Chapter 1: Saddle Sleeping and Ruins
Summary: Daniel has just graduated as a full-fledged Ranger. But as he travels to his own fief he learns a very important lesson. Love comes from the most unexpected places. Especially a love you can't have.
A/N: This is a story that my BFF and I came up with at recess. She doesn't have an account and I promised her that she would get credit. Because she totally deserves it, she worked really hard on this with me. This is my first fic on this fandom so please review but be nice okay! Love you guys for reading this!
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice (sadly)
Daniel Treaty sighed and squinted up at the sun. For what felt like the hundredth time, he wondered if he was really ready to look after his very own fief. He'd been told by his father time and time again not to worry, that every new Ranger felt lie that. Daniel wasn't so sure.
With his horse, Brier, totting along easily beneath him, and the blazing July sun on his back, Daniel could have fallen asleep then and there. But he didn't. He couldn't. What sort of message would that send to his father if he fell asleep and awoke to find he was being attacked. What if he couldn't react fast enough and got himself killed or worse…these thoughts- and others like them- woke Daniel up. For a while….
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Daniel woke with a start as Brier began to whinny. He sat up from his slumped position and silently berated himself for forgetting what hid father had thought him. His eyes widened as he took in his surroundings. Both Halt and Will had told him that he'd have to go by the Gorlan Ruins on his way to Caraway, but do to his incompetence, Brier had simply wandered right into them. He had heard about the fief from Halt and the other Rangers that he'd met and all of them that it was an extremely dangerous place to go. Especially at night.
Some villagers of the village that surrounds Redmount Castle whisper about Morgarath's " ghost" had come back here to the Ruins and that if you go there at night, he'll come to the edge of your camp and wait until you come to him… then he'd kill you. Daniel didn't believe this; no one had ever actually had proof. But then again, if no one lived to tell the tale, then that would be proof enough for most people. Daniel wasn't most people.
He glanced up at the sun; there was half an hour left of daylight. He'd have to stay here for
That night as he lay awake on his bedroll, Daniel wondered what it was like for his Dad the first time his came here. His father had told him stories of the Kalkara; viscous creatures that killed people by looking them in the eye and scaring them so damn bad their hearts stopped. Over the years, Daniel had just come to believe that they were r the night. Maybe I'll see the ghost. Daniel thought.
simply made up monsters that my father had created to get him to behave or something. He didn't really believe in them anymore.
Suddenly, Daniel heard a noise. It was soft at first, steadily growing louder. Footsteps. That's what he was hearing. It sounded as though someone was wounded and was limping along.
Crunch. Went the gravel. It was a sort of crunch-drag sound. It freaked him out.
Daniel slowly stood, grabbing his longbow and placing an arrow in the string as he did so, when he reached his full height, he aimed the bow in the direction of the noise.
"Who's there?" he called, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "I-I'm armed! I-I'll shoot!" Is it the ghost, is here to kill me? Daniel wondered, "I'm warning you! I'll count down from five! Five…four.." Behind him, Brier whinnied.
