NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Flare, Disk, Behemer, and the Hunters.

Back to Evanlyn and the others. It's time that they all learn the truth. Yes, there will be a very angry person in this. He won't be pleased to learn all the things Will kept from him.

Review and Enjoy!


Secrets, Lies, and Blood Chapter 8

The Skandian Mountains loomed above. A cold wind blew past them. Their cloaks danced to the rhythm of it. Hearts pounded to a different rhythm, a fearful beat. For some reason, they sensed a dark force towering above. Mentally some of them saw an army of men clothed in black with red sashes. For the rest, they sensed a much darker, much deadlier, presence. The mountains seemed to carry it on the wind. The snowcapped peaks were shrouded in clouds. Here an unknown enemy lied in wait. Here was where Will had been taken. For what purpose? To what end?

Flare and Disk both lowered their heads and growled at the mountain. They remembered this place all too well. They knew what was hidden here. Now they knew who had captured their old master. Behemer snorted softly, his ears going flat. There was something on the air that he did not like. Something dark and menacing. Something that should be left alone. However, he also sensed that they had to face it, for Will. Evanlyn's green eyes studied the mountains. There was no sign of anyone nearby. That gave her little comfort. She was willing to bet that Raven already knew they had arrived. Walking into enemy territory when the enemy was ready was never a good idea. Yet she was willing to do it, for Will, for her friend and protector.

Alyss spurred her paint horse alongside Evanlyn. Those gray eyes fearfully studied the mountains before her. She could not believe they were really going in there. Her heart fluttered at the thought of Will might be enduring as she sat there. She wished with all her heart that she could save him. However, from Evanlyn's growing unease, she knew it was not going to be easy. That Will was already there made her heart twist all the more. Behind her was Halt. His dark eyes continued to roam the land. Based on Evanlyn's reactions, he knew that the mountains were the final destination. Everything within him said that the Skandians could not have pulled this off. Was he right? What secrets had Will and Evanlyn been keeping? The itch in the back of his brain told him that it was much sinister that he ever believed.

Arald, Rodney, and Duncan all shared a glance. Every moment the tension got tighter. With every breeze their skin crawled all the more. Instinct told them to turn back, that they should not have even come here. Their hearts told them to remain steadfast for Will. The Ranger had done a lot for them. It was time to return the favor. If only they knew what enemy they faced. Gilan and Horace sat the furthest from the mountains, at the back of the group. That did not make the eerie sense of danger all the less. In fact, it made it worse. Horace kept glancing over his shoulder, afraid someone was going to be sneaking up on them. Gilan's hand clasped and unclasped the hilt of his sword. That was something tangible, he thought, something real that could cut through the imaginary.

A wolf howled in the distance, making them all jump.

Growling angrily, Evanlyn spurred Behemer onward. Two fingers came up and went forward. Instantly Flare and Disk shot forward. Slowly they spread out and began to scour the land for any enemies. Behemer, with Tug following between Alyss and Halt, trotted up the slope. Ebony kept close to the knights. She whimpered as another breeze blew by. Being the youngest, she had never sensed a dark presence like this before. The knights did not mind. She might prove valuable if an ambush appeared. Horace and Gilan again took up the rear but kept close to the group. Evanlyn had ordered this. According to her, the mountains trails all looked the same and one could easily get lost. Only by sticking together could they all make the final destination.

That night they found shelter among some trees. Because it was so cold out, and the temperature was continuing to drop, Halt decided that they needed a fire. Evanlyn sat on a log, watching the flames dance in circles. The others remained a little more alert. That was tough to do considering they were all hunched over and huddled in their blankets. Only the dogs seemed unaffected by the cold. Therefore, they were set into guard mode. That way the group had a little warning before an attack. Not that it would matter, Evanlyn thought wryly. She alone knew how this group functioned, how it lived, how it fought. Only she could stand against the best of them. That meant everyone else had walked into their doom.

"I think it's time you explained everything, Evanlyn," Halt's gruff voice broke into her thoughts.

Evanlyn looked up into their faces. All of them were watching her keenly. Yes, it was indeed time for the truth to be known. With a sigh, the young woman shifted on the log. Her hands pulled that cloak tighter around her. It was going to be a long night.

"Listen well, for there is much you do not know. So much has been hidden away, not because we were afraid to speak, but because we did not want to risk your safety. Will had hoped this day would never come…It has come so now I will tell you everything." Evanlyn looked up and met Alyss' eyes and continued, "Beware for you will not like what you hear:

Erak helped Will and I to escape slavery, telling me where a hunting cabin was located. I told Will, then addicted to warmweed, to that very cabin and nursed him back to health. Once he had his strength back, he began making and practicing with a recurve bow. I practiced with my sling. He also made many traps for me to lay out. One day I was out gathering what had been caught when I was ambushed.

