Halt's feet pounded the forest floor as he ran, his breath coming in short gasps. He'd been spying on some criminals when one of them tripped over Halt. So here he was, running from them.

He would've shot them, but his bow had been snapped when they had tripped over him. He would've fought them, but there were just too many.

He had decided that once he had gotten enough of a head start he would blend into the background and slip away. But that was then, and this is now.

He tripped, the fresh dew spattering over his face and bright pain exploded in his arm. He looked down and just above the elbow was twisted. Halt gritted his teeth and got up and continued running.

Every step he took jolted his arm and pain flashed through him. He knew it was broken badly. He could practically feel the bones in his arm grating on each other.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know."

"I bet he's using his black magic to hide!"

"That's just a myth. A rumor. False."

"But what if-"

"We have to find him!"

"Just say we got him, and hope he doesn't do anything!"

Silence.

"Ok."

Halt could hear footsteps, fading into the distance. He gritted his teeth and kept on going. He hoped he was near a town with a healer who was at least halfway decent. He fought back the waves of nausea that hit him every time he put his feet down, no matter how carefully and delicately he stepped.

Finally, and you have no idea how 'finally' this is, he stepped onto a road, and he could see the town about ten feet away. Halt breathed a silent breath of thanks and continued on.

He walked up to the first door he saw and knocked.

"Hello, sir, um, Ranger sir." A child said, stumbling over her words. She couldn't have been more than fifteen years old.

"Hello. I was wondering if there might be a healer in this town?" Halt asked.

A dark shadow crossed her face. "He's not more than a witchdoctor. I recommend moving on to the next town." She said. Then she looked closer at Halt, wondering what was wrong. Then she saw his arm. "Oh, sir, let me help you with your arm!" She said, and practically shoved him inside.

"So, are you good at healing then?" Halt asked hopefully.

"One of the best in our town." She said. She wasn't bragging, Halt could tell, she was just stating a fact.

Halt nodded and gritted his teeth to bite back a bellow of pain as she moved his arm into place. When she put a splint on it (two straight strong sticks) and tied it up tightly. Then she put it into a sling.

"There, that should work until you get wherever you're going. That was one of the worst broken arms I've ever seen. How did it get that way?" She asked.

Halt grunted in a way that ended the conversation. Halt had a second to muse about how many types of grunts there were.

The girl nodded, understanding that Halt didn't want to talk about it.

"Thank you." Halt said. He started to pay her, but the girl stopped him.

"No, I couldn't accept payment for doing what I love to do." she said.

"But you will." Halt said, and he pressed the money into her hands leaving her no option but to take it.

As Halt continued along to Redmont, his arm jarred painfully. He wondered what it would've been like on horse. Worse, he decided. A whole lot worse. The splint and sling did help, but it still hurt. Every time he stepped, he muttered a curse.

It was even worse that it was his right arm that was broken, as that was his primary arm. Now he would have to write with his left arm. Great.

When he did get back to Redmont, he had to file in a report, telling Crowley he was injured and needed someone to fill in for him till his blasted arm healed.

A day later the person who would fill in for Halt arrived.

"Crowley stuck me with you?! How am I supposed to heal with you around?!" Halt bellowed.

"It's only for a while." said Gilan. He was already planning on how to annoy Halt.

Halt would've threatened to shoot Gilan if he did anything, but they both knew Halt couldn't even draw his bow, much less shoot it. It helped that his bow was broken.

*Imma line break*

So, what did you guys think of this? This happened because my shoulder sucks. Like seriously. But ya, I may or may not do more depending on your reactions to this. Maybe how Gilan pranks/annoys Halt...? Anyways, see ya!

Wisper Ranger 26