• Memory • Archery 101, Part I

[Ellen'wyn]

Ymiden 10, Arc 707

"It's good to see that most of you know how to be on time."

All heads turned to watch the last of their group shuffle into the training grounds. If he had a tail, Ellen thought it would probably be tucked firmly between his legs. He couldn't meet their teacher's eyes, but managed to mumble an apology as he fumbled to slide his unstrung bow out of its bag. She was just glad it wasn't her. She stood out enough as it was, so the young mixed-blood had been making extra effort to be as inconspicuous as possible.

"Well, now that we're all here, let's not waste any more of it."

It was Ellen's first training session with a bow, and she wasn't sure yet what she thought of their instructor. Some of the other youngsters had been coming to practice for a while now, but she and one other were new.

"You may all string your bows," he commanded, moving around a few of the more experienced adolescents to walk Ellen and the other new girl through the process.

He was an older Sev'ryn--at least halfway through his fifties--but he walked with such an upright sureness that she thought he could probably hold his own against an uwär bysez or maybe even a spulmokawarta. He was muscular, with scarred and battered hands, but when he looked down at her his eyes were not unkind. She held her unstrung bow in one hand and the string dangled in the fingers of the other. When he motioned for her to hand them over, she did. The other girl moved closer to watch.

"When you're stringing any bow, you always slip the first end over the top." He demonstrated, looping it over and letting it slide down until the limb became too wide and it stopped. "Then you fit the other end of the string into the grooves of the opposite side, like so." That part was self-explanatory, but he demonstrated nonetheless. "Now, which hand is your dominant hand? Right?" Ellen nodded, and he looked at the other girl. "And you?"

"Left."

"Really?" She nodded. "Well I'm going to show you both how to do it right handed, but you just switch sides when it's your turn." They both nodded this time. "So, what you're going to do is step through the space between the bow and its string and hook the end that's already strung around your other foot." When he showed them, his right leg was put through, and the recurve limbs wrapped around his back, thigh, then through and around to hook over his left boot. "Then you just push--," he paused, bent the unstrung end forward with his right hand, and pulled the string back up the limb to rest in its groove with the other, "--and you're done. Now show me."

He swiftly undid his work and handed the separated bow and string back to her. Ellen pursed her lips and furrowed her bow in concentration. String first, easy. Then carefully, she slipped her leg through and hooked it over her foot. The other girl did the same. He looked at both of them, but adjusted Ellen's position slightly.

"Don't hold it so close to you in case your hand slips and it comes back to break your nose. When you have a more powerful bow but you're more experienced the extra leverage is good, but this bow is so small you couldn't hunt much more than squirrels with it. Hold it farther out from your ribs. Yes, like that. You should be strong enough to bend it without that extra leverage."

[Ellen'wyn]

"Good! Now, I want everyone to take up their positions and show me their draw." His voice carried to the entire class now, and starting with the more experienced shooters he moved down the line to critique.

Ellen took a moment to watch the others draw back their strings, then copied what she saw. She yanked against the tension, spreading her feet like they had. Her tongue poked out from between her teeth in concentration and her arms were immediately uncomfortable from the awkward weight they bore, but she waited patiently for her turn to be inspected.

"Not like that," the instructor corrected as he finally circled around to her front. "Slowly relax your arms for me. Yes, like that. Okay, now let's try this again. When you draw back, you aren't just pulling the string, you're also pushing the bow away from you with your other arm. Use the muscles in your shoulders and back as much as you can. Like this." He demonstrated the explanation, smoothly raising his own bow, arms working in unison to collectively bend the limbs and pull back the string.

"Roll your shoulders into it. When you're drawing, you're pulling back the arrow as you raise the bow up to shoulder height to aim, and finish as you reach your anchor point. Everyone is a little different, but practice like that for now. And never, ever release that string without an arrow nocked." Right on cue, there was a loud twang behind him. He turned in an instant, rounding on the other new girl. "I said never dry fire! You could have just shattered your bow and injured yourself or someone else!"

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't hear you! I didn't know."

"Don't do it again." Her face was stricken as the instructor walked away, and Ellen motioned discreetly to catch her attention.

"Psst... It's okay. Don't worry. We're new, we're supposed to make mistakes." The girl smiled weakly, but the words didn't seem to comfort her much.

"I want the youngest of you to practice drawing for a few bits. The others I'd like to go ahead and nock and fire the first volley. Begin."

Tenatively, Ellen raised her hand. "What's an anchor point?"

He moved closer to them again, walking behind the group as arrows started to fly. The mixed-blood watched with considerable interest as the volleys hit the targets down range in various points. Each one was round, with basic rings denoting accuracy and distance to the bullseye. A classic.

"An anchor point is where you hold the string at full draw. Some people anchor at their chin. Others on their jaw. I use the corner of my mouth. Find whatever feels best to you. It will change over time as you change, so don't worry or get too attached."

[Ellen'wyn]

So she went on to practice drawing and relaxing the bow as he'd shown. It was awkward and slow, but she tried to push the bow away from her as she pulled back the string, raising the weapon up to be parallel with her body and holding the string first at the corner of her mouth, then again at her chin the second time. Neither felt great.

Ellen relaxed her bow and let it hang at her side. She looked over at the other students; a handful of them practicing without arrows, and the rest currently shooting. Some of them seemed confident. Others not so much. If bolstered her confidence just a little, and she went back to her practice. Her next attempt she experimentally anchored the string at the edge of her jaw. As she relaxed the bow again, she felt a tap on the shoulder. Her instructor's face dipped into view a brief moment later.

"Show me how you're holding the string."

She demonstrated cradling in with three fingers of her right hand; index, middle, and ring. It was what most of the other students were doing. He nodded, but gently grabbed her hand and made some adjustments, moving the string out of the groove of her knuckles.

"Like this--the nock of the arrow will sit between your index and middle finger. When you shoot, if the string rolls off your fingers wrong it will throw off the shot. Keep the string more in the middle of your fingertips so it's less likely to be caught. But this will take practice and be easier as your finger strength develops. They will be sore, but you can wear a glove later--I recommend it starting out."

"Are there other ways to hold the string?"

"Yes." He nodded. "I wouldn't worry about that right now, but there are many different styles. Some archers pinch the string between their thumb and index finger. I use my thumb so I don't have to worry about all my fingers releasing at the same time. Practice and find what you like, but let's stay with three fingers for right now, hmm?" She nodded sheepishly but he smiled. "Ask me anything that comes to mind. That's why I'm here." Ellen decided then that she liked the old Sev'ryn.

"I think everyone else is ready to start with arrows now that you're warmed up. Go collect your quivers and line back up when you're ready." He looked at Ellen and the other new student when they hesitated. Raising his brows, he tilted he heads in the direction of the other. "Why are you just standing there? I said go."

[Pegasus]

Ellen

Overview

Nice thread, short, sweet and very much a training thread. I enjoyed the little glimpses of your pc in there, like when she encouraged the other student who had got something wrong, that kind of thing. Nicely written, I didn't get at all confused as to who was talking, so well handled on the NPC / PC dialogue, too. PM me if I've missed anything!

Points

XP: 10 (solo)

Fame: None

Loot

NA

Knowledge

Ranged (Shortbow): How to string a bow
Ranged (Shortbow): How to hold a bow
Ranged (Shortbow): Don't dry fire
Ranged (Shortbow): Three finger draw, pinch draw, and thumb draw techniques
Ranged (Shortbow): Common anchor points
Strength: Repetition and practice makes you stronger