New Secrets; Hidden~ Ranger's Apprentice fanfic~Critique plz

[WilloweWolf]

Ida Hunter's my pen name, people, relax!

New Secrets; Hidden cover.jpg (28.82 KiB) Viewed 526 times

Hey! I'm WilloweWolf. You may see a few of my other stories floating around, e.g. Bound for Freedom, A Healer's Tale, a Warriors fanfic, and a CYOA somewhere. I would love some critique, but please make it constructive criticism only. Thanks for reading!

I will admit I started this before I read Royal Ranger, so Alyss is still alive. I'm kinda too lazy to go back and make changes to exclude Alyss, so I'll leave her in. Yeah, lazy, I know. But I like Alyss, so why have her dead?

Table of Contents:
Chapter One
Chapter Two

WilloweWolf's Writing Tracker

Meet the characters:

Natalie Brookhaven Hana.jpg (6.29 KiB) Viewed 509 times

Name: Natalie Brookhaven
Age: 15
Appearance: Long black hair, usually in a braid down her back or to the side.Dark, easily sinister eyes. Short, thin. Agile. Has a scar on her neck.
Hobbies: Riding, climbing trees, reading
Strengths/Weaknesses: Natalie has a forceful will, and is quite smart. She excels in martial arts and swordplay(Nihon-Ja style ). Her tracking skills are excellent, and her bond with Shadow, her Ranger horse, is like no other. On the downside, she gets a bit nervous and jumpy sometimes, and will avoid family in conversation at all cost, sometimes prompting unwanted suspicion, especially from Will.
Occupation/Rank: Ranger apprentice
Mentor: The legendary Will Treaty
Horse: Small, stocky, shaggy black mare named Shadow. The typical Ranger horse.

Here for looks
Name: Natasha ‘Tasha’ Blackfield
Age: 15
Appearance: thick wavy brown hair, lively grey eyes. Tall, average weight.
Hobbies: Reading, hanging out in the stables, and training cats.{no clue where that came from, honestly...}
Strengths/Weaknesses: Tasha is very clever, and persuasive. She’s an excellent actor, and almost never freaks out. On the other hand, she cares enough about her friends that they could easily be used for bargaining chips. She’s also petrified of spiders.
Occupation/Rank: Apprentice Courier
Mentor:Alyss
Horse: A large bay stallion with a heart shaped star on his forehead named Silence, after his quiet ways (even when moving he's almost silent.).

here for looks
Name:Sherry Blackfield
Age:15
Appearance:Tall, average weight. Rather tan{I know in the picture she's pale, but I just found that on google}, light blonde hair blue eyes. Stronger than she looks.
Hobbies:Writing, reading, swordplay. She likes the outdoors.
Strengths/Weaknesses:Sherry is acutally quite strong, and she's a natural with a sword. She has a quick mind, and is very good at assessing battles. She's not the brightest, however, and is a couch potato until you get her on her feet.
Occupation/rank:Battleschool first year
Mentor:The Battleschool instructors, enough said.
Horse: A friendly dapple grey female battle horse with a blaze named Rain.

here for looks
Name: Sophia 'Sophie'' Thlandel
Age:15
Appearance:Average size. Dark brown hair and deep blue eyes, a bit pale.
Hobbies:Cooking, riding, painting
Strengths/Weaknesses:Sophia would be able to whip up a meal out of anything. Also, she's quite the scavenger, and knows where to find any kind of food, whether it be berries, herbs, meat, or roots. But, she's almost useless in a fight(unless she's holding a frying pan), and her geography is terrible.
Occupation/Rank: apprentice... cook? how to put it...
Mentor:Jenny
Horse:A large grey pony named Ash.

[WilloweWolf]

Natalie pushed her barely touched plate away and stood up. Jason, her wardmate, looked up, raised an eyebrow, and went back to his meal. The girl crossed the room to the door and opened it. Then she slipped out and closed the door softly behind her. She took a deep breath of cool night air, and walked over to the large fig tree that, little did she know it, Will Treaty had once climbed for almost the same purpose. The girl easily climbed up and settled herself into a comfortable spot, sweeping her piercing green gaze over the castle yard.

