[Closed] [Memory] Nock it out

[Maro Seran]

10th day of Dentas, year 2703, noon

A small twang could be heard throughout the camp of the Seran of the Yellow Eyes kint, the cool air of Dentis marking the end of the dry season as the Seran trudged their way towards Cellas for the hunt as well as meet up with other Spokes.

A small child was on the outskirts of the camp along with some other children, dressed in light furs suited for the weather as they stood in a line, the gaggle of children holding small bows more akin to toys than something a hunter would have, looking like thin sticks with easliy pulled string. The arrows themselves were nothing but sharpened sticks given minor fletching. In a technical sense, they would be good to practice on some small game like squirrels and even rabbits should they strike true, but anything else would be practically unwise.

An eight year old boy pouted at the target, set up perhaps 10 feet in distance, pointing at the arrow laying flat at the targets base as he looked towards an older man who looked to have quite a few gray hairs already and bore quite a resemblance to the child.


"Daobrunno! My bow's broken, I can't get the arrow to stick in the boar!"


the boar in quetion was a crudely carved piece of wood that even the most tact of wood carvers would hesitate to call a boar, but it suited its purpose whilst being accused by a young Maro Seran.

Szerak, who looked to Maro as if he was reminding himself of something as he muttered some words under his breath, sighed as he rubbed the temple of his forehead and then gazed at the arrow then to the whining child.

"Oes Maro, certainly it ain't because ya haven't been listenin' to a thing I've been sayin' about posture an' the fact that yer arrows ain't meant to pierce the thing, ne yer bow's certainly broken an' we should certainly get ye a better one"

"Oes Maro, certainly it ain't because ya haven't been listenin' to a thing I've been sayin' about posture an' the fact that yer arrows ain't meant to pierce the thing cuz yer bow's not tough enough, ne yer bow's certainly broken an' we should certainly get ye a better one"

"So does that mean ye'll be gettin' me a new bow?."

The other children giggled at that, one of the girl's covering her mouth with hands as she did so. Maro thought it was a reasonable thing to ask for

"Ne."

Was the blunt reply and Maro could only frown, his Daobrunno could be so unfair. It wasn't like he wasn't trying to make it work, the arrow just didn't hit where Maro told it to, A bigger and better bow would do so much better and hurt that stinkin' boar, he was sure.

"Alright, we had our giggles, now come on, get practicin' like I showed ya. If this were a real boar it'd be scamperin' or stickin' one of its horns in ya because ya ain't had the mind to shoot proper, an' I don't want any of yer da's and daoa"s givin' me dirty looks cuz one of you didn't had the sense to get it right the first time"

The children all grumbled, Maro particularly as he turned his gaze back to the boar. It wasn't just one of course, Daobrunno and the other adults had set a up a number of them each of dubious artistic skill for the children to practice on. He took a horizontal stance as he raised his bow, legs apart, neck turned to look at the target as he held the bow in his left hand, the other reached behind to the patchwork quiver holding his arrows. The shaft rested on above his thumb and forefinger, tickling the skin as it was pulled back once the butt of the arrow was nocked to the bow string.

Clearly, from a certain point of view, the arrow was pointed at the boar. So clearly, it would hit once the string was let go and, undoubtedly hitting the fat thing in the head. That did not happen as Maro let go of the string, the arrow did fly yes, a few feet before landing and sticking out a clear two feet away from the boar, taunting Maro of his failure.

"Daobrunnoooooo"


Szerak simply covered his face in his hands.

[Maro Seran]

What sounded suspiciously like a bad word to Maro's ears was muffled by his Daobrunno's hands, the older man uncovering his face to look at his nephew with a look that reminded Maro of one of his cousins when presented with lizard on a stick, even though it was actually pretty good so he didn't know why his cousin didn't like it.

"Alright... Everyone but Maro take a small break"

Maro's lips curled into a pout, annoyed by this. It meant he did something wrong of course, but he still felt it unfair his cousins got take a break and he didn't. In fact he was about to voice this, lowering his bow and raising a finger only to stop when his Daobrunno gave him that his Daoa gave him whenever she thought he was going to say something she wasn't gonna like.

Szelak looked satisfied that the look he gave seemed to work. The other children sensing that this was their chance to make a run for it and enjoy what few minutes of freedom they were likely to have, betraying Maro to his Daobrunno's attentions.

"Since it seems ya keep shootin' like spitch, seem's I'm goin' take personal attention of this "

Maro groaned, looking down on the ground, the blades of grass between his shoes having been stepped flat by everyone in the fami. His uncle lifted his head, giving him a stern gaze before ruffling his head as he stood behind.

