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Post by Brandwyn on Jun 23, 2012 15:09:45 GMT -5
Bunt heard the commotion off to his left and realized the others were handling that group, but if he were the leader of this rabble of miscreants, he surely would divide his forces and approach them from all angles, so Bunt turned his attention to the right side, up along the bank of the road. Back in the trees he saw movement and then could make out a sillouette of a man, but he wanted to be sure it wasn’t one of the rangers. He knew Crowley was with the apprentices and he heard Red’s horse cantering back, but it could be Rick stalking their attackers.
The figure drew into sight and motioned silently with his left hand. Two more figures broke off behind him and began to circle around Crowley’s position. That was all Bunt needed for confirmation. Figuring the man was the leader, he aimed low, a nice oozing belly wound ought to slow him down. He fired and before the arrow struck it’s mark he was silently moving to the next tree. He fired again and the man behind the leader went down.
Then Red cantered back into their camp and was jumped by a bandit. Bunt darted through the smoke, a shadowy figure and heard an arrow wiz past his head. He wasn’t sure but he thought it might have come from Crowley and the apprentice’s direction. He ducked and rolled, thinking to come up and shoot Red’s attacker, but he was too late. Three arrows already were sticking out of the man and three of the four apprentices were standing there ready to shoot again. Where was Ivy?
‘Confounded girl!’ Bunt thought. ‘She never does want to stay with the pack.’ He scanned the area around Crowley but couldn’t see her. He thought maybe she had finally learned to conceal herself to his roving eye, but something told him she was in danger. Bunt ran in the direction he thought the first two men might have gone. They were unaccounted for. He searched the trees and bushes, keeping in the shadows for he was now well out of the area of the smoke. He heard the other’s making noise, but he knew there were still two more bandits out here at least.
Going back to where he had dropped the leader who was trying to crawl away, leaving a trail of blood, Bunt scanned the ground and picked up the faint prints of the two missing men. The leader chuckled and then grasped the arrow in his stomach and gritted his teeth in pain. “Your too late…They're gone.” He laughed again as Bunt turned and glowered at him.
“Gone where?” Bunt approached him and glared down at the bleeding bandit. It seemed Bunt’s arrow had gone so deep it was lodged in the man’s spine and his legs were now useless. The man shook his head, the grin still on his face even though his eyes were full of pain. He wasn’t going to talk. “Crowley?” Bunt growled, “Git up here. They took Ivey.”
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Crowley was still trying to struggle out from under the edge of the net two numbskulls threw on him from the bank. He’d shot both of them before they could jump him, even with the net partially fowling his bow. He’d been lucky the net hadn’t landed square on him and he’d seen it flying through the air. The apprentices had somehow not been snared and three had gone one way and Ivey the other. They were lost in the smoke and Crowley hadn’t been able to keep track of them during his own struggles to free himself.
At Bunt’s order Crowley scanned the area where he’d last seen Bunt’s first apprentice. She was nowhere in sight. “Ivey, this is no time for games, Lass.” Crowley called out.
“She ain’t playing,” Bunt growled again. Crowley winced, he remembered the last time he’d seen Bunt this angry. “This here ‘un says his scum underlings took her.” Bunt kicked the bandit on the ground hard in the leg, but the man just laughed, holding his guts. He couldn’t feel anything below the arrow that was poking all the way from the front to his backbone.
Crowley climbed up the bank and looked down at him, “better tell us where they took her, or I’ll let my friend here carve it out of you piece by piece.”
The bandit only smirked up at him, intending not to answer, but he couldn’t help gloating, “It won’t matter, soon you’ll all be captured or dead.” He gave another laugh and then his eyes rolled up in his head, his body convulsed and foam came out of his mouth. Within seconds he was dead.
“Stay back!” Bunt pushed Crowley away from the bandit, “poison! We’d best stay back till it clears.”
Crowley stared at the dead bandit, shaken, and let Bunt move him away. Instinctively he covered his mouth and nose with his arm, just in case the poison was in gas form.
Bunt went back to the tracks and started to follow them but Crowley stopped him. “Let’s regroup and make sure there aren’t any more of ‘em out there before we go wandering off on our own.”
Rick strode up, breathing heavily and dumped a struggling bandit onto the ground next to the campfire. “There aren’t. Only those two that took Ivey,” he answered. “They’re all dead except this one here with my arrow in his shoulder, oh, yeah, and that partner of his that ran off early on.”
The man he dumped on the ground was young, probably only around 18 years old and he looked terrified. Rick had bound his legs together, and tied his hands behind his back. He moaned when he hit the ground like a sack of potatoes and lay where he fell. The black arrow fletched with raven feathers was still sticking out of his shoulder.
“Where would they take the girl?” Rick knelt down next to him but the boy only looked at him, too terrified to speak. Rick casually grabbed the arrow and gave it a little jerk. “You know if this isn’t taken out soon, this wound will fester and they’ll have to cut your arm off eventually,” he said quietly. “I could fix you right up if you cooperate.”
The lad looked into the plainsman’s eyes and shuddered at what he saw. There was a ruthlessness that Rick rarely let surface. The boy cried out when Rick twisted the arrow again. “Looks like I got you good, I think the point is embedded in your bone. That’s going to take some cutting to get it out.” Rick pulled out his ranger bag and started laying some sharp instruments into the fire. “Now that can be done one of two ways, either with a pain killer so you don’t feel anything…” Rick pulled out a tiny pouch of herbs and set it the ground, “or without so you feel every little dig of this here scalpel.”
“All right! All Right!” The lad cried out as Rick moved the arrow again as if examining the wound but being rather clumsy about it. “I will have to show you though, the way is secret!”
