Runaway Prince -- DNF

I Learn Archery

I'm following George through the wooded area behind his house. Across his back is a quiver full of arrows, and slung over his shoulder is a metal combat bow. It has a pulley system with three different strings, although I don't know what he needs three strings for.

"George," I huff as I duck under another branch and step over a log. "Where did you even get a bow like that? I thought only soldiers were allowed to carry those."

George looks back and watches as I stumble over the bushes. He gives a quiet chuckle before calling back, "You're right. Only soldiers are allowed to carry these. I stole it from my dad."

I stop and sit on the log I almost tripped over. "Your dad was a soldier?"

George pauses to turn around again and rolls his eyes at my sitting position. "Yeah. How else would he have the bow."

The sun is just coming up behind George and I can finally make out the clothes he is wearing. He has a dark jacket pulled over a blackish shirt. The jacket has multiple pockets with zippers and buttons. His pants are a dark blue, also sporting multiple pockets, and they are tucked into boots. The way he is standing shows his confidence. He raises an eyebrow at me and tucks his hands into his pants pockets. My eyes go wide at his stance and my face feels like it's heating up.

"We're almost there you big baby, let's go." The slowly rising sun illuminates the puff of hot air coming from his mouth as he talks.

I get back on my feet and follow him, tucking my hands into my jacket pocket, a jacket I had to borrow from Hugh's closet since all I had was a cloak. We exit the trees now standing in a field of weeds. We have a great view of the sunrise, it illuminates our faces and shines oranges and yellows across the greyish field before us.

George keeps walking, but tells me to find a good spot to watch. He takes the backpack from me that I had been lugging all the way here. I watch as he sets up 3 targets across from me. The first one is about 50 feet away, the next 30, and the last 20. George finds his way back to my side and looks up at me.

"So, this is what you do for archery?" I ask. George nods. "I thought we were going to be shooting a deer with how much you made me hike out here."

George chuckles. "You're so out of shape Clay. Especially for someone who has been on the run their whole life. Doesn't even know how to tie a bow." His last sentence is a little quieter, but I hear him. I choose to ignore it.

"Well, I'm just sneaky, that's all."

George shakes his head. "Yeah right! I could hear you from 50 miles away."

He is smiling as he mocks me for my inability to convince him of my stealth. I just can't get mad at his stupidly cute face. Cute?

I roll my eyes instead. "Alright, whatever. Are you gonna use that bow or not?"

George takes the bow off his shoulder and starts getting ready. He pulls a glove onto his hand, the glove only has 3 fingers on it, and it wraps around his wrist. He grabs an arrow out of his quiver and sets it on the bow before looking back over to me.

"You might want to step back a little."

I step behind him and watch as his arm tenses up. He pulls back the string and aims the arrow in the direction of the first target. I step to his left a little to see his face. He has one eye open. His left arm shakes from exertion and he slowly lets the string go back into place, arrow still sitting on the string.

"What?" I ask.

He sighs. "You're making me nervous."

I laugh. "I am?"