Ranger's Apprentice: The Budget Edition

Chapter 4

A few weeks later, Will has started to get used to the chaos, or, as used to it as he could be.

"Will, we're going out." Halt had said to him. Will didn't know where, or why, but he was starting to have flashbacks to his first couple of days. He was still yet to work out how to fling the arrows with the string, but he was sure that he'd come up with a solution soon.

Halt met him outside, and they began to walk in a direction that Will had never been before. Eventually they reached what looked like a horse stables, and Will, against his better judgement, felt his hopes rise. They strolled into the stables, and they were greeted by a friendly looking old man.

"Hello there, Ranger!" The man smiled.

"Hello, Old Bob." Halt replied.

Old Bob grinned at the grim-faced ranger. "Here for a horse?"

Halt nodded quietly, and the friendly old man beckoned for them to follow him further into the house.

Will's excitement slowly turned to apprehension, starting when Old Bob pulled out a measuring tape. He wasn't entirely sure, but Will didn't think that that was how you achieved a horse.

Bob finished measuring Will and walked off into a side room. Will's nervousness only increased the longer Old Bob was out of the room. When the old man returned, Will found that his fears had not been misplaced.

Old Bob was holding one of those toys with a plastic horse head on a stick. Will could already feel his face begin to flush with embarrassment. All the more reason to stay unseen, Will thought to himself.

Will snapped back to the situation when Old Bob began speaking again.

"And just for you, Ranger, I'll throw in a free pair of coconuts." Old Bob smiled.

Will, dreading the answer, asked, "And what are the coconuts for?"

"You bang them together and they sound a bit like a horse." Halt muttered, avoiding Will's gaze.

"Oh." Will didn't know why he was expecting anything anymore.