Fanfic:Introduction to Archery (Saffiah 2nd point)
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Re: Part Two, Lesson One: Speed Shooting
Saffiah Ella
Saffiah trudged out to the yards, her slippers wet with dew from the grass. She didn't bother attending several previous classes. It would be a waste of her time, repeating what she already knew. She was a bit rusty, though. She hadn't so much as touched her bow in a year. But she'd manage.
One of the oldest and tallest in the class, Saffiah took it upon herself to stand behind the others. She was instantly suprised when the instructor started signing. She'd heard the Gaidar Captain was mute, but she'd never seen her before. She listened as closely as possible and ran the instructions through her head once more. She quickly strung her bow and set to it.
Nocking her first arrow, Saffiah shot it at normal speed, just to get back into the feel of shooting. She then nocked another. She didn't pull it back as far, like instructed, and shot it. She pulled another quickly out of her quiver, and shot it. She did this about five more times, until she ran out of arrows.
Pass
Lysira Viathene
Jhered and Lysira made their way down the line, taking their time to observe and speak with each student as they did. In due course, they came upon an Aes Sedai who was joining them for the more advanced portion of the class. Lysira knew her for a Green and so her presence here was not of any surprise.
"Good," Lysira signed and Jhered spoke. She had not seen anything exceptional to compliment, but it had studious and serviceable, which was it's own brand of commendable. "With more time and practice, the lessened pull will feel more natural and you'll be able to focus on the aim and what accuracy is possible." Then, they moved on.
Re: Part Two, Lesson Two: Distance Shots
Saffiah Ella
The position of the targets told Saffiah that they would be doing distance shots, which she was glad of. Her aim would surely improve, not that the target was more than just a colorful blur. She was suprised she could even hit the target the previous lesson.
After a simple demonstration, it was time to take their own shots. Saffiah had almost forgotton to bend her back, but did so at the last moment. The arrow flew to the right, due to her sudden movement, and almost hit the target of the Dedicated next to her. She turned pink and tried again, and all of the arrows hit the target.
The entire class moved towards the targets once they had all finished to see how well they did. There was one arrow on the outer edge of Saffiah's circle she assumed was her second arrow. The other three had hit near the center, but not quite where she had wanted them to be.
Pass
Lysira Viathene
Once more moving through the class, Lysira and Jhered made their rounds as most students stood and frowned with discontent at their shots. "You have started well, excepting that first arrow," they said as they reached the Green. "Be careful of such last minute adjustments. Someone could get hurt. Past that, you did well with the subsequent arrows. Distance shots are difficult to master, but with time and practice, you should do well." They moved along.
Re: Part Two, Lesson Three: Moving Targets
Saffiah Ella
Saffiah made a mental note to wear breeches on the day they would be running the obstacle course. She didn't know if it would involve much actual movement, but she didn't want to have to run about in a skirt. It wouldn't be very enjoyable. The lecture was fairly straightforward, so Saffiah had no questions.
Re: Part Two, Lesson Four: The Obstacle Course
Saffiah Ella
Practice is all fine and dandy, but Saffiah had been anticipating the day they were to run the obstacle course, and she was glad that it was that day. There was hardly a wind, that would assist with aim, and it wasn't terribly hot. One thing Saffiah had not grown used to over the years was how hot it could get in the Tower and yards.
She was near the middle of the line, but closer to the front than back. She found it easier to watch others and learn from their mistakes than to blindly run into the course. Once it was her turn to begin, she didn't waste any time in getting to the first obstacle. As soon as she was at the correct distance, the trainee began to pull the cord that forced the dummy in a circle. It started out relatively slow, and Saffiah managed to hit him once in the shoulder and again where the ribs would be. The trainee then sped it up. Saffiah's next arrow brushed his head and send a few splinters flying. Her initial thought was that she had missed, and she felt anger, but it had barely stuck to the edge of the 'skull'. She exhaled deeply and moved onto the next test.
The trainee swung the dummy down as soon as Saffiah nocked an arrow. She hit it squarely in the throat. The next two times, she hit it in the stomach. The trainee hardly gave her time to breath before the second shot, but gave her far to long for the second.
Targets were randomly flapping up and down on the next obstacle. Saffiah swung her bow around madly, but they always seemed to drop just before she released the arrow. So she focused on the one that seemed to se up the longest, and shot it. She focused on another one, but it hadn't come up for a while, so she shot the one next to it as soon as it popped up. And then the one next to that. She went back to hit the first one again, once she had hit that one. Once she had shot four times, she aimed at one and released the arrow just before if fell. She grumbled a bit as she moved onto the fourth obstacle.
The next had random hay bales scattered around a field with white boards stuck to them. The first was the farthest back, and Saffiah could see it clearly. She hit it in almost dead center, which she was proud of. The next was closer, and she squinted to see it. She managed to stick an arrow in the upper right corner of the board. The third bale was the second farthest away. She hit it just as well as the first bale. The next two were near the middle of the field. Her arrow flew over the next bale, and she swore softly as she hit the next one. She moved onto the fifth and final obstacle with a bitter scowl on her face.
Saffiah clumped off the ladder with her bow in her mouth so it wouldn't fall. It was rather high up, and she did not care for heights, but she wasn't deathly afraid of them like she was water. She hit a lever with her foot, and a small bag flew into the air. It caught her off-guard and she nearly missed, but managed to plant an arrow into the edge of the bag. The next three hit near the center, but it wasn't startlingly close like the first hay hale. The last was between the two locations. Saffiah climbed back down and yanked her arrows out of the bags.
Pass
Lysira Viathene
As the Aes Sedai worked through the obstacle course, Lysira and Jhered watched closely and took note of her progress. Once she had finished, they approached her between her completion and the next student's beginning, to offer commentary - like they had with the others.
"You did well," Lysira signed and Jhered spoke. "Continue to practice and I see you doing well. Focus on your response time to swift changes, and then simply continued practice in general." She inclined her head in respect for the other woman's rank before saying, "Well done," and then they moved on to watch the next student on the course.
Re: Conclusion
Saffiah Ella
Completed the course :)
Congratulations!
Lysira Viathene
This certifies that Saffiah Ella Sedai has completed and passed the second part of Introduction to Archery, here by earning herself a second point in the Bow. Well done, and congratulations!
Lysira Viathene Gaidar
Gaidar Captain
