The boys left a week later, exhausted. Jemma smirked to them as they left.
She may have left a little surprise in their bags.
She heard a squeal from the group as they found the spiders. She giggled and walked over to them.
She gathered the spiders in her hands.
"They're not dangerous." She giggled. The boys stared at her with horror. She smiled. "See you next time."
...
One weekend Jemma turned to her parents at the breakfast table.
"I want to learn how to swim." She said.
Her parents looked at each other and nodded. That afternoon Will took Jemma down to a stream near their cabin and he spent the next three hours teaching her how to swim.
Each week from then on, Jemma would go down to the stream and practise her swimming.
She soon became good at it.
Alyss smiled at her husband as they watched their daughter swimming around. She felt like everything was the way it was supposed to be.
...
When it was time for the next Ranger Gathering, Jemma was extremely excited to see her friends again.
She first saw Holly, and promptly wrapped the girl in a hug. Holly hugged back and the two girls went to find the boys.
They found Mark and David huddled around their tents whispering.
Jemma snuck behind them and listened in.
"Just tell Holly how you feel-" David whispered.
"I'm not sure if she likes me back-" Mark answered.
Jemma looked up at Holly and whispered to the two boys. "Just do it. It won't hurt. You guys are made for each other!"
Mark jumped and David smiled. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug and kissed her cheek. The two of them immediately blushed afterwards.
Mark smirked. "Just tell her how you feel." He mimicked.
Jemma and David blushed further. "Don't know what you're talking about." David muttered. Jemma nodded her head slightly.
She pulled up the older boy and pushed him towards Holly. Holly smiled and steadied Mark. Mark muttered something and the two of them walked off.
"This had better work." Jemma muttered to David. "I've been waiting for this to happen for ages."
...
A few hours later Holly and Mark returned, arms linked and bright smiles on their faces.
David held up his hand and Jemma fist-bumped it.
Holly said something that sounded strangely like, "Now we just have to set those two up."
Mark grinned and nodded his head while David and Jemma looked at them with identical confused expressions.
...
The four friends and their mentors were called to the command tent the next day.
Halt was there, and Jemma saw Maddie hiding in the shadows.
"It had come to our concerns that there has been an uprising in the Ranger Corps." Gilan said and Jemma gasped.
"They are getting increasingly dangerous, as the numbers grow." The older mentors looked grave while the apprentices looked at Gilan with confusion.
"Why?" Jemma asked.
"Many of the Rangers believe it was a very bad choice letting females become Rangers. We have only three females presently, as it has been difficult finding people who are suitable and willing to give it a go."
Maddie nodded thoughtfully.
"Although many believe this is true, I do not. Maddie is one of our best Rangers, and Holly and Jemma show great promise." He winked at the two girls, and Mark and David stood by them protectively.
"This is why we believe that it is safer for the girls to be sent into hiding until we can get a better hold on this situation."
Holly's mentor nodded and left the tent immediately, surprising the others.
Ranger Theo walked out and came back in. "I believe that he is one of the Rangers you were speaking about, Commander. That was very stupid of the man, he revealed himself so quickly. I'm sorry, Holly."
Holly nodded, tears in her eyes.
Gilan looked gravely at the other mentors. "If there are any others that wish to join him, you may leave now."
Will and Theo stood by their apprentices, but Mark's mentor got up and left.
"That gives us some sort of lead." Halt said. "They are from the fiefs nearer Celtica."
Jemma nodded. "When are we leaving?"
Gilan looked at the two girls gravely. "Now."