The New Rangers

Chapter Nine

"Stealth is about more than simply tip toeing about quietly," Halt explained.

Holly snorted and rolled her eyes. "We know that, Dad. We've practically been Rangers our entire lives."

He leveled a steady gaze on her and waited several beats before he spoke. "Really? Well then, let's see how you do it." He swept a hand out toward the field of tall grass they stood beside. "Go right ahead and let's see if you can get past Will."

Holly eyed the field of tall green grass. It swayed slightly in the gentle breeze. It would be to her advantage that little breeze, helping to hide signs of her movement. The grass was wasit high, moving through it would be difficult.

Her head tilted slightly to the left as she studied the field, deciding which way would be the best to go. Her eyes swept over the field, plotting and planning. There was nothing in the way the grass shifted or moved that told her where Will was hiding out in the field. Honestly she could run right into him out there or slip right past him and never know it. Taking a deep breath, she slipped into the field and moved as unobtrusively through the gently swaying blades as she could.

Only a few minutes passed before Will's voice called out from somewhere distant and to her left. "If I were an enemy looking to kill you you'd be quite dead already, Holly."

She froze where she stood and looked around in wide eyed shock, wondering exactly where he was. He could be trying to get her to reveal herself. It was possible he didn't actually know where she was. It might be a ruse. She remained still.

"Ahhh!" she shrieked, jumping back as Will melted out of the grass to her left. "Do not do that!"

He chuckled at her fright. "You'll learn how to move without disturbing the grass around you so much and giving away your position. It doesn't come naturally to everyone. Head back and let Deva know it's her turn."

She grumbled her way back out of the field. "Your turn," she told Deva glumly.

The only consolation to her failure was that Deva didn't do any better than she had.

"All right, let's see how our new apprentice does, shall we?" Halt turned a look on Logan.

"All right." Logan headed for the field and slipped between the blades of grass, disappearing into the field with a soft swishing of the grass.

Holly stood waiting, eyes trying to pick out where Logan was. The time passed and she began tapping a boot. "Where is he?" she grumbled. She'd expected him to fail just as she and Deva had, despite the fact he had two years training on them. Will was a formidable Ranger. Another ten minutes passed before Will melted out of the grass with a small frown.

He arched a brow at Halt. "I thought for a moment you hadn't sent him in."

"You lost him?" Halt asked incredulously.

"It does appear as if I have, doesn't it?"

"You lost him, how do you lose an entire person?" Holly screeched.

A piercing whistle gained their attention and they turned, looking across the field to where Logan sat complacently on the lower branch of a tree on the opposite side of the field waving at them.

Halt chuckled and shook his head as he waved at Logan, shouting as he did, "Only person I know that good is Gilan!"

Will frowned, watching as Logan hopped down from the tree. "I never saw him, Halt. Not once. We should do a real concealment test. I want to see how good he is in comparison to Gilan and Crowley. They're the only two that good."