Rangers Apprentice: The Hidden Ranger

Chapter Nine

Jennys POV

The Heaped Platter was full with people, as it always was. Jenny and her cooks worked endlessly with preparing meals, taking orders, cleaning, cooking, and serving.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Jenny turned as the door opened and in came one of the village children, a young girl that went running to one of the tables and whispered something to a boy, her brother perhaps and then both of them went running out the door.

Jenny wondered what it was the girl had told him and told one of her cooks that she was going out for some fresh air. Walking out the back door in the kitchen, Jenny spotted the two children running down toward the stalls where the horses were kept. Following them, she began to hear voices. "....found him barley alive as I was on me way here from the farm. The poor thing looked as if had gone through hell. There was no sign of his rider anywhere." Peering around the corner Jenny saw an old farmer talking to a man with the two children standing behind him. Looking more closely, Jenny saw a small grey horse covered in blood, it's head low and ears drooping.

Jenny quickly gelt tears in her eyes and her chest tighten at what she had just seen and heard. Walking back to the Restaurant, she did her best to put on a smiling face when there was one thought racing in her head.

What happened to Will?

•Ok this was not how I wanted Jenny to find out(I mean she NEVER leaves the Heaped Platter and it was stupid of me to make her do that but oh well) about Will and planned on deleting it but since ppl seem to like it I shall keep it•

Alyss, Halt, Pauline, Baron Arald and Sir Rodney

Halts POV

I finished putting my spare cloaks into the wardrobe and turned to look out the window. It's been two days since I'v come back from the Gathering and Will has still yet to return. I'm beginning to worry that something had happened, but knowing Will he is just probably taking his time and will come back when everything is finished. I let a small smile on my lips as I thought of the look on his face when he will.

Alyss was expecting a child and is planning on telling Will when he returned. I was glad for them and thrilled that me and Pauline would be the godparents of the child.

As I was about to turn away from the window, movement down in the courtyard caught my attention and leaning in for a better view I could see a man on a mule with a small, grey horse with its head hanging low and covered in mud behind it.

A cold hand wrapped around my heart, making it stop when I realized that the small horse was Tug. I whirled around and run out the door of the room and make my way down to the courtyard, praying that I was wrong. Coming out of the door I went straight to the farmer on the mule who was talking to a castle guard.

When I was closer I could see that it was Tug, and he wasn't covered in coats of mud, but dried blood that crusted and clumped his shaggy coat. I looked around hoping to see Will standing somewhere or coming from the stable with someone to help him with Tug, but I did not.

The farmer turned to me and I realized that it was Salt Peter, the man that had asked me and Will to help him with a wild boar. " 'Ello Ranger." I nod back at him. "Where did you find him?" As much as I hated it my voice sounded slightly shaken as I asked him, I ran my hand gently over Tugs scored back and withers. "On my way here to sell my pigs, one 'o them had run off and when I went to get 'im I saw this horse laying in the grass, he looked dead at first but then I could see that he was still barley breathen."

I finally manage to look away from Tug and back at Peter. "What about Will? Did you see any signs of him?"

I went cold when Peter dropped his head and slowly shook his head. I felt as his someone was squeezing all the air out of my lungs when Tug suddenly reared and let out a high, yet sorrowful cry. He pranced away from us and made a move to turn and run but I grabbed his reins and pulled him back as hard as I could. Again and again Tug made that sound before I could finally manage to silence him.

By that time people had come out to see what all the noise was, including Baron Arald and Sir Rodeny, who stood ashen faced at what they where looking at.

"Halt, what's going on?"

I turned to see Alyss and Pauline standing not far away. Alyss turned pale and would have fallen to to the ground if Pauline didn't have a hand out to steady her. She shakes her head, tears in her eyes, refusing to believe what she saw before her; if only I didn't believe.

>>>----------->

I tightened the girth of Abelard's sadle when I turned around at the sound of footsteps. Pauline reached me and looked at Abelard with a raised eyebrow, but didn't look at Tug who was standing behind him.

"Going somewhere?" I nodded "First to Old Bob's for him to take care of Tug. I don't have enough trust for the stable hands to do it. Then I'm going to search for Will." I turned back to finish tightening the straps and pack a few more items.

After a few seconds of silence I ask the question I didn't want an answer to. "How's Alyss doing?" I heard Pauline sigh and turned back around to look at her. "She's okay for now, asleep in a spare room, but I think what happened today has hurt her in more ways than one." I nod, feeling sorry for Alyss, happy and excited for her husband to come home and tell him, then see that he's missing and most likely dead somewhere. No. Will is NOT dead.

Pauline warped her hands around mine and I look up at her sad eyes. "Halt do you really think he's still out there? Just look at Tug, he would never go anywhere without him and yet he was found almost dead in a forest." "I have to. I have to look for him or else I could never look at Alyss and tell her when I don't know for sure."

She nods and I embrace her before placing a foot into a stirrup and swing myself into the saddle. "I'll be back as soon as I can." With that I nudge Abelard with my knee and look back no and then to make sure Tug was following as we headed for Old Bobs place.