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It was still gray out. A sheet of clouds covered the sky, colored between violet and blue. It was damply quiet, the only sound the grunting of toads as they lumbered in the wet morning grass.

Lyza sleepily walked down the hill. Her brother and she had been up since before the light. She had had a very deep sleep, exhausted after the ordeal of the fire and the aftermath. All of the adults asking questions, making sure everyone was safe. She spent she-didn't-know-how-long in the crisp, clean Medical Center 'C' as the doctors checked on everyone to make sure there were no injuries.

She debated for a while whether she should tell her brother what really happened. Even she didn't really know if it happened. When she thought about how she ran to the newly-burning tipi toward the younger kids, it was more like recalling a dream in another life. She only remembered a few details, but mostly how tightly the boys clung to her.

It gave her the feeling of ...being older.

In the end she didn't tell him. Besides, he kept going on and on about how proud he was she did the smart thing and stayed with the group. The boys were too nervous to say anything either; maybe a little embarrassed, too. Their dad seemed really upset, but glad they were safe.

And now life was back to normal. They were headed to the archery range. Lyza had woken up early and thought about it before breakfast. She remembered her bull's-eye. It was a lucky shot, she knew, but what if she could get another?--Without luck.

The quiet was so startling. When they had arrived the day before, the shotgun and rifle ranges were blasting and peppering; but now they were like graveyards. Lyza glanced to the rifle range that they passed on their way to archery, and saw only a few black sillhouettes.

"So I opened the door, and there, in the back corner, was the wee chipmunk. So I turn to my husban'n say, 'This your demon'?"

The Irish accent was unmistakable against the noire, as was the hashy laugh that followed. The rabbits approached the ranges, but to Lyza's surprise the far one--Carlyon Range--was completely empty.

"So what made you come over here to the Americas?" The hashy voice asked.

Lyza glanced into the Kiminy Range and caught the glow of a cigarette.

"My husband wasn' into the farming life. He had big dreams, but they don' pay the bills."

"Heheheh," the laugh carried roughly in the air, "I hear that."

As they approached the entrance, Lyza could make out the two people sitting in Kiminy's Range. Miss--or rather Mrs.--Kiminy was sitting at the table, while a beaver, thin for his voice, sat on the table-top. In his hand was a dying butt. He tapped the ashes into a tray beside him.

"Well, g'morn," Mrs. Kiminy greeted, spotting the two standing at the entrance. "Are ya lost? Look like two headless chick'n's."

"No," the older one said, "We were here yesterday. My sis wanted to come early--are the ranges closed?"

Mrs. Kiminy hopped up and made her way to the entrance. "Sorry but ya. S'too wet in the early morn', not good for the bows."

"We'll be open in an hour, maybe, if the sun's out," the gruff voice from the table said. "Come back then."

Mrs. Kiminy watched as the little girl looked up at her brother, and then back to the range. "...Okay," she replied, meek as a mouse.

"Let's go see if we can make something in leatherworking." The brother said, taking his sister's hand.

"N'hold," Mrs. Kiminy spoke up, catching the rabbits' attention. She looked back at the other instructor. "Carlyon Range may be closed, but Kiminy Range has just opened."

The beaver shook his head, snubbing his cigarette.

"Are you sure?" The brother asked. "We don't wanna be a bother, we can come back la--"

"Loch grass," Mrs. Kiminy said, "I remember ya two from yester. The lass had fun, could tell." She opened the gate of the entrance way, allowing the two rabbits in. "What's your name?"

"Lyza," the girl said softly.

"Lyza," Mrs. Kiminy said without her accent.

"Kval," the brother said, extending his hand.

"Nice to see siblings so far apart be so close," Mrs. Kiminy complimented. "Reminds me o' my family a little." She shook her head. "But tha's history. Y'here to shoot some bows and arrows, yeah?"

The girl nodded.

"She wants to get good at something," the brother stated.

"That so?" Mrs. Kiminy said, leaning on her knees. "Got a boy ya lookin' to impress?"

She shook her head. "No, nothing like that." She fiddled with her fingers. "I just... the kids at school..."

Mrs. Kiminy shook her head, "Don't worry, I'm not that nosey." She smiled. "So you fancy gettin' some skill with an arrow. I can say person'ly: issa perfect choice."

"Are you good at archery, Mrs. Kiminy?" Lyza asked.

"Oh, here we go," the beaver grumbled, another cigarette in his mouth.

"Oh, I almost forgot," the ewe said, standing straight, "Tha's Mister Carlyon. Don't mind him, 'es a bit of a bugger in the mornings."

