The young girl lay, her eyes closed in the tall wheat field, her unruly red-blonde curls spread around her head. Her eyes popped open a pale grey but bright with adventure as a voice sounded from across the field where the barn and small house lay. "Get over here girl, there's work to be done!" Oliver Finn rose quickly turning her freckled face to the voice. Respecting her mother's wishes she took off in a run and burst through the door.

"Yes mother" A small fair haired woman turned dusting he hands on her apron and examined her daughter's dirty grey breeches and white blouse.

"Get washed up and help me with lunch before your father gets back" the woman said haughtily the ruler of her own home. Oliver nodded and ran to her compacted room, trading her sweat stained shirt for another one in a long faded blue, and walked out to the freshly filled water barrel to wash her dirty face and hands. The river that supplied them with this water was the center of the small town's prosper. It was a thick deep river with a smooth sandy bottom where you could find minnows and shiny rocks in the summer, being spring as it was now the river was filled to the brim with refreshing water from that winter's melted snow.

Returning to the kitchen She joined her mother in the chopping of vegetables and lean meat to make a cold unseasoned stew. As she set the bowls on the table Mother provided them with a slab of homemade bread and butter along with a pitcher of cool milk. Soon after the table was set a tall man walked in, he had a drooping mustache and wore the dust covered clothes of a farmer. His tired eyes lit up at the food and he reached for the bread on the table. Mother slapped his hand.

"Get your grimy paws off and wash up," Father smiled and tipped his wide-brimmed hat

" Yes M'lady" He walked out the back to the water barrel as Oliver sat in her seat. The meal was cheerful as her Father share stories of the new work-hand he had hired, talking as most families do they barely noticed the stringy meat and little seasoned broth. The topic of food did not come up in vain but as a task and it landed on Oliver.

"You'll have to pick up the meat from the butcher too, are you sure you don't want the hand cart?"

"I'll be fine" Oliver grinned at her Father happy he hadn't bothered to ask if she wanted to take the horse. Father stood up and glanced out the window before picking up the bowls and mugs from the table.

"You should get going today though, the best pieces are available in the morning, and you know you'll have to go to to Willowspring, we can't get high quality meats here" Oliver rolled her eyes and looked out the window too.

"I still have a while before dark, I'll load up my bags."

She began walking horizontal to the river so she wouldn't get caught up in the crowd of farmers returning to work. She had been given a bundle of bread, cheese and the last of the dried meat along with enough copper coins to pay for the food and if the weather got bad a room in the Inn, a thick blanket had been tied to her pack in case she got caught up and had to sleep outside. She had camped before and sleeping outside didn't bother her especially when the warm spring breeze was still blowing.

It didn't take her long to clear the small town and soon she was walking across the tree-filled hills heading towards Willowspring. The trip wasn't too long but every time she stopped to eat a chunk of bread she saw the sun sink lower in the sky.

After a few of these breaks she caught sight of the Fordon Bridge. The water close to Willowspring was deep and full of rocks creating a miniature set of rapids. Being to dangerous to cross a bridge had been built. The bridge was made of long wooden planks that stretched along it's expanse marked with a thick post on each corner. As she crossed she couldn't help the shiver she felt as she heard the waves rush underneath. Once safely on the other side she could see the smoke rising from the large town of Willowspring.

Remembering what her father said she decided to get the food in the morning and as of now rent a room in the Inn. It was a plump man with a long greasy beard who ran the "Hungry Hare". He looked fairly annoyed when she finally got his attention.

"What' he grumbled over the folk talking in the booths to the side.

"I need a room" She nearly shouted and pulled a few of her coppers. He counted them out and nodded to one of the boys standing behind him.

"Show 'er to the second floor" The boy beckoned her his words lost in the noise and lead her to a small room on the second floor. He'd disappeared before she could ask any questions. The room consisted of a small bed in the corner and a little table along with a chest by the foot-board. Oliver unslung her pack and leaned it next to the bed, She unloaded the last of the dried meat and chewed it as she contemplated what had happened. Slowly she unrolled the sheets and lay down putting the pillow over her head in an attempt to drown out the noise.

Eventually noise or no noise she fell asleep.

A/N

Hello, anyone who has started reading this this is my first ranger's apprentice fan fic, i will be using OCs and well as canon characters and i will fill in the spaces not covered in the book, so if you don't recognize some things that would be why. Please review to help me improve on anything inaccurate from the books i will be trying took make each chapter at least 1000 words long, this one was a little short if you don't include the a/n but i hope that doesn't happen too much in the future Thanks for reading!

-Fire