Ranger's Bane.

nightmares

It's been forever since I've updated! Sorry, I've been starting new stories, but here is the.update!

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Peeling potatoes is the most boring thing you can do with a knife. The only relief is that I'm fast at it. In only five minutes, a dozen are peeled and in the pot along with carrots, leftover beef, and celery. That's all the work Gilan left me before he went to meet Halt at the fork in the road.

Slowly, I lean farther and farther back in my chair. Finally, the back is resting against the wall, and I doze into sleep.

I'm sitting with a few shadowy figures wearing ranger cloaks around a campfire. A frigid breeze rips continually through the landscape. We're a few yards from a muddy path, and sheltered by lush trees.

The setting seems nice enough, but something about this place chills me to the bone. Then I remember. This is the same bend in the road that we were ambushed.

My mother, who grew closer to insanity every month, decided to visit old friends, who I am unsure really existed, in Tranilla. We had barely entered the country, when my brother, who was three years my elder, noticed we were being watched. My mother slapped him for his paranoid nonsense. Then, an arrow appeared in her chest. My brother was shot in the arm, and we were captured and sold. I haven't seen him since.

I stood and glanced at my cloaked companions. They seemed intent on the warm fire, oblivious to the danger that could come. Black and red shafted arrows appeared in a tree near us. Another struck one of my companions in the head, he fell, thrashing in a pool of red. The other two fell as well to arrows in their chests. The attacker moved closer, draped in shadow, I was unsure of his appearance, but the razor arrow head knocked on the huge long bow informed me plenty.

He slowly, and deliberately drew the bow, I was petrified to the spot. He aimed, adjusting for the wind. In slow motion, his fingers released the nock, the arrow flew at me, piercing my chest, I fell back, my life blood leaving me. He advanced, drawing a knife to ensure I was slain, he held it over my neck and raised it up prepared to bring it down when.....

CREAK, THUMP THUMP, CREAK!

I fall off the chair, crashing to the floor. Ugh, I scramble up, my breath in short gasps. My chest burns where it was "shot" and the image of the gleaming knife is sharp in my mind.

My brain races to process the noises Gilan and Halt must have opened the stable, that would explain the noise.

I hastily pull my hood on, stir the stew, and race to seat myself, pulling out a whetstone and sharpen my knife.

The heavy wood door creaks open, and two cloaked figures enter. Gilan Immediately pulls his hood off and shakes.his head. Halt however, is far shorter than imagined.

I keep on sharpening my knife, nervous, when I meet new people, things never go well.

"So, that's your apprentice, diligently sharpening his knife?"

"yes, my apprentice was supposed to cook the stew, did it happen.?" 

I nod and my hood falls off. 

"A GIRL?!" Halt splutters, "but how?"

"she showed potential...." Gilan says, almost meekly.

"Alright," halt nodded. "if it was ten years ago, I wouldn't think it possible, but after meeting Alyss, Cassandra, and Pauline, I'll admit it could be possible."

I take this as my que to stand and shake hands with the man. His salt and pepper hair has only a trace of pepper now, but his grip is steely, and he seems capable.

We have dinner peacefully, the stew is plain, but delicious.

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I promise to update soon!