202 Archery lessons begin

Inola and Onacona have disappeared every night since Easter. As soon as dinner is  be over they leave without a word. A few nights it's been well into the early morning hours when they would come back. Only Maureen seems to know what they are up to and she hasn't said a word. Moll wonders if she is working to many hours and Inola is getting restless. Moll asks Astila if he knows where they go?

"Astila do you have any idea where your uncle goes every night?" Astila's mischievously smiles at her. 

"I don't know maybe he has a girlfriend. " Maureen throws a pillow at him and hits him in the head. 

" Stop teasing your Aunt, the two of them are hand making bows for Crystal and Brayden." They want to give them something that is more than just a store bought bow. Onacona has missed the old ways and wants to give the two kids something they will remember. It's supposed to a surprise. So don't tell them I told you. " Yona is coming down the stairs when he hears this. His face lights at the thought of the uncles doing something so sweet. 

"Do you think they will teach me how to make one? I've always loved the craftsmanship of the old way. When I first arrived I was awe struck by Onacona's talent."  Yona looks at Maureen with puppy eyes . 

Maureen smiles proudly at him and tells him. 

" Why don't the two of you go down to the work room at the new house . The two of them have gotten a lot done. In fact in the next few weeks the house will just have your two families here. Everything will be finished. "  

Astila and Yona head down to the new house. Neither have seen it since the frame went up. When they come to the lake clearing there stands  two smaller house's nearly a replica of Aisling's house. The difference is that it has a covered walkway between the two houses. Walking into the workroom off to the side they hear the two talking. 

" I hope the kids will like them. I am not sure about the younger generation. They seem to like everything pre-made. It's been so many years since I had to joy of making a bow. " Onacona tells Inola. 

" You know the skill of making weapons yourself has been all but lost. Even back home we don't make our own anymore. I am glad I got the chance to have you teach me. You know Yona would love to learn how to do this. He was so jealous of Aisling when he found your closet filled with all of your things. " Onacona's eyes light up with pride over hearing this. 

Calling out to them as they walk into the workshop. 

"Uncles are you in here? We came to see the house."  

Yona and Astila go into the workshop it's filled with various sizes of logs and branches along with the tools from the closet. There they see two bows in progress . Yona begins to drool over the one for Crystal. He has never seen such a beautiful bow. He can't wait for her to see it. Taking a seat next to Onacona Yona asks. 

"Uncle can you teach me please? I want to be able to make something so beautiful for my daughter someday." Onacona beems with pride as he watches him admire the bow. 

"Of course when you have time we will have lessons. Would the two of you like a tour. The house is finished and has passed all inspections we just haven't finished making the furniture yet. " the four men get up and walk into the house. 

After leaving the uncles the two brothers walk back towards the house talking. 

"You know they are right, we do take things for granted nowadays. It's so easy to just go to the store and buy something already made instead of making it. Take their house for instance. The two of them cleared the trees to build it. They worked tirelessly to make nearly every board. I know they bought some of the lumber but the special spaces of the house they did themselves. They had their hand on every inch of it. It's beautiful and I doubt there is a house anywhere like it. You know I don't think I have seen uncle so happy before. He is not nearly as quiet as he used to be and I would have never guessed he had such talent for building. " Yona tells Astila 

"I know Aisling offered to have a builder come and just build it for them and they refused. Except for the electrical and plumbing they did it all themselves. I'm amazed as well. I don't think that even professional builders could have done as good a job. I wonder if they would like to open a specialty shop. You know sell a few of the things they make and possibly teach a few classes. I think they both would enjoy it. I will discuss it with Aisling and Moll maybe they can help us with a surprise for them. " 

Remi and Aisling are sitting on the back porch waiting for them. 

"So you finally went to see the new house ,didn't the uncles do an amazing job. You know once others see it they are going to want to know who built it. Uncles may get offers to help build other houses. The contractors for the electric have already asked me who their builder was." Aisling takes her husbands hand as they walk into the house. 

The next afternoon Winona arrives with Brayden for his archery lesson. The boy jumps out before she even has the car in park . She takes off racing into the house to find Crystal. When she gets into the house there are like ten kids at the kitchen table having a snack. Winona looks at Aisling puzzled. Aisling laughs and tells her. 

" Welcome to archery class, we have a big class this year it seems that someone invited a few friends from school to learn. Now before you are even allowed to shoot an arrow you need to learn about your weapon. You will stat with a trainer bow. Which is a curved bow with a tight cord. Using this bow you will learn stance and get strength to pull a larger bow. After a few weeks of practicing with the trainer bow you will move on to a Long bow, then to a recurve bow or a Mongolian bow and finally a compound bow. Each week you will have practice time as well as learning about the history of each bow. You will also learn about safety and proper care. Does anyone have any questions so far." None of the kids raise their hand so Aisling takes them out to the back field where the targets are set up. 

"Now you won't be doing a lot of shooting today but I want to show you what you will be able to do with practice. " Aisling walks over to the table and picks up her compound bow. She lines up a target that is easily three hundred yards away. She draws back and hits the target dead center. Turning to the kids she quips 

"Wow I'm a little rusty. I missed by just a hair from center." The kids run to the target to see how close she was and she was right at the line just inside of center. Astila was in awe of his wife's skills. He heard she was good but he hadn't gotten a chance to see her in action. Rounding the kids back up she takes them to back to the tables to teach them basic care of their bows and to show them proper posture when shooting. Yona wonders where all the trainer bows came from.

"Where did you guys get so many bows from?"

Marshal goes and picks one up and brigs it over. 

"These are our old training bows, See this one has my name one it. The elders never throw anything away so we all were given a bow on our fourth birthday. Once we graduate to a different bow the elders would put them up as a keepsake.  Follow me let me show you." Marshal takes them to a locked Cedar room in the back of the barn. Inside is large wooden crates with no lids. Inside are various types of weapons. 

"This crate as you can see has the trainer bows. Then here are the long bows and so on. Once we decided which bow we liked best the others are put in here for safe keeping. Dad had planned on buying new bows but when Aisling called and told him they had this many kids this time she suggested we use what we have. I personally made a point of giving mine to Brayden and Remi has hers set aside for Crystal. The others are the other kids. Aisling won't share her weapons so I was surprised she suggested it. " 

Astila tells him a secret.

"The real reason is that the uncles are making Crystal and Brayden special bows. They are making them ones in the old traditions. Also I noticed that a few of the kids are from the list for assistance at church. I think she wanted them to feel comfortable so she has everyone using the old bows so no one feels left out." 

Marshal understands now so he asks Astila. 

"How good are you and Yona at shooting and which one do you prefer?" 

Astila walks over and picks up a long bow looking at it closely. 

"Is this one handmade?" 

"Yes that one is Aisling's she found a bow in the woods when we were small. It was with that quiver hanging there. She has kept it and taken care of it since then. We don't know anything about who it belonged to or why it was there?" Marshal tells him Astila thinks he needs to bring Onacona here to see it. Maybe he knows about who it may belong to.