"Keep straight, lad. you're doing good so far, ya just keep lettin' go of the string too early "


"Since it seems ya keep shootin' like spitch, seem's I'm goin' take personal attention of this "

His Daobrunno said not unkindly, approaching from behind and raising the Maro's arms, he used the tip of his boot to push Maro's feet apart, guiding him back to a shooting position.

"Now nock another arrow, and remember boch, pull all the way back with your shoulders and not your arms "

" Oes daobrunno "

Maro muttered, reaching for his quiver to pull out another one of those arrows. He notched the butt of it to the string, breathing out he raised his bow and as he breathed in he pulled back the string with his shoulders.

" Good lad, now keep both eyes open, when you get to your first realy hunt you want to see everything, especially your prey. Remember what I said about where to hit when we started?"

Maro nodded, most times you wanted to hit animals like boards on their sides, wether at their vitals between their shoulders or through the neck, but not the head because boars had thick heads and small brains.

" Now, I'm gonna let you go....keep yer aim true on the boar and always remember to have a full draw else yer arrow might not reach it again much less penetrate"

Easy for his Daobrunno to say, it was tiring to keep it at full draw. Even without drawing the bow string it was difficult for a child like him to keep his shoulders in that position. But still, he didn't voice his complaint as he'd like to, instead keeping focus whilst his uncle stepped away. Once he thought he had it, he let go of the string as with a twang that brushed upon the fur of his sleeve, the arrow launched itself into the air and with a thud of against the target hit just the above the shoulders. By no means a clean shot, but it was a shot.

" Benne, Maro. Good shot, bit broad but a good shot"

Maro looked to his uncle with a skeptic look, his brow furrow with a sense of disappointment that young children tended to have at themselves or anything if they couldn't get something right.

" But it wasn't a clean shot"

HIs uncle nodded his head slowly in agreement before beginning to move his lips

" No, it isn't, but you hit it and that is what is important for now, with more practice you'll giving boars and the like a quick merciful death and feed the fami at the same time"

Maro looked less unconvinced than before, though his eyes were still furrowed as he nodded to his uncle. Szelak seemed to withhold a sight, as if this was a result he could settle with.

" Right, now go call all your brunnos and baetas"

Which included his cousins no doubt.

" Time to continue practice."

[Maro Seran]

As soon all his cousins were back, the shot arrows regathered and all took position once more, training resumed under the watchful eyes of Szelak and one of the other adults. Maro still felt annoyed of course, for one thing he didn't get a break, and for another, he still had not managed a clean shot. Of course, his other agemates had not managed many clean shots as well but that didn't change the fact that at least a few of them did.

Especially stupid Nanja! She was the first to get a clean shot today, and Nanja was the littlest here! Yes, Maro was feeling particularly petulant as he nocked another arrow, trying to keep calm as he pulled back his shoulders, breathing in as he did so. Both eyes kept open as to keep a clear vision of the fake boar.

releasing his grip, the arrow flew with another twang amongst many, the shaft flying through the air and with a thunk of wood against wood sruck the target's flank. Maro could feel his temper rising, he didn't like not being able to do something. He huffed out hot air from his nose, his brows furrowing deeper

"Maro, deep breaths"

Came his Daobrunno's voice, a chastising undertone whilst also reminding the lad to keep his calm. A hunter had to be calm, calm was what made the Seran what they were is what the adults said, even his oldest baeta started saying it the way the adults did when they were sure about something.

That in its own way was kind of annoying. Still, he breathed in again deeply, then out, his chest rising with each breath taken before exhaling again a number of times with each repeat. He didn't feel as irritated as before now, but... he was still irritated if that made any sense. He reached behind him again, pulling out another arrow, nocking it, pulled the string back with shoulders, taking another breath again. The arrow flew once more with a twang of the string, the head of it connected between what would have been a real boar's shoulder, were it a real boar, perhaps piercing cleanly through and striking a vital organ.

Maro whooped at that, raising his bow over his head as he hopped in place and looked towards his uncle whilst his other hand pointed towards the target.

"Daobrunno! I did it, I hit the target!"

He called out in joy, his uncle merely smiled whilst his eyes had that look of both pride and exasperation.

"Very good boch, now instead of distracting all your brunnos and baetas, why not continue practicing?" Get it down pat

Overjoyed accomplishment quickly switched over to pouty annoyance on Maro's face, a mumble word which sounded like 'fiiiiine' exiting his lips as he turned towards the target with an exaggerated huff. With another calming breath he repeated the motion, his mind going over through the steps almost nonchalantly as he pulled another arrow.

With another twang, the arrow flew and thudded against the snout of the boar. A flare of annoyance flashing across his face, but tempered by the knowledge he could get another clean shot in if he just tried.

And so he tried again.