One arrow.
Two arrows.
Three arrows.
Each one missed the vital mark, merely wounding the boar. Halt's arrow was already nocked, and all he could do was wait. All he could do was wait for the boar's vulnerable spot to show.
And while he was sitting there, doing nothing, his apprentice stood there, helpless and defenseless as the tiny knife was gripped in his hand.
Blast it! His heart hammered in his chest, and he raised the bow. The heart was still out of sight, even as it turned to Will. Ahead, the warrior apprentice had begun to regain his balance, beginning to start forward.
Horace wouldn't make it in time, Halt knew.
In his mind, he saw the sergeant, Daniel, towering over him, wielding a sword as though he'd trained with it his whole life, protecting him, Halt, a man he'd never met.
Daniel was dead.
And then the mother, pushing aside the thief as the knife rose. The blade flashed through the air, eager for the blood it had just been denied, driving itself into the woman's side, instead of his own.
She was dead.
And now their son was facing the boar as it lowered its head, those red eyes gleaming with pure hatred as it prepared to charged.
Never before had he been so nervous to shoot. His hands shook the slightest bit. If he missed, the boy would die. And he, Halt, would have failed the two people who had saved his life.
The boar roared, sprinting forward with a speed that belied its size, straight towards the small figure in the snow.
Hiss!
The arrow flew through the air, slowly, as if time had stopped. His shoulders sagged in relief as the iron tip ripped through the flesh, searing the heart of the beast. The hateful roar turned to a scream of agony, and then it flopped to the ground, lifeless.
Halt clapped his knees into Abelard's sides, just barely restraining himself from jumping off the horse mid stride. He rushed to the ground, throwing his arms around the boy. Will leaned into him, shaking, as he buried his face into the cloak.
Halt bit back a sigh of relief. The trembling in his own hands had ceased, and he pulled back, taking the knife from Will's hands. The boy looked up at him, eyes wide, tears still streaming down his face.
"What on earth were you hoping to do with this?" Halt asked.
Will only shook his head in reply.
YOU ARE READING
Ranger's Apprentice: Tales Untold
FanfictionYou've heard of their adventures, of the wars, of their accomplishments. You know where they've traveled. But what about the parts you don't see? The parts of their lives that have been untold?
