Disclaimer: I do not own ranger's apprentice or any of the characters associated with it. I do own this incarnation of Daniel, Ragnak, Alyss , Ferris, Halt, and Pauline.
Summary: it is twenty years after Will first became an apprentice correct me if I'm wrong and fourteen years after book 6. Will and Alyss are married and have three children. Horace is captain of Cassandra's guard, Will is the Ranger for Seacliff Fief , Alyss is the official Emissary from Seacliff to Redmont.
They were galloping swiftly through the forest chasing ten bandits who had tried to attack their caravan. Will, Gilan, Crowley , Horace, Daniel, Halt, Halt Jr, Ferris Jr., Cassandra, Goron, and Elaine had all been traveling to Castle Araluen so that Cassandra could get married to Horace. They had been attacked by twenty bandits and had slain ten of them before they retreated. Now seeking revenge they were hunting them down and closing in on them.
The bandits thinking that they were too far a head had stopped and set up camp on a cliff hanging out over a valley.
The group caught up with them just as the bandits had made themselves comfortable. Gilan, Horace, Goron, and Elaine charged in first breaking through the bandits camp and causing chaos. One of the bandits jumped back in fear and tumbled off the cliff.
Another bandit nocked an arrow and had it aimed strait at Gilan when a small lead ball hit him in the head killing him instantly.
Halt, Will, and Crowley went in next dismounted and firing shots left and right. Within seconds the last four bandits were cowering on the edge of the cliff one with a bow, another with a crossbow, another with a spear, and a final one with several throwing knives.
Horace, Gilan, Goron, and Elaine dismounted and the group surrounded the bandits.
The bandits made the first move. The one with the bow fired an arrow at Crowley hitting him in the leg. Daniel snapped off a shot that took that bandit in the throat knocking him off the cliff.
Crowley charged forward at the crossbow man with both knives drawn and swung them cutting the man's head from his shoulders. Crowley and the man kept going and tumbled off the cliff.
" NO!" Elaine yelled as her father fell. She drew her long thin sword from her belt and charged forward easily killing the spearman and knife thrower.
She fell to her knees and then began to cry as she looked down at the crumpled remains of her father and the two bandits.
Will and Gilan were right beside her crying their bows forgotten. Halt as always was standing firm and strong but as Cassandra looked at him as she cried into Horace's chest she saw tears fill his eyes.
Halt Jr., Ferris Jr. and Daniel cried but not as hardly as the adults they were young and hadn't known Crowley as well. Goron stepped to the edge of the cliff with Crowley's horse Aralue and pulled out Crowley's concealment hide. He attacked it to a stick and placed it in the ground with a cry.