Training Can Be Therapeutic (Ember)

Ember smiled. ''My sister's friend has loads of creatures..she just won't tell me what as they're a bit extreme.'' She said, laughing softly before tilting her head. ''That she is...The funny thing is her name means Dream in latin and my sister's wolf dog is called Tantibus. Means Nightmare in latin..'' Ember said, burying her face in Quies' fur. Looking at Nelle as she shot the arrow before listening out for a thump and there it was. ''Two trees back. That's where the arrow is.'' She told Nelle before glancing back at her. ''You're concentrating too much. Imagine the bow being apart of your arm, simply an extension.''

"I like animals," Nelle said quietly, her eyes again focused on the wolf next to Ember. "They are far less complicated that people. Even the vicious ones, they're that way for a simple and pretty legitimate reason." She laughed slightly as the revelation about the animal's name, "So is she the nice one of the pair?" She asked, gesturing with her hand toward Quies. The Hufflepuff wasn't much of a people person, though she spent a lot of time around people. She talked and laughed along with them, but she hid the fact that she would rather be alone. "I don't mind talking to you. You're far less annoying that the Huf-" She cut herself off quickly. "You quite easy to talk to," she ammended, a small smile gracing her lips.

Her brow furrowed as she thought about what Ember meant. How was she supposed to hit the target without concentrating? Reaching into the quiver that was hidden beneath her robe and drew another arrow. She had a large supply, but as she made them by hand she tried to retrieve as many as she could. Looking at Ember, she drew the string and released it straight afterward. This time she heard the familiar thud that meant she had hit the board, but when she looked she frowned. The arrow was a mere half inch from having on the same way as the last. "That's not too much better.."

''As do I...People are annoying.'' Ember muttered and nodded at the question, her hands lacing into Quies' fur. ''Much nicer...When you tell Tantibus to attack, there will be no hesitation but Quies will hesitate to leave you to think about the action.'' Ember explained, remembering the time Artemis had told Tantibus to attack...instead it killed and the pair just walked away leaving other animals to pick at the person. Hearing Nelle's words, she tilted her head and gave a tiny smile despite her mind telling her throw the skinning knife right between the girls' eyes. ''I don't mind talking to you either.'' The cutting herself off part bothered her for a moment but she shrugged it away. ''As are you.''

Watching Nelle stare at her as she tried again, Ember simply mumbled under her breath and stood up, walking over to behind the hufflepuff. Hitting her elbow, she made it point upwards and then tapped her fingers to indicate to loosen it up. She then moved to in front of Nelle, a risk yes but it's too help, she tapped the girl's chin. ''Loosen up, think of a tree. It's roots knowing where to go but the actual tree staying where it is...Think of that being you. You're the tree...your arm is the root and it knows where it needs to go.'' She whispered softly.

Nelle found what Ember said interesting. The animal seemed so beautiful, and she couldn't picture her actually attacking someone. Then again, when people looked at her they usually saw a harmless Hufflepuff. Sometimes she thought that people were stupid, for presuming so much about others, but if they didn't she wouldn't have been able to slip by unnoticed. "That would be a bit crazy? What if it was just said in anger, and then next minute the person is dead," for some reason, Nelle's lips curved in to a smile at the though. Again, it was the thought of controlling someone's length of life that had her smiling. Shaking her head, knowing that they weren't good thoughts to have, Nelle returned her focus to Ember and her wolf. "Where does she sleep? In the castle, or out here?"

Although the idea of someone behind her and out of her sight put her on edge, Nelle focused on what Ember was doing. Raising her elbow and loosening her fingers, she listened to the words that seemed so pretty. Taking a breath, the girl focused on letting it out along with the tension in her shoulders and back. After she was sure she was relaxed, the Hufflepuff thought about what Ember had said without concentrating too hard. Without looking toward the target, or Ember she nodded slowly, "Alright."

Ember stared back at her wolf with a protective but loving gaze. ''Then it would've been their mistake to even talk angrily to me.'' A coldish smirk grew on Ember's face as she thought of her kills. She usually was innocent, to hide how insane she was so her closest friends didn't even know. ''Sometimes in my dorm and sometimes out here. She gets on well with the wolf pack nearby so she usually stays there.'' She explained.

