To Chase a Dream ⇾ Aloy

eight: a frustrating training and a new friend?

With a frustrated groan Lorea throws her bow to the ground, in that moment not caring how beautifully it's made and the expensive wood that has been used. She stomps off to her target and pulls her arrows out of it. Most are stuck in the ground surrounding it anyways so she makes quick work of gathering them.

She groans once again as she picks up the bow. It's light and is supposed to hold nicely in her hand, or so she can imagine. To her it feels too big, the string too tight and it feels uncomfortable to even hold it up. As it has always felt like and many people tried to teach her back when she was still a part of the Nora tribe. All of them failed.

Here she is again another teacher and another bow. Sparrow sits silently on a rock nearby, legs folded over each other. He remains silent even throughout her obvious and loud frustration. He watches as she pulls the bowstring back, nocks an arrow and after aiming, lets it fly. Her technique is almost flawless. He can see the many teachers she has had, weighing down on her. It's definitely not technique she lacks, it's something else entirely.

He speaks up after another missed arrow. "Lorea, stop." He gestures for her to come over. As soon as she does he takes the bow out of her hands and gives her a slingshot instead. "Try this."

After a quick explanation from Sparrow she once again finds herself facing the target, but this time to her glee and confusion without a bow. No teacher has ever done this before. What is he up to? She pulls back and aims for the target. The slingshot is lighter and easier to pull back. After a deep breath she lets go. The rock sails through the air. She prays to All Mother that she won't fail, because if she can't do this either than what can she actually do.

It hits the edge of the target.

Immediately she deflates. She carefully looks over to Sparrow, expecting a disappointed look. Instead she is greeted by a smile.

"Interesting isn't it?" He seems to ask her, but she has no idea what's so interesting.

"Me not hitting the centre again?"

He shakes his head. "No, look." He walks over, his tall form making her feel even smaller than she is. "With a bow it took you twelve tries to even hit the edge of the target." He proudly takes the slingshot from her hands. "While with this little thing it only took you one."

She still doesn't get it, not completely.

He sighs but his eyes still twinkle in excitement by his discovery. "It wasn't technique that was lacking while you were using the bow, it was comfort and passion to use the weapon. Its just like how you prefer axes over spears." He smiles at her. "You Lorea, are not one for subtlety. You need something that packs a punch."

She blinks in confusion at his speech. Well not completely confusion, more sheepishness. She could've figured that one out herself, yet she hadn't. In some way back at the Nora tribe, she had still tried to fit in by continuing to try a bow and arrows. Even as she has failed time and time again.

"Huh, good to know I like explosions and blowing stuff up."

He chuckles and holds out the sling for her to take. She eagerly does and the rest of the afternoon is spent practicing until her arms are sore. In the end she was very satisfied, because she managed to hit the centre of the target more than once. They are forced to stop when the sun disappears behind the mountains and it becomes hard to see the target.

"Ouch," Lorea mutters as she pulls herself over the edge and into her cave. Her arms burn from the long training, making the climb not a pleasant one. As soon as Sparrow hoists himself up into the cave, he starts to light the fire. Meanwhile she retreats to the back of the cave to wallow in the misery of her muscle ache.

The man shrugs off his long coat, exposing his broad arms to crisp evening air. He folds his legs over each other as he sits near edge, his steady gaze on the dark clouds in the distance. "A storm is approaching," he comments.

A hum of acknowledgment is all he gets from the girl and he returns to fire. Fully prepared to start making dinner. That's when a loud crack echoes through the night. Immediately he's up on his feet, noticing the large explosion coming from nearby.

He frowns. "I'll check it out." He feels naked without his swords, but his wound still hasn't completely healed. He can't take out a bandit camp on his own just yet. When he notices Lorea standing up and joining him he protests. "No, whatever that was, it's big. You're staying here."

Although Lorea is not one for taking no for an answer she leans back and watches him climb down. He winces as he lands on his bad leg, but takes off running anyway, ignoring the pain flaring up with every step.

She scoffs and rolls her eyes. "He won't last a minute in a fight." She lowers herself over the edge and swiftly climbs down. "You ready orbs?"

A thrill is his answer.

It makes her smile brightly and follows his directions as he tracks Sparrow. She's well into the forest when rain starts to pour from the sky, darkening the world even further. It drowns out the sounds of the nearby fight so she's surprised when a dying scrapper lands before her feet. Her axes are in her hands in a flash and she jumps right into the fight. She throws one right between a machine's lenses, while diving away from another. An arrow slows it down and she finishes it with her remaining axe.

A redhead appears and she fires arrow after arrow. Her aim quick and precise. Leaving Lorea in awe as she grabs her axes and stabs a machine, its lights sputtering before fading. The other girl is onto the next machine before Lorea can blink.

"Whoa," she mumbles as she summons her axes back to her. She immediately jumps back into the fray. From then on it becomes a flurry of metal, diving away and bright red hair for Lorea. She moves on autopilot, slashing and hacking away. Avoiding to the best of her abilities and taking as many down as she can manage.

Between the three of them it doesn't take long before the last one is down, shot by an arrow fired from the redhead's bow. For a moment there is no sound except their own breathing and the rain beating down upon them. They're drenched to the bone, clothes clinging to all their bodies in an uncomfortable manner, hair is no more than strands that stick to their skin.

As soon as Sparrow is able to breathe properly again he whirls on Lorea, wearing a frown on his face. "I told you to stay."

Lorea huffs. "What about a thank you? I saved you, more than once, in that fight and what was I supposed to do let you get killed?"

"It is not what I asked."

"Do you seriously think I ever listened to anyone?" Her voice raises in frustration. "I'm not a child and I'm definitely not your child so why should I?"

He growls in frustration at her sharp words. She's close to hitting him where it hurts most, but just far enough that he can still breathe and not lash out. "It doesn't matter, does it? You followed and you didn't die. Let's get back before we become sick."

Although she is still angry she hasn't forgotten about the stranger. The actual reason Sparrow stupidly jumped into the rain. "What about her?"

He turns to look at the redhead as he leans on a nearby tree. "She can come along if she wishes."

The stranger nods. "Yes, thank you."

With that they return to the cave, Lorea's cave, with three instead of the usual two.