Sparks Flying - A Ranger's Apprentice Story

Chapter Seventeen

"All right, Maddie. String your bow and we'll see how well you can shoot."

Maddie swallowed her nervousness and cleared her throat. Obediently, she strung her recurve bow, bending it over her shoulders and slipping the string into the notch at the end.

Her assessor, a tall, grizzled Ranger introduced to her as Stuart, gazed at her appraisingly. "Let's start with ten arrows into the target on the other side of the clearing, and then we'll go from there."

"Okay," Maddie said. She raised her bow, reached for her first arrow, and began to fire.

It was the fourth day of the Gathering, and the third day of Maddie's assessment. She was being assessed alone, as she was the only first-year apprentice in attendance this year. Will had said there was another boy her age, but he and his master were currently on a mission and would not be attending the Gathering this time. 

Stuart had already tested her stealth and tracking skills. He had been very complimentary about her stealth skills. He theorized that she was more naturally suited to it than most male apprentices because of her petite build and lightness on her feet. She'd messed up the tracking a bit, but he'd been very understanding and had given her several pointers that had helped her immensely.

Maddie let her final arrow go, and it flashed across the clearing to join the nine other arrows in the centermost ring of the target. It was shooting of an incredible caliber, Maddie knew, as far as normal archers were concerned. But where Rangers were concerned, it was nothing special. Maddie knew she was still lacking the lightning-fast fluidity and precision that characterized Ranger archery skills. But she was getting there.

"Good," Stuart said. "Go ahead and retrieve your arrows."

Maddie quickly crossed the clearing to the target and began to yank her arrows out of the wood, careful not to damage the shaft or the arrowhead, and replacing them point-down in the quiver slung across her shoulder.

Stuart worked her for several hours, gradually tweaking and fine-tuning her technique. Maddie appreciated the different viewpoint - Stuart had several tips that Will never thought of - but by the end of the session, her back and arms were aching from shooting too much. Stuart took pity on her and released her early.

Slinging her bow over her shoulder, Maddie wandered back toward the camping area. She could smell woodsmoke and the delectable scent of the midday meal cooking. Her stomach grumbled loudly.

"You'd never be able to sneak up on someone like that," she heard someone remark. "I can hear your stomach from twenty feet away!"

Maddie turned to see Gilan leaning languidly against a tree, arms crossed nonchalantly. She glared at him. "Well, it doesn't matter, because I can throw my bolo accurately from farther than twenty feet!" she retorted.

Gilan smirked. "That would work because I'd be expecting it and I'd be able to avoid it," he pointed out.

Maddie rolled her eyes. "Don't you have more important things to do than tormenting a lowly first-year apprentice?" she asked. "Important Ranger Commandant duties, perhaps?"

"Nope," Gilan said cheerfully. "Not right now, anyway. Everything's fine and dandy."

Maddie scowled. "Of course it is," she said darkly.

Gilan clicked his tongue reproachfully. "My, my. Someone's in a dark mood for such a lovely, sunny day."

Maddie crossed her arms and whirled around, stalking in the direction of the campsite.

To her extreme annoyance, Gilan followed her.

"So how's your assessment going so far, do you think?" he asked, turning to a more serious subject.