Ranger's Apprentice Quick Stories

Into the Woods Pt. 2

Tug stepped carefully over another fallen log. Will tightened his grip on Maddie, who was swaying lazily in front of him. She'd woken up some time in the last few hours, but the drug was still persistent in her system. It concerned Will that it didn't seem to be wearing off.

"Almos' there?" Maddie asked, her words slurred with drowsiness. Will's concerned frown deepened.

"Yes," he assured her, unconsciously holding her even tighter in his concern. Maddie nodded slowly and settled against Will again.

Finally, the trees began to fall away. For a moment, Will had been afraid that he'd taken a wrong turn, or led Tug off on a stray path. It had been years, after all, since he'd visited Malcolm's clearing.

But then they passed an unmistakably familiar tree, much larger than the rest. Ahead of them, Will could see a clearing, bright with the sunny afternoon, although not warm. It never was truly warm this far north. Eager to be free of the tripping woods and their undergrowth, Tug trotted the last few meters into the clearing. Once there, Will called a brief greeting before sliding from the saddle, pulling Maddie down into his arms. She curled inward, toward his body, and Will glanced at her worriedly once more.

The little cabin's door opened, and a short, wiry old man stepped out.

"Could that really be who I think it is?" Malcolm asked, a note of genuine disbelief in his voice. Will managed a small smile, despite his concern for his apprentice.

"It's me, Malcolm," Will called. "Good to see you. I'm sorry I'm unannounced, and without a proper greeting, but-"

"It appears that you have more pressing matters," Malcolm said, his smile replaced by a thoughtful frown as he noticed Maddie in Will's arms. "No worry, Ranger. Bring her inside. And tell me what happened."

Will did as he was told, explaining everything he knew to Malcolm. Admittedly, his information was limited, and Will briefly wished he could give his friend more useful information. Then he shrugged the thought aside. Wishful thinking wouldn't help them any.

"I'm not sure what they used," Will concluded as he laid Maddie down on a cot in the cabin. Malcolm was already filing through his assortment of medicines.

"What side effects have you noticed?" the herbalist queried as he set a few bottles aside.

Will turned to watch Maddie, who was now asleep once again, although it was a fitful sleep.

"She's completely out of it," Will said worriedly. "The longest she's stayed awake was an hour or two. And even then, her actions are slow and her words are slurred. She hasn't eaten a thing, probably since she was taken. Granted, that's largely because of her condition right now, not necessarily because of the drug itself, whatever they used."

Malcolm made his way to Maddie, sitting gingerly on the edge of the cot. Carefully, he checked the girl's forehead for a temperature. Apparently satisfied that she had no fever, he moved his hand to lift her eyelid. He moved his body back and forth, allowing the light from the window to shine on Maddie's face and then blocking it again with his shadow. He frowned.

"She's concussed," he said thoughtfully. "Any idea how that could have happened?"

Will hesitated, then gasped.

"She fell from a horse," he muttered, then corrected himself. "I-I made her fall from a horse. I shot its rider, not thinking that he was the only thing keeping Maddie in the saddle. She fell to the ground. The horse was moving pretty fast. It's... it's not anything... serious... is it?"

He swallowed thickly, feeling his heart rate climb as Malcolm hesitated. Then, the healer seemed to realize that his reaction had scared Will, and he waved a reassuring hand.