Young Writers Society

*Here goes; I tried to mention at least one character from everybody, so hopefully everyone will be able to drop in easily*

Tail

"Your objective is to find Lord Muertre and stop him. Most of his men and followers will scatter, as they're really just rabble. Deal with his core group. Everything clear?"

Skinner, Commandant of the Ranger Corps, eyed me seriously, then proceeded to make eye contact with the other eight people gathered around the table in his tent. We all nodded grimly.

"Good," he said briskly, slapping the table's surface. "Now get going!"

As the group disbanded to their horses, I couldn't contain the little skip in my step as I followed my master, Hutch.

"Finally!" I said in a low, excited voice as I tightened Flame's girth. "I was beginning to think that joining the Special Task Group was a waste of time. We haven't been sent on any quests yet; it's been driving me mad!"

"I'm quite aware," Hutch said dryly, a grin tugging at his mouth. I loved the fact that my master wasn't one of those stiff-necked conservatives who couldn't crack a joke. I shuddered a little at the thought.

"Come on, my dears, let's get a move on, shall we?" called an amused voice. I turned to see Taggart watching us. "Lord Muertre isn't going to be waiting all nicely for us, lads." He glanced at the two female apprentices and amended his statement. "And lasses."

Hespher smiled shyly; Clare rolled her eyes in mock indignation.

"Quit nattering," growled Sorin, not looking up from the map he was currently studying. I bit my lip; I always felt a little cowed by the ever-grim, never-smiling Ranger. Even though Sorin wasn't the oldest of the group, he was by far the most steadfast and serious, and was somehow the default leader; everyone else seemed content to follow him. Including me.

"Ready when you are," called Davis in a languid voice.

Al, silent as always, simply nodded and raised an eyebrow.

"Let's be off then!" Sorin said, mounting up. The rest of us followed suit.

I could barely contain my excitement; we were finally starting off on our first mission. Hopefully, we'd succeed and all return home.

Alive, that is.

Hutch:

First things first, and so our group began heading off toward the the east coast. It would be a good day's journey, and depending on our progress we would most likely have to stop. Some rest before getting on one of those cursed boats wouldn't be so bad either.

Clare made a comment to Davis to my left, but I didn't catch it. he responded with a slight laugh. Tail mounted on Flame followed behind me and Scar at a few paces. He seemed to be in deep conversation with Edmund, and Taggart was riding with a smirk listening to their conversations.

Our camp had been near the summit of the hill, and so we reached the uppermost point. As the group glanced over the surroundings from the vantage point a lot could be seen. The camp area, now just a clearing, could be seen behind us. In front of us was the ever looming sea that would lead us away from Araluan.

"It shall be a strange thing," Sorin said calmly at my side.

"Have you ever been on a boat before?" I asked.

"No, I was not graced with a troubled fief, and so I do not get out very much."

"Then you're in for a surprise," Tail said trotting up beside us. With that I winked at him making sure Sorin caught the gesture. Although I knew he had seen it he didn't reply and rode silently beside us lost in thought.

The downward path sloped back and forth along the hill, and upon entering the trees we lost sight camp and views of Araluan.

Ahead of the others rode Aloysius and his apprentice, Hespher.

"They're quite a merry bunch aren't they?" Aloysius asked. He spoke softly, as was his custom. Hespher tensed though, she knew that enough about the ranger to know that he always asked a small question to introduce a larger one. The last time she had been asked a question, it was "Do you like squirrels." It turned into a lesson about how to climb up tall trees, using a bow, an arrow, and a rope. On another occasion, he asked her about a door as a prelude to showing her how to pick a lock.

"Yes Master Yates." Hespher responded.

"How would you kill them?" Aloysius asked.

"Master Yates?"

"Relax Hespher, I won't ask you to kill them. However, our enemies will be asking this question. Knowing the answer to that question is still worthwhile. How would you kill us all, if you were assigned to pull it off? What is the bare minimum of equipment that you need? That's your assignment for the day. We'll talk after dinner about it," Aloysius lectured.