They were Temujai scouts. Their leader, a higher member in their society, thought I was pretty and wanted to keep me. Will managed to find and release me. However, we were soon discovered and forced to separate once Will's leg gave out. He tried to lead them away from me but it was useless. I was cornered in a dead-end of a ravine. There Will came to my rescue, fighting like a lion. There was just too many…"

Evanlyn closed her eyes, letting the tears fall. The others stared at her opened mouth. They had never heard this story before. Sniffing, Evanlyn dried her eyes and cleared her throat.

"I was injured in the fight. I was losing consciousness when Will came into my vision. He saved me by making it look as if I was dead. Then he fought onward, tearing the Temujai apart. I found him the next day, covered in blood, with a massive wound on his chest. Even in this condition he saved me one last time. Trying to drag him back to the cabin, I found Flare and Disk and, with them, took Will back. We nursed him back to health. Soon the four of us were hunting together, trying to get enough food. That's when we met them for the first time. Will and I managed to save a woman from a bear. Her father was the leader and he left that he owed a debt to Will for saving his daughter…"

Gilan spoke up, "Who were…are…they?"

"As a group they are known as the Hunters," Evanlyn replied, pulling out the silver chain and gold medal, "marked by the sign of a lone hawk feather. The woman we saved was Banita. Her father is known as Raven, the heir of Serpent." Her hand closed around the medal as she forced herself to continue, "Raven came to our aid when another group of Temujai attacked us. Will was hurt and unconscious. I knew they were bad news. I tried to fight but to no avail. Raven kept us separated, kept Will bound to a bed. Eventually Will managed to cut his bonds and find me, Flare, and Disk. Together we tried to escape but Raven caught up and captured us again. This time he let roam on our own within their cave system. But that's when everything went wrong. In 'payment' (she spits this word out), he starts to train Will and I. However, I soon see that Raven was doing something to Will, whispering lies in his ears, creating a…a….monster."

Evanlyn gasped weakly, remembering when she first discovered what had happened to Will. She remembered what he had said. She remembered how he never wanted to return to Araluen, to his home. Duncan cautious pulled his daughter closer. They all could see that this was painful. No wonder they had buried this deep within. Calming herself with a great amount of willpower, Evanlyn continued.

"Will was no longer Will. He began something darker, meaner, scarier. He became Shadow. However, I managed to break us out, managed to help Will bury Shadow deep inside. But Raven was not done. He attacked me in front of Will, tried to kill me. He ended up wounding Will, giving him that pale scar on his left side. That's when Shadow awoke with full fury. Together, Will and Shadow drove Raven off. Yet, Raven was not the only threat. Another Hunter, known as Tiger, betrayed Raven and tried to use the Hunters' resources to aid the Temujai. By the time we left, Will and Raven were on 'speaking' terms but Will made it clear he wanted nothing to do with the Hunters."

Finishing, Evanlyn left out a shudder. She had never felt more exposed. Her father gave her a comforting squeeze. The other knights, Gilan, and Horace sat back to digest the new information. Alyss wrapped her arms around her shoulders, trying not to cry at this turn of events. Halt, on the other hand, looked ready to kill someone. He rose slowly from his place and approached Evanlyn. She looked at him with a mixture of apology and fear. His dark eyes blazed with an unknown fire. Shockingly, his body quivered with pure rage.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" he whispered softly, his tone making it clear that he was mad.

Evanlyn looked away and whispered softly in return, "Will and I wanted to move on. Shadow agreed to stay low, to stay out of our lives. The only times he has ever appeared is when someone they love are in danger. We…wanted…to…forget…everything." (She's laying stress on each word here)

"You still should have told someone, anyone. This might never have happened had we been prepared," Halt snapped angrily.

Evanlyn stood to her full height, anger blazing like oil on a fire, "You know nothing. These men who kidnapped Will are the best of the best in the entire world. Serpent trained them to be this way. Not even Will was trained, by Raven or you, to beat them. The only choice we have is to challenge Raven himself. He's the only one who can release Will. He's the only one who can unleash Shadow!"

Facing off, Ranger and princess stood there with bodies quivering. Halt, even though he would never admit it, was terrified of what was happening to his apprentice. He wanted to be there, protecting him. And yet Evanlyn was making it seem as if this group was unstoppable, unbeatable. Turning on his heels, Halt stalked over to the horses. Whoever this Raven was, Halt was going to make him pay. Now everything made sense to Halt. He always questioned Will's secret attitude since the apprentice returned home. Halt never forgot seeing Will, no Shadow, in that clearing, murdering that criminal.

"Darkness. Death. Vengeance. Hatred. All of those can describe who I am…No one knows who I am because I don't exist

I am Shadow."

Those words haunted Halt into the night. He dreamed of Will, his apprentice, his son, suffering as they tried to force Shadow to come out. Yet there was nothing he could do. Every dream he saw Will suffer and die. Then Shadow would appear and attack him. No matter what scenario his dreams played…

Halt could not win…

Will always died.


I know this got kinda boring. Don't worry, the next chapter is more exciting.

Hint: Two burly Skandians we all know and love show up!