The castle gave off a red glow in the dying sunlight, due to the massive ironstones it was built out of. As well as glowing, it bathed the courtyard with its reddish orange light. The sun quickly set, leaving the castle black, as it was a starless night. Natalie climbed down most of the way, and then dropped the remaining five feet. She made her way back to the Ward and entered silently, closing the door softly behind her. She tiptoed to the girls’ dorm and sat down on her bed, pulling her boots off. Her wardmates were already asleep, and Natalie soon fell asleep herself.

The next morning, Natalie woke from a fitful sleep and quickly dressed. She wrestled her tangled red hair into a neat braid, and then woke Sherry, Tasha, and Sophie, who scrambled to do the same as she had. Natalie rolled her eyes and poked Sherry in the gut, waking her up fully, “Can’t have you like that during the Choosing.” She had regained her courage over the night, remembering her conversation with Will the week before. After breakfast, the five fifteen-year-olds made their way to the baron’s anteroom.

After a ten minute wait, they rose from the benches at George’s word, and entered the slightly bare room. “In a line, tallest to shortest.” George said. Baron Arald grinned as he compared the thin young man to his previous secretary, Martin. Natalie looked up from where she was de-tangling her feet from Jason’s to see Will laughing into his hand like a maniac, yet making no noise but quiet snorts. He had been deep in discussion with Baron Arald, and had been comparing George and Martin himself. Natalie raised an eyebrow, and then went back to her feet.
Sherry, being the tallest, stepped up a minute later, “Sherry Blackfield, my lord.” She hesitated, and George said gently,
“What school are you applying to?” Sherry took a deep breath and said,
“Battleschool.” Sir Rodney blinked, then looked her up and down,
“Hmm… I’ll take her, my lord.” Sherry’s face filled with relief as Baron Arald nodded to her and told her to step back into line after,
“Accepted, Sherry. Report tomorrow morning at five. I assume you know where?” Natalie struggled to keep a straight face as Sherry looked momentarily confused, then nodded vigorously. Tasha stepped up,

“Natasha Blackfield, my lord.” She glanced at Alyss, the pretty blond head of the Diplomatic Service. “Diplomatic Service.” Alyss nodded,
“I’ll take her.” The baron nodded,
“Accepted, Natasha. Report to Lady Alyss’s office tomorrow morning at five.” Tasha nodded, curtsied, and stepped back into line beside her twin, Sherry. Next was Jason,
“Jason Sunder, my lord. Scribeschool.” George, being both secretary and Scribemaster, simply nodded, and Jason stepped back. Sophie quickly stated her name, Sophia Thlandel, and that she wanted to join the apprentices in the kitchens. Jenny quickly accepted her, and it was Natalie’s turn. She stepped up, a bit nervously, and said,
“Natalie Brookhaven, my lord.” Then she said, in a lower tone, “Ranger Corps.” Will controlled his laughter long enough to say,
“I’ve already promised her I’d take her as my apprentice.” Alyss rolled her eyes,
“Will, bite your tongue or something.” She said. Jenny gave vent to a giggle, and Will donned a mock horrified expression.

George sighed and said,
“Can’t you leave it for later?” Everyone snapped back into reality and the new apprentices left the room. Jason caught up to Natalie and said,
“Are you mad? The Rangers?” Natalie shook her head and smiled. Then she sped up to walk beside Natasha and Sherry. The fifteen-year-old twins smiled at her,
“Well, I never would have guessed you would join the Rangers.” Sherry said, “But, I suppose you’re smart enough. And sneaky enough.” She teased, holding out her hand. Natalie sighed in mock exasperation, giving the girl back her necklace. Sherry nodded her thanks and re-clasped it around her neck. Natasha grinned,
“Will you ever stop doing that, Nat?” Natalie thought about it for a few seconds, then shook her head,
“Probably not.” The three girls walked in silence for a few minutes. Then Tasha spoke,
“What made you want to join the Ranger Corps, Natalie?” Natalie smiled and shrugged,

“I’m not sure. I saw Will around the castle from time to time, and eventually got the chance to talk to him. I was curious about the Rangers, and asked him various questions about them.” She said, tucking a lock of wavy red hair behind her ear. “He didn't answer some, but instead asked me if I wanted to become his apprentice.” Natalie grinned at the memory of Will’s deadly serious tone as he asked that question, “Obviously, I said yes.”
Sherry grinned, “Will you ever stop stating the obvious?” Natalie shrugged,
“No idea. Race you back to the Ward.” She said, speeding up to a run. She heard the twins yell ‘hey!’ after her, but she ignored them as she weaved expertly through the people, hardly slowing down. She reached the Ward and slipped in, without even breaking a sweat; even though it was the height of summer. Sherry and Tasha entered; the latter just ahead. Sherry was panting slightly, and Natasha took a few deep breaths before sitting down. Natalie grinned and said, “Seems like two someones are a bit out of shape.” Sherry glared at her,

