Rangers Apprentice: Something Missing

Chapter 33

Halt rode into a small village were Crawly was latter that night. Halt walked into the Inn and there sitting at a table in the far corner was Crawly. Halt walked over to him, not caring about the looks everyone was giving him. Crawly looked up from his cup of coffee and smiled at Halt as he stood in front of the table.

"Halt! What brings you hear?" Crawly asked as he took another sip of his coffee.

"I need your help." Halt said. Crawly eyed him for a moment.

"My help, with what?" Crawly asked.

"The colt has been kidnaping and burning people. They kidnaped a little girl a couple hours ago, but I was able to save her. They are going to try and kill her and a lot more people." Halt said. Crawly would be teasing Halt about the way he was acting when it came to this girl, when he realized that this little girl might remind him of his daughter back home. Crawly didn't realize how much having a daughter would effect him.

"Ok, I'll help." Crawly said as he got up. Crawly paid for his coffee and left with Halt.

As they were riding back to the village Halt told Crawly everything he had seen. When Crawly heard about the women being burnt to death he shuddered. What a horrible way to die, he thought. As they rode the sun started to peek over the horizon signaling the early hours of the day. Halt and Crawly started to go faster, hoping that the colt hadn't struck yet.

When they finely made it to the village Nicolas came out of his house and walked over to the two rangers.

"Halt!" He called out. Halt looked up as Nicolas walked over.

"Good to see you back." He said. He then looked over at Crawly and put out his hand. Crawly shook it.

"My name is Nicolas." He said. Crawly nodded.

"Mine is Crawly. I take it your the father of the girl who the kidnaped." Crawly asked as he let go of Nicolases hand.

"Yes, I am." He said sadly. Halt and Crawly fallowed Nicolas into his home. The first thing they noticed was a women sitting at a small table in the center of the room. She looked up what the three men came in.

"Halt, welcome back." She said nodding her head twards the three men. Halt nodded back. They all four then sat around the table. Nicolas told them that nothing had happened when they were gone. Halt was relieved to hear that. At least he wasn't to late. Halt thought to himself.

"Halt I think you and me should stake out the woods tonight, to see if we can get a good picture of how many there are." Halt nodded at Crawly.

"Yes, we should. Nicolas, when we leave tonight I don't want you leaving this house for anything. I f something does happen when we're gone I want you to take your daughter and get on my horse and run as far away as possible." Crawly looked at Halt for a minuet in shock, but then he nodded.

"Yes, and your wife can take my horse." Crawly said. Nicolas and his wife looked at the two rangers in shock. A ranger never let anyone else ride their horses. They had some sort of code word that they needed to say, or the horse would never let you ride it.

"Thank you." Was all Nicolas could think of saying. Halt and Crawly nodded. They told them the code words to ride their horses, as Nicolases wife, Merry made breakfast. A little while latter their daughter woke up and came into the kitchen. She hid behind her mother when she saw the two Rangers. Crawly smiled at her. Her dad told her that the men were nice, and after a little bit she was fine with them. After they ate breakfast Halt and Crawly walked into the woods to figure out were they would stake out. They decided, that if they wanted to get a better view the only place they could go would be in one of the trees. The trees were huge, and would make good cover from the colt. Halt showed Crawly were the colt met and they decided which trees they would be in. They would both take trees across from each other. When the Rangers got back they were greeted with a frantic Nicolas.

"Halt, Crawly!" Nicolas yelled as he ran over to them.

"What's wrong Nicolas?" Crawly asked. Nicolas stopped running and cot his breath.

"Someone has been kidnapped by the colt." Nicolas said.

"What!" Halt said.

"Ya, they took two people this time. siblings, a thirteen year old boy, and his eight year old sister." Nicolas said. Halt and Crawly both grew pail at that. Not more kids, Halt thought.

"We'll get them back tonight." Crawly said. Halt and Nicolas both nodded. They all walked back to Nicolases house to get ready for tonight. What every happened tonight, Halt knew he was not going to let anything happen to those kids. He swore it on his life, he swore it on the life I the women he was unable to save.