NOTE: Raven and his story belong to me! The world and places belong to John Flanagan!

AlexaMarrinDaughterofPoseidon: Thank you so much for the help. As I said, I don't have any siblings that I lived with so I don't fully understand where Raven comes from. Your advice will be noted and used. Thank you again!

Any advice will be appreciated. I want to make this as real as possible. After all, I find that writing fanfiction is practice for me. That way I can be better when I write my book (yes, I'm working on a book).

Review and Enjoy!

Raven's Story Chapter 2

It all happened so quickly. Teller barely registered a thing until it was too late. The warning bell tolled loudly. Shouts came from further up ahead, in the direction of the pier. Joseph came to his side, shading his eyes for a better view…

That's when the crossbolt took him in the chest.

His friend hit the hardened dirt path with a grunt. Teller instantly knelt beside him. The shaft was deep, the razor tip just piercing his heart. Joseph coughed. Blood ran down his chin. Gorgon placed his hands around the wound. Scarlet red continued to flow around his fingers. Teller grabbed his friend's head, bringing him into a sitting position in Teller's arms. Smit also knelt before his friend. His blue eyes were stretched wide in horror. Coughing again, Joseph managed a smile. A shaking hand lifted and touched Teller's face.

"Guard…your…family…" Joseph sputtered weakly.

Their friend's chest flattened as he breathed out. Slowly his hand fell from Teller's face. The light faded from his eyes, staring straight up at the blue sky. A small, bloody smile was still on his face. It was as if he was laughing at a joke.

"NO!" Gorgon cried, tears streaming down his face.

Teller stared into those hazel eyes. He could not believe it. No. Joseph was going to start laughing his head off, telling them he was faking it. Joseph could not be dead! No. Yet Teller's oldest friend did not move. His chest did not rise again. In his arms, Teller could feel his friend going cold. But it was true…

Joseph was gone…

Forever.

Smit grunted weakly as he rose, turning to face the direction the crossbolt had come from. Suddenly he jerked around. Another crossbolt just missed him. He shoved Teller and Gorgon. Fear shined in his blue eyes. Gorgon refused to move. He would not leave Joseph behind. Teller, however, listened numbly to reason. He staggered to his feet and ran. Something was happening. Someone was attacking Rzeka. Whoever it was had killed Joseph. Whoever it was might try to kill him. Whoever it was might be after his family…

That thought made Teller stop dead in his tracks.

His family had moved on, closer to the piers. They might be under attack! Spinning around, Teller raced back the way he had come. The traffic was against him, everyone running for safety. Growing frustrated, Teller dove into an alley on his left. Legs pumping, he ran hard. His green eyes constantly searched the crowd for some sign of his mother, sister, and baby brother. Teller had to find them. He had to! They were everything to him. He was the oldest, which made Quince and Henry his responsibility. No matter what, he had to protect them…

A woman's scream filled the air.

Diving out of the alley, Teller found his family. All three, along with five others, were bound in a circle on their knees. Massively built men were ransacking the houses and stores nearby. He knew who they were in an instant: Skandians, raiders of the sea. Two of them were guarding the prisoners. Teller's eyes narrowed as he analyzed them. Unlike the others, these two were younger. Still, both had powerful shoulders and arms. One leaned calmly on his axe while the other appeared more alert. Creeping behind the abandoned carts, Teller moved closer. He had to rescue his family.

Just then a booming voice shouted, "Erak! Ragnak! You two keep a good eye on those prisoners. They'll fetch a pretty price."

The one Skandian who was alert instantly responded, "Yes, Skirl!"

As he watched, another one of the Skandians came over to the other boy and snapped, "Ragnak, actually look like you're doing something."

The boy scrambled to pick up his weapon. That done, he nodded to the man, "Aye, Jeffrey. Will do."

The man named Jeffery, a massive man with brown hair and beard, snorted then walked away. Erak gave his companion a smug smile. Ragnak growled something softly at Erak. That made Erak's bushy eyebrows come down in a frown. Soon the two were locked in a heated debate. Teller smiled to himself. Too easy. He dashed forward to his family. Henry was the first to see him. The boy beamed and opened his mouth to speak. Quince, spotting her brother right after Henry, spun on the younger boy and kicked him. Henry caught the message in her eyes and ducked his head, embarrassed. After all, he had almost given Teller away to their arguing guards.

Reaching them, Teller started with the center rope. When he was little, life on the farm had been boring. Grandpa used to pay men to do the work instead of the family. Thus, Teller had practiced tying and untying every knot imaginable. Within seconds he had freed everyone from each other. Now, as some started slowly moving away, Teller turned to Henry and untied the boy. His baby brother smiled up at him. Then Teller turned to Quince. Soon she too was free. Teller had just finished freeing his mother when all hell broke loose…

"The slaves are escaping!"