“You’re the one who has to be in shape because of your training.” Natalie’s grin broadened,
“You do too.”
Sherry sighed, “You have a point.”
Natasha got up, poured a cup of water from a jug in the corner, and drank greedily. Natalie grinned and tossed her thick, wavy red hair behind her shoulders. Her emerald green eyes were lively and excited, “Come on, we’re only getting started.” The twins groaned and stood. All three girls went to the dormitory and cleared a space where they could wrestle. Natalie stood in front of Sherry, her feet spread in a ready stance and her eyes locked on Sherry’s. The latter waited until her sister said ‘go’, and then charged forward. Natalie easily rolled under her and came up behind Sherry.
She quickly turned around and jumped on the bigger girl’s back, locking her arms around Sherry’s neck. “Hey! Not fair!” Sherry complained, trying to throw Natalie off.

“It’s perfectly fair, Sherry.” Natalie replied, dropping off and kicking Sherry’s legs out from under her, “It’s wrestling.” Sherry groaned and rolled over, pushing herself to her feet. She lurched forward and grabbed Natalie’s wrists, twisting them behind the girl’s back. Natalie wormed her hands out and spun around, tackling Sherry. The bigger girl fell heavily to the floor, and Natalie sat on her stomach, using her feet and hands to hold Sherry’s arms and legs down. “One… Two… Three… Four…” Tasha counted. “Seven… Eight… Nine… Ten!” Natalie got off of Sherry and helped her up. Then Tasha stepped up and the girls settled into ready positions.

“Go!” Sherry’s voice sounded throughout the room. Natasha and Natalie wrestled for ten minutes, and that match ended the same way the first one did. Natalie helped Tasha up and they both sat down. Sweat was streaming off Tasha’s face, and Natalie was breathing hard.

“Are you three still insisting on wrestling every day?” Jason’s voice came through the door.
“Yes.” Sherry replied, being the only one who could talk at the moment.
“Well, it’s already time for dinner.” Natalie’s eyes widened, and Tasha gaped. Sherry looked excited, but then, she always did when it came to food. They hurried out of the dormitory, Tasha wiping her brow with a damp cloth. Jason grinned and all five hurried to go eat. A few hours after their meal, they reclined around a crackling fire, cradling mugs of hot, fragrant tea.

Natalie was the first one to speak, “What do you think King Duncan will do if Ember brings her armies over the cliffs like Morgarath?” Ember, a devoted enemy of King Duncan, had holed herself up in the Mountains of Rain and Night, Morgarath’s former domain. She had taken over the Wargals, and spies said she might be preparing for war. Tasha shrugged, “He might call up Will. Not to mention Horace.” Natalie laughed,
“I doubt it. What can two men, even Will and Horace, do against an army of Wargals and Ember?” Tasha shrugged again, “Let’s hope we don’t have to find out.” After that they elapsed into a thoughtful silence, each of them thinking about the possible threat.

“Well, I’m going to bed.” Sherry announced after a while.
“We all should.” Natalie said, standing. All five fifteen-year-olds returned to their dormitories, and quickly fell asleep.

[WilloweWolf]

Natalie awoke as the grey light of dawn fell across the floor and onto her face. She blinked once or twice, and then swung out of bed. She quickly pulled on her boots, threw on a tunic and leggings, braided her long black hair, and slipped out silently; grabbing her cloak as she went. She fastened it around her shoulders and pulled up the hood, leaving the Ward. She shivered and pulled her cloak tighter around her slim frame, trying to ward off the chilling morning fog. She made her way to the castle gates, where she had to wake the guard. He unlocked a small door beside the gate grumpily, and Natalie slipped out, nervous and excited at the same time.

She jogged until she saw the path leading into the woods, and, she knew, Will’s cabin. Natalie turned and slowed to a walk as she came within view of the small cabin, nestled in a small clearing. There was smoke drifting lazily out of the chimney, and Natalie saw a vase of wild flowers in the windowsill. She smiled; it looked like Will made an effort to give it a friendly, welcoming look. Speaking of Will, he looked up as Natalie approached. He was sitting on the small porch, playing his mandola. Will smiled, and Natalie smiled back. She walked up the steps and listened as Will played a chord from ‘Old Joe Smoke’. “Wrong chord.” She said, and Will looked surprised,

“How d-“Natalie cut him off,
“You’re not the only one who plays.” Understanding dawned on Will’s face as he made the connection.

