[open] I shot the target

[onlyhymns]

WHO: Cade and his archery babies
WHAT: the result of this
WHEN: early Harvestmere
WHERE: the training area
NOTES:will add as needed

I. Setup

A lot needs to be done for the proper testing of any initiates: there are already targets available, but not moving ones. Practice bows and a whole lot of dulled arrows need to be found, or made, for the people who don't have their own.
And if they're going to do this, they're going to do it right. With Nari's help, something of a pop-up skeet-shooting range is being constructed, involving her miniature siege engines and a plethora of chipped ceramic flatware.
Maybe a local sculptor can help by making some birds with mean faces.

II. The First Morning

Cade is there a little after sunrise, standing straight and trying not to look nervous, his bow over his shoulder and his eyes alert as he waits-- hopes-- for people to show up. If they do, he asks them in his quiet, serious voice to demonstrate their skill, if any. If they admit to having none, that's a different conversation, but one he's equally willing to have.

III. Misc

For anyone who wants to interact with Cade separately on the subject.

for D'Artagnan

It's late afternoon when Cade comes to the Watch office, looking military as ever himself, and clears his throat while handing a rolled-up parchment to D'Artagnan.
"I thought," he says quietly, resisting an 'um', "this might be of some use to you and your men."

Comments

[connorrk800]

Connor returns Cade's grin. The warmth quickly fades as he takes his position, being replaced with a serious and grave gaze as he looks down to the targets. He takes a few shots, all hitting the target in a small cluster vaguely around the middle, a few striking true to centre. There is an unnatural grace to his posture but his movements are too rigid and inhibited. It's as though, in trying to be perfect in everything, he has no flow and it is holding him back.

He returns to Cade clearly trying to hide his disappointment. "I need more practice, I know," he shrugs. "Am I good enough to join the class?"

[onlyhymns]

Cade seems startled by the question, having watched him without comment. "...yes," he answers, as if he isn't sure what Connor was actually asking, "that's... that's what it's for." If everyone already knew how to shoot perfectly, why would they need him?
"You have the basics. It won't be hard to train them up."

[connorrk800]

Connor can feel his face becoming warm. He had never had to learn anything before. There was a task he had to perform, he would complete it and either succeed or fail. Right now he can't tell which of these describes his performance. Intellectually, he supposes that this is normal... Humans had to develop skills, and not doing everything right the first time was to be expected. Failure wouldn't result in... well, he wouldn't think about that.

"Oh," he says. The dejection is heavy in his voice along with a note of... fear. "What... do I do now?"

[onlyhymns]

Cade reads Connor's fear and is concerned by it, but manages to keep his own anxiety under wraps by taking a deep breath. "You..." he begins, and then smiles faintly, in a way he hopes is reassuring, "...you learn."
Removing his own bow from its strap on its back, Cade holds it in front of Connor, angling himself such that the man can get a good look at his hands' positioning. "Like this," he instructs, using his right hand to point at the grip of his left.