Thanks to all who reviewed and added this to their alerts. I didn't think it would happen but I'm reassured now by your lovely feedback:) This chapter is still short but it works. And I'm sorry for Ella's anger issues and all the horse stuff.

Idk if i need this but what the hay: Disclaimer: stuff from Rangers Apprentice ain't mine.

Ella sighed heavily and put her hands on the back of her head, looking after the Baron and his secretary. Once they were out of the aisle and entered the snowy world, Ella turned her attention back to tending to Ace. She stood at the horse's door for a few moments and Ace looked up and her and snorted.

"Don't laugh, it's rude," she mumbled, but a smiled still played on her lips. She groomed Ace back to his red coat and made sure he wasn't damp with sweat. The last thing they needed was a sick horse. She fondled Ace's ears and left him to his hay. As Ella was walking down the aisle, she passed Kyle who was tacking up a different horse. Ella knew that Kyle took good care of the horses he rode, but she was still skeptical. Despite Ella's interference with the Baron, she always got done before Kyle, no matter what. He should still be grooming the horse he was riding earlier.

Before he could see Ella, she went back down the aisle to the battle horse that was being exercised earlier. He was buckskin with tall black stockings on all his legs. He was nearly 17 hands tall too. His name plate said "Titan." Looking over the stall door, she could see the sweat outlining the horse's black ears and eyes. She unlatched the door and stepped in slowly.

"Hey big boy, you okay?" she crooned softly as she approached the horse. The horse just stood there, his eyes half closed and ears slightly pinned. Normally, if a horse looked like that, he was relaxed; but this horse didn't have his lower lip limp so Ella knew something was wrong. His hay and grain was untouched and the water almost empty.

After looking around the stall, she went up to the horse. She placed her hand on Titan's neck and feel a slight quivering. She stroked him to tell him that she wasn't going to hurt him. Ella guided her hand under the blanket covering Titan. It was a freezing wet that was covering the poor horse. No wonder the blanket's darker than is should be, Ella thought angrily. She reached over Titan's door and grabbed the other blanket that was hanging on the door. She pulled to soaked one off the horse and threw the new, dry one on. Then she took the wet one with her down to the tack room, to hang in front of the stove to get dry.

Hearing a stall open, Ella looked out of the tack room to see Kyle make his way out to the arena. She ran after him and spooked his horse. The horse cantered a few paces in place then settled.

"What the heck, Kyle?" Ella practically yelled.

"What? What'd I do?" he replied, but not as loud as Ella.

"Do you even care about horses? I don't know what Ulf would do with a slacker like you," she said, quieting her voice for the horses sake.

"Yes as a matter of fact I do care about horses, and where'd you get the slacker thing from?" Kyle asked, stroking the horse next to him.

"Did you cool Titan out? Did you even groom him?" Ella questioned in a disgusted tone.

"Well, yeah of course I did," Kyle replied, but he wouldn't keep eye contact with Ella.

Ella could tell he was lying to her, "But, why would you do something so stupid?"

"I'm trying really hard to get this apprenticeship and riding all the horses I can. You know how it is don't you? Always stressed," he explained, sounding desperate.

"I do know, but I wouldn't take that out on a horse. Use your head next time, please," Ella said, exasperatedly.

"I'll try," Kyle replied, walking off with his mount.

"No, you will," Ella said after him, with a smile and tone that was threatening in itself that would result in great consequences.

"Sure," Kyle called over his shoulder.

Letting out an anger filled sigh, she turned her attention back to Titan. Again, that feeling that she was being watched came back to her. She wiggled the feeling away from all her limbs and shook her head to get the feeling away. Going back into the warmer barn, she smiled at her way of dealing with stuff: from being angry to wiggling free of a feeling.

Titan was now lying down, but thankfully he wasn't on his side. Ella rushed to the tack room to make a warm gruel for Titan. She sat on a chair in front of the fire as it heated up water. She didn't realize how cold she was until her fingers and nose started to thaw. Soon the water was bubbling and she poured it into a pan. She then got some oats and mixed them in with other ingredients that were used to help sick horses. It was soon mixed and she carried the pan to Titan's stall, who was standing up again.

He lifted his eyes to Ella then were downcast again. Ella set the pan on the ground and scratched Titan's neck as he picked at the warm gruel. It was slowly consumed and Titan laid down again, as Ella cleaned up the pan. The sun was starting to set when she returned back to Titan's stall. He was standing up again, but didn't move from his spot in the corner.