The rabbit giggled at Mrs. Kiminy. "So...are you good at archery, Mrs. Kiminy?" She repeated.

The ewe smiled. "Maybe so," she stated, leading the rabbit over to a table of bows and arrows. "Why don't we go on the range and find out, yeah?" She turned to the brother. "Would you like to come with?"

Kval shook his head. "I think I'll sit back here and watch, if that's okay."

"Your loss," Mrs. Kiminy said cheerfully. "Come on, Lyza, let's go out on the range."

Lyza was handed her own bow and six arrows. Mrs. Kiminy led the way onto the field. The sky was brighter now, and the sun began to peak over the hillocks to their left, casting orange glows across the bald tops.

They stepped out to one of the middle stations, Mrs. Kiminy instructing Lyza to stand back just a little. Lyza watched with eager eyes as Mrs. Kiminy, with a very calm and smooth grace, nocked an arrow, took aim, and let it go. It cut through the air, and after its second-long flight, sank into the red dot at the center of the target.

Lyza's jaw dropped.

"Coulda beena fluke," Mrs. Kiminy stated without looking back. She took another arrow, nocked it, took aim ...the arrow whipped the air, its copper tip glinting orange in the sunlight as it sank into the very brim of the red dot.

"That's not a fluke," Lyza said. "How did you do that?"

Mrs. Kiminy looked back. "Issa secret," she said with a wink.

The rabbit's ears swiveled back with thought, and she looked on as Mrs. Kiminy shot a third arrow, again sinking smoothly into the red dot, which was now getting a little crowded.

Mrs. Kiminy glanced back again, to see the girl looking on with wonder and a hint of pleading. "Well, whatta ya waiting for? Get the armguard on, you'll never learn the secret if you just stand a-gawkin'."

Hastily Lyza fumbled with the armguard. It seemed to sit on her arm more snugly, probably because it wasn't covered with other people's sweat. She picked up her bow, and followed Mrs. Kiminy to the next station over, a clean target waiting for her.

"Take a shot, let me watch." Mrs. Kiminy instructed.

Nervously, Lyza stepped up to the station. She planted her feet evenly, and picked up an arrow. Hesitantly, she glanced back at the ewe.

"Go on, don' be shy."

She took in a breath, and turned back toward the target. She looked at it carefully, concentrating. Lifting the bow level, she gingerly placed the arrow against the rubber handle, and too gingerly nocked it. It slipped as soon as she pulled back, her fingers wiggly with nerves.

At last she managed to pull it back, recalling the motions from yesterday as one would for riding a bike. The bowstring creaked tightly as it strained between her fingers, and made a wiggling bowowowowowowo-sound as the arrow soared. It flew lazily, sank an inch, and made its mark in the 2-point circle.

Lyza grumbled.

"Not bad for a beginner," Mrs. Kiminy stated. "Now, take another arrow." The rabbit glanced back. Mrs. Kiminy pointed to the quiver. "Go on," she said with encouragement.

Lyza took another arrow, its tip scraping against the metal stand. The sun beamed from behind the cloud to her left. The sound of a bird broke through the silence.

"Now, before you even nock, look at your feet. Are you ridin' a horse or shootin' a bow?"

Lyza glanced down, her feet forward and even. "Shooting a bow," she stated.

"But your feet say you're ridin' a horse. Which is fine for ridin' a horse but not for shootin' a bow; so," she stepped beside the rabbit. "Left foot in front, right foot in back, like this."

Stiffly, Lyza mimicked the stance Mrs. Kiminy took, trying to get every detail of it just right.

"Tha's good. Now, hold your finger in front of your face," she did so to demonstrate, pointing her index finger up and holding it out like she was checking the wind. The girl did so. "Close your left eye. Did your finger move?"

"Nope," Lyza replied, repeating the eye-closing a few times to be sure.

"Good. That's the eye you want to aim with."

She nodded. "Okay."

"Now. You have good pull, good arms, but you grip the nock too tightly. Let me see," Mrs. Kiminy took the bow. "If you squeeze too tight, the arrow lifts up, see?" She did so, squeezing her knuckles together repeatedly to demonstrate. The tip of the arrow ever so subtly jumped up and down. "Grip it just enough to hold it. Try it, see what it feels like."

The bow was handed back and Lyza did as Mrs. Kiminy had done, holding the arrow loosely and then squeezing her knuckles together. She pulled back on the string a little, and realized that her knuckles naturally wanted to squeeze the nock.

"Issa bit tricky id'nit?"

Lyza giggled with agreement. "I have to really think about it."

