A/N YAY! New chapter! Hope you enjoy! I'm excited! My chapters are getting longer YAY! Please please please please review!

Chapter 3

Trouble

When we left off with Lanerice:

..."And Jake tried to do the splits!" said George, turning red.

"I didn't know that a face could turn that red!" Lanerice said without a moment's hesitation.

"They don't." said a booming voice. All eyes turned to the speaker. It was Erak. Speaking for Malcolm. As in the healer. As in something was really wrong with George.

"Let me through!" said the bird-like healer. He ran through the gap that quickly formed as everyone left George as so not to become ill. Malcolm muttered something under his breath that sounded strangely like "That ward, always had the nerve! Letting a boy in this condition out AFTER asking for my help!". Malcolm shooed the gathering crowd away. Most people left the immediate area and watched from a distance. Also watching was a ranger. But he wasn't watching Malcolm, he wasn't watching George. He was watching for a sign. There it is again! The shape was flitting between people, and seemingly disappearing into the crowd, then reappearing in the trees. Halt had seen this type of skill before. Gillan did need a new apprentice, he thought. Yes, this one seems peppy enough for Gillan. Halt grimaced. He'd seen enough "peppy" apprentices in his time. Time to get Gillan.

4 hours later...

"So that is what I came for, a girl who can't do anything!?"

"No. Watch this."

Halt disappeared into the trees behind Lanerice, and only a moment later Gillan lost track of him.

Gillan heard Halt's bird call mixed in with the sounds of the forest. He looked to the spot where it came from and immediately started to scan the bushes. Sure enough, there was Halt. Gillan watched the girl carefully, she stood still and ready, listening to her surroundings. Gillan doubted that he could have dropped a pin and gone unnoticed. He almost nodded his head in approval, but stopped himself at the last moment. But the mysterious girl had more to show. Soon she moved, as quietly as a mouse. Halt started to attack her, Gillan had to stop himself from stopping Halt. The girl handled herself well. She deftly pulled out a blade from her sleeve, catching Halt unawares. Now THAT is very difficult to do! Gillan thought. He watched the girl's eyes widen in surprise as she saw who she was fighting. She quickly threw Halt to the ground (that's also very difficult to do) (he came up from the ground faster than the blink of an eye (of course)) and ran.

Gillan jumped up and looked after her form, rapidly disappearing through the trees. "Well, Halt your right again!" "Of course I'm right, Gillan! Have you lost all sense respect for your elders?!"

Gillan sighed inwardly, he would never get the last word with Halt, and he should know that by now. "Halt old buddy old pal-" "Don't 'old buddy old pal' me! And I'm not that old am I? And what do you want?"

Gillan hastened to reply, "No Halt! You're as young as a spruce young tree" He winced at how repetitive that sounded.

Halt said "Well WHAT DO YOU WANT GILLAN"

"Halt, lets be reasonable, (Halt muttered that Gillan was starting to sound like lady Pauline) and I just want to thank you for 'suggesting' this apprentice!" "Why your welcome Gillan."

"And I think that you should take it on."

"Are you insane?! I don't need another apprentice! I find you the perfect apprentice for you and what do I get? I should train her! Well maybe I don't want to!"

"I was just thinking..."

"What?"

"I was just thinking that you've been acting lonely since Will graduated."

"...No...well...maybe just a little. But still, you need an apprentice more that I do."

"Your right of course, she'll cook, do the dishes, fetch firewood, fetch water, …"

Halt groaned. "You really don't have to remind me about what I'll be missing"

Gillan grinned evilly and laughed, "Yes I do!"

"Lets just go track her down!" Halt said finally.

Without missing a beat, Gillan replied, "I thought you'd never ask!"

Halt left in a humph then said over his shoulder, "Are you coming or not?"

"Coming, Coming!" Gillan replied. He looked at Blaze as he mounted, "Girl, will I ever get the last word with anyone important?" Lets see you never get the last word with me, you'll never get the last word with Halt, never Will. So I'd say no, unless you count Jenny or your mother. "Well your a helpful genius!" Why thank you! Gillan shook his head, sadly, knowing that Blaze was right.

After the time it takes to ride from somewhere out in the forest, track someone down (find, like in a town, not get off your horse and follow the footprints), and talk to a Baron (they're usually stuffy, and like protocol) everything was set. If Lanerice (as they now knew was her name) wanted to, she could be a ranger. But they had yet to ask her.

A/N what did you think? *_*