Hello. I know it has been a long time since I last updated and I really do apologise. I had a exam in English that was part of my GCSE's and a lot of homework. I am really sorry. This chapter is a little longer than some of the others so hopefully that makes up for my lateness. Also like I promised there is action in it and you will find out what happened to Kyle and Gilan. You probably know this already but the writing in Italics is Kyle's memory.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice.

Kyle woke up and slowly opened his eyes. At first his vision was blurry and he couldn't focus on anything, but slowly his sight came more into focus. He looked around the room the best he could from his lying position and fear engulfed him. Where was he? What happened? He thought but soon calmed as he remembered what had happened and remembered where he was. Kyle looked around the room. It was the same as the last time he had seen it, except far cleaner. There was a wardrobe on the opposite wall to the bed and a window with what looked like fresh flowers in a vase on the sill.

He sat up slowly and bit his lip as his stomach screamed out in agony. He looked down and saw that he had no top on. His stomach was a mix of purple, green and yellow and it was slightly inflamed. He lowered himself back on the bed and looked around for his top. He saw it on a chair that was facing his bed. He stretched out his arm and felt the top in his hand. He tugged on it slightly and grunted as it pulled on the chair. He pulled again and this time it came off. He slipped the top over his head to put it on. The top had been cleaned but it was half pink from where the blood had stained it.

He heard footsteps come running close to the room he was in and the door opened to a very happy Mark. Arianna was beside him and she ran over and hugged him tightly making him wince as she put pressure on his stomach. Arianna quickly stood back and looked apologetically at him, Kyle smiled at her and then looked at Mark who had walked into the room with Alyss.

"What happened? Are you alright? Your face? Where's Gilan?" Mark asked, overwhelming Kyle in questions. Kyle went to speak when they heard Will walk into the house.

"Kyle it is great to see you awake. What happened?" Will asked.

Gilan rode ahead of Kyle on Blaze whilst Sky slowly trotted along with Kyle. Kyle looked around, the snow had melted completely leaving the ground damp and muddy. He looked over to where Gilan was a few metres ahead of him. Like Kyle he had his cowl up to protect his face from the bitter wind and had wrapped the cloak around his body. Kyle had done the same thing but had also pulled up his collar to stop the wind getting down his back. As the wind blew the trees swayed about and creaked as they moved. Kyle looked up at the sky. It was a light miserable grey, the sought of colour the clouds are before it snows. He groaned. Gilan turned round and looked at him.

"You alright, I heard a pretty loud groan from back there" he said smiling. Gilan's face was red from the cold.

"Fine, just cold and it's going to snow again" Kyle said.

"Of course it's cold if it's going to snow" Gilan said turning back to face the road in front of them. Kyle scowled. He was about to speak but closed his mouth again, he had kind of walked into that.

"Still, I don't like the snow very much, I prefer the summer when it is hot and sunny." Kyle looked up at the sky and let out a small sigh.

"Sighing won't help the snow not fall" Gilan shouted over his shoulder. Kyle glared at him. "Besides if you're going to become a ranger then you need to get used to camping in the snow."

"I know, but I still don't like it" Kyle said. Gilan let out a small laugh but quickly covered it with a cough. Kyle glared at him even more, the one thing that he hated about being an apprentice was that he always seemed to walk into Gilan's traps.

The snow started to fall at half nine. The small, white, cold flakes of snow fell onto the ground. Slowly the snow started to cover the ground in a thin white blanket. The trees and forest around them turned from a dark green to a bright white that seemed to glow as the moons light shone onto it. Kyle looked at Gilan. His brown and grey mottled cloak had turned into a white fluffy cloak as the snow settled on it. It looked like a snowman was riding Blaze. Kyle smiled as he imagined it. Gilan shook his body and the snow flew off in all directions. He corrected his thoughts, now Gilan looked like a dog shaking water of its coat.

"Thanks" Kyle said as snow hit his cold face making it sting.

"You're welcome" was all Gilan said in reply. Kyle then did the same as Gilan, shaking all the snow off of him. The snow fell onto the ground. There was a slight vibration in the stomach of Sky and Kyle went to warn Gilan.

"I know" Gilan whispered. He slowed Blaze's pace so that he and Kyle were riding beside each other. Kyle let Sky know that he had registered the signal. Blaze shook his mane and the snow flew everywhere. "Okay, see that tree when we get to it climb into it. It's a bit like what we did at the gathering alright." Kyle nodded his head.

"Alright" he whispered in reply.

