59th Ashan, 719
Cats prefer to find a safe, private place to give birth. It helps them to feel safe during the birthing process. They also like to be alone when they give birth, so do not be surprises if your cat disappears for a trial or two before showing up in an unused corner somewhere, with their litter. If you feel that you need to know where your cat is in case she has difficulty with the birth, try looking in small out of the way places. Under the bed, in closets that aren't used much, up in the hay loft if you have a barn...all of these places are possible locations your cat may find worthy nesting places to give birth in.
Ari'sora looked up from the book she had borrowed from the library. Part of her did want to know where Shadow had decided to have her litter. But she respected her friend too much to ask, or to go looking for potential places where she might hide. Shadow wasn't like a normal cat, after all. She could talk, and if she needed help once she went into labor, Ari'sora trusted that she would call for her. With that comforting thought in mind, Ari'sora set her book aside, and turned her attention to a different book.
This one was about archery, and more specifically, the shortbow. To her surprise, Ari'sora had found that she truly liked learning about her chosen weapon. There was something almost soothing in the act of drawing and releasing a bow. And while she knew it would be different if she ever had to fight, simple target practice was proving to be very calming in some ways.
There are many different kinds of arrowheads. Two of the more common types are bodkin heads, and broadhead arrowheads. Bodkin heads are simple spikes made of metal of various shapes. These arrowheads are designed to pierce armor. Broadhead arrowheads are usually either triangular or leaf-shaped and have sharpened edges. They are commonly used for hunting.
Ari'sora paused in her reading to take some notes on the different types of arrowheads. It was something she had never even considered before. Did the type of arrowhead on an arrow affect the cost to buy it? Was there a particular type of arrow that was good in every situation, or would she have to keep a supply of several different kinds with her whenever she wanted to use her bow? Ari'sora jotted her questions down along with her notes so that she would remember them and be able to ask Simone the next time she saw her teacher. Then she went back to her reading.
Bowstrings can be made out of silk, plant materials such as flax, or hemp, or animal parts such as guts, sinews, or rawhide.
That was more food for thought. Ari'sora stared at the words on the page as she wondered what type of material made the best kind of bowstring, and if different materials were good in different situations the same way different arrowheads were.
"I'm home! Did you miss me?"
Ari'sora winced as her sister announced her arrival in a loud voice. Rin'saia had just settled in for her nap, and she was hoping to go out and get some target practice in for a break or two. That wouldn't be possible if Mi'zuri woke her daughter up with all of that shouting. Once Rin'saia woke up from her nap, she wouldn't be going back to sleep again until it was her bedtime...no matter how long or short her nap was.
When Mi'zuri entered the living room, Ari'sora welcomed her home quietly.
"Rin'saia's asleep." she rebuked softly.
Mi'zuri's eyes widened in dismay.
"Sorry about that. I'll be quieter, I promise."
Ari'sora waited for a few bits to see if Rin'saia had woken up, but when she didn't start crying, she figured she was safe.
"Do you mind watching Rin'saia for a break or two? I was hoping to get some shortbow practice in while she was asleep. I won't be gone too long, and with any luck, she will be asleep the whole time I'm gone."
"As long as it's just for a few breaks, I would be happy to. I have plans later this evening though, so don't stop at the library, or Scholar's Nook on your way back, okay?"
Ari'sora laughed.
"I won't, I promise. If I did, I would probably get caught up in something interesting, and be gone until they close for the trial."
"And you'd feel the need to bring back half the books they have when they did kick you out." Mi'zuri teased.
"You might be right about that. Oh, by the way. Do you remember that I told you that I took up shortbow lessons as well as my sword lessons?"
Ari'sora nodded.
"Well I learned something in class totrial...the hard way. Whatever you do, don't ever dry fire a bow."
"What does dry fire mean?"
"Oh, sorry. That means releasing a string without an arrow nocked. And I mean it. Don't do it. Ever. If you do, releasing the string without an arrow nocked transfers energy back to the limbs instead of the arrow. And that...is bad. When I tried it, the bow I was borrowing flew apart, and Simone had a fit. She told me that I was lucky that I didn't injure anyone nearby with my idiocy."
Ari'sora's eyes widened.
"I'll keep that in mind." she promised.
Since her sister was willing to babysit, Ari'sora set aside the book she had been reading, and got the bow that one of their neighbors had let her borrow. She wasn't sure how good it was, since it was his first attempt at making a bow since he had graduated from being an apprentice at his uncle's shop, but it would hopefully work for target practice.
"I'll be back in a break or two."
With that, she made her way to the field where Simone had some targets set up for her classes.