Hespher

Oh, great! Another thing I have to think about. I hated having to answer questions that Master Yates threw at me. One; I was afraid that I'd get them wrong and two; because Master Yates was always correct. And when he was correct, that meant I was wrong. Even though he was young, Master Yates was one the most intelligible people I have ever met.

I nodded making sure that he had seen my quick movements. My hands tightened on the reigns, I was going to get this wrong. Just think Hespher, it won't be that bad. How would you kill 'em all? I turned and stared at the group, my heart thumping in my ears. They all seemed to preoccupied to notice I was observing every single one of them. Would I want to kill them? No, though what Master Yates said was right! Of course he was.

Master Yates scoffed. I looked up at him, my legs digging slightly into Valiant's body. The brown mare underneath me snorted with impatience. I had been moving all around Valiant's saddle for the whole journey, unable to stay still. The light red cloak that covered my face fluttered in the wind.

"What is it, Master?" I asked, trying to ease out of my discomfort.

"You shouldn't stress so much when something is given to you. Clear your mind and pull those cotton buds out of your ears and the clues will be right in front of you." Master Yates looked down at me from under his earthen coloured cloak and smirked.

"I will try, sir." I stopped, thinking through what he had said; "Kill all of you, sir? But wouldn't that mean you too?"

A smiled crossed his face, "I meant what I said, Hespher."

Taggart and Edmund

As they rode, Taggart kept a close eye on everything around them, and knew without even having to check that Wave was keeping a close eye on the woods. While it was borderline impossible that anything would go wrong while they were still in Araluen, he had learnt the hard way that it paid to keep one's senses attuned at all times. His own apprenticeship had been punctuated by many a harsh lesson in that fact by his master. The old man had steadfastly believed that the best way to keep someone looking for traps was to set them all over the place.

After a time, Taggart turned his attention to where Sorin and Hutch were riding ahead, seeing Tail approaching them. The leader and the tracker, likely discussing the coming voyage.

"You're looking thoughtful, there, Taggart."

The sneering voice of Davis caught his attention, and he glanced over at the other ranger with a smile. "Well, you know how it is. I have to think for myself and this apprentice here." He reached over and clapped Edmund on the shoulder, earning himself a glare from the boy. "The warriors didn't send him to act like the rest of us, after all."

Edmund tightened his grip on Hurricane's reins, and the destrier trotted slightly to one side, away from Wave. The gelding snorted in response, seeming to tease the larger horse. "I'll show you lot. Just wait until you can't sneak around anymore, then you'll want my help."

Taggart looked back to Davis, holding his arms out to either side. "See what I mean?" As he spoke, they rounded a turn in the trail, and the thin path took them into a more forested area. Taggart leaned back in his saddle and drank the whole area in, absorbing every detail. It felt like a good day, to him, an excellent omen for the start of their journey. That did not, however, mean he was going to let his guard down for a second.

Not even Edmund's sour mood seemed to have any effect on him. The warrior's apprentice was riding off to one side, hunched in his saddle, one hand tapping against the handle of his lance. He was itching to bury the heavy spear into something, Taggart's joking had set him on edge. Were it not for the lack of support he would have in such an action, and the fact that he was not suitably armed, he would have liked to dash off into the forests to hunt down a boar. That, at least, would have put him more at ease than he currently was.

Whoo! Sorry for taking so long to post my profile. ^_^; But anyway, here I am now!

Name: Lillian Hawthorne (goes by Lilly for short)

Age: 20

Gender: Female (never would have guessed )

Role: newly-appointed Ranger!

Weapons: longbow, 24 long-shafted, black arrows, double scabbard with throwing and saxe knives, dagger hidden in left boot

Appearance: Shoulder-length chestnut-brown hair, piercing emerald green eyes that flash when she's angry, tall and skinny, fast and light on her feet, strong and sturdy beneath the cloak's mask

Personality: She's the youngest Ranger in the Corps, so she's still mostly bright, energetic, and optimistic like she was as an apprentice; however, is very serious and grim when the situation calls for it. Is a quiet planner and sharp thinker. Highly respects other Corp members and warriors, even apprentices, except for Davis. Ran away from Gallica when she was twelve and came across the sea to Araluen. Previous mentor Dene Fulton convinced the King and Skinner to let her become a Ranger's apprentice.