“Right…” He set the mandola back in its case and stood, “Well, come in.” He opened the door, and Natalie followed him in. Will turned and took a Ranger cloak off of a hook and handed it to her, “Cloak.” He produced a double scabbard, a quiver, and a recurve bow from somewhere, “Weapons.” Natalie examined the bow and saw it was expertly made, with just the right amount of curve to propel the arrow far enough. She took one glance at the arrows and knew the same, and then fastened the cloak around her shoulders. She unsheathed the larger knife half way and noted the razor sharp edge. She slid the knife back in and looked up as Will started to speak, “You have the larger knife, the saxe knife. It’s what you use if your enemy got close. It’s also designed for throwing. The smaller knife is your throwing knife. I assume you know about the bow and quiver?”

Natalie nodded, “Yep.” They went back outside and Will set her an exercise with her bow. She spent ten minutes firing arrows, and held back a grin as Will looked mildly surprised. She already had some skill with the bow, so it wasn't hard for her to do the assignment. “Well, you’re better than most new apprentices; but you still have some work to do before you reach Ranger standards.” Natalie nodded; she knew he would say that and she knew it was true. But at least she had a head start. For the next three hours, Will showed Natalie the basics for various Ranger skills; such as unseen movement and knife-throwing. Natalie was already an excellent tracker; she had spent the little part of her childhood when she was welcome in her Nihon-ja father’s house hunting with her brother.

When they went back inside, Will had Natalie sweep until the floor nearly shone, scour the pots and pans, fill the water barrel from the creek, and chop firewood. These she did easily, yet carefully. Natalie knew why Will was assigning her these tasks, or, more accurately, Natalie had a good guess. She beat the dust out of the rug, made sure Tug had food (that part Will supervised), and changed out the flowers in the vase that she had spotted earlier. “It’s time we went to get your horse.” Will said as Natalie finished the flower arrangement. The girl turned, holding back a smile. They left the house and began walking along a path. Will rolled his eyes as Tug whinnied in protest at being left behind. Natalie grinned, “It seems you've been in too much trouble without Tug to help you.” Will snorted,
“Never.” Natalie grinned, incredulous. They walked in silence for an hour, when they came within sight of a hut and a small stable. “Hullo! Old Bob!” Will called out as they walked into the clearing. An old man opened the door of the hut and grinned at Will, “Will! Welcome, welcome. Ah, this must be your new apprentice.” Will smiled,
“Yep. Bob, meet Natalie. Natalie, this is Old Bob. He breeds and trains the Ranger horses.” Natalie grinned,
“I think I could have figured the horse part myself.” She smiled to show she meant no offense. Old Bob lead them around to the small, three stall stable. There was a paddock attached, of course. Two horses trotted around, stopping now and then to crop the green grass. One was pure black, the other a palomino. Natalie smiled, she loved horses. Old Bob noticed the smile, “Like horses do you?” Natalie nodded,
“Who doesn't?” Will grinned,
“Malcolm.” Both Bob and Natalie raised an eyebrow at Will. He sighed, “A friend of mine.” Natalie nodded slowly, and Old Bob reached a hand into the apple barrel, expertly choosing a ripe one and biting into it. Now it was Will’s turn to raise an eyebrow, “We seem to have showed up just in time.” Natalie grinned, green eyes bright. Old Bob looked guilty, but finished off his apple. “Anyway, your horse.” Natalie and Will nodded. Bob pointed to the black one, “She’s yours. Her name’s Shadow.” Will rolled his eyes as the old man grinned at Will, saying, “Yes, I did get that from your old dog.” Will glared at him,
“Can we just get on with it?”

Bob nodded and gestured for Natalie to enter the paddock, “Try to catch her.” Natalie assessed Shadow, and then ducked under a fence rail. She slowly approached Shadow, testing. The horse cantered away, then looked back at the girl. Natalie smiled and went over to the apple barrel. She reached over and grabbed one, then walked back towards Shadow. This time, the horse didn't run away. Instead, she trotted up and ate the apple. Natalie gently grabbed hold of Shadow’s halter as the mare ate. She heard Old Bob say, “Very good. Now, saddle her up.” She saw him gesture to some tack on the fence, and walked Shadow over. She patted the mare, and then threw the saddle blanket over her back. Natalie placed the saddle on, then crouched down and tightened the girth.

