The Rogue Tribe - Ranger's Apprentice

Chapter 9: On the Run

"Where do you think they are?"

"They know to scatter. It's in their training."

"Scatter, sure. But how far did they spread out? What if it's too far?"

"They won't have. They're too smart for that. We just need to call them, I think."

"I know, but how do we manage to get them all to come without a stampede?"

"Why do you think I would know that? I think it's all our first time having to use Gathering emergency protocols." Will felt Gilan's lips against his ear as he whispered into it, making almost no sound. They were crouching in the trees a few hundred meters outside the tiny village that was the Ranger's temporary shelter. It was still the middle of the night, only four hours after the attack. But Will figured the longer they waited in the shelter, the higher the chance of them being found. So they had decided to get everyone going.

"Then I guess we'll just have to improvise." Will started to stand, but Gilan grabbed his arm, dragging him back down.

"Wait! What if the Temujai are out there? They'll hear you!"

Will shrugged at him. "Well, we don't have much of a choice, do we? What's another whistle among all these birds and bugs anyway?" Then he stood quickly, before Gilan could stop him, putting his fingers in his mouth, and he let out a brief, piercing whistle. The high-pitched sound echoed through the moonlit trees on all sides, for what felt to Will like an eternity. He froze, knowing that no one could see him, but praying all the same. Gilan crouched down at the base of the tree, unmoving, his eyes shut tight. Probably praying as hard as I am that some Temujai didn't just hear that and start tracking us. Praying that it's anything but that. Nothing moved in the trees, only a few squirrels and owls running and flitting about. The cicadas were especially loud tonight. Bugs. You don't have a choice but to love them sometimes.

After a long moment of silence passed, Gilan whispered, "I think we're clear. You see anything?"

Will moved his eyes only, scanning as far as he could in all directions to see any sign of anyone or anything. There was nothing, but he couldn't be certain in the darkness. Better not tell him that though. "No, we're clear. But all the same, we should stay low."

Gilan stood silently, leaning up against the tree next to Will. He rolled his eyes at him. "Yes, after making such an obvious and noticeable noise as that, we most definitely should stay low."

Will shrugged at him. They both started moving out farther into the trees, ghosting through the dim underbrush, making no sound. They walked for just a few minutes before the first sign of movement was spotted through the trees. Will and Gilan immediately threw themselves to the ground, rolling behind the trunk of a large tree. Crunch crunch crunch. Something large was moving through the trees, heading straight for them. Both men held their breaths as the thing came up right behind the tree - crunch crunch thud. It stopped moving. Will glanced at Gilan, and mouthed, Ready? Gilan's brow furrowed, and he started to shake his head, his eyes widening as he realized what Will intended to do. But Will ignored him, and in one smooth movement, he stood, drew his saxe, and slipped around the base of the tree. The blade, glinting in the light of the moon, went out in front of him, and he leapt out into the opening, brandishing the blade.

But it was only Tug.

He stood, head bent over, gnawing at the patch of grass around the base of the tree, his barrel-chested body completely relaxed and calm. When Will popped out from behind the tree, his knife ready, Tug only raised his head slowly, giving Will a very distinct and familiar look. If horses could raise an eyebrow, this was what it looked like. What do you think you're doing with that?