Disclaimer: I don not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters.
Chapter 4
Aaron was having the dream of his life. Hunter and he just saved the entire country of Araluen from a dragon, like the one at Silens. He was being praised for his service to the country. Suddenly, cold ice water was poured on him.
"What was that for?" Aaron yelled at his new father.
"Hey, that's how I was woken up on my first day. Of course I never made that mistake ever again," Hunter said. "Well, from now on you will wake up before first light, make us coffee, make breakfast, and if I'm still not awake you go out and practice your archery."
"But, I don't have a bow,"
"Exactly, that's why after we drink our coffee and eat, we'll be picking it up," Hunter remarked.
"But I don't drink coffee," Aaron retaliated.
Hunter shoved a mug of coffee towards him, "Now you do."
Aaron sighed and took the mug. His eyes popped wide open as he tasted the coffee. Hunter leaned against the door frame and looked at Aaron.
"I love it! What did you add?" Aaron exclaimed.
"Honey," Hunter said. Aaron put down the finished mug. "Let's go pick up your weapons."
Hunter saddled Tug.
"How am I supposed to get there?" Aaron asked.
"You are running," Hunter said.
Aaron's jaw dropped. He now regretted becoming Hunter's apprentice. I should hurry and run, Aaron thought. When he came back to the world he found that Hunter had already left. Aaron shaking his head started running to the blacksmith.
When Aaron arrived he found Hunter cross armed standing next to Tug. The grey, shaggy horse nickered as is saying You're really late. I'm not even sure it's still morning.
Aaron walked up to Hunter who pointed to the blacksmith. Aaron walked up to the blacksmith and took what looked to be staff wrapped in linen and the quiver full of razor sharp, grey shafted arrows.
Aaron unwrapped the staff and found it was a bow. Luckily he's handled a bow before so he knows how to string one.
Quickly, he settled the bow in front of his left ankle and behind his right calf. Using his back muscles, he bent the bow and slid the string up into the notch at the end. Aaron tested the draw weight and took an arrow from the quiver. He found a branch and quickly nocked the arrow, pulled the arrow to his cheek and shot.
The arrow flew and shattered the branch into pieces. Hunter and the blacksmith looked at the archer and smiled. The blacksmith then handed Aaron two knives in a double scabbard.
"Here is your throwing knife," he pointed to the shorter knife. It had a thick, heavy grip made of a series of leather discs set one above the other. There was a brass crosspiece between the hilt and the blade and it was perfectly balanced. The top of the knife was heavy and it was skinny at the hilt, getting thicker and thicker until it narrows at the end.
He pointed at the larger knife.
"This is your saxe knife." Aaron raised one eyebrow and looked at Hunter for an explanation.
"A saxe knife is a large Skandian tool that was originally the sea ax by the Skandians. Over the years the two words formed the term saxe. It's both a weapon and a tool," Hunter explained.
Aaron looked at both knives with satisfaction. The blacksmith slid another weapon toward Aaron.
"These are strikers," The blacksmith said. "At the middle is brass tube, long enough to fit in the wearer's hand, and on either side is a brass ball, used to strike at an enemy, or used to throw at an enemy, stunning him. For now, I recommend you throw them at short distances," the blacksmith smiled at Aaron.
"Now off to the tailor," Hunter said. The blacksmith nodded at Hunter and wished Aaron good luck.
When they got to the tailor they found him holding a mottled cloak. It was grey, brown, and green. Hunter took the cloak from the tailor and gave it to Aaron.
"It will protect you from the weather and will make you virtually invisible," Hunter said. Aaron put on the cloak and inspected it. It had a hood that hid his face well. The length of the cloak was a little bit long, but he would grow into it.
"This is going to be the hard part, for you. We're going to Old Bob's shack to get you your horse," Hunter smiled. Aaron didn't know where Old Bob's shack but from the description Hunter gave him he was sure it was far away.
Aaron pulled on his hood and started running after Hunter. Aaron found Hunter with Old Bob. He was big and had a bushy mustache. Aaron walked up to the shack exhausted.
"Look who rested and well," Hunter joked. Old Bob chuckled.
"So, you must be Aaron. I've heard you like to run," Old Bob chuckled at his own joke. "Let's get you a horse and get you going."
Aaron looked around and found a white, kind of stocky horse. He looked like Hunter's Tug except white. He looked like a fast horse and strong.
"I'll take that one," Aaron said and nodded at the white horse.