She was pleasantly surprised when Shadow didn't try the usual trick; sucking in air, then exhaling once the girth was ‘tightened’, thus letting the straps go limp. She stood, and gently forced the bit into Shadow’s mouth. She slipped the straps over the horse’s nose, forehead, and behind the ears. She made sure the bridle was tight, but comfortable before looking back at Old Bob. He was nodding, “Mount her.” Natalie narrowed her eyes,
“I’m guessing I’m going to get bucked off the moment I get on?” Old Bob grinned,
“Clever one, aren't you? Say ‘May I mount?’ in her ear, then you’ll be fine.” Natalie nodded and muttered the question in the mare’s ear. Shadow tossed her head, and Natalie mounted. She waited a moment, and then rode Shadow around slowly. She urged Shadow into a trot, then back to a walk, then up to a trot again as she rode around the paddock. “Take her out, and we’ll see what she can really do.” Will called, opening the gate. Natalie turned Shadow towards the open gate, soft on the reigns so as not to hurt the tender flesh around the mouth. She urged Shadow into a canter, then a gallop. She didn't try to avoid a fallen tree; instead she made sure Shadow was at right angles so as to make the jump easier.

She held onto a fistful of wiry black mane as the small, shaggy mare jumped, easily clearing the log and galloping on. Natalie turned Shadow around slowly, gently, and was surprised to see how far she had gone. She held onto the fistful of mane again as Shadow jumped, then picked up the reigns. She eased the shaggy little horse down to a walk, then a stop as she drew up beside Will and Old Bob. Will looked impressed with Shadow’s speed, “She might even rival Tug.” He said, patting the mare’s neck. "Maybe." Natalie dismounted smoothly, lifting her leg clear of Shadow’s back as she swung it over before dropping to the ground. Will nodded, seemingly satisfied. “I think we’ll stay the night, if we may.” He said, turning to Old Bob. The old man grinned and nodded, “Natalie won’t have a very comfortable night, but oh well.” Natalie realized they had been there for hours; the sun was already setting. Or, more accurately, it had bee hour since they had set out. They went indoors and ate a meal of stew, washed down with cold water. Then the three sat cradling mugs of coffee, and, in Natalie’s case, tea. After they had talked a while, Natalie went and bedded down in the barn, Will on Old Bob’s couch, and Bob in his small, curtained-off bedroom area. Natalie slept fitfully, dreams of her past conjured up by the sharp straw poking into her back. She tossed and turned, muttering in her sleep. One word in particular was spoken with an intense hatred: 'Father'.

[WilloweWolf]

bump

[WilloweWolf]

Natasha’s eyes glided over the paper she held in her hand. A frown creased her forehead, and her jaw was set in a worried line. She stood and made her way to Alyss’s office; once there, she knocked softly and heard her mentor call ‘come in’. She opened the door and slipped in, closing it softly behind her. Her mentor smiled. “Ah, Natasha.” Alyss said, gesturing for the girl to sit in one of the comfortable leather chairs near the desk that dominated the room. Tasha obeyed, and put the paper on the desk, “This came in earlier this morning.” She said. “Scouts in the Mountains report Wargal parties moving closer to the cliffs. One or two parties have been spotted in Araluen.”

The smiled faded from Alyss’s face, to be replaced with a worried frown. “In Araluen? I’d better tell the Baron.” She said, rising and taking the report. Tasha followed her out, making her way back to the apprentice offices. She sat down at her desk and distractedly looked through various complaints from the villages about bandits on the roads, bad irrigation, and other minor things. The Wargal activity dominated Natasha’s mind, and she managed to knock a stack of papers off right in front of one of the senior Couriers three times. “Natasha, what is wrong with you?” Andrea, one of Tasha’s friends among the graduated Couriers, asked, helping the girl collect papers from the floor the third time. Tasha looked up, “Ask Lady Alyss.” She said, putting a stack back on her desk.

