"Bored....bored.....oh look over their Daniel, more boredom!" Maddie cried out in mock happiness. Daniel gave her a pained look before complaining to the two mentors ahead of them. "Please get her to stop already! I can't take anymore of this!" Halt ignored his apprentice while Gilan looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. "Try living in the same cottage as her," without anything else to say he turned back around and continued to ride in silence.

Daniel groaned and looked side-long at his companion to see her turned to the forest in silence. Sighing in relief he went back to scanning the length of forest for anything out of the ordinary. They had been touring the Redmont fief for only two days now and already the two apprentices were bored out of their mind. While Maddie expressed her boredom in an out going and annoying manor, Daniel kept his hidden in bitter silence. He had been hoping to find a trace or even a sight of a Nightrider by now, but alas there had been nothing. Being drug from his thoughts to the present time by what must have been the strangest sound he had ever heard in his life. Turning to find the source he didn't have to look to hard. Maddie was looking back in his direction with her eyes crossed and her lips in odd angles and making small sucking noises as she slowly opened and closed her mouth without moving her lips to make them stay in their weird position. Daniel palmed his hand to his forehead in a exasperated gesture and opened his mouth to make a comment to Gilan only to be forestalled by the tall Ranger. "Don't. Just don't bother."

>>>------->

Later that night the four Rangers were sitting around their small fire, holding a cup of steaming coffee that made the day of cold and boredom fade away. Draining the last of his, Halt threw the dregs of his coffee into the fire and watched as the flames hissed and sputtered.

"In the morning we're going to finish up this little routine check of ours and head in the direction of Castle Araluen to give our report, same as the other Rangers. Though I doubt we need to bother to much, chances are it's going to be the same as all the others- nothing." His companions looked at him with expressions of disappointment at his last words. No Ranger liked being out foxed by their own game- staying hidden and vanishing without a trace.

Standing he dusted off his breeches and gestured upward to the low hanging moon in the night sky. "I'll take the first watch, in three hours Gilan you can take over, then Maddie and Daniel. Till then might as well get some rest." Daniel watched as Maddie and Gilan laid down on the cold ground and roll into their cloaks until their breathing was even. Halt had moved over to a low hanging tree and wrapped himself in his cloak, becoming virtually invisible to the un-trained eye.

Laying down, his own muscles burning in protest as they tried to relax from being in the saddle all day, he wrapped his cloak around him and looked up at the star filled night sky, watching until he fell into a light sleep.

His eyes snapped open at the light touch of of someone shaking him. Sitting up he saw Maddie near by him, her eyes starting to become drowsy as the thought of going back to sleep ran through her head. "Your turn on watch," she whispered before going back to her spot and laying down. Standing up, Daniel quietly picked up his bow and quiver and walked to the same tree he had last seen Halt go before falling asleep. Getting into a concealed spot he looked up at the sky and calculated that there was at least three hours before dawn.

As time went by he started at every sound he heard, sending his heart beating in his chest till he was sure the sleeping form of his friends could hear it. But as the night went on he became accustomed to the sounds of the night, until something stuck out. At first he wasn't sure what he was hearing, then as he tuned out the other sounds of the forest he was able to hear it in more detail. A soft clink of a leather harness. He stiffened. Their own horses weren't wearing any of their tack and they where a good distance from the road they had been previously travelling on. Standing up he ghosted to the direction it was coming from, only going a few spaces from where he had previously been. The sound was becoming louder along with other sounds, of a soft clop of a horses hoof and the breathing of the animal itself. And then he saw it.

Emerging into the low light of the remaining night, the horse appeared only a few paces from Daniel. His breath caught in his throat and his heart stopped beating. Before him was the impressive form of a Nightriders horse. It's elegant neck was arched as it chewed against the bit in its mouth, its armour made soft sounds as metal scrapped against leather as the horse shifted its weight from one foot to the other. It looked at him with dark, intelligent eyes and it wasn't until he was able to breath again the he noticed it was riderless. Creeping slowly back in hopes of not frightening it away, he crept to the sleeping forms of the others, his eyes never leaving the horse.

"Halt. Halt wake up," he whispered as he reached the form of his mentor and shook his shoulder slightly. Halt was instantly awake and on the alert. Sitting up he looked at Daniel with a slightly annoyed stare, "What is it?" Not saying anything, Daniel pointed to where the horse still was and watched as Halts expression changed to one of alarm. "Gilan, Maddie, ready your bows." The sharp tone of command in his voice was enough to wake them and reach for their bows. It wasn't until they followed both Halts and Daniels gaze that they saw what had alerted their two friends.

"We've got company," Halt said quietly.

~Hello! And I know, I haven't updated in forever, but I will get started on the next chapter ASAP! Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

~SO