AN: Here's chapter 5. got the idea from C3 (Guest). i love this story, It's so cute.
Gilan looked at the ground examining the tracks made by bandits. Halt, his master, was quizzing him even as they went on their assignment. Halt always marveled at his apprentice's knack for spying the obscure and the obvious at the same time.
"How many Gilan?" halt asked from his horse. Gilan was 16, and a second year apprentice. He was already good at mostly everything but he had a lot to learn.
"About 4." Gilan said, "but there might be more if they rode double."
"How do you know that?" Halt asked. He knew the answer, but he wanted to see if Gilan did.
"The tracks are deeper, indicating a heavier load." Gilan said and Halt nodded. Gilan mounted again and they kept going.
Gilan kept looking down to check if they were still following the same tracks. They were until the tracks suddenly stopped. The two rangers stopped as well and the horses got skittish. Halt put an arrow on the string and readied himself. Gilan did the same and adjusted the sword at his side.
Men jumped out of the trees and bushes yelling and swinging their weapons. There were 6 of them, but the rangers could hold their own. The bandits managed to pull Gilan out of the saddle and Gilan drew his sword. Halt had been separated from his apprentice and was busy with his own assailants. Gilan fought bravely but soon his sword was wrenched from his grasp and his arms were pinned.
"Remember, alive." Some one said from the trees. Gilan was held with his arms behind his back as they waited for Halt to be done. Halt quickly dispatched his men and turned to see Gilan in the clutches of the bandits.
"Surrender Ranger. Or he will not breathe again." The leader said bringing a knife up to Gilan's neck. Half just smirked when he saw the look on Gilan's face.
"What's so funny?" The leader asked.
"You may have captured a ranger but you're missing one thing." Halt said as he saw Gilan ready himself.
"What's that?"
"You captured a ranger." Halt said. Gilan elbowed the nam holding him in the stomach and hit the other with the heel of his hand, breaking his nose. The first man went to tackle Gilan but Gilan had been ready and punched him in the throat, crushing his windpipe.
Halt smirked and Gilan stared down in shock at what he had done. One man lay groaning on the ground and the other was struggling to breathe. Half put a hand on his shoulder and steered him away. They apprehended the men and carted them off to the authorities.
"Halt, what if I had killed one of them?" Gilan asked. Half sighed. He had been putting off the inevitable. Gilan had never killed before and it's only natural that he would be worried.
"Gilan, there is no harm in fighting to defend yourself. Killing one of them would have been an accident. Do not fret about what would have been or could have been." Halt said gently. Gilan nodded and seemed relieved.
Halt turned back to the road and marveled at his apprentice. Gilan was worried about something's that he didn't need to worry about. Halt liked that about him. Better to be too worried than not worried at all.
Halt looked at Gilan completely at a loss for words about his apprentice.
