The Life of a Ranger, Ranger's Apprentice Fanfiction

Chapter 23

  Errol wakes up to a new day: the last day of The Gathering. It's the day they get their bronze oakleaf if they pass. All the apprentices have the jitters and can barely concentrate on their tasks. They have just some last assessments before they find out. This time, they do map making, building shelters and traps, and knots and lashings. Half the time with the knots and lashings, Errol gets it right by flukes. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, it's night. Crowley stands up in the middle of a crowd of green and brown waves. "Hello to everyone. Just like every other time, the Gathering is over already. I hope you all had a great time. I have some announcements now." Crowley calls up some rangers and hands them the gold oakleaves of retirement. Then he calls up graduating apprentices to give them their silver oakleaves. After that, he moves some rangers around in fiefs. Then, it was time. "Now, we've had five apprentices who have been assessed over the last three days. First, I'd like to thank Ranger Levi for helping me with assessing them. Stand up, Levi." A flustered Ranger Levi stands up, nods at the applause, and quickly sits back down. "Now, the apprentices have done quite well today and I'm going to call each of them up to receive their bronze oakleaf." One by one, they get called up and receive their oakleaf. Errol stares at the oakleaf as he's called up. He can't believe it. He made it. Hesitantly, he receives it and hangs it around his neck. All of them are now officially rangers' apprentices. The rangers cheer for them and they have a big feast. The next morning, Crowley catches Will and Halt as they are preparing to leave with Errol. Crowley acknowledges them with a nod. "Will, Halt, Errol. Can I have a word with you, please?" They drop what they're doing and listen. At least, until Halt tell Errol to get back to work. Annoyed at not feeding his curiosity, Errol gets back to packing up their one-man tents. Halt nods to Crowley. "Go on." "Well, there's been a report about a large animal that's terrorizing the country in the south, and it's making its way towards Redmont. Yet there's also a report of dangerous bandits up north in Redmont that's robbing and killing people. Think you can handle both?" The two rangers nod. Halt is the first to speak. "Yes, we can handle it. One of us with each problem. Errol can go with one of us. We'll discuss it on the way there." Crowley wishes them luck and they go on their way. Once on the trail, they explain everything to Errol and make plans. "If Will takes out the bandits, I can take Errol with me to dispose of the beast. It's probably just a bear. I don't think he's quite ready to fight against people, yet, so this can prepare him." Says Halt. Will agrees after thinking it through. The occasion reminds him of his first Gathering, where they chased down the kalkara. "Good idea. Thank God that this isn't a kalkara this time." Halt nods as he, too, remembers. "Yes. We'll never have to verse one of them ever again." Errol's face shows his confusion. "Something wrong, Errol?" "I'm just wondering, do you know how the wargals got to so many?" "By reproduction, of course." "Then if they can reproduce, why couldn't the kalkara reproduce?" Halt's and Will's faces pale with the thought. Halt looks at Errol in horror. "I hope they never had that opportunity. Maybe we got to them in time. But we don't have to worry. It's not at all likely that this is a kalkara. Like I said before, it's probably just a bear." Or is it?