"I will be quite a way away by the time they show so you will be on your own for a little bit, whistle when you found him" Gilan said. A few minutes passed and they eventually got to the tree. Kyle stood in the saddle and reached up for the branch of the tree. His hands wrapped around the branch and he pulled himself up and swung his legs over it. As soon as he climbed of Sky, Sky pushed his hooves into the ground harder so that it looked like the rider was still on his back. Kyle knelt on the branch against the trunk. He wrapped his cloak around him and pulled the cowl over his face. He waited, his nerves on edge and there was a little excitement as he got ready for his first part of his first mission. He waited and no one came. He heard a rustle in the bushes on the other side of the road. He moved his eyes over to it without moving his head and saw nothing. He remembered what Gilan had said, 'don't keep your eye on one thing or you may miss something else.' He quickly looked away scanning the forest from left to right, from close up to far away.

Still nothing.

He had been up the tree for a few minutes when he heard the slight sound of hoof beats clopping on the mud track. For a moment he thought it might be Gilan but then thought. Gilan would wait for him to come or when he heard fighting. He would be some way of where he was unseen but could still see. Kyle closed his eyes and concentrated on where the noise was coming from. It was from where they had come from. As he watched he saw a man riding a horse. The horse was a dark brown almost black. The horse had a black mane that flowed down its neck in knots and tangles and its tale wasn't in a much better condition. The rider sat high in the saddle. He wore brown leather armour over his body and he had a sword at his waist. Kyle waited and watched as the man slowly got closer. As the man got closer Kyle noticed that he looked evil and that there was a nasty streak inside of the guy. Kyle's hand slipped and the leaves of the tree rustled.

The man looked up at Kyle.

Kyle stayed stock still. 'Trust the cloak' was what Gilan always said, 'trust the cloak and don't move. Even when you think you have been spotted'. He waited and watched the man, the man did the same. Kyle could feel his heart beating and was surprised that the man couldn't hear it. The wind blew and made the leaves move. The man shrugged and moved on. Kyle let out his breath slowly and quietly. Thank you wind, he thought with a smile. The man had mistaken the movement of his hand for the wind blowing.

The man passed under him and Kyle jumped from the branch landing on the back of the horse. The man jumped in surprise but quickly recovered. Kyle felt the man's head crash into his sending them both backwards onto the ground. Kyle quickly stood up and put his hand to his mouth letting out a quick sharp whistle. The man got up and drew his sword from his waist, he swung it experimentally in the air. Kyle swallowed and looked at the swordsman in front of him.

Suddenly the man swung the sword at Kyle's head. Kyle ducked and felt the sword brush the tips of his hair. He could feel his heart thudding in his chest again. By the time he had looked up at the man the sword was coming at his head again. He ducked and this time he only just moved in enough time for the sword to miss his forehead. He moved back fast away from the reach of the sword and quickly punched the man as he went. The man looked at him in anger.

"Yah didn't wanna do that kid" he said in a low threatening voice. Kyle looked at the man and felt a lump in his throat. The man swung the sword again backwards and forwards trying to hit Kyle with a killing blow. Kyle just kept ducking out the way. The sword kept swinging in the same way, left, right, left, right and on the odd occasion, left, right, left, right, right, left, right. Kyle ducked a couple more times making sure that the pattern was locked in his head.

He drew his Saxe.

"Yah don't actually think that that puny thing will harm me, do yah?" the man asked in a mocking tone. "It wouldn't even make a scratch on my sword; I could cut it clean in half."

"It's stronger than you think," Kyle said in a knowing voice. "Besides it's just not about the weapon, it's also about the skill of the man behind it that counts. That's how I know I will live to see a new day." Kyle wasn't sure if he agreed with what he said. This man would have trained for more than a few months with a sword. The man glared at him in anger and started his pattern of sword movements again. At least he's repetitive Kyle thought. Kyle blocked one of the strokes and felt it jar his arm. The bandit looked at Kyle's knife in confusion but quickly composed himself and swung the sword again. Kyle ducked under the sword and stood up almost immediately. As the sword came at his head again Kyle stepped forward grabbing the man's arm. Kyle kneed the man in the stomach and pulled the Saxe across the man's hand. The bandit dropped the sword and pulled his hand to his chest, blood was dripping down his hand and arm, getting over his top.

Kyle kicked the sword away from them. The man was unarmed but not for long. The man picked up a thick branch and swung it at Kyle's stomach whilst he was distracted. Kyle felt the impact of the branch hit his stomach and all the air was pushed out of him. There was a loud snap. Kyle looked up and saw the man standing over him. Kyle heard a familiar sound, then a thump and then a scream as the man fell to the floor in pain. There was an arrow sticking out of the man's leg, which was being held. Gilan came riding over and jumped of Blaze. Kyle quickly felt his chest and stomach to see if he had any broken ribs. He didn't, luckily.