“Very well, on your feet then,” Rick started to hoist him to his feet. “Better hope it isn’t far since that arrow’s staying right where it is until we find out where they are taking the girl.”
“No, wait! You said you’d take it out!” The boy swayed on his bound feet. When Rick started to retie the boy’s hands in front of him to a long line of rope, he realized that the ranger was serious. “You can’t do this! You are a ranger, you are supposed to help people!”
“I don’t remember that in my job description, do you Ringulf?” Rick looked up at the big Skandian ranger from where he was now untying the boys legs so he could walk. “Just that we are to uphold and enforce the King’s law, and something about administering justice,” Rick looked the young man in the eye as he said the last word. “Now start walking!” He had a good grip on the line around the lad’s wrists and gave it a little tug. “Would you care to keep track of him Ringulf, while I take a look at those tracks Bunt found?”
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Post by Ringulf on Jun 23, 2012 19:26:08 GMT -5
“I don’t remember that in my job description, do you Ringulf?” Rick looked up at the big Skandian ranger from where he was now untying the boys legs so he could walk. “Just that we are to uphold and enforce the King’s law, and something about administering justice,” Rick looked the young man in the eye as he said the last word. “Now start walking!” He had a good grip on the line around the lad’s wrists and gave it a little tug. “Would you care to keep track of him Ringulf, while I take a look at those tracks Bunt found?”
"Ah I really can't remember you know as soon as they gave us that silver piece per body part bounty the boundries got kind of...fuzzy." The big ranger said with an evil smirk on his face.
Ringulf had come into the circle as the smoke started to disapate and he seemed to have recovered all his axes. he wiped the last bits of gore and grey matter from the last one and put it back in his satchel.
"See, Finn is with me were ever I go! I don't think she was too happy when I asked her to make me a dozen throwing axes for that class, but they sure came in handy! heh heh, wait till I tell her, she will giggle like a school girl at the amount of mayhem they caused." Ringulf said a bit of a snicker escaping as he put the satchel back up on Chenelott and grabbed his bow and quiver of his saddlehorn.
"Well looks like we have some tracking to do, we best get started." Ringulf said matter of factly as he glanced over to see that Mylia was alright.
"Hold on now big fellow, last time I looked I still outrank all of you, and after that last scenario, I believe I will once again exert a bit of my authority." Crowley said.
"We have several missions to accomplish and they are all of the utmost urgency! Ringulf, Marshwood is in desperate need of it's Ranger right now the fife is in serious trouble you and Mylia need to press on, much larger matters await you there than finding some missing Apprentices. I am sorry if that seems harsh ladies and gentleman but it is the truth. Bunt you have to find your missing apprentice and I would think that Rick and his might be able to help you do that. Halt and I are needed in Araluen by Royal decree and can not truly be detained any longer in all good conscience. So this is the parting of our little "Fellowship". Rick , Bunt and Apprentices to the rescue, Ringulf and Mylia to Marshwood and Halt and I to the capitol. Alright you have your assignments if we all have everything we need let's get moving, that may not have been the only Bandit group around."
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Post by Firehead on Jun 23, 2012 21:15:31 GMT -5
Red pushed himself to his feet and scrabled back up the gentle slope. There, he saw that the battle was pretty much over already. He wondered briefly at how easily it could have gone the other way, had they not had any forewarning. But then he shook it off and sauntered up to the other Rangers gathering together, now. He clapped Ringulf on the back. "Man! You can come chop my firewood anytime. Can you do it this fall?" Red asked sweetly. Annoyingly. Only Red had that kind of audacity. He figured they could all do with a laugh, even if all the jibbing would be at his expense. as the men chattered among themselves, Red glanced casually over at the bound man on the ground. Mild surprise made him raise an eyebrow. When he caught the young man's gaze he lifted his hand and gave him an audacious grin and a small wave. Recognition flitted across the young man's face and he went white.
"We have several missions to accomplish and they are all of the utmost urgency! Ringulf, Marshwood is in desperate need of it's Ranger right now the fife is in serious trouble you and Mylia need to press on, much larger matters await you there than finding some missing Apprentices. I am sorry if that seems harsh ladies and gentleman but it is the truth. Bunt you have to find your missing apprentice and I would think that Rick and his might be able to help you do that. Halt and I are needed in Araluen by Royal decree and can not truly be detained any longer in all good conscience. So this is the parting of our little "Fellowship". Rick , Bunt and Apprentices to the rescue, Ringulf and Mylia to Marshwood and Halt and I to the capitol. Alright you have your assignments if we all have everything we need let's get moving, that may not have been the only Bandit group around."
"Hey! Aren't you forgettin' someone here? What'd you drag me all this way for? You haven't even told me!" Indignate at being forgotten about, Red promptly forgot all about his injuries--they weren't important--learning his duties was. "C'mon already! You do this to me every year, you guys!"
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Post by Brandwyn on Jun 24, 2012 0:01:57 GMT -5
Rick glanced at Ringulf when Red asked him, "Man! You can come chop my firewood anytime. Can you do it this fall?" But it seemed Ringulf wasn’t going to rise to the bait and Rick smiled to himself. He liked Red, even though the man could be exceedingly annoying most of the time. Red always had a knack for bringing a laugh even if it was at his own expense. “You can come chop my firewood next week, Red.” Rick said with a perfectly straight face. “Tam could use a vacation.”
In his poking and prodding of their prisoner, Rick had deposited some herb laced moss to slow the bleeding down. They needed the man alive if they were going to find the missing apprentice quickly.