Other: Possibly the best at weapon use in the Corps. Horse's name is Ruisseau. Possibly up for love.

And now, my first post!

Lillian

She couldn't suppress a wave of excitement and anticipation as she looked at the beautiful surrounding countryside. None of the others seemed to have noticed, but deep in the cowl of her cloak her emerald green eyes were sparkling. It reminded her of her time as a Ranger's apprentice, and she just managed to suppress a grin at the thought.

She was riding in the back of the group, constantly scanning the forestland around them. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced at the others ahead of her and recognized a tall, wavy blonde-haired man sitting astride a horse.

Lillian looked over the others. There were...Aloysius, and his apprentice, Hespher, up at the very front. Behind them were Sorin, Tail, and Hutch, then behind them were Taggart, Edmund, the man, and Clare.

Suddenly a twig snapped in the quiet woods. Lillian turned slightly in her saddle, eyes scanning back and forth deep in her cowl as she searched for the source of disturbance. Then she saw where it was. She urged Ruisseau on to an easy trot and caught up to Taggart.

Sorin~~

All the others seemed pretty happy to be finally assigned a mission, but I imagined it would fade fast. The food would go sour, weapons would get damaged, and everyone would tire. We'd be lucky if we weren't at each others throats by the end of the week. And then there were the boats. I hated boats.

I followed close behind Taggart as he wound us through the woods. Normally I would be checking to see if we were going the right way, but I trusted these people, especially him.

As I relaxed in the saddle the new ranger Lillian galloped up to Taggart, "something in the woods."

I turned smoothly, not raising my bow, but just looking at the others, "Hurry it up!" That look didn't give me much, but hopefully the watchers wouldn't know we were on to them. I saw several places where people could be hidden, but no distinct figures.

"What did you see?"

(Don't panic, guys; this will not be an all-out battle. I hope. XD)

Lillian

She shook her head doubtfully. "Not much. I heard a twig crack and turned to see who it was that was spying on us, but all I saw were some leaves rustling on a few bushes about twenty meters into the woods."

Sorin and Taggart opened their mouths to reply when Davis sneered, "You couldn't see who was back there? Some Ranger you are."

Lillian's eyes flashed, and when she spoke again, her voice was deathly quiet and ominous. "Well then, Davis," she spat the name out as if it was mud in her mouth, "why don't you tell all of us just who is hiding out in the forest, spying on us?"

"Stop," Aloysius said. Hespher immediately stopped.

"Stay here and stay alert. I'll go check it out," Aloysius said.

The other rangers had stopped and had begun arguing.

"You couldn't see who was back there? Some Ranger you are," Davis sneered.

"Well then, Davis," Lillian spat the name out as if it was mud in her mouth, "why don't you tell all of us just who is hiding out in the forest, spying on us?"

"Enough," Aloysius said. He turned to see the other three apprentices, Clare, Edmund and Joseph, watching the rangers bicker.

"All of you should go to the head of the column and keep Hespher company while we sort this out," Aloysius said. They hesitated, but Aloysius gave them a look and they withdrew towards Hespher. Aloysius turned towards Lillian and smiled.

"You saw something?" Aloysius asked.

"I heard a twig snap and when I turned to look, I saw some rustling leaves about twenty meters in the woods," Lillian said quietly.

"Did anyone else see it?" Aloysius asked. They shook their heads. "What about you?" Aloysius said, turning to face Davis. He glared at Aloysius and shook his head.

"If there is a spy, he can't have gone too far. Lillian, let's go take a look. Sorin, you want to come along?" Taggart asked.

"Gladly," Sorin responded. They went off into the woods, leaving Hutch, Davis, and Aloysius.

"I was on the board that recommended that Lillian become a ranger, as was Aloysius. Dene Fulton did a good job with her," Hutch said.

"So?" Davis said.

"You wanted to know what kind of ranger she was. I'm telling you she's a good one," Hutch said evenly.

"I'm not convinced," Davis replied. Aloysius shrugged, before riding back to rejoin the apprentices.

