Hi, thanks for the comments, I really appreciate it! I think I finally have this posting thing down. Hoped you all liked Isabelle.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice (I wonder if I could buy it with the $5, the paperclip, and the lint in my pocket?)

CHAPTER 2

As the office door closes, Gavin turns to me and says, "I'm going to go practice hand to hand combat with some of the guys if you want to watch." He asks it like I should feel privileged to watch.

I snort, "I can do more than watch!" I say confidently.

"You don't think you're going to practice with us, do you?" he raises an eyebrow.

"Why? Are you afraid I'll beat you?" I ask challengingly.

"Don't blame me if you get hurt." He says, and starts to lead the way to where he and his friend had decided to practice.

We reach the patch of dirt where there are about five boys in an assortment of first and second year colors.

"This one," he points at me rather indignantly, "wants to practice with us. She thinks she can beat us." They all seem to find that hilarious, and snort with laughter.

"No weapons, right?" I ask as I take my bow off my back then unbuckle the knives at my belt, drawing to their attention for the first time to my weapons. They all know these are Ranger's weapons, but they notice I am too young to be one, so they all just think I'm bluffing. They think I probably have no idea how to use them.

"Who wants to get their butt kicked first?" I ask.

A boy a little shorter than Gavin steps forward, he has mouse brown hair, not very intelligent looking eyes, and is wearing first year colors. We shake hands as is custom. We step back from each other and when we are signaled to start, we start to circle each other. I wait for him to make the first move; I can see in his eyes he will. I can tell the guys Gavin hangs out with aren't hesitant to hit a girl, if only to show that men are superior in fighting and women have no place as warriors. He lunges towards me quite ungracefully with a right hook. I sidestep left and he goes tumbling after his fist in an undignified manner. As he falls past me I crack the heel of my boot over the back of his head. He gives a groan, but I know he won't give up that easily. He lunges towards me again, and I see he isn't well balanced over his feet. I sidestep but this time as he goes by he doesn't topple after his fist; he manages to stay on his feet, but not for long. My leg shoots out and sweeps his legs out from under him, he lands on his back. I step quickly over to his head before he can get up and lightly rest the heel of my boot on his throat. He looks alarmed to be caught in this position, then quite embarrassed that he is caught in this position by a girl.

"Do you yield?" I ask. He nods his head vigorously. I let him up and his hand shoots to his neck, as he quickly walks away from me.

To avenge his friend, the other first year apprentice challenges me, and that fight goes much the same. After defeating two apprentices and being a girl, our little group has started to draw a crowd.

I know that now I will have to spar with one of the second years of the group. The first two were so easy because they were new and had little instruction. Second years will be a different story.

A tall, heavily muscled second year apprentice steps up, I take note that as he walks towards me, that he seems to balance his weight well. We shake hands and he takes an appropriate fighting stance, which distributes his weight evenly and makes it harder for me to knock him down. At the signal to start, he doesn't circle or make the first move; he waits for me to come to him. When I am within striking distance I swing my right leg in a graceful roundhouse kick, I don't put a lot of force behind it. I know he's going to catch it. He does what I was counting on, he grabs my ankle and holds it where he caught it above his shoulder. Before he can make a move and is expecting a fist or a struggle from the leg he is holding, I push off my other foot as hard as I can, whip my leg around in a flash and kick him in the face. He falls backwards from the surprise and the force of the kick, and lets go of my leg. Even I was surprised I could move that quickly. I land next to his head, so I use the same move to keep him down as I did in my first spar, but with a small variation, I've planted my other foot firmly on his chest.

"Do you yield?" I ask.

"Never!" he yells and he tries to grab one of my legs. I figured he'd look for a way out and not just be intimidated into giving up. As his hand is about to close on my leg I jump, pushing off his chest. I try to curb the force I land on him with, so as not to break any ribs. When I land I am sure I haven't broken any ribs, but have probably bruised the bone some. He's badly winded and gasping for breathe as he backs away and yields. The other apprentice in the original group is too afraid to even try, so Gavin, himself, steps forward.

After the start signal he rushes forward, with a series of quick well aimed punches and kicks, but his speed is no match for mine and I easily evade them. I retaliate with a series of my own, but something goes wrong. Gavin does the unthinkable and opens up his defense to land a hard kick on my side. The force behind it sends me tumbling a few feet away. He starts to walk towards my gasping form sprawled across the dirt. My side is in agony. He puts a foot on my chest, pressing me into the ground.

"Do you yield?" he asks me the question I had asked my three former opponents.

"Gavin! What are you doing?" a frantic voice yells. It draws Gavin's attention away from me to the figure pushing through the crowd.

I take the opportunity to slip out from under his foot. His face just assumes a look of surprise before goes down. My leg has shot out, sweeping his legs from underneath him. I just place the heel of my boot on his throat when-

"Isabelle Treaty! What are you doing?" My fathers voice booms behind me. I look over his shoulder, Sir Rodney is behind him and a young apprentice stands next to him where he had pushed through the crowd. I'm guessing, he is the one who called to Gavin.

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