"That'll change with practice," Mrs. Kiminy said confidently. "Now, another thing, this also is about your fingers. I see you pullin' when you let go, like your fingers are trying to flick the string. You heard that noise when you let go, yeah?"

"Yeah," she said, imitating it with her voice. "Like that?"

"Mhmm, that'll happen but your fingers made it louder. When you fire the arrow, don't curl your fingers on the string; in fact, do like this:" Mrs. Kiminy raised her hand, hooking her middle and index finger like she was holding onto the nock. She split her fingers wide and made them straight, and then turned her hand ninety-degrees. "Like you're giving someone the 'peace' sign."

Lyza copied the action. They flashed each other the peace sign several times, until Lyza felt like she got used to the motion.

"Right, last thing is aiming. You probably know this by now, but an arrow don' exactly have wings. Soon as it leaves the bow, it falls just a little. To balance that, you have to aim up above where you want it to hit. There's a bit'o luck involved with that, so don't feel bummed if it takes a bit of practice to get it."

Lyza nodded, drinking in every word.

"Now...practice! Just let it come natural, right?"

With another nod, the rabbit got into the stance she learned. She adjusted herself for a little bit, making sure it was 'natural'. She paused when she felt it was just right, just to make sure she was sure, and then lifted the bow. Gently, she leveled the arrow on the rubber handle and against the notch on the string. She pulled back tentatively, reminding herself not to grip too hard on the nock. She eased the string back, the tip of the arrow wiggling only just a little, but not so much that it fell out of place. This time, the string didn't creak with stress, like it was comfortable with her as she was with it. Just before she was about to fire, she remembered to push upward. Aiming with her left eye, she could only guess how high she had to aim it--she put the tip at the 2-point circle. Then, she flashed the peace sign.

The string barely warbled as it pushed the arrow forward. The volley flew--straight. It crossed the distance in just a second, and when it landed it sank with satisfaction into the 6-point circle.

Lyza squealed with glee.

"Gettin' to be a pro," Mrs. Kiminy stated.

The rabbit's glee faded. "No, that was probably just luck," she stated.

"Only one way to find out. Fire another. This time, tell me where you want the arrow to go."

In just a few moments, Lyza had another arrow ready. She drew the string back. "I'm going to hit...just above the bull's-eye," she stated.

"Aim just a smidge higher, then." Mrs. Kiminy stated.

Lyza did--just barely. Then she flashed the peace sign. The arrow flew, and sank right where she said she wanted it to go. This time, there was no squeal. Her jaw was clenched too tightly to do that.

Quietly, the rabbit took another arrow, determined to figure out if it was luck or not. She poised in the stance, and nocked the arrow too quickly for her to even think. She only spent a second aiming, setting the point to the bull's-eye and moving it to just outside the circle altogether. She flashed the sign.

"B-b-b-bull's-eye!"

Lyza jumped with a start. Her brother clapped with a smile. "That was a nice shot. Mrs. Kiminy what the heck did you tell her?"

"I'm afraid issa secret, lad." Mrs. Kiminy said with a wink.

"What are you doing here?" Lyza snapped with embarrassment, "I thought you were gonna stay over there."

"Well I was, but--Mrs. Kiminy, you have some visitors that want to get started."

Kval thumbed the entrance of the range. A group of onlookers stood at the gate.

"Right, looks like I'm open for real."

"Oh," Lyza said, a little gloomily. "Um...do you wanna go to the rifle-range, Kval?"

The brother shrugged. "We can if you want. But don't you wanna stay here and practice?"

Lyza looked at the crowd of people. "...I don't wanna make you sit here all day," she stated.

"I don't mind," Kval said.

"Lyza," Mrs. Kiminy chimed in. "You know what?"

"Huh?"

Mrs. Kiminy squatted. "If it's okay with your brother, I think I could really use an... 'assistant', today. Someone to show everyone the proper technique'n'all that. Maybe you'd be interested in helpin'? That way your brother could come'n'go as he please, and you can get in a lot of practice."

Lyza glanced down at the bow in her hands, mulling the proposition over. As she was doing so, she felt a hand gently grasp the back of her skull. It forced her head to nod up and down.

"Sure," Kval said, out of the corner of his mouth.

Mrs. Kiminy smiled, "A'right then, go get our targets while I prep the noobies, kay?" As she got up, the girl's eyes followed a little bewildered. It wasn't until her brother clapped her back with his palm that she finally got her toes going.

Mrs. Kiminy smiled as she let the group into her range. Today was going to be a very nice day indeed.