"You took your time!" Kyle said to Gilan as he walked over.

"I was watching you, I was going to step in when things got out of hand." Kyle looked at him, "Are you alright?" Gilan asked as he put thumb and toe cuffs on the man that had gone unconscious with pain. Kyle gagged slightly as the smell of the man's feet reached him. Gilan moved away quickly.

"I'm fine" Kyle said, rubbing his stomach. Gilan raised an eyebrow as he saw Kyle do this. "It's just sore. There are no broken ribs or anything."

They both rode through the forest. Gilan had the still unconscious bandit on the back of his horse and Kyle rode behind him to make sure the guy didn't try to escape. They rode off the side of the road by about three metres so that they were not seen but could still see anyone on the road. Gilan pulled the man off Blaze and put him against a tree, which he was then tied to with rope. If he somehow escaped the cuffs he would now have to escape a tree as well. Kyle threw the man's weapons on the floor in a pile. The weapons weren't the best weapons in the world. They were shoddily built and probably only cost a few coins. The weapons were sharp but that was the only good thing about them. Kyle picked up the sword. There was a big chip in the side. Kyle smiled. "What are you smiling at?" Gilan asked.

"Nothing it's just I didn't expect the Saxe knife was strong enough to do this." He passed the sword to Gilan.

"Well they are made by the best blacksmiths in Araluen" Gilan said.

"What do we do now?" Kyle asked.

"You can go get fire wood and I will keep an eye on our friend here." Kyle went and got his bow and quiver off Sky and then went to find some kindling.

He got back half an hour later. The small clearing they had found was starting to get dark. He walked over to the centre of the clearing and dropped the bundle of wood he had collected. He then started to make a fire. Once the fire was lit Kyle noticed that their 'friend' had woken up and was looking away from Gilan in fear. Gilan sat against a tree opposite of the man. He had his sword out and was sharpening it. He said nothing but every now and then looked at the man and a slight smile touched his lips. Kyle knew that this was all an act to scare the man but the man knew nothing. All he knew was that he was tied to a tree with very dangerous man in front of him. Three quarters on an hour passed and Kyle looked up from the fire.

"Do you want some food?" Kyle asked not thinking to direct the question to Gilan.

"That would be great, make sure you… have some" Gilan said. There was an evil smile on his face as he said this. He had made it so that their captive thought he would get something to eat and from the look on the man's face he had thought that as well. Kyle handed Gilan a bowl of the soup he had made. There was steam rising from the mixture in the bowl and the aroma in the clearing made Kyle's mouth water. He quickly poured some into a bowl for himself and tried it. The meat was tender and seemed to melt in his mouth. It was the best food he had made so far in his ranger training.

Time passed and with every minute the clearing got darker, until it was only the fire that lit the clearing. Gilan stood up from his position against the tree and stretched. He then walked over to the man and sat in front of him. His nose twitched as the stench of the man's feet hit him. He looked at the man with cold eyes and for a few seconds the man stared back, until he cowered away and looked down. "So what's your name?" Gilan asked. As Gilan suspected the man didn't answer. "Look it would be far easier for me and my friend" Gilan nodded his head in the direction of Kyle, "to sleep at night if you answered. I tend to struggle after a night of one man screaming in pain." The man didn't answer but Kyle could tell he was scared. The man quickly covered up his fear.

"If you untie me I will tell you" he said. Gilan thought about it and the man actually thought Gilan might untie him.

"You are in no position to be giving out the orders" Gilan said with emphasise on the 'no'. "Or did you not notice you are the one tied to a tree" Gilan said looking at the rope. The man looked down.

"I did, which is why I asked you to untie me" the man said rather cockily. Gilan moved closer to the man so that their heads were only a centimetre apart. The man's breathe smelt of stale alcohol.

"Look here, you best stop answering me back" Gilan said in a low whisper. "I can tell you don't know who I am, I am a king's ranger and you are my prisoner. So you best start answering me." The man let out a strangled scream as the arrow in his leg was pulled out.

"Edmund, my name is Edmund Grass" the man said still in pain.

"Good now we are getting somewhere"

"What were you doing following us?" Gilan asked his voice still dangerously low. The man was quiet. "Kyle would you do me a favour and pass over his sword." Kyle stood up from the fire and passed Gilan the sword in confusion. Kyle looked at Gilan. The light of the fire flickered in his face making him look even scarier. Gilan took the sword and held it in front of Edmund's face. "See this," Gilan pointed to the dent in the sword. "This is what one of our knives can do to a thick, hard metal sword. Imagine what it could do to a piece of soft flesh." Gilan tapped the sword on Edmund's chest. "I imagine it would be quite painful, wouldn't you agree Kyle?"

