Kael spent the next several days in dedicated archery practice. His initial shots had been wildly inaccurate, but he was nothing if not persistent. He set up a target – a large piece of soft bark propped against a tree stump – and methodically practiced drawing, aiming, and releasing.
His 'Bow Proficiency (Rank F)' skill provided a baseline, but true accuracy required muscle memory and a deep understanding of the bow's quirks. His STR of 5 still made drawing the Crude Shortbow a strain, and holding it steady while aiming was a significant challenge. He quickly learned that archery was as much about consistent form and breath control as it was about strength.
He retrieved his precious Sylphwing-fletched arrows after each volley, thankful for the "small chance to recover arrows" aspect of his proficiency skill, though he still had to search for them in the undergrowth frequently. The 'Increased Accuracy (Minor)' and 'Increased Range (Minor)' properties of the arrows were noticeable when compared to a few unfletched shafts he'd experimented with out of curiosity – those flew even more erratically.
Slowly, painstakingly, his groupings on the target began to tighten. What started as arrows scattered across a wide area gradually became a cluster, still off-center, but a cluster nonetheless. He focused on his stance, his grip, the way he released the sinew bowstring. His 'Keen Mind' helped him analyze each shot, making micro-adjustments.
[System Notification: Consistent practice with Crude Shortbow. 'Bow Proficiency (Rank F)' proficiency increased.]
This notification popped up frequently, a small encouragement each time. He wasn't gaining XP directly from target practice, but improving the skill was an investment in his future ability to hunt more effectively and safely.
One afternoon, while he was practicing, a new element introduced itself to his routine. A flock of noisy, crow-like birds, their feathers a glossy black, began to gather in the trees overlooking his practice area. They cawed and chattered, seemingly observing his efforts with a mixture of curiosity and disdain. Kael tried to ignore them, but their constant commentary was distracting.
Then, one of the birds, bolder than the rest, swooped down and attempted to snatch one of his arrows that had missed the target and landed a short distance away.
"Hey!" Kael shouted, waving his arms. The bird, startled, veered off, cawing indignantly.
He nocked an arrow, not intending to shoot the bird, but to scare it and its companions away. He aimed vaguely in their direction, well above them, and loosed the arrow. It sailed harmlessly into the upper branches, but the sudden movement and the thwack of the arrow hitting wood sent the flock scattering with loud, alarmed cries.
[System Notification: You have successfully deterred nuisance wildlife (Shadow Crows x7) using intimidation (ranged weapon display). Minor increase to CHA-based interactions with non-hostile, low-INT creatures in this territory for a short duration.]
Kael blinked. CHA-based interactions? He hadn't expected that. His Charisma was still at its base of 5. It seemed even a failed shot could have unintended consequences in this System-driven world.
The Shadow Crows, as the System had named them, didn't stay away for long. They were intelligent and opportunistic. They seemed to learn that he wasn't a direct threat to them as long as they kept a certain distance. Soon, they resumed their noisy observation, occasionally swooping down to investigate a stray arrow, but always retreating if he made a threatening gesture. They became a strange, feathered audience to his daily practice.
One day, after a particularly frustrating session where his shots seemed to be going wider than usual, Kael sat down in exasperation. One of the Shadow Crows, perched on a branch nearby, let out a series of caws that sounded suspiciously like laughter.
Kael glared at it. "Easy for you to say," he muttered. "You can fly."
He picked up the Sylphwing Quill, which he often kept nearby during practice, hoping its subtle influence might aid his focus. As he held it, an idea, born of frustration and a flash of insight, came to him. The quill was for fletching, for accuracy, for air. Could it do more than just enhance his arrows? Could it somehow guide his perception of air currents, of trajectory?
He closed his eyes, holding the quill, and tried to visualize the arrow's flight path, not just as a straight line, but as a journey through the air, affected by wind, by gravity, by the subtle imperfections of his bow and his release. He focused on the feeling of the air around him, a skill he hadn't consciously tried to develop before.
When he opened his eyes and nocked another arrow, something felt slightly different. The air didn't seem like an empty void, but a medium with texture, with subtle currents. He drew, aimed, and released.
The arrow flew truer than any he had shot that day, striking much closer to the center of his target.
It wasn't magic, not yet. But it was a connection, a deeper level of awareness. The Sylphwing Quill was more than just a crafting component; it was a key, slowly unlocking senses he hadn't known he possessed. The path to becoming a true archer, he realized, involved not just mastering the bow, but understanding the unseen forces that governed an arrow's flight. And perhaps, even understanding the mocking crows.