Playing for the first time and I just don't understand items.

I'm extremely confused after going through the rulebook several times. I am the Huntress. I have a Short Bow that says Range 4. I have the starting ability cards and am fighting the first encounter. None of my ability cards say that they are Ranged. The bow doesn't have any attack icons on it so I assume I can't just use it to attack at range? So how do I attack at range? What does Range 4 on the bow even mean? And what do the falcons even do? I can move them around onto my allies and enemies? But can they attack? Hinder is the only ability card I have that seems to cause the falcons to do literally anything while they are attached to an enemy.