Post by Shadow on Apr 23, 2004 20:52:12 GMT -5
It was still an hour until the rise of the sun during the darkest of night. The dark form, no taller than a young and growing lad in his late teens, wearing black leathers and tunic, black boots. The belt at the waist of this form holding a pouch that usually held a days victuals, on one side and on the other a curved hunting blade. The head covered in a slouch hat that came low over the eyes, just showing the features to be that of a young person. Having learned the path to take thru the passage, dark with many twists and turns, false trails laid to dead ends finally slipped away from the Castle walls.
Standing still as the castle dogs hearing the steps of boots on the path come running up silent in their pursuit, until they get wind of the Form's scent with a quiet word from the form and the atitude of the animals change from one of hunter to that of friend. Shadow kneels on one knee petting the animals and from a pouch at the left waist takes a few treats feeding them to the dogs, as always on these early morning welcomings from them, then sends them back on their way with the command of patrol.
Coming up off of the knee that had been knelt upon and brusing off the leather of the dew that still formed on the budding new grasses, Shadow went on toward the Training pits. Because of the recent trouble of the Frank Sailors these trips to the pits had been curtailed and with the change a new path thru the passages had to be learned.
Taking a practice bow from the rack, examining it for wear and then bending it stringing the hearts string to the notches at the top to hold its shape. Twanging the string listening to the sound it makes, then taking a quiver full of practice arrows slinging them over the head and shoulder of its figure so that the quiver rested comfortable against the back. Walking over to the Archery targets, taking an arrow from the quiver and notching it to the string of the bow held with the right hand between the first and second fingers as they curled around the string holding the bow with the left hand and lifting up the left arm straight out the bow up right drawing back the string to the right cheek taking a deep breath and releasing it slightly, eyes kept always on the target, lets the arrow fly.
The arrow makes a soft noise as it flies thru the air and hits the target, although not in any kind of scoring position. Lowering the bow head bowed thinking about what was not right, draws another arrow and sets up this time placing booted feet further apart and in a more proper stance. Drawing back the string once again this time further than before until hand is slightly behind the ear, this draw hard on arms not used to such need of strength but holding steady, with eyes again on the target, the fingers of the right hand spring free and the arrow is shot forward the string hums and vibrates . This time it lands inside the taget circle.
With a slow nod, the time is well spent practicing this distance shot perfecting the aim, until a lightening of the sky catches the attention of the bowman. Turning to the eastern skies the first grey predawn light edges the horizon. Quickly gathering up the spent arrows and placing them back in the quiver, unstring the bow and putting both items back where they belong. The lithe figure sets off toward the castle keeping to the shadows, an eye out on the roof of the castle watching for when the Guard passes the castlations closest to the form's postion, when the guard passes and there is no alarm given the Shadow form slides once more along the Castle wall seeking the entrance and gliding into the black passages following the pathways back the way it had come.
Standing still as the castle dogs hearing the steps of boots on the path come running up silent in their pursuit, until they get wind of the Form's scent with a quiet word from the form and the atitude of the animals change from one of hunter to that of friend. Shadow kneels on one knee petting the animals and from a pouch at the left waist takes a few treats feeding them to the dogs, as always on these early morning welcomings from them, then sends them back on their way with the command of patrol.
Coming up off of the knee that had been knelt upon and brusing off the leather of the dew that still formed on the budding new grasses, Shadow went on toward the Training pits. Because of the recent trouble of the Frank Sailors these trips to the pits had been curtailed and with the change a new path thru the passages had to be learned.
Taking a practice bow from the rack, examining it for wear and then bending it stringing the hearts string to the notches at the top to hold its shape. Twanging the string listening to the sound it makes, then taking a quiver full of practice arrows slinging them over the head and shoulder of its figure so that the quiver rested comfortable against the back. Walking over to the Archery targets, taking an arrow from the quiver and notching it to the string of the bow held with the right hand between the first and second fingers as they curled around the string holding the bow with the left hand and lifting up the left arm straight out the bow up right drawing back the string to the right cheek taking a deep breath and releasing it slightly, eyes kept always on the target, lets the arrow fly.
The arrow makes a soft noise as it flies thru the air and hits the target, although not in any kind of scoring position. Lowering the bow head bowed thinking about what was not right, draws another arrow and sets up this time placing booted feet further apart and in a more proper stance. Drawing back the string once again this time further than before until hand is slightly behind the ear, this draw hard on arms not used to such need of strength but holding steady, with eyes again on the target, the fingers of the right hand spring free and the arrow is shot forward the string hums and vibrates . This time it lands inside the taget circle.
With a slow nod, the time is well spent practicing this distance shot perfecting the aim, until a lightening of the sky catches the attention of the bowman. Turning to the eastern skies the first grey predawn light edges the horizon. Quickly gathering up the spent arrows and placing them back in the quiver, unstring the bow and putting both items back where they belong. The lithe figure sets off toward the castle keeping to the shadows, an eye out on the roof of the castle watching for when the Guard passes the castlations closest to the form's postion, when the guard passes and there is no alarm given the Shadow form slides once more along the Castle wall seeking the entrance and gliding into the black passages following the pathways back the way it had come.
