Hey fellow fanfictioners! This is my first fanfic, based on the awesome Ranger's Apprentice Series(owned by John Flanagan, not myself)! I would like reviewers to pay close attention to grammar and punctuation since I have some troubles in those areas. Mostly punctuation. Those commas can be cruel. T_T I'll try to regularly update this but the idea was kind of a spontaneous one so i'm probably going to hit some writers blocks along the way. Bear with me and hopefully I'll get this story cranked out no problem. :)
Seacliffe Fief was quiet. It was almost always quiet but on this particular evening Ranger Clarke was enjoying it. He sat in front of his fire, drinking a hot cup of coffee and reading a book about local wildlife. Clarke enjoyed watching the various fauna on his rounds of the fief, since there usually wasn't much else to look at, and soon he had picked up learning about them as a hobby. As he turned the page Clarke heard a noise beyond the rustling of the paper. At first Clarke ignored it, figuring the sound was either the wind or one of the animals he was reading about. When he heard the noise again, this time closer to his cabin, Clarke paused. There it was again, and closer still, sounding much like the footsteps of a human, not an animal.
" Only an great fool would try to sneak up on a Ranger. " Clarke said to himself as he got up.
It was most likely one of the villagers who needed his help. All the same he grabbed his longbow and quiver before exiting his cabin. The moon was only a sliver in the sky so Clarke's already aged eyes strained to pick out a human shape in the dark. An sense of unease settled over the ranger and he automatically reached for an arrow from his quiver.
" Who's out there? Show yourself! " he shouted into the night.
After a brief moment of silence a male voice called out, " Will Treaty? "
Clarke was taken by surprise but quickly replied, " Treaty? He hasn't been ranger of this fief for almost a year now. I'm the ranger now, Clarke's the name, perhaps I might..."
Before Clarke could react something shot through the air and he felt a sharp pain in his neck. He reached up for it and pulled back a feather-tipped dart. Suddenly, Clarke's legs gave out and he fell to his knees. He swayed for a moment then collapsed on his side. Every inch of his body was numb and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't move.
Several pairs of feet filled his vision and the voice he heard earlier spoke again, " So, it's the wrong guy, eh? What do you want to do with him then? "
A gravelly male voice responded. " Bring him with us, he still has some use. "
The first guy grunted in response and Clarke was hauled up and bound. A bag was placed over his head before he could get a good look at his captors but what he could see was a group of dirty thugs, most likely hired mercenaries by the amount of weapons they each possessed.
A different, slightly timid voice spoke next, " I don't like this, capturing a ranger. Haven't they got magic? "
There were a couple murmurs of ascent before the man with the Gravely Voice laughed and said, " He has no more magic in him than you do, trust me. Anyways we're not going to hurt him, as long as he tells us all about Ranger Will Treaty. "
Timid spoke up again," We already got ourselves a ranger, why do we want another? "
" I don't need a ranger! " Gravely Voice shouted, effectively silencing the men who were questioning his authority. When he spoke again he was calm once more, " I need bait. "