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

Erak's Sass

Halt knew how deeply he felt the loss of Will and Alex. Gilan blamed himself for leaving Will and Alex alone in the hills of Celtica. He said that Alex had said that she might not make it out alive. She had also said that she might have to give up her life for Will and Horace, but he hadn't understood, but now he thinks he does. No matter how many times Halt and the other Rangers told him that he had taken the right course, he refused to believe it. Now, Halt knew, it would hurt him even more to be refused. Nevertheless, as Rangers, their first duty was to the kingdom. He shook his head and answered curtly.

"Not granted. You're needed here. We're to lead a force through the Thorntree to cut off Horth's men. Go to Crowley's tent and get hold of the charts showing the secret ways for this part of the country."

Gilan hesitated, his jaw set. "But..." he began to protest, and then something in Halt's eyes stopped him as the older Ranger leaned forward. 

"Gilan, do you think for one moment that I don't want to tear that plateau apart stone by stone until I find them? But you and I took and oath when they gave us these silver oak leaves, and now we have to live up to it."

Gilan dropped his eyes and nodded. His shoulders and slumped as he gave in.

"All right," he said in a broken voice, and Halt thought he saw traces of tears in his eyes. He turned away quickly before Gilan could see the moisture in his own.

"Get the charts," he said briefly. 

The four Skandians and their prisoners had trudged across the bleak, windswept plateau for the rest of the day and into the evening. It wasn't until several hours after dark that Erak called to a halt, and Will and Evanlyn sank gratefully to the rocky ground. 

Alex still stood, but had stopped walking.

Erak didn't keep them tied up. "This plateau is full of Wargals," he had told them roughly. "You can take your chances with them you choose." 

So they'd kept their position in the middle of the group, passing bands of Wargals throughout the day, and heading constantly to the northeast, and the Three Step Pass.

Nordal began to gather wood for a fire, Svengal tossed a large copper pot at Evanlyn's feet and gestured toward a stream that bubbled through the rocks close by.

"Get some water," he told her gruffly. She shrugged, took up the pot and rose. 

"Come on, Alexandra." Evanlyn said. "You can give me a hand."

"Don't call me Alexandra." Alex said simply. Erak was about to say no, than thought second of it. She wouldn't run with Will with the Skandians and he was right. Will stood to join them and Erak stopped him. 

"No!" he said sharply to Will. 

"You, I don't mind wandering off, and you." he said. "Because I know you'll come back." 

"Why do you think that? Is it cause we're girls? Because I am pretty dangerous, even though I am a girl." Alex interrupted with smirk.

"No, because I have your brother." Erak said evenly. 

Alex shrugged. "Fair enough assumption." she said, and that confirmed that she wouldn't run with her brother still here.

"You." Erak continued pointing at Will. "Ranger, might just get it into your head to make a run for it, in spite of things."

Will tried to look surprised, although he was thinking about doing just that. "Again a pretty fair assumption." Alex said.

"I'm no Ranger." Will said. "And neither is my sister, we are both apprentices."