Okay, have a long wait, I finally am posting the second part of Chosen! Yay!

Sorry if it took a while, but I kept having some writer's block moments (I'm still stuck on an important part of this story, so hang in there with me). But, due to the amount of begging that some of you guys put in the reviews (BTW, thanks for the ratings on the, well, the opening part, I guess), I just couldn't keep torturing you guys anymore. ;)

Also, I changed the rating, because there will be some fighting. Just thought I would warn you. But it comes later. Still, better to be safe than sorry, right? And plus, the chapters will be longer in Part 2 than in Part 1, because more things will be taking place.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ninjago

Chapter 1

Cole and Emily swung themselves up onto their horses with ease. Zane, thanks to his long legs, had no problem pulling himself up into his saddle, although he did fidget around a bit. Jay and Kai both, who had never seen a horse before in person, looked scared out of their minds.

Cole had to bite his lip to keep from smiling, while Emily was silently laughing.

"Come on, you two," Cole said to Jay and Kai, "it's not that hard." He slid out of his saddle, and walked over to Thunder, Jay's stallion, and Firestorm, Kai's mare.

"It's quite easy," he told them reassuringly, "look. You put your left foot in this stirrup; with your left hand grasp the horn of the saddle, and the other hand you hold onto the back. Once you've done those, pull yourself up, swing your right leg over, and then voila! You're in your saddle."

"Demonstration, please?" Kai asked politely.

Cole demonstrated what he meant, while repeating what he said.

"You guys okay?" he asked them once they got on their horses.

"Um, Thunder won't take off running the second we're out of the stables, will he?" Jay asked nervously, his blue eyes big with fear.

"No, he knows a new rider when he feels one," Cole replied.

Blank stares.

"A horse is sensitive to their rider's emotions," he explained, "to their feelings. If you're in a bad mood, the horse will react in a certain way. If you're scared, nervous, sad, happy…well, you get the picture."41

"Anything else we need to know?"

"Yeah. Do not tense up for whatever reason. Think of it as swimming. Whenever you're relaxed, you float. But whenever you become tense, or stiff, what happens?"

"You sink," Kai replied.

"That's the same concept while riding. Whenever you tense up, your horse will start to sag. Anything else?"

"Um…I'm scared?"

"Don't be. Once we get going, that fear will melt away. Got it?"

"Sure do."

"Great. Is that all?"

Silence.

Cole walked back over to Night and climbed back up. He turned and looked at Emily, who met him straight in the eye, her piercing, stormy blue-gray eyes shone with determination.

"Since you're the one that knows where this place is, it's only right for you to lead," Cole said.

Emily didn't reply. She only gave a curt nod, than wheeled Storm around to face the stable doors.

They were opened, and Emily led the way out. Storm shook her head, which sent her mane flying.

Cole trotted next to her as they set off towards the Forest of Shadows.

"I'm going to go to the back and help Jay and Kai," he told her while looking over his shoulder. Jay and Kai were looking terrified. Cole suppressed a smile.

Emily smiled at him. "Yeah. I could tell that those two needed some help the second that they saw the horses."

Cole halted and waited for Zane to go by, who looked pretty calm and relaxed, despite this being his first time on a horse.

Once Jay and Kai had gone by him, Cole kicked Night to get her going again.

"How you guys feeling back there?" Emily called from the front.

"A little nervous," Jay called back.

"Feeling great, despite this is the firs time that I've ridden a horse," was Kai's reply.

"Just thought I'd let you guys know that we're never going to get to the place at this rate, so we're going to speed things up to a fast trot!"

"Don't worry; you'll do fine," Cole said to Jay and Kai, "besides, you've got me right here. We're ready back here, Emily!"

The horses started to pick up speed.

"Don't tense up, don't tense up," Jay muttered to himself, his eyes squeezed shut.

"I never knew this would be so fun!" Kai commented to Cole.

"Yeah. But this is nothing compared to the breakneck speed of a full gallop. The wind in your face, the smell of pine trees after a good thunderstorm, listening to the birds, you can't get that in Ninjago City," Cole replied.

"Yeah. My little sister, Nya, and I would come out here just for the fun of it. It's great being out here. There are no vehicles, no city lights, no pizza shop or arcade." Kai looked around, "I like it."

"There's no electricity!" Jay complained.

"Do you really think that my family lives by candlelight 24/7?" Cole asked Jay.

"Well, no. It's just that it's so barren out here."

Cole turned his head sharply to look at Jay. "Barren? Jay, this place is anything but barren. This place is rich and bountiful in multiple things. Where do you think the eggs, the milk, the steaks come from? Where do you think your dinner overall comes from?" Cole lowered his voice. "Jay, the people that live out here are desperate. They grow their own food; raise their own cattle and chickens. They have to make a living, one way or another. Otherwise they'll die," Cole's voice turned sad and he looked down at the ground. "Everyday, more and more people come to this place." Cole halted Night and looked down over a ridge. Kai and Jay stopped also.

Cole pointed to the small groups of people that were heading towards the village. "Those people have traveled for miles around, looking for a place to stay. My father gives me orders to check on them every week and I do it." Cole's voice grew sadder yet. A single teardrop fell down his cheek. "There are women and children walking along the streets with thin faces and bodies. Every time they see me, they beg me to help them. I'm helpless. It torments me to see them in pain, starving, and dying. Being a prince isn't always exactly glamorous. I don't hang out with gorgeous princesses, or the pretty duchesses, or the cute ladies like I should be. Come next week, I have no choice but to choose someone that I have to marry. And it's not going to be a happy marriage for me."

They started walking again.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jay asked, confused.

Cole sighed. "I can choose whomever I want, as long as she comes from another royal family."

"Cole!" Emily's frantic voice called for him.

"I hate that voice," Cole muttered to Jay and Kai. He kicked Night to go faster.

"What is it?" Cole asked Emily once he reached her. She slid off of Storm, walked a little ways, and then knelt down. She stood back up and turned around; her eyes blazing with fury.

"Those fools," she hissed, "I had hoped that they had learned their lesson the first time."

"What…" Cole started to say.

A twig cracked. Emily fitted an arrow onto her bow…that just mysteriously appeared out of nowhere? A bush rustled. Out of the shadow-covered trees appeared a magnificent buck.

He had six points on each side. He stood with dignity, pride and calmness.

Emily slowly raised her bow, aimed, and then let the arrow fly. It hit the buck. He fell, remaining his calm.

Emily slowly walked towards the buck, Cole following. They reached down, picked the buck up by the antlers, and then dragged him back to where Zane, Jay, and Kai were still on their horses.

"Alright, this is where we set up camp," she announced. She looked at the twilight sky. Cole looked up also.

The sky was a navy blue, streaked with pink, orange, and red. On the horizon, a small smidgen of yellow slowly sank beneath the trees. The moon was full, and the stars were coming out.

"Cole, get the firewood," Emily's voice broke through his thoughts, "Jay, get out the sleeping bags, Zane and Kai, you help me with the horses."

Cole dashed off; Jay and Kai struggled off their horses; and Zane had no problem whatsoever getting off (again, thanks to his long legs).

Okay, I've got a little explaining to do.

1.) I must have been half asleep whenever I was typing the part about the village, so, I've no idea how that even came up, in case you were wondering.

2.) Chosen (Part Two) will be so much longer than Part One, because this is when the five begin their training

3.) In case you're confused about the Seer (and you are about 99.9% probably are), I'm getting to him. In the next few chapters, I'll tell you about him more. Okay?

Until I get the next chapter out, have a good day/night, have a great week, and peace.