Xion listened attentively and her eyes shone a little at the mention of special handcrafted arrows. She looked back at her quiver and realized how much those arrows could cost. She looked down at her hands but followed Maria obediently. The bag was a little heavy on her shoulders but it got lighter as she struggled with it more.
“I might need some help with how to hold the bow since I’ve never really shot an arrow before…” Xion told her sheepishly as they strolled the streets to get back to the training area.
With both of them ready for training, the two quietly left the room and out the home. Once again, the two were walking the silent streets and made their way towards the training area. At Xion’s mention about holding the bow, the archer gave her a smile of assurance. For any first timer, holding the bow was just as difficult as shooting one, but it was also the quickest lesson in the art.
“Don’t worry, I’ll show you all that you need to know.” She answered. “With my help, you’ll be shooting arrows in no time.”
Before long, the duo reached the woods. A small breeze blew through the trees, and the quiet din of a few animals echoed within the depths. Maria led the way through the familiar path, before they reached the clearing. There, a few targets were posted on the trees as well as a spare arrow bag she left previously. “Here we are.” She nodded as she moved out of the trees and into the clearing. “Come, we’ll get set up at the first target posted.”
Xion’s nervousness grew as they get closer to the woods. As she stepped into the woodlands, Xion realized how small she was compared to the gigantic trees. She was wondering if she could actually shoot a target if it were on the top of the trees.
As they reached the clearing, Xion realized how quiet it had gotten. There were birds singing but other than the rustles of wind, she knew they were all alone. It was an open space, which means if an enemy were to come, they’d be in great disadvantage for an ambush. But it was a nice clearing and the sun seemed to peek only a little from the lush green leaves.
“R-Right! I’ll help you set the first targets… how, exactly?” Xion was grateful for the warrior’s help and she wanted to help as best as she could.
"Simple. We just post a few more on the nearby trees." Maria explained as she walked over to the other bag of targets. Underneath it were a few more paper targets to post. She set down her own bag and picked up the papers as well as a few tacks to place on the trees. "Though we already have a few on the trees close to us, I also want to post some on the trees further away for practice."
With a smile, she handed Xion a few of the papers. "The faster we post these up, the sooner we can start practicing. Since it is pretty quiet here, we also have the chance to take in the sights and sounds of the forest. One of the main things to know when practicing this art is knowing your surroundings and becoming attuned to them."
