guarantee that the target would be where it was when the arrow was loosed from the string. Something like an antelope, or even a mountain goat, could put considerable distance in a few steps.
But Hilana wasn't satisfied with her ability to deliver a true shot to an animal in such a way that they were going to go down quickly so that they did not suffer, and if she couldn't do that, then she had no business shooting them. Instead, she was shooting at stationary targets... from Hayima'el's back. That way she was moving, and while she was moving at a fairly predictable pace and speed, it was still a step up from standing there in her usual stance in order to brace, plan, and shoot. She wasn't about to get bulls' eyes, she knew, but she could at least see how close she might get to hitting each of the targets.
They had gone out to the mastic grove, since she could collect some gum while she was there, and she could make some targets with sand and earth on the way there so that she could aim for them on the way home. This way, she was remote enough from the Capital that no one was in any danger, and she could practice in relative peace and quiet.
[Closed - Solo]
Practice made perfect in all things, but sometimes the practicing was the hard part.
She was diligently working with her bow and arrows to improve her ability to shoot, and in particular, on moving targets. Something that didn't move was one thing, but it was another entirely to try to hit something that was not standing still. That took more factors than just the wind and distance. It required the archer to think about where and how the arrow needed to go, because there was no guarantee that the target would be where it was when the arrow was loosed from the string. Something like an antelope, or even a mountain goat, could put considerable distance in a few steps.
But Hilana wasn't satisfied with her ability to deliver a true shot to an animal in such a way that they were going to go down quickly so that they did not suffer, and if she couldn't do that, then she had no business shooting them. Instead, she was shooting at stationary targets... from Hayima'el's back. That way she was moving, and while she was moving at a fairly predictable pace and speed, it was still a step up from standing there in her usual stance in order to brace, plan, and shoot. She wasn't about to get bulls' eyes, she knew, but she could at least see how close she might get to hitting each of the targets.
They had gone out to the mastic grove, since she could collect some gum while she was there, and she could make some targets with sand and earth on the way there so that she could aim for them on the way home. This way, she was remote enough from the Capital that no one was in any danger, and she could practice in relative peace and quiet.