He asked Ringulf to keep an eye on the prisoner for a moment but then Crowley interrupted them by pointing out they each had separate duties. Rick reached for the rope tether to the prisoner, taking it back from Ringulf, when he did so, he saw Red wave at the lad and the prisoner recognized him. Rick raised an eyebrow, wondering what that was about.
“So this is the parting of our little "Fellowship". Rick , Bunt and Apprentices to the rescue, Ringulf and Mylia to Marshwood and Halt and I to the capitol. Alright you have your assignments if we all have everything we need let's get moving, that may not have been the only Bandit group around."
"Hey! Aren't you forgettin' someone here? What'd you drag me all this way for? You haven't even told me!" Indignate at being forgotten about, Red promptly forgot all about his injuries--they weren't important--learning his duties was. "C'mon already! You do this to me every year, you guys!"
While Crowley was trying to determine his answer, Rick happened to see a flash of dark red on Red’s shirt and stepped closer for a better look. “Uh…Red, is that a crossbow bolt sticking in your back?”
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Post by Ringulf on Jun 24, 2012 0:20:48 GMT -5
"Hey! Aren't you forgettin' someone here? What'd you drag me all this way for? You haven't even told me!" Indignate at being forgotten about, Red promptly forgot all about his injuries--they weren't important--learning his duties was. "C'mon already! You do this to me every year, you guys!"
"What? He said all the apprentices would go with Bunt...Oh you aren't an apprentice anymore Red? Damn, miss one Moot and everything goes to hell in a handbasket!" Ringulf said, evil smirk once again playing across his face.
While Crowley was trying to determine his answer, Rick happened to see a flash of dark red on Red’s shirt and stepped closer for a better look. “Uh…Red, is that a crossbow bolt sticking in your back?”
"No he just had a problem keeping his cloak on and decided he was gonna pin it! of course it's a quarrel!" Ringulf moved toward Red to inspect it.
"Fortunately it is not deep at all, looks like the scapula deflected it back out between the skin and muscle.....Damn man doesn't that hurt?...Alot? You must be very brave, I know I would be crying like a baby, well I guess that will happen as soon as Rick starts putting that special sauce in there to clean it out before it gets all green and the puss runs...."
"OK Ringulf that's enough I don't think he wants you to chop his wood anymore! " Said Crowly, seeing Ringulf's attempt to make Red overthink the wound.
"Eh suite yourself!" said Ringulf as he turned and gave a wink to Mylia.
"Well OK then, say your goodbyes little one, we got a long road ahead.
Goodbye Halt! good workin with you again, Crowley, take care of him he is looking older every day! And Bunt, I hope you find them, I would never leave you if I did not know you were in good hands, Farewell all!"
Ringulf mounted and in one fluid movement spun Chenelott around and spurred him up to a short gallop that was impressive for such a large beast, and for Chenelott too!
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dian
Apprentice Scribe
this status thing reminds me of Facebook
Posts: 100
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Post by dian on Jun 24, 2012 0:55:46 GMT -5
Dian thought she could hear her mentor and the others whispering, from the tones it sounded slightly menacing, but she couldn't quite make out the words... or at least not enough that made sense. When she had returned from getting firewood, she had felt the tension still around them, and it made the world around her feel a lot more ominous, and devious. She had been at the saddle bags when Bunt came to warn her. There was trouble apparently, but of course there was always trouble, wasn't there? Rangers seemed to be a group who could be in trouble one minute, out of it, then thrown into even worse of a predicament.
Dian had tried to sit calmly at the fire, trying the keep the puppy in her arms from wriggling away, but she got too anxious. The puppy managed to get out of her arms and she went after it. Obsidian had gone straight to Erebus, curling around his hooves. The pup had seemed to like the horse, even if Erebus seemed to disdain the little fluffball. "Well atleast I know you're safe" she muttered under her breath at the two. She wondered if she would grow up to talk to everything, not just these two... now that would be creepy.
Dian's knives were with her, but she kept her bow on the saddle. She could shoot, but she wasn't much of a shot just yet, and the bow would do little for her. Bunt had told Dian to keep her bow nearby, but she really wasn't much of a shot just yet. Sure she could hit a target, but not necessarily where she had intended. Even so, she grabbed her bow and strung it, and sat near the quiver attached to Erebus' saddle.
She had sat there for minutes when the trouble had properly arisen. Men, armed men, were coming towards the camp. Soon arrows were whizzing everywhere. Sliding the quiver onto her back she grabbed an arrow and knocked it as smoothly as she could. She looked for a target to appear that wouldn't endanger the other rangers. When she saw one, the figure had managed to see her and dive out of the way. Before she could launch another arrow the man was up close and personal, one 2 meters away. She dropped her bow and reached for her seax.
She pointed the knife at the barrel of a man, but he grabbed her wrist, squeezing tight. She had been determined not to make a noise, she didn't need to seem weaker than she was, being a girl and all. That didn't keep her from dropping the knife and feeling the extreme pain as she felt a bone in her hand cracked. She made a small squeek as the wretched man said "A little mouse in the rangers, eh?" a sweaty-salty hand covered her mouth, and she could only barely breathe through her nose. Dian glared at the man. He was so much bigger then the small framed Dian. She felt hopeless in every way.
The man dragged her off away from the camp. She tried to twist and turn out of his grip, doing her best, but he just adjusted his grip. His right hand was clamping down her arms while the left hand remained on her mouth. He was basically carrying her. She had tried to look over at Obsidian and Erebus, and she wasn't sure, but she thought other men were attempting to calm Erebus and another was searching through her bad. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't, she tried to bite on the man's hand, but all he did was grunt and glare down at her. It wasn't long before she was being tied up next to Ivy at the Bandit's Camp.
