Rangers Apprentice: The Silver Rose

~▪︎♤●Chapter 13●♤▪︎~

With all that was going on, I was surprised I actually fell asleep.

But it didn't last long.

I felt a hand shake me awake.

I peeled my eyes open slowly. "Whyyy...." I grumbled. I recognized the old man from earlier.

"Gilan and the others made it out!" He said seriously. He shook me again.

Then I had realized what he said.

I sat bolt upright as fast as humanly possible. "What!?!? Where?!? How?!?" The words spilled from my mouth like a waterfall.

"I dunno, I overheard someone say it" he told me.

"Ok I'm gonna go check it out!" I said determinedly. I stood up and started dodging around cookfires and injured rangers.

"Is it true? Oh please, please, please say they got out!" I thought worriedly.

I then banged into a pot of stew on a spit over a fire. "Hey! Watch it!" Yelled the ranger cooking it. He glared daggers at me.

I secretly hoped he wouldn't use his actual daggers on me.

"Whoops! sorry about that!" I said. I stopped the pot from swinging back and forth. I then scurried away before he had a chance to use those daggers.

"What was his problem? I wondered. "It was an accident after all".

Scanning the area I couldn't see anyone familiar yet. I was getting frustrated.

I had no clue if Keith even got out, and if he really did manage to get out of the fire...would he be ok?

I wandered around the makeshift camp looking for any sign of my friends.

I then spotted Lyrica running towards me. She looked especially worried.

"That probably means something bad has happed" I thought. I raced towards her and we nearly banged into each other.

"Lyrica whats wro- I started.

"Keith! He's still in the fire!" She shouted. She grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the others.

"No no no... this is bad" I whisperd.

We ran out of the ditch and towards the forrest. We stopped at the edge of the blazing trees.

"Where are the others?!?" I yelled over the roaring fire.

"With Gilan, Samuel and Henry! She yelled back. I sighed, relieved they had at least made it out.

"They're very badly injured, but they'll be fine" she told me.

"Ok..." I thought.

"Then why are we here?" I asked. I was confused at why she brought me back to the fire.

"Im going in to find Keith" she said.

My jaw dropped. "Are you insane?!? I yelled. Lyrica looked unimpressed.

"You'll die if you go in there" I was starting to freak out. "I don't care! Ok?" She yelled. She looked really determined.

"Keith is my brother, I have to save him" she yelled. "Lyrica!" I yelled as she plunged into the burning forest.

I quickly lost sight of her.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no! I yelled as I ran back to camp for help.

I ran up to the group and nearly fell over from exhaustion.

Halt and Will were tending to Gilan and the other two rangers.

"Maddie! I said out of breath. Maddie looked up from grinding some coffee beans. "Ah, Rielle how's your arm?" She asked.

I ignored her question. "Lyrica went after Keith!" I shouted.

Maddie dropped the bowl of coffee grounds in horror.

"Thats it I'm gonna kill her!" Yelled Maddie. She jumped up and took off for the forest. I turned to Will and Halt who were also on their feet.

Will had a impatient look on his face. Halt just stood there with his arm crossed.

"Well, lead the way" said Will calmly.

We then ran out of the ditch and up the hill to the forest. As we ran Will started speaking.

"If I know Maddie- "you do" interrupted Halt. Will continued as if that didn't just happen. "She'll charge in right after Lyrica" Will finished.

Halt gasped in mock surprise, "what? No way, I never would have guessed" he muttered.

We made it to the forest's edge. Halt was gasping for breath.

"Alright since Halt is practically choking on air, and you aren't even trained" he pointed to me. I scowled. "I'll go in" he finished.

"But-" I started.

He went in.

I sighed in exasperation. "O-kay then" I said. Halt finally stood up straight and stopped coughing.

We stood there....

"Heh, well this is awkward..." I thought. Halt then walked over and put his hand on my shoulder.

"You hold down the fort, I'm gonna to go get some coffee" he yawned. I guess it was like four in the morning.

"Ok, fair, but they literally just walked into a fire!" I yelled. I was starting to get irritated.

"Your Halt O'carrick! The greatest ranger like...ever! Aren't you gonna go in and help them?" I shouted. Halt shrugged. "I would if I could, but when your my age you can't do stuff like this- he pointed to the fire- without dying" he then walked away.

"Uhg!" I turned away from him.

"That insufferable old boot!" I cursed. "How can he just walk away?" I fumed.

"I should go give him a piece of my mind!" I stomped my foot. At that second a tree fell down right beside me.

I jumped yelled and then fell on my but. The tree was burning, but the flames didn't last long.

I stared at the tree in shock. If Halt wouldn't have left...it would have squashed him dead.

I looked back to the forest. "Where are they by now?" I wondered.

"Are they still alive?"

(Author's note~)
Muhahahahaha cliff hanger. Thanks for reading, im having a ton of fun with this book. So please stay tuned! ✌💜🤟