Chap 2: Chirping

Halt and Will went to the explosion site after dinner, just as Halt said, and he was indeed surprised to find the condition of it.

The trees, grass, and anything else that could burn had been burned away. And the ground was deeper, giving it a small, shallow crater. The dirt was making a rippling look, starting from the middle, were the stone must have been.

There was no question that the stone, in some way, had something to do with it. It wasn't an ordinary one after all. But what was so important about it? Why would it cause such a thing to happen? He was very intrigued by this new mystery.

"So? What can you get out of this?" Will asked.

"Nothing really. Only that the stone has some significance." Halt replied, still looking around for marks other than burns. "I don't see any human prints other than yours, leading in and out of the mess, and a couple of deer's. But nothing more."

Halt then checked further in the woods to see if he could find any tracks that- if there were humans that set this up- did not get blown away by the explosion. He checked all around the place and found nothing but animal tracks and his and Will's own tracks. His curiosity spiked more.

But he could not finish his looking around, because the sun was setting, and it was getting too dark to see anything, especially with the new moon. So they went back to the cabin.

"So... um... What did you think of it?" Will asked as they entered.

"I thought it was a very odd thing, very odd indeed." Halt said, "I am glad you told me, but we shall keep it to ourselves for now. I don't want to disturb Baron Arnold if it turns out to be something trivial. We'll find out more about it, and if it is a matter of importance, then we will tell him. That is, if he doesn't come to us on his own."

"Okay." Will replied.

"Now, you need to go to bed. You've got work tomorrow."

The next day, Will and Halt went to a small clearing.

"What are we doing?" Will asked.

"You are learning to uas weapons today." Halt said, instantly making Will angst.

"First," Halt said, as he took something out of a container like thing, "You will learn to use the bow."

Will looked at the wood and string weapon with disappointment. Bows were more of a tool. Everyone had one for hunting. Will even remembered making one himself when he was younger.

Halt, seeing the look on Will face, said, "Look closely at it. There is a big difference between the bows your use to seeing and this one."

Will did as Halt said, and found that it was different. There were thin strips of wood bent and glued together, not just one big stick bent with a string to hold it. There was more though; instead of the normal, plain curve of a hunting bow, this one's tips curved in the opposite direction.

"It's called a re-curve bow." Halt said, "All rangers use them."

"Could I shoot it?" Will asked, now seeming more intrigued by the weapon.

Halt made a gesture with his hand, "If you think it's a good idea, go ahead."

Will didn't hesitate. He picked one of the arrows out of the quiver and strong it. He pulled the string back, found a target and shot. And a pain shot from the inside of his elbow. Will looked at it, pain, shock, and astonishment in his eyes.

"That hurt!" He said as the spot grew redder and swelled slightly.

"And that is why you should not rush into things!" Halt said. He looked in his pack that he brought. Finally he pulled out something that seemed to be made of leather.

"What's that?" Will asked.

"This is an arm guard. It keeps the string from slapping your arm on release." Halt slipped the arm guard on to Will's elbow. Its hurt a bit due to the sour area, but Will could deal.

"Try it now." Halt said.

Will, uncertainly, did so.

"No, not like that," Halt said, pointing at the way Will had the arrow strung. "like this," He showed will with his own bow how to knock an arrow. There was a small groove at the end of the arrow were the string could snap in. He repeated the ranger's example in knocking the arrow. He then pulled back the string. "Use your back musicals, not your arms, and use the index and middle fingers to grip the end of the arrow. Pull it to the corner of your mouth, then fire." Will nodded his understanding. He did as he was told, finding it surprisingly easier. He then let the arrow go. It just missed its intended mark by a foot.

"With practice you'll get better. And when you are going to shoot, be calculating were your mark is, and the elevation and angle you'll need to hit it, while knocking and drawing." Halt said. Will nodded again.

"Now. Here is your other weapons." Halt handed Will two knifes that were both in the same later sheath.

After Halt showed Will his weapons, Will was to practice using them for the rest of the day. By sunset, Halt told him to stop. He hadn't improved much, but at the same time, had improved much more then Halt thought he would. He was a quick learner, that was for sure.

When they got back to the cabin, Will immediately got to work on their dinner.

Will walked to his bedroom, feeling worn out from his work of that day. It had been a week since he became Halt's apprentice, and he found the only fun part was his weapons training, and other skills he need to be a ranger.

Will looked at his bed, and flopped down onto it gratefully. He sat there, eyes closed, listening to the sounds around him. Out in the living room, Halt was leafing through paper, with the fire crackling. Outside, the creatures of the night stirred and moved about. And in his room, he heard a chirp.

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion. 'Is there a bird in my room?' he thought. He sat up and looked around. Then there was the sound of something breaking. Not glass, though. He couldn't explain what it sounded like braking. But he did know where it had come from. It had come in the direction of the wardrobe.

He walked over to it and opened the door. All he saw was his cloths. He looked further in, and then started at the thin broken pieces of the stone he had found.

AN: Sorry for the short chaps. I can't say if they'll be short all the time or will switch now and then...