Sparks Flying - A Ranger's Apprentice Story

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Tug, follow," Will commanded, before slipping away into the trees with Gilan.

Halt likewise sent Abelard trotting to a place behind Blaze and Bumper, albeit using a hand signal familiar to both him and his horse. He then disappeared into the foliage.

Bumper shook his mane, rumbling deep in his chest. It still really bothers me when they do that, he said.

Maddie reached forward and scratched the spot between his ears that he loved. "It's a Ranger thing," she said. "Does it bother you when I do it?"

Bumper snorted. Are you kidding me? I hate it when you disappear. I never know what's going on or what's happening to you.

"You old worrywart," Maddie said affectionately.

Yeah, because if you die, who's going to give me apples?

Maddie crossed her arms. "So that's it!" she said.

"What's it?" Gilan said, emerging from the trees. Maddie jumped.

"Gil! Don't do that!" she said.

"Sorry. Can't help it. Ranger training and all that. And what's it?"

"Oh, nothing," Maddie said, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Just talking to myself, that's all."

"What were you talking about?" Gilan pressed.

"Oh, fine," Maddie said, giving in. "I think Bumper worries when I disappear into the trees, not because he's worried about me getting hurt, but because he's worried he won't get any apples if I die."

Gilan shrugged. "He's just messing with you. Of course he's worried. All Ranger horses are notorious for being worrywarts and motherhens. Now let's get going. We went pretty far in, and though the trail does deviate, it basically ends up going straight north. If we head towards Derrytown and then along the river, we should meet up with them around sundown unless the direction changes."

Gilan swung into Blaze's saddle, and the little cavalcade of horses moved out, heading down the little trail through the trees that lead from the clearing with the Ranger cabin to the main road. The silence seemed deafening to Maddie, which was weird, because even with Will and Halt, the Rangers hadn't talked much while traveling. Maddie contented herself with pulling her cowl up over her head and slouching in the saddle, losing herself in thought. She could relax for a bit, she thought. Gilan was keeping watch over their surroundings, and she was so tired.

Some while later, Gilan spoke, startling Maddie from her thoughts.

"How are you holding up, Maddie?" he asked.

Maddie jumped, and brought her attention to the present. Gilan had slowed Blaze slightly so their two horses paced side by side, Tug and Abelard bringing up the rear. She thought for a moment.

"I'm..." she began, and her voice faltered. "I don't know, Gil," she finally finished. "I'm breathing, so I'm okay, I guess. It's just, I miss Aunt Alyss so much, and I'm so worried for her and the baby, and for Will."

Gilan gave her a sad half smile, and reached over to rub her shoulder. "I'm sorry you have to go through this," he said. "If I had my way, I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you, or any other of the apprentices. You're too young. But bad things happen, and you live through them, and you grow stronger because of them. Even apprentice Rangers are Rangers, and Rangers see things even grown men shouldn't have to see."

Maddie nodded. "Ranger training isn't just about strengthening my body, my skills, and my reflexes," she summed up. "It's also about strengthening my mind and my endurance."

"Yes," Gilan said, and Maddie saw a proud, relieved gleam in his eyes. "I'm so glad you understand."

Then the trail forked, and they fell silent again as Gilan guided them northwest, along the river.

"The good thing is," he said after awhile, "there's only two fords within a few days ride. Unless he really went out of his way, there's only two places Ruhl could cross the river. And one of them floods with the least amount of rain. So that narrows down our search for tracks to one place."

"So if we don't find Will and Halt by sundown, we head back for the cabin?" Maddie said. Privately, she really hoped they met up. She didn't want to have to ride all the way back to the cabin. Not only did that sound almost painful for her exhausted body, but she chafed against their slow pace. She wanted to find Aunt Alyss and bring her to safety, now. She didn't think she could stand any backtracking.

Gilan nodded. "That's correct," he said. "Hopefully, we'll be able to meet up with them along this stretch of the river somewhere. We have two hours until sundown, and they should meet up with the river soon. Let's split up and patrol along the river until we find them. You go back the way we came. Whistle every three minutes or so, and listen for any whistles in return. Once you've ridden for twenty minutes, turn around and come back here. I'll do the same, only I'll go the other way. We'll keep that up until sundown."

"All right," Maddie said. "Let's go."

They left Tug and Abelard at the halfway point, and split off in opposite directions, riding along the river trail. Every three minutes, Maddie let out a piercing whistle, which echoed against the horizon, leaving a ghostly aural afterimage for a split second after. She then strained her ears for any answering whistle that might come from Will and Halt. 

After two times riding twenty minutes out and back, Gilan called a rest break. Maddie slid out of the saddle gratefully, stretching her sore back and legs. Gilan handed her a late lunch comprised of hard bread and dried fruit and meat. Maddie walked around while she ate, washing it down with water from the river, so cold that it made her teeth hurt.

And then they were back in the saddle, and riding out one final time, sending out echoing whistles into the gathering twilight. Maddie had almost given up hope when she reached the turning point, and she nearly missed the faint whistle from a distance. But Bumper heard it, and his ears pricked up. His chest rumbled, alerting her to the fact that he'd heard something. 

Her heart pounding, Maddie pulled Bumper to a stop, and sent out another whistle. Barely ten seconds later, she heard a reply. She kept whistling and listening for the steadily approaching answer, guiding the trackers ever closer. Until finally, Will and Halt broke the trees.

Maddie was out of the saddle in a second, running toward the two cloaked men. She threw herself at Will, almost in tears, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder.

"I was so scared we would miss you!" she babbled. "That you would lose the trail, or that it would turn, or something!"

Will smoothed down her hair once before letting her go. "The trail twisted and turned a lot, but it kept going north," he said. "My guess is, the trail will end up going to the ford half a day's ride from here."

"Don't I get a hug?" Halt demanded, and Maddie wrapped her arms around him. He said nothing, but his tight squeeze told her his relief in finding her.

Once the hugs were over, Maddie swung back into the saddle. "You two stay here, with the trail," she said. "I'll go find Gilan, and bring him, Tug, and Abelard back here so we can camp."

"Good idea," Halt said. He sat down on the ground and sighed in relief.

Maddie coaxed Bumper into that steady, kilometer-eating lope, and it was with a much lighter heart than before that she headed off to find Gilan.