*Jacklyn's POV*

Have you ever had that moment when you were in a near death experience and after it, you just stop to admire everything?

That's kinda how I acted the next day on the way to the gathering. With me, I try my best to make life-threatening situations seem funny. Like the time a fire caught above the gas tank on one of the cars in the garage and Dad made us run out of the house as he went back in to put the fire out. Yeah, I laughed at that...

Okay, getting a little off topic.

Walking next to the three mounted Rangers, Brighton and Avis walked closer to them and made small talk with each other. I however, did not. Being giddy from last night and absolutely thrilled to death- Athena help me for saying this- being out of English class (don't ask about Athena, it's a long story. Well, not really long, just not relevant). I was acting like a completely different person. I was constantly moving. I refused to be still. I was in short, hyper.

I practically skipped down the beaten track we were on, sometimes humming one of the songs I heard on my Mom's radio station. Now and then I would spot a puddle of water up ahead and without warning, jump off the dirt road, jazz run in the shadows of the trees and jump back out in front of Avis and Brighton, right into the puddle, spraying them with water. I had a good laugh. Avis was starting to get annoyed after the first few times and Brighton...well, he's not too happy with me at the moment.

I mean, you couldn't really blame me. I'm a hyper child at times and need attention before I go and do stupid things, but I felt that it would be nicer of me to just splash them with water than to just butt into their conversation.

It was currently late in the morning, nearly midday. The air was cool and the sun was high. Birds chirped and the sky was a brilliant blue. I wasn't skipping at the moment, but I was humming. I caught a glint of light reflected off water a few paces in front of Avis and Brighton and instantly made a move to go and sneak in front of them to splash them. However, Gilan had other plans for me. Without me noticing, he had reached down and yanked back on the neck of my dress so I couldn't go running off. I don't know if he meant for it to happen (though I think he enjoyed it), I lost my balance and fell flat on the ground.

"Wha- hey!" I glared up at him before scrambling to get back up since no one had bothered to stop. "I think that's enough of your games for one day. Besides, Brighton is getting irritated and I might have just saved you from provoking him further." I just looked at him like, seriously? Apparently our conversation was heard by the others because Brighton looked back and nodded. "Thank you Ranger Gilan, she was starting to get on my nerves." As if to help get the point across, he glared at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please, I think I would be able to survive Brighton's irritation."
"I'm sure you would," Halt chimed in cooly, a little too cooly for my liking. Before I could say anything though, Avis put her two cents in. "I'm going to have to agree with Brighton on this one. I was nearly drowned yesterday so I hope you an understand my lack of enthusiasm with you splashing me with water." Hm, touché. I relented, dropping my shoulders in defeat. "Fiiiiiiine," I sighed.

"Finally," Halt muttered, "peace and quiet." The two younger Rangers nodded in agreement. I resisted the urge to pick up a twig and throw it at them. Honestly, boys can be so annoying at times.

After that, it was a quiet and pleasant walk in the woods. Until I decided to question what Gilan had said.

"What did you mean by 'saving me from provoking Brighton further'?" Gilan thought for a moment before shrugging. "I was just implying that he might have gone too far and done something he normally wouldn't if you pushed him further." I raised an eyebrow at that. "Oh really? And what would Brighton have done that would be considered 'too far'?"
"I would've had to break my record of being a perfect gentlemen." Brighton shot back. "Oh really, by what, calling me some name?" I challenged. He glared at me. "More like by throwing a fist into your face, but that would have been wrong since you're a girl." My mouth dropped at the nerve of this boy. Even Avis now looked at him like seriously? "So you didn't hit me because I'm a girl? What are you saying, that a girl can't take a hit? Or that she can't depend herself?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Then why don't you hit me?"

"Because it's wrong!"

"Why? Because you think I'm a dainty little flower girl who needs protecting?"

"No!"

"Then why don't you hit me?"

"I'm seriously considering it right now!"

"Then do it! Unless your too chicken to do it."

"I'll show you who's-"

"ENOUGH!"

Startled, both Brighton and I shut up and stared at Avis. In all honesty, I expected the intervention to come from the Rangers, not her. "Seriously, both of you can be so immature at times. Just stop arguing already okay?" She was so stern about it I almost felt as if I was being lectured by my Mom. I relented and nodded. Brighton huffed and muttered an agreement. The Rangers in the other hand, Wesley chose motto say anything.
>>---------->

I sort of lost track of time after that and had no clue as to where we were and I knew asking the Rangers would be a waste of time.

