Ranger's Apprentice: Alex + The Burning Bridge (Discontinued)

Feisty Girl

Will's head ached abominably. A constant, rhythmic thudding pounded through his skull, setting flashes off behind his tight-closer eyes. He forced his eyes open and found himself staring close range at a sheepskin vest and the back of a pair of leather-bound woolen leggings. The world was upside down and he realized that he was being carried over someone's shoulder. The thudding was the sound of the man's feet as he jogged along. Will wished he could walk.

He groaned aloud and the jogging stopped.

"Erak!" the man carrying him called. "E's awake."

And so saying, the Skandian lowered him to the ground. Will tried to take a pace, but his knees gave out and he sank to his haunches. Erak, the leader of the group, leaned down now and examined him. One thick thumb caught hold of his eyelid and he felt his eye being opened wide. The man wasn't cruel. But he was none too gentle either. Will recognized him now as the Skandian who had come so close to discovering him when he was eavesdropping by their campfire in the valley.

"Hmmm." he said thoughtfully. "Concussed, most likely. That was a good throw with that rock, Nordal." he said to one of the others. The Skandian he'd spoken to, a giant of a man with his blond hair in two tightly plaited braids that were greased so they swept upward like horns, smiled at the praise.

"Grew up hunting seals and penguin that way, I did." he said, with some satisfaction. 

Erak released Will's eyelid and moved away. Alex dropped to the ground right in front of Will. She hugged him tight. Will opened his eyes and saw her just hugging him, tears running down her face. 

"Oh, brother." was all she said. Will smiled. She didn't call him brother very often. She only did when she was really worried for him. She let go of him and leaned back. "Are you ok?" she asked.

Will nodded, then a wave or nausea hit him. "They got you as well?" he asked unnecessarily, and she nodded. "Evanlyn?" again she nodded. "Horace?" 

She put a finger to her lips. "He got away," she whispered. "I saw him running when the bridge collapsed."

Will sighed in relief. "We did it them? We got the bridge?" This time Evanlyn walked over and nodded. 

"It's gone." Evanlyn said. "Well and truly."

Erak heard the last few words. He shook his head at them. "And no thanks you'll get from Morgarath for that," he told them. Alex remembered her dream and hugged Will again. 

"I love you, brother." she said. She sat back. 

"We'll take a break." Erak said. "Maybe our friends here will be up to walking in an hour or so."

"Don't call him your 'friend'." Alex snapped. She stood up but was still tiny compared to Erak.

Erak didn't move or seem angry at the statement. "Feisty one, aren't you?" he said. Alex growled at him and sat back down to look at Will's head.

The Skandians opened their packs and produced food and drink. They tossed a water bottle and a small loaf of bread to Will and Evanlyn and Alex and the three ate hungrily. 

"So what do we do now?" asked the one called Nordal. Erak chewed a piece of dried cod, washed it down with a gulp of the fiery liquor he carried in a leather bottle and shrugged.

"For mine, we get out of here as fast as we can." he said. "We only came for the booty and there's going to be precious little of that now that the bridge if gone."

"Morgarath won't like  it if we pull out," warned a short, heavily built member of party. Erak simply shrugged.

"Horak, I'm not here to help Morgarath take over Araluen," he replied. "Neither are you. We fight for profit, and when there's no profit to be had, I saw we go."