Andrea frowned, “Lady Alyss? Why?” Tasha sighed sadly,
“I’m afraid I can’t explain properly without that report. Alyss has gone to the Baron’s office to speak with him, she should be back soon.” She sat back behind her desk and pulled the stacks of paper away from the edge so as not to knock them off, or at least to make it harder. Andrea grinned, tossing her long black hair behind her shoulders. Her brown eyes sparkled as she walked away, pausing here and there to check on an apprentice or deliver a file. Tasha smiled and picked up a sheet of paper, glancing at the date briefly before laying it on a large stack of old reports and complaints. She sorted through the papers covering her desk for an hour, and then left with the rest of the first-year apprentices to an open courtyard. There were dummies set up around the edge, where the Couriers-to-be could practice with the long, sharp daggers that were a Courier’s weapon.

Tasha walked over to a dummy and drew her dagger from the sheath concealed in a fold of her white Courier gown. For half an hour, the courtyard rang with the sound of metal on leather and wood. Natasha wiped sweat off her forehead as she headed for the dining hall, hungry. She feasted on roast chicken, warm, fresh bread, and bright fruits. Then it was time to get behind a desk again. Tasha trudged to the large room and sat behind the large oak desk. Another three hours of sorting paper, she knew, and she would have numb fingers; but she cheerfully sorted the dozens of paper into three stacks: Important reports, minor complaints, and rubbish. Ashley, her new friend and fellow first-year apprentice, leaned over and said, “How are your fingers? Mine are already numb.” Tasha grinned and replied quietly, “Mine are numb, too.” Both girls giggled, then cut off short, rubbing their heads. “Ow! Andrea!” Natasha said, twisting in her seat and glaring at her. Andrea was holding a heavy book, one she had just used to whack Natasha’s and Ashley’s heads.

“Back to work, you two.” She said, the slightest glint of amusement in her eyes. Tasha gave her a glare that would freeze a poised cobra, but Andrea simply shrugged cheerfully and walked off with a spring in her step. Tasha rolled her eyes and went back to sorting papers.

Four hours later found Tasha heading to her dorm with the rest of the girls in her year. Ashley and Tasha walked side by side, talking quietly together. It hadn’t taken long for the two to become best friends, Ashley replacing Sherry and Natalie in Natasha’s life. It had been hard for the three to part, especially the twins, but they managed. Tasha wondered how Natalie was doing, and if Sherry was happy in Battleschool. She hadn’t gotten the chance to say good bye to Natalie, she had left too early. She sighed and pulled off the worn boots she always wore, and freed her hair from the tight bun she had twisted it into that morning. “My fingers are raw!” Natasha complained to Ashley, wriggling her fingers in her face. There were faint red lines on them from all the papers she had sorted through, and a bruise on her thumb testified to the heavy paper weight she had dropped on it.

Ashley grinned and held up her hands, “I can’t feel mine.” Tasha grinned as she caught sight of the bruise on Ashley’s pinkie. When Tasha had dropped the paper weight on her thumb, Ashley had burst out laughing and closed her desk drawer on her finger. Ashley climbed up to her bunk, right above Tasha’s, and settled down, having already changed. Tasha soon fell asleep, too, succumbing to dreams of… Roast chicken?

[TheSongOfTheStars]

Ok this is so awesome it could almost be one of the books... Only more sarcasm... and wheres Halt?

[WilloweWolf]

Yeah, I'm working on that.

[WilloweWolf]

Natalie’s eyes fluttered open as the light filtered through gaps in the walls, bathing the barn. She stood, pulled some straw out of her still-braided hair, and descended the ladder. The girl walked over to Shadow’s stall, “Hey, girl.” She patted the mare’s nose. Will stuck his head into the small stable, “Awake? Good.” He grinned, “I see you rate greeting your horse above greeting you mentor.” Natalie grinned and shrugged,
“So? She was closer.” Natalie followed Will out into the cold morning and walked around to Old Bob’s house. They went in, and had a quick breakfast. They stayed for a while, into the afternoon. Then the pair prepared to leave. Will went a little ways into the woods and let loose a loud, piercing whistle. Within a few minutes, Tug was beside him, bridle in his mouth and saddle on his back, but unstrapped. Natalie was impressed with the little horse’s ability to keep the saddle on. Old Bob looked annoyed, obviously, Will had taught Tug that, not the old man. Will tightened the saddle girth, and then bridled Tug while Natalie did the same to Shadow. They mounted, said farewell to Old Bob, and rode away.