"Good choice. That's Bellerophon. He's a blood relative of Tug, here," He pointed at Hunter's horse. Aaron smiled in satisfaction. It would be nice to have a horse like Tug, thought Aaron.
Aaron walked toward Bellerophon.
"Hey, Bellerophon," he patted him. He tried to get on Bellerophon but before he could even sit on him he was bucked off. Hunter and Old Bob laughed.
"That ever gets old," said Old Bob as he tried to sustain his laughter. Aaron glared at them both.
Old Bob finally stopped laughing, "To ride this one you need to say 'May I?'" Aaron muttered something that no one could hear.
Aaron walked up to Bellerophon and whispered into his wear, "May I?" Bellerophon replied instantly by tossing his head back as if saying Get on little boy.
Aaron got on Bellerophon and he ran through the forest with lightning speed. He dodged trees as he went and jumped over logs like they were branches. Bellerophon stopped to a halt, turned around, and started speeding back towards Old Bob's shack. They got back to find Old Bob smiling at Aaron.
Aaron slowed Bellerophon to a canter. Hunter walked up to Old Bob and asked him a question
"Old Bob, I'd hate to intrude but it's kind of late and if you don't mind could we stay with you for the night?"
"That would be great to have someone to visit once in a while. I swear I spend so much time with the horses I'm becoming one," Old Bob took an apple and tossed it to Aaron, "Bellerophon's been good today Aaron. Here feed him an apple." Old Bob took an apple himself and started chewing it like Bellerophon.
The next morning Old Bob woke up to find Hunter and Aaron riding of into the sunrise. He shook his head and thought how mysterious Rangers were.
Hunter entered his cabin with a small case.
"Aaron, I would like to present to you," Hunter opened the small case, "the bronze oak leaf." Aaron took the chain and looked at it in awe. He put the chain around his neck and instantly felt a special feeling.
Hunter smiled at Aaron.
"Well, you should be outside shooting your targets."
Aaron took his bow and his quiver and walked outside to shoot his targets. He went to the back of the house and started picking random targets to shoot. He started with the one-hundred meter target, then the one-hundred fifty, then the fifty.
He continued to mix up the targets as he shot. When all twenty-four of his arrows were gone he went to get his arrows back. He shot two more rounds and started throwing knife practice. Afterwards Hunter and he started to do some knife training.
"Aaron I'm going to teach you the double knife defense. It will help you block a sword stroke with only two knives. It involves crossing the blades and locking the hilts, forming an X. One can 'catch' the sword in the V of the two blades and effectively neutralize the blow. It's most often used by Rangers to fight close-combat with a swordsman," Hunter explained. "And it's ineffective with axe men."
Hunter took a sword that was leaning against the house. He nodded at Aaron to be ready. He did an overhead cut and Aaron blocked it perfectly with his two weapons.
"Good for the first time. Now this time, use the right weapons," Hunter said. Aaron flushed as he looked at his two dented strikers. He pulled out his throwing knife and saxe knife and looked at the shining blades. He nodded at his mentor to start again.
Hunter did another overhead cut and Aaron blocked the stroke with ease. For the rest of the day they practiced it, with side cuts, uppercuts, and overhead cuts. When they were finished they were exhausted and went inside.
"You should go wash up before dinner," Hunter said panting. Aaron nodded and went to his room. He washed his face and pulled of his cloak to wash it. He bathed and then took his cloak outside to dry.
He went into the small dining room to find rice and fish in bowls with fresh, steaming coffee. Aaron now addicted to coffee, moved toward the table and ate his bowl of rice. After eating, Aaron had to clean the table, wash the dishes and dry them. He also had to get the clothes from the hanger outside.
When he was done with his afternoon chores he found Hunter in his chair reading. He snuck behind Hunter and saw the official Araluen insignia.
"What's that?" Aaron couldn't help saying. Instantly, Hunter turned around.
"It's confidential," Hunter replied. Aaron nodded in understanding. "You should go get some rest. We're going to the Ranger Gathering tomorrow and I heard there was something special happening," Hunter smiled slyly as Aaron went to his room.
Aaron lied on his bed wondering what was special happening tomorrow. Maybe, they were going to have to fight of Skandians, or even Gwaorians! He thought about all the possibilities and fell asleep thinking of them.
In the morning, Hunter and Aaron had their daily coffee and breakfast. They traveled silently until they reached a fork in the road.
"Aaron, I want you to climb those trees. Percy and Gale, my friends, always try to surprise me and stuff when I come to these. When they scare me I want you to shoot an arrow between the two to scare them," Aaron nodded understanding the plan.