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Post by Firehead on Jun 29, 2012 7:12:16 GMT -5
“You can come chop my firewood next week, Red.” Rick said with a perfectly straight face. “Tam could use a vacation.”
"Ah nah--why would I want deprive him of fun?" Red asked, giving a careless wave of his hand. --------------------- "What? He said all the apprentices would go with Bunt...Oh you aren't an apprentice anymore Red? Damn, miss one Moot and everything goes to hell in a handbasket!" Ringulf said, evil smirk once again playing across his face.
"Hey!" Red yelped, indignant, "I was never an apprentice. Unlike some people around here." he added in a needling tone.
While Crowley was trying to determine his answer, Rick happened to see a flash of dark red on Red’s shirt and stepped closer for a better look. “Uh…Red, is that a crossbow bolt sticking in your back?”
"Hunh? What, where?" Red asked, craning his neck as he tried to get an eye on what Rick was meaning. Then he saw the bolt. "Oh. Another one? Wow--someones aim improved."
"No he just had a problem keeping his cloak on and decided he was gonna pin it! of course it's a quarrel!" Ringulf moved toward Red to inspect it.
"Hey, hey, hey! whatcha doin'?" Red demanded, snapping his head around to eye the big ranger suspiciously. When Ringulf simply contented himself with looking at it however, Red relaxed a little. "Well c'mon, pull it out already. Ah, nevermind." Red reached over his shoulder and grasped the bolt, gritting his teeth as he yanked it out. His gave a low hiss, that apparently went unheard by Ringulf.
"Fortunately it is not deep at all, looks like the scapula deflected it back out between the skin and muscle.....Damn man doesn't that hurt?...Alot? You must be very brave, I know I would be crying like a baby, well I guess that will happen as soon as Rick starts putting that special sauce in there to clean it out before it gets all green and the puss runs...."
"OK Ringulf that's enough I don't think he wants you to chop his wood anymore! " Said Crowley, seeing Ringulf's attempt to make Red over-think the wound.
"Oh, no! Without the use of my arm, I can't cut wood." Red replied cheerfully. "And of course it hurts. I'm just not a baby like you are." he sassed. His tone became slightly challenging. "And for all I know, it could turn gangrenous even if Rick does put his 'special sause' on it--'cause he ain't dug out the first one yet."
"Eh suite yourself!" said Ringulf as he turned and gave a wink to Mylia.
"Well OK then, say your goodbyes little one, we got a long road ahead.
Goodbye Halt! good workin with you again, Crowley, take care of him he is looking older every day! And Bunt, I hope you find them, I would never leave you if I did not know you were in good hands, Farewell all!"
Mylia waved to the other apprentices and the older Rangers and told Red, "Try an' stay outa trouble, Trouble."
Red gave a scornful flip of his hand. "Ah, what fun is that?"
Mylia laughed as she turned Spinner to follow after her mentor, galloping away. When they had ridden a fair distance, Mylia ranged up alongside her mentor, shaking her head and laughing inwardly. "Ringulf. That was bad. You just insulted two out of three! One would think that Red is starting to grow on you." she teased. --------------------------
Red turned back to Crowley, grimacing. Now that he'd remembered it, his wounds were starting to bother him. "So anyway...What's your orders for me?"
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Post by Ringulf on Jun 29, 2012 14:01:32 GMT -5
Mylia laughed as she turned Spinner to follow after her mentor, galloping away. When they had ridden a fair distance, Mylia ranged up alongside her mentor, shaking her head and laughing inwardly. "Ringulf. That was bad. You just insulted two out of three! One would think that Red is starting to grow on you." she teased.
Ringulf gave a full out laugh at that, and as they cantered along side by side he said to his witty young apprentice.
"You are right on the mark as usual my friend, but don't you dare tell that to him or I might have to be nice to him to re-establish his confusion!"
He gave Mylia a grin and felt an exhilaration as the two road hard side by side.
"Hey look at us! We are riding, just you and I headed home...we have come a long way little one haven't we? If you asked me the day I met you that we would have found ourselves riding side by side to Marshwood I would have taken you strait away to the sanatorium!"
He looked down at her again with pride and admiration, she had grown so much. She had gained so much stature and bearing, no longer the street rat ragamuffin scrabbling to survive, she was a very clever young ranger, a deadly adversary and a lovely young woman, and it had happened all under his nose...Or had it? Perhaps she had been that all along and he had just woken up enough to recognise it. Well in any case he realised how fond he was of her, if he ever had a daughter he hoped she would be as special as the girl that rode beside him right now. His Apprentice, his partner and his friend.
"I am rather conflicted though I have to tell you. " Ringulf said breaking his thoughts, "I would never have left Ol' Bunt to find those missing gals, not if the world was falling apart, but I can't disobey Crowley on this one, and I am desperately concerned about our fife and...Finn."
"I will try to find out right away where Ari is in all this, I am sure you are as concerned about him as I am. We will take the Low Road from Headsbridge to Westmarsh as quickly as possible and stop off to see what the Wardens have been tasked with, then after a little rest we will go on to the Port. "
"At this pace with a stop late in the evening we should be to Headsbridge by the morning after tomorrow. You up for it?"
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Post by Brandwyn on Jun 29, 2012 19:16:02 GMT -5
The two bandits had circled around the knot of apprentices and one was able to sneak up on one of the girls and grab her. He expected a fight and certainly got one, right up until he knocked her on the side of her head with the butt of his sword and knocked her out. He nodded his head to the other girl as he lifted Ivey over his shoulder and pulled back into the woods.