For a while, they rode in silence. Then Natalie frowned and checked Shadow with a twitch of the reign. She slid off smoothly and knelt by a patch of trampled ground where she could barely make out the tracks of a frightened rabbit, a wolf, and… Her frown deepened. That didn’t make any sense. “What is it?” Will asked. He had dismounted and come up behind his apprentice. Without looking up, Natalie replied,
“A wolf, but that’s not what’s confusing me. There are horse tracks here. And they’re only a few hours old. More than that, I’d say the horse was either really fat, or had a rider from how deep they are.” She ran a finger lightly over a hoof print. She paused, and then whispered, “Or maybe the horse was limping.” She looked closer and confirmed her suspicions: the horse had been wounded. She could see traces of blood, barely evident in the fast-fading light. She glanced at Tug and Shadow, and saw no warning of danger there. Light flared up where Will had moved to his horse and lit a torch. He brought it over to where Natalie knelt and crouched beside her, examining the tracks. “Wounded, more like.” Natalie nodded, “I already figured that out, from the blood.” Will’s eyebrow shot up,
“Blood? Wha- Oh.” He grinned sheepishly, “That blood.” Natalie chuckled, nodding,
“Yes, that blood.” Then she was all business again, glancing around for any indication of what had happened. She followed the trail backwards, and quickly located the source. As she cast around, she saw what had happened in her mind’s eye. A hunter, probably. More like a poacher, Natalie thought bitterly. He must have spotted the horse and thought it was a deer or something, and shot. The horse had run, stumbling and leaving a trail of blood. A wolf had pursued, scaring both the horse and a rabbit. All this she pictured as she slowly walked back to where Will crouched, a little farther on.

He looked up as Natalie approached, “Find anything?” He asked, rising and dusting of his knees. Natalie nodded and told him what she had seen. Will nodded approvingly, “You did well to search for the source of the tracks.” He said, “I’ll go see myself, try to figure out more.” He smiled at his apprentice, showing he trusted her report, but knew there would be more that Natalie hadn’t spotted. Natalie smiled briefly back, and then went to Shadow and lit her own torch from the small supply tied to the back of the saddle. As Will walked back the way Natalie had come, the girl went further along the trail until she spied a crossbow bolt; or, more accurately, the bolt found her. She tripped over it, barely managing not to fall. Natalie frowned and knelt, her free hand searching among the leaves.

She quickly found it and held up the narrow wooden bolt, an iron tip glinting in the torch light. She looked at it and frowned as she saw the pattern painted on the bolt. It was dappled green and grey, like a Ranger’s cloak. Clearly some poachers knew the secrets of camouflage, and that disturbed Natalie. “Err… Will. I’ve found something.” Natalie called, her tone lightly coated with worry. She heard a faint grunt as Will stood. He made his way toward the girl, frowning as he saw what he was holding. “Hmm…” he said, gently taking the crossbow bolt from Natalie, “Now how did our friend here find out about that?” He glanced around, and then looked at Natalie, “And how did you find it?” Natalie grinned sheepishly, “I tripped over it.” Will nodded and dropped it in a pocket hidden in his cloak. “Come on, I’m getting hungry.” Natalie laughed and raced Will back to the horses. She was faster, and mounted as Will got within a yard of Tug. He glared jokingly at Natalie and swung easily astride Tug. With a touch of his master’s heels, Tug trotted forward, closely followed by Shadow. They soon saw the lights of the cabin. Will smiled as he dismounted and led Tug into the stable. Natalie swung off Shadow smoothly, following Will. They headed inside, and Alyss looked up from the pot of stew she was stirring, “Ah, you’re back.” Will nodded. “You’ve succeeded in stating the obvious.” he said, hanging his cloak on a peg near the door. Alyss shrugged and hefted the pot, carrying it over to the table; where she ladled a generous helping into three bowls.

As they sat down, Will brought up the question he had been waiting to ask the whole day. “Natalie,” he began. His apprentice looked up with a raised eyebrow. “How did you know about-“ Natalie cut him off.
“The trick to mounting a Ranger horse? I have eyes, Will. And a memory.” Alyss frowned.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Natalie sighed and replied smoothly.
“Just this: I haven’t been cooped up in the castle grounds for quite as long as you might think.” Nobody felt like that particular topic was worth pursuing at the moment, not even Will. Silence is a strange friend. Natalie pondered what Will would suspect next. She helped Alyss clean up in silence.