"Bye boy, I'll see you later, get well," Ella said to the big horse and headed up to the Castle ward.

She took one step outside and gasped at the cold air that hit her in the face. She let her hair out of its ponytail to offer some protection. The well worn path was easy to find from all the treks to and from the castle, and Ella followed it. Halfway to the Castle, it started to snow again. It fell silently in small flakes and tickled Ella's face.

That stupid feeling of being watched came back to her and she nearly screamed. She turned around abruptly and scanned the path and woods behind her. No one was in sight behind or in front of her, but Ella could swear someone was watching her.

Quickening her pace slightly, she reached to castle gate soon. She nodded to the guard and he let her through. The sun had set and it was getting darker by the minute. She jogged to the ward door and opened it smoothly. She went to her room to change into warmer clothes. She changed into pants and a long sleeve shirt that was fitted. She ran a brush through her hair and then made her way to the ward's kitchen. All the younger kids were off to their rooms and only the teenagers were left. Kyle was sitting with Steve, Herbert, and Mary. Ella was disgusted by him even more to see that he was here earlier than she was.

He probably didn't take care of the other horses he rode either, Ella thought, annoyed. She sat down beside Mary and tried to follow their conversation. Evidently it was something Ella didn't care about. She stood up to get some food from the kitchen. There was still food from the dinner so she took that and retreated to her room. She ate alone and thought about the Choosing, Titan, Kyle and that feeling of being watched. When she was done eating , and thinking, she took her dishes back to the kitchen to wash them.

The other groups had departed and the dining area was practically vacant, except for the 5 who were going into the Choosing. Ella sat in between Mary and Steve, away from the boy she had beaten up and the boy who hurt a horse.

"Oh! Hi Ella!" Mary greeted her. Mary was always polite to Ella and knew when to stay away from Ella when she was in a bad mood. Ella respected Mary and went to her to have girl time when she needed it most. Although Mary was a serious person, she always had room in her day to goof off and have fun with Ella.

"Hello," Ella greeted them all.

"Where have you been all day?" Mary pursued.

"I was down at the stables, shocker I know," Ella replied, with a hint of sarcasm but not enough to offend anyone.

"Oh yeah, Kyle was telling us how you yelled at him for no reason," Herbert threw in, just to spite Ella.

"Meh, I did yell at you, Kyle, but for the benefit of another who couldn't but would if they could," Ella replied, cynically. Ella could see Herbert and Kyle trying to figure out her wording.

"Psht, you go girl!" Mary high fived Ella and Steve snickered.

"So, what happened to the horse?" Steve asked, evidently curious.

"His sweat was practically frozen to his hair, he was sweating even more, he was shivering, he drank ice water after not getting cooled out enough," Ella explained, counting Titan's symptoms on her fingers.

"Jerk," Mary murmured under breath so only Steve and Ella could hear.

"Whatever, Ella. I know more about horses than you ever will know. Don't get on my case about how to take care of the beasts, it's beginners basics, and that apprenticeship, it's mine," Kyle said, rising from his chair.

"Fine," Ella replied evenly, trying to hide her rising annoyance.

Herbert followed Kyle out so only Steve, Ella and Mary were in the dining room.

"So, are you and Kyle not best buds anymore?" Steve asked, starting to rise himself.

"I guess not," Ella replied, after a short silence.

"Well, I'm sorry," Steve apologized, patting Ella on the shoulder. "I'm off to bed, I'm tired. See you ladies in the morning."

"Night, Steve," Ella and Mary said in unison.

"I hope that horse is alright. Kyle can be such a jerk sometimes, but I'm sure Ulf is taking great care of the horse, right?" Mary voiced, not knowing that realization was setting in Ella.

"Crap! I didn't tell him!" Ella exclaimed, jumping out of her chair and almost knocking it down. "I've gotta go."

"Oh, okay, well, I'll see you tomorrow!" Mary called after Ella, confused, as she raced out of the dining room to her room.

Ella changed into her warm pants, a long sleeved shirt, a green hat, and her cloak pulled tight around her. She raced out the Ward door and ran blindly down the path to the stables. Ella saw a small flicker of movement out of her eye when she reached the sliding barn door and opened it. Don't get in my way, she thought aggressively.

R&R? i appreciate your service:)