The Ranger's Apprentice a New Era

A bit of a surprise

Max and Will were on a special hunting trip. There was a pack of rabid wolves that was terrorizing farmers that lived next to the forest. As they rode up, Will tried to start up a conversation as Max had been quiet the whole time. "You know, this reminds me of my first hunting trip I took with Halt and the royal hunting party." Max remained silent. "We were hunting a wild boar, and it was when me and Horace actually first started becoming friends." Still nothing. "Did I ever tell you that we used to despise each other?" Max finally spoke up. "Once, maybe twice before." Will finally just had to ask what was wrong. "Okay Max, you're usually more talkative than I was on my first day in training. And you know me, that's saying something. What's going on?" Max took a moment to think about his answer, but he did reply. "I.... I uh.. Just learned some important news yesterday." His answer piqued Will's attention. "For the past few days Grace has been sick. And she went down to the Castle Healer to see what was wrong." Max took a pause after he said this. "And?" Another short pause. "I'm going to be a father Will." A wide grin spread across Will's face. "Congratulations! That's the best news I've heard since..." Will's smile slowly faded. He had brought up the subject of his wife. Will got his mind off of that and back to Max. "Well maybe after your baby is born it can stay with me when it's old enough. It's kind of lonesome in the cabin, now that Jack has moved out." Jack had been approached by Crowley a few months back and was asked to take a special task. He was to leave Araluen and to take up residence on a remote island formerly belonging to the Skandians. It was temporary but he did have to leave his friends and loved ones. As much as he loved Cathy, she understood that he would be away for a few years. She promised to wait, and she did indeed keep her promise.

Will waited a little while before asking his next question. "Max, I know you were having some trouble sleeping a few weeks ago, is that... Is it any better? Or do you need some help with what's going on?" Max wanted to tell the truth, but for even some simple things it seems just easier to lie about it. "Yeah, it's fine. It's made things a lot easier, getting a full nights rest." Will saw through it clearer than a window with no glass in it. "Well if it starts happening again take this." Will tossed up a pebble and Max caught it. "It's a very special pebble given to me by a sorcerer from Macindaw. Just hold it in your hand and concentrate. It'll help find what's causing those bad dreams." They continued their trip, but soon the sun was getting close to the horizon, so they returned to the cabin, and then Max returned to his room in the castle. That night he did what will told him. He put the pebble in his hand and he concentrated on remembering what his dream was, and soon he fell asleep. Once more he found himself in the center of a valley. Soldiers, and Knights, and mercenaries pouring in one after the other. But there was something different this time. He couldn't figure it out right away, and before too long his dream changed. He was standing in the cabin. He looked around and saw Will, and Jack. He walked up to them and they both said, "Accept it, lest it become your bane." The world shifted once more, and Max found himself face to face with a new person. Someone he had never seen before. Or maybe he had. Once before, had it been in a tavern, or just passing in a town, but somewhere. They stared at each other for a while, and Max wondered if anything would happen. And then he woke shooting straight up and breathing heavy. One question going through his head. Who was the man in his dream?