Just then they heard their leader cry out in pain and the burly bandit saw him go down clutching his stomach. “Get the other one and let’s get out of here. We don’t have so many to split the reward with now,” he whispered to his companion and then slipped off between the trees.
His companion started toward Dian, a grin on his face thinking about the money and how he was going to spend it. The girl saw him coming and fumbled with her bow. He saw she was inexperienced, unlike the other girl and the boy a few feet away. They had just shot Kurt, filling him up with arrows like a pin cushion when he jumped on that noisy ranger. Stanley easily dodged Dian’s attempt to shoot him and rushed her, She pulled a knife on him and he grabbed her hand and squeezed until she gave a squeak and dropped it. "A little mouse in the rangers, eh?" he laughed at her as he clamped a hand over her mouth and grabbed her around the waist and carried her off into the trees after his friend.
They swiftly moved through the forest, knowing that if any of the rangers survived they would be following them and they figured that most of the rangers had survived from the looks of things when the leader went down. They stopped briefly at the rendezvous point and looked around. Only three of them had returned.
“Tie her up on that horse, Stanley” the burly man ordered as he draped the unconscious Ivey‘s leg over the saddle and tied her hands to the pommel. “Make sure she can’t get loose.”
Stanley followed directions and soon had Dian trussed up in a saddle on a black mare with a sour disposition with her hands and legs bound to the saddle and a rag tied in her mouth. “Do we wait for the others?”
“Only if you want to die along with them,” the small, wiry fellow quipped as he mounted his own horse. We should take an extra horse each, so we can switch mounts when these get tired.”
“What about the others? They are going to need them when they get here!” Stanley protested, also mounting his horse after he tied the reins to Dian’s horse to his saddle.
“They are all dead, or will be soon,” The burly man growled as he tied two horses behind Ivey’s and hers to his saddle. “Good idea Bret. Let’s get out of here with as many of the horses as we can without slowing us down.” He went over and tied a string of them behind Dian. “We have to make the river before they sail downstream without us and that’s still over a day away.”
“Not if we go right through Araluen City, we could be to the river a lot quicker.” Stanley argued, spurring his horse forward and tugging on the reins to Dian’s. He glanced back at her and made sure the dirty rag he’d stuffed in her mouth and tied in with a piece of rope was still where it should be.
“The boat’s further downstream and we don’t want to go waltzing through the city with two apprentices tied to their horses like sacks of potatoes, you fool. Now shut up and ride.” The burly man spurred his horse forward with a hard kick of his right heel and the horse leapt into the air, the others following along with a jerk. He glanced back at the two girls and smiled a big grin, “Just imagine how much the Boss is going to give us for these two ranger girls? They are each worth more than that courier lad we turned in last week!”
“Yeah, I know just what I am going to spend my share of it too, but I’m not telling.” Bret grinned, pulling along the rest of the bandit’s horses. The Boss would want the horses back anyway and if they were lucky they might even be able to sell them back to him. “What’s the Boss want with all these ranger and courier brats anyway? It just seems like they are a big bunch of trouble to me.”
“I don’t know and I don’t care,” The burly bandit replied as they rode out at a brisk trot, dodging trees and following a deer path. They were not going to be able to loose the rangers in a patch of river or stream for they wouldn’t be passing any until they got to the Semath east of Araluen Castle. “All I know is that he said ‘bring me the apprentices and information from the rangers and I will compensate you for your trouble.” He patted his pouch, “and we all know catching rangers is a lot of trouble!” He laughed and the others joined in, then they settled down for a long, grueling ride to the river.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jun 29, 2012 21:30:22 GMT -5
"Fortunately it is not deep at all, looks like the scapula deflected it back out between the skin and muscle.....Damn man doesn't that hurt?...Alot? You must be very brave, I know I would be crying like a baby, well I guess that will happen as soon as Rick starts putting that special sauce in there to clean it out before it gets all green and the puss runs...."
“Thanks, Ringulf,” Rick said dryly, crossing his arms and giving the Skandian ranger a flat look.
"OK Ringulf that's enough I don't think he wants you to chop his wood anymore!" Said Crowley, seeing Ringulf's attempt to make Red over-think the wound.
"Oh, no! Without the use of my arm, I can't cut wood." Red replied cheerfully. "And of course it hurts. I'm just not a baby like you are." he sassed. His tone became slightly challenging. "And for all I know, it could turn gangrenous even if Rick does put his 'special sause' on it--'cause he ain't dug out the first one yet."
"Eh suite yourself!" said Ringulf as he turned and gave a wink to Mylia.
“If you don’t hold still, I won’t patch up either of them, now where is this other wound you are talking about?” Rick asked after he’d applied a thick green paste to the one wound. It had a numbing agent as well as a clotting agent and should help ease the pain while keeping the wound clean and slowing the flow of blood.
Red turned back to Crowley, grimacing. Now that he'd remembered it, his wounds were starting to bother him. "So anyway...What's your orders for me?"
“You know Crowley, Bunt and I could use Red along with us,” Rick suggested.
Bunt growled from where he was rummaging around in his packs, “no we couldn’t,” Bunt he said it so softly he doubted anyone had noticed.
Rick chose to ignore Bunt for the moment, “He makes a good target out there in front making all that noise and attracting the arrows. Leaves it wide open for us to pick off the bandits while they are shooting at him,” Rick snickered as he finally found the wound in Red’s ribs and prodded it to see if the arrow tip was still in there. “Looks like a piece of it broke off, hang on a minute…” Rick poured a vial of clear liquid into the wound and then dove into the it with a long pair of bone tweezers. With a wrench and a twist he got hold of the small shard of flint and pulled out of Red’s side, placing it in Red’s palm. “Souvenir,” he explained and then slathered the wound with his green salve and proceeded to bandage both wounds. “Besides, I am going to need to keep an eye on this wound here. He might get a fever from it and I am not sure if it pierced the rib bone or not, though is looks like the lung is okay.”