After dinner, Natalie taught Alyss how to make Chinsuko, a common dessert in Nihon-Ja. They said not a word to Will about what they were making, simply brushing him off with a ‘you’ll see, now go away’. Alyss finally got tired of her husband’s pestering. “Will, this kitchen is not for you at this time. Go make sure the horses are bedded down properly and have food, or something.” Humbled, Will turned and headed for the door. “Well.” Alyss huffed, putting floury hands on her slim hips. “You’ll soon learn he’s good for only a small range of things.” Natalie laughed and resumed her hunt for the spoon that she had accidentally flung across the room. “Aha!” The girl came up holding the escapee. “Ow.” She had bumped her head on the counter as she straightened. Alyss smiled and turned back to the Chinsuko.

That done, Natalie went to find Will while Alyss set a plate of the sweet bready treats on the table. Sable, Will’s dog, lifted her head from her paws when she caught the scent. Alyss laughed. “Not for you, you little rascal.” She crossed the room and reached down to fondle Sable’s black head. The dog’s tail thumped appreciatively, though her bi-colored eyes told a different story. Natalie couldn’t help but laugh as she came back in, followed by Will; those eyes were trained on the table. She had a feeling that the dog knew exactly how much Chinsuko there was on the pine table, and exactly where it was. Will inhaled the smell of the baking and smiled, “It seems you two have done a good job, from the smell of it.” Natalie snorted.
“No thanks to you, might I add.” She gave him a withering look that suggested she had no patience for men who interrupted her work.

They fell to the Chinsuko eagerly, Natalie laughing inwardly at the expression on Will’s face. “Okay, who taught this recipe to who?” Will dusted the crumbs off of his fingers and looked from Alyss to Natalie.
“Natalie did the teaching, Will. You should know that, seeing as you were listening in on our talk.” Alyss glared at her husband briefly before flashing a smile at Natalie.
“And you’ll get many more recipes if you want.” Natalie put in, grinning. Alyss laughed.
“And why wouldn’t I?”
“I don’t know, ask yourself that!” It was too much for poor Will.
“Arrgh!” He burst out and fled from the cabin. This brought a bout of helpless mirth from Alyss and Natalie. Will, meanwhile, dashed into the stables and leaned against the door of Tug’s stall. “Help me, Tug. Help me.” Tug whinnied. You brought this on yourself; nothing I can do to help. Will looked up at the shaggy little horse staring down at him and glared. “Well, that’s not exactly helpful.”

Didn’t I just say ‘nothing I can do to help’?
“That you did.” Will muttered, rising and fishing an apple out of the barrel nearby for his horse. Tug crunched happily on the apple, sticky juice running down his muzzle. Will chuckled. “What ever happened to table manners?” Tug shook his mane and snorted, stamping the ground. Table manners? There’s no table in here!
“Fine, I’ll give you that. G’night, Tug.” Will patted his horse’s neck and turned to leave. He tripped over Sable, his border shepherd. “Ack!” Arms wind-milling, Will stumbled and caught himself on the apple barrel. “Sable!” He scolded, glowering down at the dog. Her furry tail swept the ground back and forth at her name.

Natalie helped Alyss clean up for the second time that night before bidding her good night and heading for her room. She flopped down on the bed, sighing. “I hope he doesn’t get too nosy.” She told the air quietly. “This’ll be more dangerous than I thought.” She yawned and pulled off her boots, then rummaged around in her small bag of belongings, coming out with a small, leather-bound notebook, a pen, and a small inkwell. She sat down on the small bed in the corner and opened the notebook to a blank page. Then she began to write.

April 17

The dreams are getting worse. I lie awake at night, unable to shake the image of my Mama’s face as she lay dying. On it, I saw fear, grief, and pity. Pity for the man who used to be my father. That one moment changed my life forever, and it caused me to grow up too soon. I hope Hoshimi and Hiro are okay. What if he’s found them? What if they’re dead, like my Mama? No! I won’t think of that! They must be alive! They must be! They’re all I have left! Pen and paper cannot show my fear and desperation enough. It never will be able to.

Hana

Natalie put away the pen and inkwell, and then hesitated. Finally she decided to put the diary under her pillow. Then she laid down. She fell asleep quickly. And she dreamed.

[TheSongOfTheStars]

Haha.... Is Halt going to be in this?... Just O.o just had a randomly distrubing thought...

[WilloweWolf]

Patience, patience! He'll be in the next chapter, rest assured.