Aaron got off Bellerophon, "Hey boy, I need you to go hide behind that big rock. We are going to surprise Percy and Gale." Bellerophon nickered Sure, let's go scare these noobs! Aaron sometimes thought if he was translating Bellerophon words correctly. Oh well, he thought, I'll just have to wait and see.
Aaron found a nice medium sized tree he could hide in. He climbed to a fork in the tree and hid there. Conveniently, there were leaves he could hide behind. Hunter traveled forward to the right path in the fork. Aaron looked around and found a bush move. Aaron looked closer and found a shadowy figure with a cloak moving toward Hunter. That must be Percy, he thought. He looked farther to his left and found another one. He was shorter and stockier than Percy but he was still good at moving unseen.
Hunter stopped on Tug and smiled but his cowl hid it.
"Boo!" Percy and Gale said simultaneously. Hunter turned around in his horse and smiled at his two friends.
"Oh, you got me. But you have forgotten something else," Hunter nodded to the trees and instantly, a grey shafted arrow flew through the sky and hit the ground with great force. Percy and Gale jumped back in shock as Hunter stood there smiling, trying to conceal his laughter.
"You two have obviously forgot about my new apprentice, Aaron," Hunter said. He nodded again to the trees and Aaron jumped out of his hiding spot.
"Aaron, nice to see you again," Percy said. The tall Ranger ruffled Aaron's hair. Gale looked at the young apprentice with satisfaction.
"You've picked a nice one," Gale nodded. Hunter smiled at the complement. The four Rangers rode toward the Ranger Gathering. When they were about to enter the camp Aaron looked around and found a short bearded man on a post, with binoculars looking for newcomers. He had sandy hair, with his hair combed neatly back.
The four Rangers went to set up their camps and went around greeting other Rangers. Hunter greeted old friends and greeted their apprentices. Aaron greeted everyone he met. While Hunter and Gale were talking, he found the sandy haired man again. Sneaking, trying to scare people.
"Hey guys!" he said as he surprised Gale. Gale jumped and face palmed himself.
"I should really start being more aware when you're around," Gale said as he shook his head in disappointment.
"Well who's this little scamp," he said looking at Aaron.
"Hi, I'm Aaron, son and apprentice of Hunter," the short bearded man looked at Hunter surprised. "Son," he repeated. Hunter nodded. The bearded man nodded taking all of it in.
"So, um . . . Hi, I'm Calvin. I'm Ranger Commandant," Calvin shook Aaron's hand. He had a firm grip and his hands were very dry. "Well, I've got to go make my speech. I'll catch up with you all later." Calvin left and went to the podium on the small stage in the front of the camp.
"Hullo fellow Rangers, this Ranger Gathering is going to be special. But before we get to that we have to assign Ranger's to their new fiefs. Because Hunter has an apprentice he will move to Redmont and Nick will take Hunter's place. That is all for now. Now, to the important event of the day, our newest addition, The Ranger Gathering Games!" Calvin said. Everyone raised their hands in approval. People whistled and people yelled.
Calvin raised his hands to calm the crowd down.
"Now we will split up into four different teams. Each team will be evenly separated into apprentices and full-fledged Rangers. Now we will draw for teams tonight and we'll gather tomorrow to discuss plan and then the next day we'll battle. We'll have chest plates and shin guards and wrist guards. We'll also have helmet to protect our faces. The armor will be hard enough for knives to cut but not kill. Once, you are hit you are automatically out. The team captains will be Gale, Percy, Hunter and me. Now, let's draw!" Calvin yelled as he picked a piece of parchment from a big case.
"Ranger apprentice Aaron will be on Gale's team," Calvin said with a smile. Aaron cheered with glee as he knew Gale was one of the best Rangers in the Corp.
They continued to draw names until each team was split evenly. The next day each team met in there sections of the camp.
"Okay, we'll flank Percy's team on this side," Gale pointed at a map. "Then Aaron, I want you to lead some people over to Hunter's side and make a small wall until we can get people over there. Nick, I want you to lead people over to Calvin's side and take out his sentries and overrun his base."
The teams discussed the plans until nightfall.
Each team woke up at first light. The all put on their armor and got ready for the games. Someone blew a horn that signaled the start of the games. Instantly everyone started running to their battle stations.
New event at Ranger Gatherings!The Ranger Gathering Games are going to be awesome! Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter bless you! Peace off!