“Fine then,” Crowley agreed, “But Red, when you all get those apprentices back, as long as Rick gives you a clean bill of health, you get on up to Norgate. I need to know what is going on up there, what the Baron needs and if the Scotti are getting ready to invade come spring. You need to cover the fief for a bit and maybe swing on over to Highcliff too and see how that fief fares.” Crowley ordered, “oh, and Red, try to stay out of trouble, would you?”
____________________________
Bunt listened to the banter between Ringulf, Red and Rick while he hurriedly emptied out the contents of his large saddle pack into a canvas bag which he tied to his saddle and then he picked up Dian’s puppy and put it in the saddle pack behind his saddle. It took him several minutes to locate DoOver, and then several more to coax the alley cat close enough to grab him. He slipped the rope harness over the cat’s head and front legs and then carefully placed him in the pack next to Obsidian. He tied the end of the leash on the cat harness to his sadle so if DoOver did escape, he wouldn’t get far. He looked down on his apprentice’s pets and said, “Hope you two git along jes fine, cuz I don’t have time ta mollycoddle ya.” He watched them for a moment, expecting DoOver to come leaping out of the bag and make a run for it. He was surprised when the cat stayed put. Making sure he had collected Dian’s saxe knife and hadn’t missed anything of hers or Ivey’s, Bunt swung up into the saddle, waiting for Rick, Red and Tam.
He wasn’t thrilled with the idea of Red coming along, but arguing would just delay them further, “If you are done doctoring, Rick, we need ta git going. They’re gitting farther away by the minute.” Bunt pointed to the trail left by the bandits and the struggling girls. “Time’s a wastin’”
Bunt felt terrible, how could he lose not only one apprentice, but two? It was unforgivable and he was so angry with himself for not protecting them, that he was growling at everyone around him. Even Low Belly eyed him with a wary look on her equine face. Bunt swung up into the saddle, Ivey and Dian’s horses tied along behind him and the two pets snuggled in the warm canvas saddle pack tied to the back of his saddle.
“Ringulf, Don’t worry none ‘bout me, I know we’ll find ‘em. I’ll swing on over ta Marshwood after I get the girls back to Caraway and see how bad things are there. We cin compare notes in a couple weeks.” Bunt waved to his friend and then to Crowley and Halt. He turned Low Belly and scanned the ground, easily following the signs the bandits had made. “You boys comin?” he asked over his shoulder as he moved off. He was tired of waiting and worried that the longer the girls were captives, the less chance there would be of finding them ever again.
__________
Rick nodded, finishing up Red’s bandaging and tossing his shirt back to him, “Be right with you Bunt.” Rick called after him then turned to Tam, “you better get on Horse, Tam and say bye to Mylia. Get ready, for we are going to be riding hard and tracking as we go. It should be a good learning experience for you.” He said as he packed up his medkit and stowed it back in his saddlebags.
“Come on Red, get back on Hap and I will see what we can do about our prisoner here.” Rick mounted Domingo and gave the rope a tug. The man huddled on the ground groaned. “You haven’t told us where they are taking her. Don’t you want that wound fixed up?” Rick asked the bandit they had captured. Once on his feet, Rick moved along after Bunt, tugging on the rope around the man’s neck so he would keep up with the horses.
“Keep fighting me, man, and I will drag you until your attitude changes.” Rick said cheerfully. Immediately the prisoner stopped pulling at the rope and moved along with Domingo.
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Post by Firehead on Jun 30, 2012 8:23:34 GMT -5
"Of course I am!" Mylia grinned and nudged Spinner into a faster canter to keep pace with the much larger Chenelot. Dispite her worrys for her friends, she was happy, and enjoying the ride alongside her mentor, a man who she often considered as a kind of surrogate father, or favorite uncle. It was just the two of them, riding across the wide-spread countryside. -----------------------------
“If you don’t hold still, I won’t patch up either of them, now where is this other wound you are talking about?” Rick asked after he’d applied a thick green paste to the one wound. It had a numbing agent as well as a clotting agent and should help ease the pain while keeping the wound clean and slowing the flow of blood.
"In my side--where else?" Red responded, lightly.
He turned back to Crowley, grimacing. Now that he'd remembered it, his wounds were starting to bother him. "So anyway...What's your orders for me?"
“You know Crowley, Bunt and I could use Red along with us,” Rick suggested.
Bunt growled from where he was rummaging around in his packs, “no we couldn’t,” Bunt he said it so softly he doubted anyone had noticed.
"I heard that."
Rick chose to ignore Bunt for the moment, “He makes a good target out there in front making all that noise and attracting the arrows. Leaves it wide open for us to pick off the bandits while they are shooting at him,” Rick snickered as he finally found the wound in Red’s ribs and prodded it to see if the arrow tip was still in there. “Looks like a piece of it broke off, hang on a minute…” Rick poured a vial of clear liquid into the wound and then dove into the it with a long pair of bone tweezers. With a wrench and a twist he got hold of the small shard of flint and pulled out of Red’s side, placing it in Red’s palm. “Souvenir,” he explained and then slathered the wound with his green salve and proceeded to bandage both wounds. “Besides, I am going to need to keep an eye on this wound here. He might get a fever from it and I am not sure if it pierced the rib bone or not, though is looks like the lung is okay.”
