Caidoz

Chapter 44

~Cancer

"Minor," I asked.
"What?" He drew back another arrow and sent it hurtling straight at the target. It missed the center mark by only inches. I curled my fingers in the grass. Procyon stood behind him, a little off to his left, his arms crossed over his chest.
"Enjoying the view or something?" He snickered and drew back his drawstring. But before he released, Procyon's elbow dug into his ribs. It completely messed up his aim and sent his arrow high into the branches.

"Agh!" He cried out in irritation, turning to glare at Procyon, who looked at him with an expression of stone. "That was my last arrow, Dodge!"
Procyon shrugged. "What if there was an enemy behind you that was trying to save his ally? I'm pretty sure that he also wouldn't have been as kind as to only use an elbow over his blade. You should thank me," he said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm just creating the situation."

Minor chuckled. "I guess you make a pretty point." He placed his bow over his chest. "You can tell me what's up when I come back from getting my arrows, Cancer." He went up to the target. We had arrived a few moments ago at village's training clearing, the entrance marked by the pelts of animals. Over three dozen people were waiting nearby. Minor definitely wasn't joking when he said half the entire village was waiting for him to show up.

"Ah, my good friends," Minor said. "No need to wait on me to catch some training; I'll at my target the entire time, if you have need of my grace." He said this aloud, probably for the benefit of Procyon and myself, but also transcribed it through the previous language of his snapping fingers and strange gestures.
An Ursinian man took one look at him while he spoke and seemed to restrain himself from bemusement as he bowed in front of him with the rest of the crowd.

"That was an interesting look..." Minor murmured under his breath.
"I bet that, with Minor's regular attendance, he's just surprised that Minor actually knows that a practice range exists," Procyon whispered in my ear.

He then led us through the training area to the archery range, and the crowd dispersed to their sections behind us. I saw Ursinians moving off to grab small hand axes as they charged at one another. Another group blocked each other's defenses with large spears. Procyon's ears prick up when we heard the sound of clashing blades.

"They train with daggers here?" He asked Minor, glancing at the pair of young boys as they circled one another, watching their opponent carefully.
"Huh? Oh yeah," Minor said, shrugging without much appreciation. "We call them knives."
Procyon shot him a glare, his fingers squeezing his weapon hilts, as if to cover their ears from the words. "There's a difference between knives and daggers, Minor." He then growled under his breath what seemed an apology to his weapons.

His eyes lingered on the young boys, and he stopped to watch, head tilting slowly. I clasped Minor's shoulder and got his attention. He turned around and somewhat glared at Procyon.
"Dodge, come on, let's go," He said.
"I think I want to watch them for a while," Procyon said. "You guys can go on, I'll catch up later."

"Aw, I get that you wouldn't want to watch me tear up the targets. I guess Cancer can go watch the athletic Minor alone, Dodge," he said loudly, with a large smirk. "I bet she'll learn a few things." He raised his brows, smirking. "I suppose you'll come along now... right, dear brother?"

The targets were in a column to our left as we approached, as were their archers. Behind them, on the right, benches carved from split logs rested. I raised my brows when I saw young children watching the practicing warriors, squirming only but a little in their seats. Minor noticed my expression.

"Something up?" He followed my gaze, and his eyes took on a look of understanding. "Oh, them? Their parents make them sit there. It was Muscida's idea originally, kinda like cubs watching their mother bear to learn.