After breakfast, Will told Saya that they needed to be somewhere. As they were walking Saya finally asked a question.
"Where are we going?"
"To get something that's important to Rangers." Will replied, and then turned his head forward. He grinned, She's finally starting to be social.
As they walked a little further they came upon a group of buildings, surrounded by miles of forest. As they approached the largest of the buildings, someone familiar to Will came out and waved.
"Hello, Old Bob. It's good to see you again."
"Morning Will, who've you brought today?"
"This is my apprentice, Saya." Will said proudly. "Saya this is Old Bob."
"Hello." Saya said plainly.
"Shy aren't you?" Old Bob said surprised.
"No, just straight forward." Will said and he put his hand on her shoulder. He looked back at Old Bob. "Do have any that are ready?"
"Yeah, but let me see if there is 'un her size." Old Bob said and walk into the barn, they followed behind him. He seemed to disappear and then came out and motioned for them to follow. Once they got to where he was he had a horse right next to him, but it was too big. "Looks like this 'uns too big. I don't have any other's her size."
Will looked around and saw one in a stable nearby. "What about this one, Old Bob?" Will pointed to one that was perfect size and was jet black. Saya walked over to it, and it moved over to her. It touched its nose to her forehead and Saya grinned. It was the first time Will had seen her grin.
"That 'un from Nihon-ja and his words are written on this sheet," Old Bob went to go and get the sheet and came back and showed it to Will, "and I can't read it. All I know is that his name is Shun, but I don't know the language."
"Very few people do."
"Why does he need words?" Saya asked.
"Ranger horses have a phrase you say before you ride them," Will explained. "It's so they don't get stolen."
"What happens if you just get on?"
"They buck you off. Your master found that out the hard way." Old Bob laughed as the flashback came to the two of them.
"Yeah that hurt."
"Can I look at it?"
"Sure." Will handed it over to her and she looked at it and handed it back to him. "Do you know what it says?" Will asked.
She nodded.
"Let's take him outside and see." Old Bob said as he led the way to a fenced area were the horses rode.
"Why don't you get on him and see how he does?" Will said.
Saya nodded and whispered in the horse's ear. Then she mounted, and the horse stayed calm.
"It's a miracle! I thought that 'un would never have a chance, I guess I was wrong." Old Bob said with a smile. Shun bobbed his head like he was happy, which made Saya chuckle. Will smiled; she was starting to show her emotions.
"Can I ride him around?" Saya asked.
"Yes you can." Old Bob said as he opened the gate and she rode him into the area. Once in Saya made a clicking noise and the horse started to trout and she did it again and he ran. She rode him around for about five minutes when Will called them over.
"Let's see if he can come to you," said Will. She dismounted and let the reigns go and the horse ran all around the area. "Now go catch him."
Saya grabbed an apple and walked away from the gate. She stood ten feet away from the gate, lifted her right hand with the apple in it and wised with her left hand. The horse came and went in a circle, and slowed a bit so she could mount and rode around the perimeter of the gate. Saya was smiling.
While this was happening, Halt walked over to Will and Old Bob who were stunned at the sight of what just happened.
"I wonder where she learned that." Halt said which spooked Will because he didn't know Halt was there.
"We'll have to tell Crowley that too."
"She's talented, alright." Old Bob said. "From what I see she'll make a great ranger."
"Yes she will." Halt said.
Old Bob walked away and 2 minutes later Saya and Shun came over to the gate. She dismounted and gave him the apple, and then he bobbed his head when he was done and Saya smiled. Halt then leaned toward Will and whispered,
"That's the first time I've seen her smile."
"Yeah she's warmed up a bit today."
"Hopefully she'll start being more comfortable around us now."
"Hopefully."
They walked over to the gate and opened it.
"Come-on it's getting late, let's go." Halt said.
Saya looked up and nodded. She went over to them with Shun's reign in her hands.
"You can ride him back to the cabin; I'll show you how to take care of him when we get there."
She nodded and remounted. As they were about to leave Old Bob came out and bid them farewell. When they came to the cabin they put the horses in the stable and Will showed her how to take care of Shun. Meanwhile Halt went inside, Alyss was in the kitchen cooking dinner. She turned around
"Hello, Halt. Where's Will?"
"He's with his apprentice."
"So, there will be some else other than Will and me around. That's good to know. Is he loud?"
"Quite the opposite." Halt said.
Will and Saya walked in.
"When did you get here?" Will asked.
"About noon today. I heard you have an apprentice now." Alyss walked over and hugged Will and then stepped back. She was surprised to see his apprentice was a girl since she had never seen a female ranger, but Alyss was able to keep her composure, years of training helped with that.
"Alyss this is Saya. Saya this is my wife, Alyss."
"Nice to meet you." Saya said plainly.
"You too."
Halt then left for the night. When dinner was ready Will and Alyss were catching up with each other, and Saya was silent. After words, they all went to bed.