“Fine then,” Crowley agreed, “But Red, when you all get those apprentices back, as long as Rick gives you a clean bill of health, you get on up to Norgate. I need to know what is going on up there, what the Baron needs and if the Scotti are getting ready to invade come spring. You need to cover the fief for a bit and maybe swing on over to Highcliff too and see how that fief fares.” Crowley ordered, “oh, and Red, try to stay out of trouble, would you?”
"Ah c'mon, Crowley--the problem's the other way around; trouble won't stay away from me. I don't TRY to get in trouble." ____________________________
Bunt wasn’t thrilled with the idea of Red coming along, but arguing would just delay them further, “If you are done doctoring, Rick, we need ta git going. They’re gitting farther away by the minute.” Bunt pointed to the trail left by the bandits and the struggling girls. “Time’s a wastin’” He turned Low Belly and scanned the ground, easily following the signs the bandits had made. “You boys comin?” he asked over his shoulder as he moved off. He was tired of waiting and worried that the longer the girls were captives, the less chance there would be of finding them ever again.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah--We're comin', we're comin'. Hold your horses for a minute, sheesh, Bunt." Red replied. "Ya done?" he asked Rick.
Rick nodded, finishing up Red’s bandaging and tossing his shirt back to him, “Be right with you Bunt. Come on Red, get back on Hap and I will see what we can do about our prisoner here.”
Red yanked the blood spattered shirt over his head and turned toward Hap. The sorrel pony tossed his head once, as though to say, Good--you're still on your feet. Let's go! "Alright already, you stubborn, half-bred mule." Red swung up and gave Hap an affectionate pat on the shoulder.
Reining Hap around, he noted that bunt had Ivy's cat and Dian's puppy and both the horses, and Rick had the prisoner on a lead rope. "Ya know, we'd go faster if ya slung him over the back of one of those horses." Red pointed out. __________
For the first hour or so, Red rode along chattering almost constantly about anything and everything. As the day wore on, however, Red grew quieter, and dropped back to ride behind.
Dispite what everyone thought of him--that he was a jokester who never took anything seriously, and that he was pretty much insane--what Red really wanted was the approval of the Rangers that he privately looked up to and saw as being the best of the best.
He himself felt that he could never compare with them: Bunt, Ben, Shane, Halt, Pippen, Ringulf...He often felt excluded from the warm camraderie, and at times wished that he had been apprenticed the traditional way. BUt some things you just couldn't change, and so he shrugged it off and did his best with what he had, and hoped that one day he might win the others' approval.
Tamlin jogged steadily along behind the others, glancing back from time to time, not wanting to get ambushed because they focused to much on the trail ahead. Red was keeping up a constant line of chatter at the front of the small group, but after some time, Red fell silent and dropped back. Tam shifted to one side of the group, riding on the outskirts, and sometimes talking quietly with Kira, Rick's lynx. He and she got along quite supremely, and often went exploring together back at the cabin, between chores and practice.
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dian
Apprentice Scribe
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Post by dian on Jun 30, 2012 10:05:15 GMT -5
Dian was annoyed, simple as that. No, she wasn't annoyed at fate, or the men who had captured, or even the rangers who hadn't seen her in time to rescue her. No. She was annoyed at herself. Sure she was a newer ranger, and she couldn't be expected to be perfect when it came to anything, let alone an ambush. Still, she had been hopeless. It wasn't like Ivey, who had most likely been knocked out after she gave a great fight, she had the chance to bring that big oaf down, and for other rangers it was many chances, and she had hopelessly failed. To top it all off, she had also gotten her right hand broken! She wasn't ambidextrous, but her left hand was more usable then some people, however she had no chance at fighting without bringing more pain or damage to herself.
Dian's had two hopes. One, that she could escape herself, wriggle out of her bonds maybe, or try to reach her couriers knife, though she doubted hat plan. Two, she needed the rangers to come save her. Anyone to come save her. She would look so ridiculous, being tied up like she was, but she would give anything for Bunt to come for her and Ivey.
Oddly enough though, in the back of her mind, where she had thought of the worst possible endings for this, she had thought to herself If it comes down to only one of us being saved, I'll make sure it's Ivey. She wasn't saying this because of any belief of "others should come first" but because Ivey would be more useful once she woke up, and she had been trained more, and she had also been with Bunt longer. If anyone had heard her say this out loud, they might have called her insane for not wanting to watch out for her own skin, but this was just her mind set.
Being tied up how she was, gave her too much time to think. She had already been a careful thinker, but she had nothing else to do, and some of the most horrifying things came to mind. So, instead she focused on something else. She straightened her back as straight as the blade of a sword. She would try to look as dignified as possible in this terrible defeat, she was certainly her mother's daughter, even if she didn't acknowledge it.
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dian
Apprentice Scribe
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Post by dian on Jul 15, 2012 16:01:30 GMT -5
The stick thin ranger's apprentice was running through the woods, her blonde hair was so dirtied it was brown, and there were twigs and leaves caught in the terrible tangle as well. She hadn't eaten a proper meal in a month, and though she was starving, she kept trudging on so she could make it to the gathering before they broke camp. Crystal had been traveling on foot for about a week, in a trek that wouldn't have taken more than a few days by horseback, though her horse was missing and she had no money to borrow a horse, so running and walking it was! She knew she was very close to the grounds, and her enthusiasm to get home was just too much to go any slower than a full out sprint.
Entering the gathering grounds, she realized that camp had been broken down and the gathering ended early. "No, no no no!" She knew next she would have to head towards Castle Araluen, but she doubted she had the energy to make it there by foot. Surely she would collapse before she made it there. Or at least that's what she thought until Old Bob, the Ranger Horse trainer came by. He hadn't left just yet, "I remember ya, you're Crystal aren't ya? What are ya doing all muddied up like that?"
