Ranger's Apprentice I: Arising Danger

| Chapter IV

I arrived at the destination that Baron Arald had given me. I was right on time — I am someone who wants to get there and not be late. I stopped at a cabin hidden in the woods, and noticed two stables next to the cabin. There was a grey, small horse in the first stable, neighing at me. Curiously, I walked over to the horse and laid my hand on his nose. This horse was not a horse you come across in a battle. It wasn't a heroic battle horse, but it was a legendary horse, I was sure. The small horse was getting old, I saw. I guess he was somewhere in his tenths, at least eighths.
"Hey, my boy," I said. "What's your name?" I know animals can't talk, but the strange thing was that this horse could talk. At least, I believe he answered using that look in his eyes. Or I've heard too many talks from Casper about every single detail about horses. He sometimes is a pain in the ass, but at least I come here a little prepared.
     Never heard of a Ranger's horse? he seemed to ask.
I shook my head — it was ridiculous to think that horses could talk. I looked around me and saw some apples. I grabbed one and gave the apple to the horse. "I am Silver. I'm pleased to meet you."
"Tug is his name," someone said.
I looked to my left and watched Will standing there, underneath a tree. His face was in the shadows of his cowl and the cloak was hiding his body. He scares me by interrupting so abruptly. "Hey, very funny, but could you stop scaring me half to death? Do that twice and you won't have an Apprentice."
     Will just ignored every single threat I had outed. I realized I wouldn't get an answer to the last things I said. "Tug?" I repeated. "Why's that?"
"Inside joke. Now, come inside and we'll have a drink together." Then he immediately left inside. Such a talkative guy.
I nodded my head, pet Tug one more time and then followed Will inside.
     The small wooden cabin was messy from the outside, but clean and bright inside. The hallway and the two rooms, bathroom and living room were both cleaned. The first bedroom was smaller than the second one. The living room had a table, four chairs, a chimney, a kitchen and a couch. There was a brown carpet around the couch and on the table, and there was a bouquet of flowers.
Will led me to the first room, opened the door and let me in. I looked around me and saw a bookshelf, a bed and desk. I put my backpack down next to the desk and sat down on the bed. It was nice and comfy.
"That'll be your room, kiddo," he said. Will walked to the table in the living room and sat down on one of the chairs, gesturing me to follow his lead.
     I did so and looked around me. "Never knew a Ranger lives in a clean house," I muttered, not wanting Will to hear that. Unfortunately, I always have bad luck.
     "That's one thing we are taught on our first day as Apprentice," Will explained, raising one eyebrow and grinning with an evil smile at me.
     I realized something. "So, you're indirectly saying that Rangers have to clean the house?"
Will grinned. I could tell he was gonna tell me something and that I had to do that. Little did I know, Rangers were born to be sarcastic. "Or more correctly, that's what Rangers' Apprentices do: housework.
I shrugged my shoulders and said: "Then how many times do you clean the cabin each day?" If he can play it the sarcasm way, I can do it too.
Will looked at me and thought about it. "You just fill the barrel outside with buckets of water and scrub the floors from the dust each day would be okay. And then each Sunday is getting firewood and that placing behind the cabin. Alright? No more questions? Well, then you can start now!"
I nodded. I prefer to listen to someone higher in rank than me than being punished. And besides, I lost this discussion, I knew it from the second I started. So, I got up and decided to fill the barrel first. After thirty-one buckets filled with river water to fill the barrel, I started to sweep the floor. Being smart, I decided to do the hard work first. So, I grabbed the axe and started chopping some firewood. It wasn't Sunday, but I think it's much easier to do this every day. Rather every day a little bit than one day much work.
     After that, it was time to beat the carpets. I rolled them up, dragged them all outside and draped them over a rope slung between two trees. I beat the carpets and after that being done, I cleaned the cooking pots until they were shining, and I could see myself in the reflections.
After I was done with that, Will came to me. He taught me how to cook and then told me to sit down so he could tell me a bit about the Rangers. "The Rangers were founded over one hundred and fifty years ago in King Herbert's reign. King Herbert was the one who drove the northern clans back over the border into the Highlands. He is known as the Father of Modern Araluen. He had banded the fifty Fiefs together into a powerful union to defeat the northern clans. Those fifty Fiefs is still Araluen's structure, as you can see. Back then, the kingdom needed an effective intelligence force, according to King Herbert. The Rangers are this intelligence force that are the eyes and ears of the kingdom, because they have knowledge of what their enemies are up to." Will paused and looked at me.
"That's where the interesting part finally starts," I said.
     "There are fifty Rangers, one for each of the fifty Fiefdoms. I am based here, and my colleagues are based at the other forty-nine castles throughout the kingdom. We are the law keepers. We patrol the fiefdom assigned to us and make sure that the laws are obeyed."
     I nodded my head. Hadn't exactly expected that, but okay.
"Ever wondered why people call us invisible?" Will suddenly asked.
I frowned and nodded. "You do dark magic, correct?"
"With the cloak every Ranger wears, we make ourselves hard to see. It takes years of practice and learning to do it properly and good. You just have to get the techniques right and you just have to know what to do," Will answered.
I nodded. "And what kind of techniques are you speaking of?"
     "We are speaking here of shadows and movement of the wind to conceal yourself," Will patiently explained. "We blend into the background. To use it to conceal it. To become part of it. You get it?" he asked me.
     I nodded once again, but there was something that I didn't understand. "What kind of enemies do we have when we have to hide?"
     Will shifted on his seat and said with a neutral look: "It's been calm and there has been peace since the Clan of the Red Fox has been defeated. With Cassandra, Maddie and Horace, it is well organized. At this point, we do not have to worry about anyone attacking us."
Well, finally, that was the first good news for today.\