"Yes, it definitely would be." Kyle stood up from the fire and sat against Sky. He closed his eyes and relaxed so that Gilan could get the information they needed from their smelly 'friend'. Thirty minutes passed and Gilan was still talking to Edmund. So far Gilan hadn't needed to cause any pain. The fire had died down leaving a small glow in the centre of the clearing. Kyle was nearly asleep when he felt a rumble in Sky's stomach.

"I heard" he whispered. He walked over to Gilan and whispered in his ear. "There's someone watching." Gilan had a feeling there was.

"Go get the fire going again" he told Kyle. Kyle walked away and prodded the fire with a stick. He also blew on it. For some reason Kyle moved his head to the right. As he did he felt the air move as an arrow flew past where his head had been. He quickly ran to Sky and picked up his bow and arrows. He looked up and saw eight men coming out of the forest. He pulled an arrow from his quiver and fired it. A man fell to the floor in agony as the arrow pierced his leg. Gilan then started to fire arrows as well taking more down than Kyle. Kyle fired two more arrows and then quickly drew his Saxe knife and lunged at a man that was too close for Kyle to use his bow. He ducked again. This is starting to get slightly irritating he thought as he ducked another swing from a sword. The man feigned a swipe of his sword and then lunged at Kyle. Kyle stepped back and just missed getting killed with the sword.

Kyle saw the tip of an arrow protrude from the man's chest. The man then fell forward and Kyle had to quickly move out of the way to avoid being flattened.

"RUN!" Gilan shouted as more men came from the trees. Kyle looked at Gilan. "RUN TO REDMONT, GET WILL" he shouted again. Men started to surround Gilan and more were walking towards Kyle. He sheathed his knife and picked up his bow and quiver. He ran over to Sky and climbed on him. He took one more look at Gilan and then rode through the trees. They came onto the path and several men surrounded them. Kyle went to take an arrow from his quiver when Sky kicked out with his legs at one of the men. Kyle fell backwards and rolled off the back of Sky with a grunt as his arm hit his stomach. He quickly stood up and saw another man coming towards him. This man had a knife in his hand and looked like he knew how to use it.

The man jabbed at Kyle and Kyle blocked with his Saxe. There was a CLANG as the knives made contact with each other.

As the knives made contact again the man grabbed hold of Kyle's wrist and brought the knife across Kyle's cheek. The knife sliced through Kyle's skin. His right cheek burned and he felt the warm red liquid drip down his face and neck. His shirt started to get wet and stick to his chest as it soaked up the blood. The man then hit Kyle just above his right eye with the hilt of his knife. Kyle's vision started to go black, he shook his head to clear his vision and the kicked the man as hard as he could in the stomach. The force of the kick sent both Kyle and the bandit back in opposite directions to each other.

They both fell and Kyle grunted again as he hit the ground. The man wasn't so lucky as to hit the grass. He fell back into Sky. Sky kicked the man with his hoof and Kyle felt like he was going to be sick when he heard the snap of bones breaking. He looked at the man on the floor who was screaming out in pain. The man's ribs had and pierced his skin. The man would bleed out and die slowly and painfully. Kyle walked over to him and smiled sadly. He then killed the man to put him out of his misery.

Sky neighed and looked at Kyle. Kyle then climbed onto Sky's back. No you heard what Gilan said 'get Will' Sky said as Kyle looked back in the direction of Gilan. Kyle sighed and then dug his heels into Sky's sides. "Get to Redmont" he said and Sky bolted into full speed towards Redmont.

Kyle finished telling them what happened and looked away. He could feel tears stinging his eyes. He felt two pairs of arms wrap around him. He looked around and saw Arianna on the bed next to him and Alyss was on his other side hugging him too. Mark and Will stood and looked at him. Mark was angry but he also looked sad for his friend. Will looked like he was about to explode. "Don't worry, we will find Gilan" he said and then left the room. Halt needed to know. Gilan was like a son to Halt and he would want to help find him.

So was it as good as you hoped it would and did you find out everything you needed to know on what happened to Kyle and Gilan. Actually you don't know everything that happened to Gilan, you don't know if he is even alive and I'm going to be evil and not say. You will have to read on to find out. Again I really apologise for the long wait. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and like always review, favourite and follow. Again if you have any ideas for future chapters let me know and I might use them. Goodbye.