Chapter 3

It was late in the afternoon two months later, and Ayron, along with Dennet, had gotten half-way through some assessments when someone came sprinting down the path. Ayron looked up at the sound, and — turning to Dennet — asked him to finish the assessments. He recognized one of the castle staff as the man slowed down and came to a stop.

"Ranger Captain, you're…" the servant panted, "needed…at the castle."

"What is it? Is there a problem?" Ayron asked, concerned.

The servant shook his head, but why exactly Ayron was needed he could not say. He had only been told to fetch the Captain of the Narnian Rangers as quickly as he could.

~o~o~

Raven's hooves clattered on the cobblestones of the courtyard as Ayron came to a halt. Patting the horse's neck, the Ranger Captain vaulted out of the saddle and turned the reins over to a waiting stableboy. Long, swift strides carried him to Prince Kylian's private study. Ayron knocked and, receiving an answer, opened the door.

Several others of the castle personnel were gathered in the room, the Master of the Guard being one of them.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," the prince said as Ayron closed the door behind him. "I'll get straight to the point and say that — first of all — you all know about the situation in Lantern Waste and the west-most regions of Narnia, correct?"

All heads in the room nodded. Said western regions had recently had an outbreak of suspicious activity, and numerous reports of outlaws. The newly-formed Ranger Guild of Narnia was struggling to keep all that activity in check.

"We have been working on that," Ayron said. "But we have few men, and next to no Ranger stations that far west."

"Then try harder!" Guard Master Orenus — an older centaur with flanks and beard of black speckled with grey — spoke up.

"I just received word of a spike in activity in these areas." Prince Kylian continued. "These outlaws are getting out of hand…and it's time we put a stop to it!"

This remark he punctuated by slamming his fist down on the table — and all the others chorused their agreement.