𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑒𝑓 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 | 𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐒𝐎𝐍

5 ⋆✶⋆ The Gathering

"Are we there yet?" I asked as I scanned the endless trees on an unfamiliar path leading to the gods know where. Geography wasn't my strongest suit. We'd been riding three days and were on our way to the annual Ranger gathering.

"Almost."

With a heavy sigh I leaned forward to rest on Vacker's neck, because my back was killing me and that was the only position that came close to being comfortable. I looked at Gilan, who still sat in his saddle gracefully. I bet his butt wasn't aching like he was sitting with his bones directly on stone. He could be an immortal warrior with his never ending patience and energy. All right, the energy bit wasn't true, at the end of the day he'd always plummet into bed and snore so loud I could hear it through the walls.

"You're like an elven prince." I finally said after watching him for a few moments while he moved with Blaze's movements as if she was an extension of him.

"What?" the tall Ranger laughed, a warm but loud sound that was laced with surprise, "how did you come up with that?"

"Well you're like... invincible. You never get tired."

"Oh, I do get tired believe me."

Rolling my eyes I raised my brows. "Of what?"

A mischievous grin appeared on his lips and his green eyes glowed in the sun as our gazes locked. "You."

Like a proper, well trained eighteen year old lady, I stuck out my tongue at him. Which he mocked, hardly keeping his infectious laugh in as he did so. And of course giving me a whole speech on how he hadn't expected it from me.

When we'd reached a part of the forest close to a clearing, my mentor halted, gazing into the distance as if he were looking for something, or someone. "Stay here." He ordered, dismounting in one smooth slide and landing softly onto the green moss blanketing the ground.

"Why?" I also slid off Vacker's shining black back and crushing a few twigs in the process. Of course only after I landed I reminded myself of the invisibility lessons, landing with your toes first, then your heel. The Ranger already opened his mouth to revise it for me, but I sent him a glare that said enough. In the past few months we'd obviously trained everyday, but it had only been six months since I'd started, so not everything went automatically yet.

"Just do it." He sighed while putting on his cowl and when I blinked he was gone. No one could move so invisible as he, and once a few weeks back he had thought it amusing to use it on me as I was cooking. That was also the last time he'd ever done that, my screeching had made an impression apparently.

With nothing to do I decided just laid back in the soft moss and enjoy these few moments of rest and silence. After riding and talking all day this was a welcome variation to the ever so stretching gravel, then dirt, then stone and then dirt roads again. A few rays of the heated summer sun travelled through the thick foliage in the woods and landed on my face. The warmth was narcotic and I fell further into it until-

Wake up!

A warm air swiveled over my shoulder, then a hard push against it, throwing me out of my relaxed daze.

"I wasn't sleeping, but I was trying to." With narrowed eyes I gave her an accusing look which she answered with an entertained neigh while throwing her head up.

Find something to do.

The black animal looked at me with her determined look that could only mean one thing.

"Feeding you apples I presume?" I cocked an eyebrow at her. When it came to the spoiling of our horses, I was always the one holding Gilan back. If I wouldn't be paying attention, they'd die of an overdose.