Ember watched the girl do as she told her and then took a step back. ''Shoot..'' She whispered, her eyes on the arrow with hawk like concentration. The arrow hitting the target was always the most beautiful thing Ember could ever achieve and teaching someone to shoot the same way she did, made a tiny smile form, giving her the look of innocence.

Nelle frowned and shook her head, “You misunderstood. I meant that if you said it in anger, without really meaning it. I’ve told my brother numerous times that I want to kill him, but I would never really want to.” The Hufflepuff had not been aware of a wolf pack nearby, but she was glad to hear that Quies had a place that she felt comfortable outside of Ember’s rooms. “So what were you doing out here, anyway?” the girl asked, raking a section of hair back behind her ear.

When she was sure that the Gryffindor was no longer in her line of fire, Nelle released the arrow without much thought. That’s what Ember had suggested, right? She heard the same thud and looked to see an arrow, sitting just inside the centre circle. “Not perfect, but a lot closer than the first,” Nelle said quietly. She was sure that if she hadn’t already been as good with a bow already, she’d have never gotten it even near the centre. “I definitely think that’s something worth practicing,” she said, smiling at Ember.

Ember sighed. ''Sorry...and whenever i tell people i want them dead, It's always the truth and sometimes even a promise.'' She said, a slight dark smirk on her face. ''I was hunting..I sometimes catch dinner for Hogwarts when my sister isn't doing it.'' She explained, pointing to the dead rabbits and a pheasant next to Quies. ''I take it you're out here to just shoot arrows.''

Hearing the familiar thud, Ember smiled and nodded slowly. ''It took me a while to get it so i'm sure you'll get it soon. You seem like a quick learner so even better.'' She told Nelle and clicked her fingers, causing Quies to actually retrieve the arrows and she trotted towards Nelle, dropping them on the floor in front of her. ''You just got to remember to loosen up and that the bow is simply an extension.'' She told Nelle, a faint smile on her face as Quies pressed against her thigh.

“Fair enough,” Nelle said, thankful that Ember didn’t seem to want her dead. She wasn’t scared at all, but she did see the ability in both the girl and her familiar. Fortunately, the Hufflepuff didn’t feel the need to dwell on that subject as the girl began to explain what she was doing in the forest. “I didn’t know that some of the food was collected on the grounds. Not that I’ve ever really thought of where the food comes from.” Nelle laughed at her own antics before nodded her answer, “Yes, I just like to come and clear my head. Get away from the annoying Hufflepuffs.”

Since Ember had been mostly open with her, she was pretty sure that she wasn’t going to be telling half the school about Nelle’s thoughts on the people of her own house. Not that she didn’t like them, as most of them were very nice. More often than not, it was because she didn’t like to be pretending to be different and in the common room that was impossible. Though there was a few who got on her nerves frequently. Nelle smiled at the girl’s compliment, and nodded at the re-spoken advice. “Yeah.. loosening up has always been hard for me.”

Ember was glad Nelle understood. Checking out the area around them, she smirked at Nelle after a little pause. ''We mostly get food for the elves...They don't eat much ya know? And one of our house elves work here so we've pretty much learned to respect 'em for what they've done for us.'' She explained, thinking of how Honey, her house elf would clean up her wounds. Hearing Nelle call the Hufflepuffs annoying caused a laugh to pelt out of the lion's throat. ''I would do that too if i was in your position.''

Ember didn't care what Nelle was like, Luna Grimm was a Hufflepuff but was like a slytherin at heart. She preferred people who were different and it's not like she was a gossip. ''Well..since i've been here, you've loosened up a bit.'' She pointed out with a teasing smirk.

Nelle frowned at herself, because she had never realised that the house elves had to eat. Sure, she knew that they physically did, but she had always just thought of them making food for the students all of the time. “That’s really good of you,” Nelle said, a bit surprised that the girl seemed to genuinely care for the elves. It wasn’t very often that people did. The Hufflepuff nodded as Ember laughed. “Yeah, well. It was my own stupid fault. Next time I'll remember to allow the hat the chance to sort me.”

At the Gryffindor’s words, Nelle looked around and smiled. It was true, that she’d managed to loosen up a bit. The girl hardly spoke to anyone, and when she did it was usually feigning interest. “You’re definitely right,” she said. The girl leaned down and picked up the arrows, smiling at Quies as she did so, "Thank you."