The Archery Competition

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"Dad?" I say as my dad flies over to the mountains where the competition will be taking place with me on his back. "Hmm?" He grunts. "Why aren't you competing this time like you usually do?" I ask. He doesn't say anything. I start to think he wasn't going to answer until he finally breaks the silence. "It's just nice to take a break sometimes. Besides, the competition has been getting fiercer since those two talented young Rito started competing. I think their names are Revali and Silver. They are barely over the age requirement but they are sure something." I nodded. They had both beat my dad in the last competition. I didn't know them too well but I had seen them around the village before and they also even showed us younger Rito how to hold a bow in flight class.

We finally make it to our destination. It's a huge snowy meadow with several targets being held up in the sky by propellers. There also are a few trees scattered here and there but that was pretty much the only green there was. Most of the village seemed to be here already and were mingling with each other. I look for Sasha and Robbie, who were my friends from flight class. I finally spot them playing a game of tag together and after asking permission from my father, I go over to talk to them.

"Hey, Robbie! Hey Sasha!" I greet them cheerfully. They stop playing tag and smile when they see me. "Hello, Midnight! How have you-" Sasha stops talking after she spots my wing. "Woah. What happened to your wing?" Robbie asks. I glance down at my broken wing. "It was an accident. Some moblins got me but my father showed them not to mess with us!" I say proudly. Robbie looks impressed. "Oh yeah? I bet he really did show them!"

Sasha's mother overhears this and walks over. "Oh my goodness! Are you okay little one?" She asks with a worried look on her face. I nod my head. "Are you still able to fly?" Asks Sasha looking almost as concerned as her mother. "Not right now but I'm sure I will soon!" I say. I hear the crunch of talons against snow behind me and I turn around to see my father standing there. "Come along now Midnight. The competition begins soon. My father and Sasha's mother exchange a look but I didn't pay much attention. After all, the competition was about to start!

As we walk over to where the other spectators were standing, we pass the contestants. I stop to look at them. There weren't too many Ritos competing this time. First, there was Charles. An older Rito with brown feathers about the same age as my father who happened to be the commander of Rito villager. Next in line, there was a dark blue Rito talking to a light gray Rito who I knew were both Revali and Silver. There was also Grayson although I didn't know too much about him. Finally, there were two Ritos who I had never met before that seemed to be in the middle of an argument. One had Yellow feathers and one had dark green feathers.

Charles must have seen me staring because he waved at me with a large brown wing-tipped in black and that must have got the attention of Revali because he stopped talking to Silver and walked over. "My My what have we here." The dark blue Rito says. "You must have been gawking at me, The future winner of this competition!" That was when he noticed my wing in the cast.

"I don't mean to be rude but that's just for show, right?" He says while examining me. "I mean surely it's just a simple fracture and you can start training again soon. I have had plenty of those myself." I was so surprised by the fact he was talking to me that I was speechless! I quickly recovered and nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure I can begin training again soon!" I say. "Of course. I mean there can be no such thing as a flightless Rito. What a waste of time that would be!" Revali replies.

"Revali, We should get back in place and leave her be." Silver murmurs as he walks over. Revali opens his beak to say something but is interrupted by a gruff voice behind me. "Yes. I think that would be wise." I jump and turn to see my father. I haven't even noticed him there. "You two should go." He said as he glared daggers at them. "Sorry, sir." Silver says over his shoulder as he drags an annoyed Revali back to their spot. "Come on Midnight." He says to me and gently grabs my good wing as he leads me over to where the other spectators were standing.

"Welcome everyone to the 313th annual archery competition!" Charles announces. "The contestants will have 2 minutes to hit as many targets as they can along the course. Whoever hits the most within that time can ask for any grand prize they want. It has to be within reason of course. Now without further ado, let's start the contest!" The crowd of spectators starts counting down from 10. I join in of course. As soon we hit 1 and shout "GO!", The 6 competing Ritos take off into the sky. I marvel at how fast and agile they all are.

They hit each target with ease and then take off for the next. It was hard to keep track of who was winning but I was pretty sure it was either Revali or Charles. They both kept up with each other as they raced to each target until Charles misses one. Even with the crowd of spectators cheering, I hear him grunt in frustration as he tries to hit it again and Revali takes the lead. I turn my attention to Revali as he smirks and easily hits the next few targets perfectly. "Wow!" I hear a voice beside me. Startled, I see Robbie. I was so caught up in the contest that I didn't hear him approach. "I want to be just like Revali one day," Robbie says without taking his eyes off him. "Me too." I agree.

Before I know it, the two minutes are up. All the contestants land, covered in sweat and panting. Lucy, A purple and white feathered Rito, looks up from a clipboard that she had been using to keep score. "The winner is..." She says, pausing to quickly glance down at her clipboard once again, "Silver in third, Charles in second, and Revali in first!" The crowd cheers and I join in. "That sure was an intense competition!" Robbie exclaims. "Yeah, this one was more interesting than the last 2 ones." I agree.

"Too bad your dad didn't compete this time. Speaking of which, where is he?" Robbie asks. I look around. Where is he? I thought he was watching the competition with me! I finally spot him talking with Charles and another Rito I had never seen before. They all looked quite concerned about something. I was about to walk over to them but Robbie interrupted me. "Midnight, we should go talk to Revali while your dad is distracted!" I hesitate but nod and follow him over to the blue and white Rito who was bragging about the win to a few younger Rito.

"Hey. It's you again." Revali says to me when he notices me and Robbie standing with the others. I give a faint smile. "Hey Revali, What are you going to ask for as the grand prize?" Robbie asks. Revali takes a moment to think. "Well, I did plan about a month ahead of what I wanted when I was going to win and I think I finally decided on asking for my own training ground." The Rito around him gasp. "I would ask for that too if I won!" one Rito comments.

Revali continues to chatter away about the competition and his grand prize. I try to listen but start to zone out and think of other things like Flight school and how pretty the snow is against the sunlight. However, I was pried out of my thoughts when a dark grey wing with a black stripe was placed on my shoulder. "Midnight, we have to go!" It was my father. He hurriedly told me to get on his back. When I did, he took off so fast that I almost fell off! "Dad? What's going on?" I ask feeling a bit scared. "The return of calamity Ganon has just been foretold." He replies in a grim voice.

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I can't believe some people on Quotev are sort of reading this but anyway, I now have a schedule on when I'm going to be releasing chapters! Every two weeks on Friday although I may end up doing it on Thursday or Saturday depending on life. Also, there is about to be a time skip of about 6 years in the next chapter but that will be the only major one unless I make the bonus chapter I have been planning at the end of the story.

A quick note: The rest of this story will take place over 1 or 2 years and months may go by in the story between chapters but I will not mention it. I also have decided I will really try to not discontinue this story even if I lose interest or nobody likes it since I already have the whole thing planned out and I enjoyed writing this. I also may or may not have over a quarter of the story written as a rough draft.

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