Hey, so this is my first story- be nice. Please review! Next chapters will be longer. And, of course, I don't own Ranger's Apprentice or Brotherband Chronicles.

Chapter One

Gilan sighed and took another sip of his coffee. Another assignment – done. And also, it was nice to spend some time out just camping, like he had before. Of course, someone was bound to show up…Well, he'd see soon enough.

Gilan glanced at Blaze. "Well, what do you think? Anyone around?"

Blaze looked at him through one eye. Don't you think I would have told you if there was?

"I was just making conversation."

Anybody who saw you would think you were crazy.

"Nice of you to say so. Well, I'm off to bed. I don't think you-know-who will show up tonight."

That's what you think.

Gilan eyed his horse for a moment, then shook his head. He would never get the last word with this horse.

The intruder quietly moved through the forest, taking care not to make noise. The figure went up to Blaze, murmuring soft words, then moved to the food. Moments later, the figure was gone.

"It's gone."

Blaze shook her mane, whinnying. I told you.

"Be quiet. This is a crisis. The coffee is gone. There's no one who could've done it except our visitor. And you told me that there wasn't anyone around."

Well, when I said that, "our visitor" wasn't around.

"Well, I'll be watching tonight."

"Our visitor" is smart enough to know that and not come back tonight.

"Oh, be quiet."

As it turned out, Blaze was right. The intruder did not come back that night. He or she came only on nights that Gilan wasn't watching.

At least, they did until the third time.

Gilan took a deep breath. Tonight would be the night. He would capture them once and for all. Hopefully.

Once again, the intruder came quietly, first going to Blaze, quieting her, convincing her to be quiet. Then they began to move toward the food.

And Gilan jumped out, training an arrow on them.

The figure froze for a single moment before dropping to the ground and rolling away quickly.

And the chase was on!

The intruder ran surprisingly quickly, and incredibly softly. He or she was also clever.

As soon as Gilan lost them in his sight, the intruder stopped and, typically, climbed a tree.

But Gilan, luckily, caught sight of the intruder.

He caught up quickly, and shot an arrow, nearly catching his or her cloak.

The figure turned, raising a bow of its own, and neatly placing arrows that missed him by millimeters. Gilan drew his sword, and the figure produced two knives that seemed to be almost eerily similar to the ones he wore at his side.

And the fight began. Gilan was, as you may know, a master swordsman, but this fighter – this one gave him trouble. At long last, he disarmed the figure, who then reached up and pushed back the cowl on her cloak.

It was a girl. Fifteen years of age, with long, glossy black hair and piercing, incredibly alert green eyes. But where, one had to wonder, where had she come from? And why was she fighting with a Ranger? For that matter, what was the Ranger even doing there? Wasn't he the Ranger of Whitby fief?

And, most importantly, what'll it take to stop the author from asking these questions?