A/N hello my cookie loving minions! I have returned. Enjoy. (I be hi on coffee)

There was a shocked silence. No skirl had ever passed up an extra team member before.

"You pass?"

Sigurd had a disbelieving note in his voice. Hal nodded.

"I pass."

Erak stepped forward.

"Why? If you pass the other bands will have two more people than you."

Hal thought about it.

"Well, Kevin is a slacker and never pulls his own weight, and the other is a bully. I think we would be better off without them, even if we will have fewer numbers."

Erak was impressed, but he didn't show it. Zac was the only one who noticed. That was a good call. It takes a lot to impress Erak. But he was right. We will be better off without them. It's good we don't have them on our team. Sigurd nodded.

"All right! Tursgud, your pick!"

The boys that had already been chosen stood and watched the last four be divided up between Rolland and Tursgud. Hal turned his head and surveyed his team. Apart from himself and Stig, there was Jesper, Wulf, Ulf, Ingvard, Stefan, Edvin and Zac.

Jesper was a thief. He never wanted to keep anything. He simply couldn't resist the challenge of picking someone's pocket or helping himself to their purse without their noticing. On one occasion, he had actually removed a silver bracelet from a blacksmith's wrist while he had been talking to the man. Hal had seen him do it and couldn't believe his eyes. One he had the bracelet; he held it up triumphantly to return it, a broad smile on his face. The blacksmith didn't see the joke and Jesper had to use another of his natural skills – his ability to run like wind – to escape a dreadful fate. Hal had chosen him for that trait in particular, as it might end up been useful.

Wulf and Ulf were identical twins. Nobody could tell them apart, not even their mother. They often swapped identities at will to confuse people. Hal had chosen them because of familiarity with the pair of them and their seaman skills.

Ingvar was a massively built boy who had the makings of a mighty warrior, except for one failing. His eyesight was so poor that he could barely see details past a metre away. But he was a good-natured boy, philosophical about his disability and always willing to help. Hal had chosen him due to his enourmous strength and good nature.

Stefan was a clown. That could have made him popular, but he usually used his dagger-sharp wit to make fun of others. However, he never chose anyone weaker than himself as the butt of his jokes. In addition to his quick wit, Stefan was an expert mimic. If you weren't looking, you would never be sure if it was Stefan, or the person he was mimicking. He was a part of the heron brotherband due to his sense of humour that could make any situation less dire, which was an important role as far as Hal was concerned.

Then there was edvin. Hal didn't know him too well. He was one of those people who was average at just about everything. He liked reading and mathematics, and had earnt himself a spot in the brotherband due to his excekllent team work.

And Zac. Hal wasn't too sure why he chose Zac. It wasn't that he regretted it. It was obvious that he was a warrior from his stance, and Hal was certain that he had caught a flash of silver from under that cloak of his. Maybe he was a knife fighter? But the real reason was that Zac remained Hal of himself, not that he would ever admit it. Hal was brought out of his musings by a sharp dig in the ribs from Stig. Sigurd was talking again.

"Alright! Now that we all have or brotherbands, you need to name yourselves."

The nine boys formed a circle. Stig was the first one to speak up.

"What about the 'herons'? Like Hal's boat."

The other boys nodded. Hal thought about his boat. It was slightly larger than a fishing boat and the sail and mast was his own design. It was an extremely fast, and the sail had a triangle shape (the same shape as a bird's wing) thus giving it its name. It was fitting as a first people didn't think it would successful. He nodded.

"Alright then."

Sigurd stepped up again.

"You've had enough time. Tursgud! What is your team's name?"

Tursgud grinned.

"We are the sharks sir!"

Sigurd noted it on his piece of paper.

"Rolland! Your team?"

"The wolves."

Sigurd wrote it down.

"Hal, what about you?"

"We are the herons sir."

Sigurd nodded and recorded it. Tursgud snorted.

"The herons? Herons are only scary if you're a fish!"

Zac, surprisingly, was the one to break the silence.

"And that's what a shark is. A big fish!"

Some of the wolves joined the herons in their laughter as they watched Tursgud turn as red as it is possible too. In that moment, Hal knew they were a brotherband.