Taggart

Given Lillian's description of the movements she had seen, Taggart doubted that they were facing any real threat. Certainly, whatever spy they were seeking out would not be a challenge for all three of them. "Where exactly did you say they were hiding, when you spotted them?"

Lillian seemed to know better than to point to a particular spot, nodding in the general direction of where she had seen the spy moving about. Taggart's eyes swept the area she had indicated, and soon he felt he knew where they had been. He turned his head to see Sorin, who looked to have made a similar estimation.

Taggart slid from his saddle, patting Wave just behind the ears and whispering a command word to him. The horse stood still and remained completely silent, while Taggart drew one of his throwing knives, scanning the entire area slowly. As he had while riding, so now he set himself into a completely focused stance, every sense pricked to attempt to identify the presence of a spy. A soft, rustling movement to their backs attracted his attention, though he did not acknowledge it. Instead, he turned casually to Sorin and Lillian once more, his voice low. "They're moving between us and the others now. Whatever it is, it's moving with too much care to simply be a rabbit."

Edmund

As he rode ahead to Hespher with the other apprentices, Edmund glanced back over his shoulder to where Taggart was slipping into the forest with Lillian and Sorin. Though the ranger's frequent jibes did irritate him, Taggart seemed to treat everyone to them at one point or another. Moreover, Edmund felt personally responsible for him - Taggart was older, but he was no warrior. The warriors had sent Edmund along with the group because, in essence, he was young, expendable, and had worked with Taggart before. But it was also because they felt there needed to be a warrior there.

But with Taggart off in the woods, there was nothing Edmund could do, especially when he'd been ordered to the front of the group with the other apprentices. The apprentice sighed, why was it that he always ended up being treated like nothing more than a child by these people? He was sure that he could help somehow, there were many ways to deal with hidden watchers - the rangers would just give them time to move!

Edmund looked around at Hespher and the others when they stopped their horses. "So, does anyone have an idea of what it might be?" He asked, looking from one to the other. Even if they weren't warriors, he didn't have any problem talking to the other apprentices.

Hespher

"A boar maybe?" Tail suggested, his eyes wide with anxiousness as he watched the trainers squabble. They were like a bunch of children! Of course, I wasn't going to say that to them but you couldn't blame me for thinking it. My eyes froze on my Master. He scanned the area with a keen eye, had he found something.

Edmund shook his head, "No, I don't think so." Most of the rangers nodded.

"To big for a boar, then." Tail smirked, a childish glisten faltering in his eyes. I grinned under my cloak, I don't think they could see me.

"Maybe it was a monster..." I suggested. They all looked at me incredulously. My cheeks instantly flushed a deep scarlet. If Master was here he would've surely said something. I shrugged, trying to lose the gazes.

"Just a suggestion."

Didnt know what to write, but I figured that we should just skip ahead to keep it going. Sorry for the length.

Hutch:

Our group began filing onto the boat. It wasn't very large, but it was big enough to handle the rough waves that we would encounter on our journey. A few light laughs could be heard from behind me; they were probably joking about yesterday's incident. No matter although it was funny I didn't want to make the poor women feel bad for her mistake.

Soon we had set off.

Eh, it's fine, Day. And thanks, Griffin.

Lillian

She laughed along with most of the others as they remembered the incident yesterday.

"It ended up being a poor little farmer, lost and wondering where his farm had gotten to! And then he saw us and was trying to spy on us, wondering what the devil we were up to," she said, smiling.

"Yes, well, just bear in mind that you're still not a very good Ranger," Davis replied coldly.

But Lillian ignored him and, the wide smile breaking out again over her face, turned towards the apprentices. "So, what were you all doing while Sorin, Taggart, and I were off hunting the poor farmer lost in the woods?"

Sorin~~

I hesitantly got on the boat, "How long is the ride again?"

"A day at most"

"Wonderful", I sighed under my breath. As soon as we left we hit heavy waves. My breath caught and my heart skipped a beat.

Lillian must have seen my face go pale, because she laughed. I threw my hood up and leaned back, trying to ignore the rocking.