"Long, very long story, but I need to get to Crowley as fast as possible, you don't have a horse I can borrow do you?"
"That I do, a young apprentice came to the gathering with a giant battle horse, ya can borrow him" Crystal breathed a sigh of relief as Old Bob led her to the Demon of a horse , he wouldn't be able to run as long as her poor ranger horse Amber - who was who knows where in Araluen.
"Thanks so much Old Bob, and do me a favor and keep your eye out for Amber - part of that long story." She hopped onto the horse and started riding it bareback, with only the reign to aid her.
-------- much later
Crystal was pounding down the path towards Castle Araluen, her stomach was more hollow than it had ever been in her whole life. She didn't stop though, she needed to make it to Crowley as soon as possible so he could send a new ranger to her fief, and Crowley just had to do something about the damn Pirates one way or another.
She was riding at such a fast pace, and the horse she had oddly enough kept it's pace for a good long time. Soon in the distance She saw figures garbed in Ranger's Cloaks, and Crystal was positive one of them was Crowley. "Commandant!" She called as she slid off her horse. She barely had anything that would make her appear to be a ranger, with the exception of her Bronze Oakleaf and the silver one etched with 18 she in her pocket. The Pirates had taken her cloak, her weapons, her normal clothes, but left her and her Mentor's oak leaf pendants to prove they were in fact rangers.
Crystal was out of breath when she started walking towards Crowley, her Mentor's silver pendant in her hand, and her horse (the one that had previously been Dian's) was in no better a shape.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 17, 2012 22:40:17 GMT -5
Reining Hap around, he noted that bunt had Ivy's cat and Dian's puppy and both the horses, and Rick had the prisoner on a lead rope. "Ya know, we'd go faster if ya slung him over the back of one of those horses." Red pointed out.
“Good idea, Red. See, Bunt, that’s why we need him around, he’s the brains of the outfit.” Rick winked at Red, hoping to joke Bunt out of his foul mood as he hoisted the outlaw up onto Ivey’s horse after Bunt gave it the password. He tied the man’s hands to the saddle horn, then remounted Domingo.
Bunt gave Rick a sideways look but didn’t rise to the bait. “As long as his brain gits his rear in gear, that’s jes fine with me.” He waited impatiently, glaring at their prisoner. “We’re wastin our time here with this here fella,” Bunt nodded his chin toward their prisoner. “we should leave him fer Crowley ta take back cuz all he’s gonna do is slow us down.”
“Maybe, but it may be that he will come in handy when we catch up to them.” Rick said optimistically.
_____
The others had just left and Crowley and Halt were just about to leave when he heard hoof beats of a large horse thundering toward them. “Lone rider coming in,” Halt called back to Crowley and waited to see who it was.
A thin girl on a large battlehorse rode into view and Halt could see she looked like she’d been riding hard for quite a while. "Commandant!" she called out and rode up to Crowley and slid off her horse.
“Crystal? Is that you Lass?” Crowley asked and took a few steps toward her. She looked as if she was going to collapse. “Halt, get her something to drink!” Crowley called over his shoulder and Halt moved to grab an extra canteen Rick had given him. It contained some concoction that Rick swore would help keep an ‘old man’ awake for hours.
“Hey, isn’t that Dian’s horse? The one she rode to the Gathering on?” Halt asked as he drew closer and inspected the battle horse. With his canteen in hand he pulled off the cork and handed it to the girl. “Drink that.” The canteen held a tangy fruit juice designed to quench your thirst and boost your energy.
“What are you doing here Crystal? What happened and where is your mentor?” Crowley asked her, steadying her with a hand cupped under her elbow while Halt rummage through his saddlebags and pulled out a strip of jerky and handed it to her.
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dian
Apprentice Scribe
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Post by dian on Jul 18, 2012 19:00:59 GMT -5
Crystal was feeling slightly delirious. Vertigo was taking over her sense of sight, and making her peripheral vision go slightly black and dotted, but she managed to stay focused on Crowley as he helped her stay up, with his arm under her elbow. There was no chance that Crystal could keep up her normal facade of being collected and quiet when she was in this state.
"I don't know whose horse it is, Old Bob let me borrow him since my Amber is missing." Her words came between big breaths of air. Other than exhaustion there was little emotion in her voice, sure she loved Amber, but she had had nearly over a month to get over the fact that the mare could be missing forever. Certainly not dead yet, her horse was a hardy one, but the likelihood of Crystal finding her amber before the poor mare did die was little to none. Crystal took the canteen and swigged a quick little gulp, the drink was sweet, and not the water she had been expecting, but better. She took a quick swig again before trying to answer Crowley's question.
"Artie's dead." Arthur Thurson had been Crystal's mentor for 3 years to the date when she and him had gone through the biggest terror of Crystal's life... but of course Arthur didn't see it to the end. He had also been the one person she had ever opened up to. "It was the river pirates, we were held in the - uh - hull of a ship for... i think a month before I escaped... Artie wasn't so lucky, unfortunately." she took a halfhearted nibble at the piece of jerky Halt had given to her,it tasted amazing to her deprived taste buds, but she didn't have much of a stomach for it since she hadn't eaten good meat in a while. "I'm not really sure why they captured us instead of simply killing us both..."
That had been quite the conundrum for her, the whole month they were captured, her thoughts to herself had consisted of "Why haven't they killed me yet?" and "Please don't let this day be the day I die." for the whole time she was in the darkness of the boat. Well, until she and her mentor had started to plot how they would escape, however it had never occurred to her that Artie knew he would die as she escaped.
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