Erak and Ragnak spun around to face them. The other captured members leaped to their feet and started running. However, their hands were still tied firmly behind their backs. The massive men sprinted after them. One reached for Teller's mother as Quince struggled to help the older woman stand. That's when a hard fist slammed into his jaw. Teller spun lightly on his feet to face an incoming Erak. Instead of using his axe, the young Skandian simply rammed Teller. Unbalanced, Teller stumbled away. That's when Ragnak leaped at him, axe swinging. Giving up on trying to balance, Teller dropped to the ground. The axe passed by where his waist had been. Rolling, Teller forced his body under Ragnak's feet. With a cry, Ragnak stumbled and ran into Erak. Both went down in a pile.

Leaping to his feet, Teller searched for his family. He spotted them a little ways up the street. Three Skandians were trying to approach. However, something held them back. Then Gorgon bowled one over. Jumping right, he punched that man in the stomach. The last man leaped upon him. That's when Teller appeared, both fists swinging hard. The Skandian snarled angrily, releasing Gorgon. Spinning around, Gorgon used his own speed fire three rapid punches to the face, stomach, and throat. With an inhale of breathe, the Skandian went down. Teller then shoved Gorgon up the road. They had to run before they were caught. Ahead of them, Quince was urging them with one hand. Mother and Henry were a little further beyond her. Shouts of anger followed the two fleeing boys. Teller looked back and smiled when he saw how far back the Skandians were. It was hopeless for them to try and catch up.

Fate, however, was not Teller's side.

Mother let a scream as another man stepped in her path. Instantly she pulled Henry behind her. The man snarled angrily at her. The back of his right hand struck her across the face. She stumbled and hit the ground. A knockout blow.

"Mom!" Henry cried, dropping beside her.

The Skandian stepped towards the small boy. However, he had underestimated Gorgon and Teller's speed.

"Get away from her, you yellow belly murderer!" Gorgon spat as he swung at the man.

This Skandian, however, was far too skilled. He leaned out of the way of Gorgon's fists. His own slammed into Gorgon's stomach. CRACK! Teller winced as he heard it. Gorgon landed in a heap. Pain made his body convulse irregularly. Teller was certain that several ribs were broken. Turning, the massive Skandian faced him. Though massive in size, Teller stood about an inch taller than him. Made mostly of muscle, the blond hair, blue-eyed Skandian had the advantage of strength. However, Teller's mind was fastest part of him. It was well known in town that Teller could watch someone fight once and be able to predict how they would him. Even if someone did not reveal a surprise attack or special move in that fight, Teller would still be ready.

Now it was time to test that ability.

With a roar, the Skandian lunged at him. Teller, seeing how he had bunched his muscles before punching Gorgon, saw that same pattern. He twisted out of the way, dodging the fist. His fist connected with the man's left side. Growling, the Skandian hurled his massive arm wide. Teller ducked then aimed a punch to the jaw. The Skandian merely caught it in his palm. That's when Teller realized he had been tricked. A foot came out and took out his legs. However, the man forced Teller to turn as he fell. With a single cry of pain, Teller felt his arm twist unnaturally. POP! His arm came out of its socket.

Through tears, Teller saw Quince trying to drag Mother to safety. Henry was already in the alley. Several Skandians stepped forward. Quince hissed and scratched with her nails. The men paid no attention. That's when Henry started forward.

"NO!" Teller screamed. Henry stopped and looked at him. Teller jerked his head towards the other end of town. "Run, Henry! Run!" Teller ordered. Henry backed up two steps, tears in his lively blue eyes. Teller felt tears of sadness fall down his cheeks. "Run!" he cried. Henry finally took the hint. He turned and sprinted away.

Quince suddenly screamed, "Help! Someone help us!"

Teller looked around at the dreary town. It seemed like a ghost town. The man holding him grabbed his collar and hauled Teller to his feet. No one was coming. They all cared about themselves. Roughly Teller and Quince were marched down road. Gorgon and their mother were being carried by two different Skandians. At the pier, Teller saw that three of the original group had been caught. Two men and a woman. The woman was crying. The men seemed ready to accept their future, according to their sullen faces. Quince whimpered and pressed into him. Teller easily wrapped his arm around her. He was still her older brother. No matter what, he would protect her. She and Mother were his responsibility.

The men made sure to bind him tighter than any of the others. However, Teller knew he had beaten. With a sigh, he watched as they loaded their ship with the spoils. Soon they would board him and the others. His eyes turned back towards the town. What he saw made his heart break. Standing there, in plain view, was a medium sized man. His face was impassive, that scar on his upper lip making him look angry. Carefully the man stuffed his hands in his pockets, turned, and walked away. Beside him, Teller heard Quince break down into tears. She had also seen him, the man they all loved and feared, walking leisurely away.

Teller turned to her and touched her head with his. Softly he whispered, "We're going to make it. We have to. Just hold on and keep that beautiful smile on your face. No matter what, keep fighting."

"I love you, Teller," Quince sobbed.

Teller felt tears in his eyes, "I love you too, little sis."

And he meant it. No matter what, he would fight for them. He would protect them, care for them, love them. No matter what, he would not become his father, a man who walked away when his children and wife needed him the most. No matter what…

Teller would not kneel.

Second chapter done. Next chapter to be up will be in A Shadow and a Warrior. See you soon!