Target Practice

Proximite had been letting arrows fly across the field and into the targets for hours. He still didn't think he would be able to move up a rank if he didn't give enough effort. As he reached behind his back to his quiver, he felt he had depleted his supply of arrows. "Out of arrows already?" he asked himself, not aware he had been there for hours.

I walked into the training grounds, I needed to keep practicing. As the Captain of the Archers, I had to set a good example. I noticed there was someone else training her though. He was one of the Lower Ranked Archers. I notched an arrow and released it, hitting the dead centre of the target. I was happy with that. I fired a few more arrows and they all landed around the first arrow.

He glanced over to a female elf that had just arrived.
Well, I bet she couldn't even hit the tar-
Proxy watched as her first shot arrow hit the target with precision, hitting the target dead in the center. He saw that she also made her other shot arrows embed themselves right next to the previous ones. Proxy glanced at his target. All of the arrows were a few inches away from the center.

I lowered my bow and smiled to myself. Yup, I still had it in me. I looked over at the other guys work, it definitely could do with some improvement. I studied him for a moment, and I was certain he was one of the lower ranked archers, I had inspected him before, he just didn't recognise me. I also hadn't pointed out the fact that he wasn't saluting me. Admittedly, I wasn't in uniform, so he didn't have to recognise me. Still, it felt good to not be known. Even as a Captain, I still had a mischievous side, I decided I would mess with this kid for a while.

Proxy looked away as she turned her head towards him. He decided he needed to practice more. He can't just let some female elf beat him. He would show off his skills and she'd have to acknowledge him.

Proxy went to the rack of arrows and restocked his quiver. He strung one and exhaled. Proxy let it loose and it flew over the target.
Perfect shot.
He hung his head, not wanting to try and shoot another.

I smile as his arrow misses the target entirely. I turn to the boy and say to him, "The problem is you're firing it differently each time. Find a stationary object, like that tree. Use that as a guide, so keep adjusting your shot until you hit the centre. Then, use that tree as a guide so you know how to hold your bow and hopefully it should go to the same place." I aim again and hit another arrow into my group. I smile and walk down and pull out all of my arrows and drop them back into my quiver, which I had around my waist. I move back to the firing line. And then I fire another group. "See? It works."

Proxy studied this woman a little more critically then he first did. She did look a little older than he was, so her being more skilled was expected. Without a word, Proxy did as she instructed.
He notched another arrow, and fired. It didn't land as close to the center as he expected, but it was better than all the shots he had made earlier. He notched a few more, and fired, each shot getting just a little closer towards the center. He smiled as this tactic seemed to work.
Proxy was beaming when he faced the woman again.
"Thanks for that tip babe! You know, one day, you could be Captain of the Archers with your skill." Proxy said, flashing a flirtatious grin.

Wait... she looks a little like...

Proxy gulped.

Its the Captain!

"Uhh... I have to get back to my post!" he yelled, exiting quickly.