Destiny of Fire: The Normality (WotP)

Chapter 19: Abigale Newton

"If you know archery so well, why don't you pick up your bow and shoot at the target? If you take any more than five seconds and if you don't hit a bullseye, you are no longer the person who I'll ask to teach me archery. I bet mother does it better than you," I challenged my father.

"I gratefully accept your challenge," The man responded.

"Alright, your time begins now," I said, smirking.

My father looked confused, probably because I had started the time with his bow not so close to him and so far away, across the small open field in the middle of a forest, resting against a tree. He started rushing over, and reached the bow in ten second's time, as he was an incredibly fast runner, and then shot the target from behind, and I watched as an arrow struck it, and the tip just poked out of the front of the target.

To say I was shocked was an understatement. He had only taken around two seconds to aim, for me I had to take a minute all the way up to ten minutes. "How did you— how did..." I started.

My father just started to fall over laughing at my shocked expression. "Do you bet mother is a better archer than me still? If you still want to have a bet on that, I'd be fine with taking some of your gold coins you got there," he said through bouts of laughter.

I gave him a frowny-face (at least I tried to, but I was failing and I hardly held back a small chuckle in between my clenched teeth) and narrowed my eyes at him. "I never bet on coins, only on bragging rights. Besides, I don't even have any coins. Plus that was a poorly done father joke," I groaned.

"Father joke? That wasn't a 'father joke'. All of my so-called 'father jokes' ain't rubbish," my father laughed back, trying to act serious but failing hilariously.

I snorted and retorted, "really? I've heard some real rubbish come out of your mouth before."

It looked like he was about to say something, then just smiled and shook his head, then looked towards the ground. "One more arrow. If you take too long to aim and if you don't get a bullseye, you'll have to shoot three more," He sighed.

"But what if I want to shoot three more?" I asked.

He gave out a small laugh, looking back up at me and then deciding something before saying, "how about if you do take a short time to aim, fix that stance of yours, and you get a bullseye, I'll take you hunting on the morrow."

I smiled and gasped, "yes, sir!" Then my heart was so full of joy, and I heard the arrow being shifted into the right place in a split second and then my hands raised the bow, and then aimed right at the center of the target.

My dad was counting down right next to me, obviously getting the sign that I was accepting his offer and I was aiming at the target right now.

"Three," My father exclaimed. I focused and narrowed my eyes, staring into the target. If my eyes were an arrow, it would hit bullseye right there and then.

"Two," My father called again, starting to get impatient. I continued to stare into the target, watching the bullseye carefully as if it could teleport somewhere else at any moment.

"One..." My father pulled out, wincing at the fact that I was still aiming. He probably wanted to take me hunting overall, and was upset at the fact that I had failed him, that I was a failure...

"FIRE!" My father yelled, going crazy over the fact I hadn't shot my arrow yet and let it fly loose from the bowstring.

By the sudden shout, I gasped and felt my hand slip, and the arrow flew through the arrow, making a fwhoop sound.

It hit right next to the bullseye, but it didn't hit in the exact middle. I was outraged, and turned to face my father sternly. "Why'd you shout?" I asked, voice sounding like that of a little kid, despite the fact that I was of the age twenty-two. Why I hadn't married yet was because I never was really into that sort of thing. I just was disgusted at the idea of falling in love. A better way to put it was that I had no sexual feelings nor ever had any romantic emotions. An even better way to put it was that I was ace, and I was quite proud of it. I wore it like a badge of honor.

He just shrugged and said, "you weren't shooting the bow, you were only aiming. If it weren't for my shout, and if that target was your game, then it would've run away already."

My dad's intelligence was not his strong point.

I scowled back, "if that target was an animal, it would've run away indeed. Not from how long I took but from your shout."

"Well you got me there, little bear cub," my father chuckled, and I couldn't help but let out a small giggle with him. He was one of those special people who had a contagious laugh, and you couldn't hold down at least a smile when he laughed. 'Little bear cub' was the nickname that my father had given me ever since I was young. I loved that nickname, for it constantly reminded me of the name that the other hunters in Tuvroya called my father. 'The Great Bear', they called him. They called him that glorious name because he had the strength of a thousand bears, or the king bear, as my mother put it. The king bear was the strongest bear in the world, and it was only a legend in Tuvroya, no one else knew of it, or at least that was what my mom told me.

The king bear legend was my favorite to hear, and it was a tale my mother told me about every night. I didn't know if it was written down in a book in ink or anything, but as far as my mother said, hunters far and wide sang songs about the king bear, and the story was told all throughout Tuvroya.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hey folks! Hope you enjoyed part one of Abigale Newton's chapter!
Sorry for the like... REALLY late update! I've been busy on final exams recently and also happy pride month!

Have an unbelievably wonderful day everyone and goodbyeeeee!

(1831 words)