It was around when I was having this thought that without warning, the tress cleared and the ground fell away gently to a clearing bellow. The shaded green grass was dotted with one-man tents and several horses roamed the fresh grass, heads downs and grazing. Among the tents and horses were the small forms of countless Rangers (though I'm positive that the number was a little over fifty). The smoke from cooking fires curled high into the air and little orange and yellow flames added a sense of cheer to the Gathering Grounds.

Avis and I glanced gleefully at each other as we began to make our way down to the clearing below. Brighton hung back and was constantly casting nervous glances around him. Surprisingly, we didn't run into any Rangers on the way to our campsite. Perhaps they were out doing torturous exercises to the apprentices and competing in unseen movement.

Whatever the case, I'm so stoked! Avis and I stared open-mounted as we walked to the place where we would set up our tents and stay for the entire Gathering. "This is so cool!" Avis whisper-shouted in my ear and I could only muster an enthusiastic nod since I didn't trust myself to speak.

Coming to a stop, the three Rangers dismounted and went about the task of setting up the little campsite. Standing awkwardly and feeling useless, Brighton, Avis and I exchanged an awkward look before Avis stepped forward as the designated spokeswoman. "Err, is there anything we can do to help?" Gilan and Will exchanged looks that could almost have been of surprise before turning to look at Halt. The senior Ranger thought for a moment before shrugging. "Why not? Brighton, you can go collect some firewood and dry leaves for kindling. Avis, Jacklyn, there's a small stream not that far away. Take the leather buckets and fill them up for the horses." Avis nodded while I was a goof and saluted saying, "Aye, aye Captain!" Halt didn't find it nearly as funny as I did and merely rolled his eyes to the heavens.

Grabbing the buckets, the two of us set off for the stream while Brighton went off to go collect the materials needed for the fire.

The stream wasn't that far from the camp, nor was it hard to find. I quickly filled my two buckets up by placing the brim just under the water before dragging it against the current to gather water faster. When finished, I stood by while Avis filled hers. She eyed the four buckets critically before sighing. "This is going to be fun carrying back."

"No not really. They're going to be heavy and we're probably going to splash some water out and on our selves on the way back.," I replied while snapping out of my own little world. She glared at me, "Sarcasm Jacklyn, sarcasm."

"Oh," was my only response.

She bent down and picked up her two buckets, sighing/groaning as she did so. "Common Jacklyn, let's get going." I rolled my eyes as I bent down to pick mine up. "Yes Mother," I called back. "Really Jacklyn, could be any more immature?" I glanced up, "is that a trick question?" I replied, grinning as a silent answer.

"Honestly Jacklyn you really need to..." I never found out what I really needed to do because at that moment I heard someone behind me. I listened harder while still picking up my buckets, acting casually. I tried signaling Avis but, she was in full swing with her lecture so it was pointless. Acting on impulse, I swung my bucket around, fast and hard.

Our unseen attacker fell down with a startled cry of pain and went down in a shower of water as the leather bucket exploded from the force of the blow and toppling wooden logs and sticks. Just as I was about to see who the person was, a twig snapped from the same direction the first attacker came from and without a moments pause, I spun on my heel to face them, hooking my right foot behind their legs and pulled toward me as I simultaneously shoved hard on their shoulder, sending them toppling down.

Huh, taking those martial arts classes were actually worth it.

"What in the blithering blue blazes was that for?!" I frowned. Why was the first and now drenched attacker mimicking Brighton's voice? Did he already get to him and figured that by using his voice he could catch us off-guard? "Look at what you did! The wood is drenched and you broke the bucket. Not to mention that I am drenched too!" Nope. It's Brighton. I looked around the scene before me. Brighton was sitting on the ground with a hand to his ribs where I had chucked a bucket at him, surrounded by a pile of wood and leaves. He glared up at me with severe hatred at the moment. Avis was standing where she was, both buckets in hand, her eyes wide and mouth open in shock. But it wasn't me nor Brighton that she was staring at. It was the Ranger lying winded in the dust that held her attention.

He wore the standard Ranger cloak and clothing accompanied with a double-scabbard with their respective knives, a quiver of arrows was strapped to his back and a recurve bow now lay discarded by his side.

By the Gods of Olympus, I just attacked a Rangers Apprentice.

•HELLLOOOOOOOOOO. SCHHHHHOOOOOOLLLLL IS OUT FOR-EVVVERRRRRR!!!!!! Okay not really, but close enough. Today is a very special day for someone but I'm not going to say who because she might kill me. -runs and hides in tuba case- Yes yes I know. I'm behind on updating practically everything but I twas busy but now I'm not so be happy :) It also didn't help that nothing about this chapter seemed right so I am terribly sorry if you read it XD. Anyway, I'm rambling, again, so just have a good day...

~SO•