Aria's arrow cut through the air first.
Damon no longer reacted as before. There was no surprise, nor that minimal delay between realizing and acting. He moved almost at the same time as the shot was fired, his body sliding to the side as the leather capsule passed where his shoulder had been.
He didn't react immediately.
He waited.
Aria noticed.
A brief smile—almost imperceptible—appeared on her face.
"She's learning not to take the bait," she thought.
She shifted her position, stepping carefully between exposed roots, using a tree trunk as partial cover. Damon followed the movement without turning his head completely. Instead, he adjusted his feet, his body weight distributed more loosely, more… prepared.
Don't search. Feel.
He took a deep breath.
He fired.
The arrow wasn't intended to hit Aria. She passed close to the tree behind which she was moving, forcing her to advance to a less comfortable angle.
Pressure.
Aria lunged forward, firing almost on the move.
