NOTE: I don't own the Ranger's Apprentice world. Just the story and the characters.

Ok, this chapter and the next one will be shorter. I only have two more after this chapter then Raven's Story is done. Book 9.5 will begin a week or two after the end of this one. And yes, this story does connect to it.

Be prepared for the last chapter. It will reveal a big secret that plays a MAJOR role in Book 9.5. Until then…

Review and Enjoy!

Raven's Story Chapter 8

Banita laughed gleefully as she chased the ball around the floor. Her brown eyes were wide with excitement. Those little arms and legs moved quickly as she struggled to keep up. Her black hair was getting longer, more vibrant. The now three year old was filled with energy and had a sense of adventure. Raven had his hands full taking care of her. Luckily he had Wind there to help him keep an eye on her. However, sitting on the couch, reading and watching his daughter, Raven felt a sense of peace. Everything had calmed down. There were no threats to take care of, his training was complete, and no one was causing any internal issues. That meant he could spend more time with his daughter.

Two strong arms wrapped around Raven's shoulders. The young man breathed deeply. The smell of cedar trees filled his nose. It was a scent he was becoming used to smelling. For some reason Serpent kept going out into the mountains with some of his men. Why was beyond him. However, if Serpent had a reason then Raven was willing to trust him. Serpent's arms tightened around and his chin rested on top of Raven's head. It was his way of being close to his son. Ever since Leopard's betrayal, Serpent had drawn his son closer. He wanted Raven to know he was always there.

"Your daughter isssss becoming more beautiful with every passing day," Serpent whispered, his blue eyes watching Banita bat at the ball until it continued rolling.

Raven smiled, "And more adventurous. She's a handful."

"No. That I don't believe," Serpent said, releasing his son.

The leader moved around the couch and went to one knee. Softly he called to Banita. The little girl stopped chasing her ball to look at him. Recognizing him, she laughed and crawled over to him. Serpent gently picked her up, setting her down on her feet. Banita's hands grabbed his clothing as she tried to balance. Like Quince, her legs were not very strong at this age. However, Serpent was helping her to get stronger. Gently he ruffled the small amount of black hair that she had. Banita giggled then batted at his hand.

"You're not a handful," Serpent teased, drawing Banita closer and tickling her.

The young girl laughed and squirmed in Serpent's grasp. She liked it when her grandfather played with her. Raven smiled at the scene. He was glad that Serpent had accepted her into his personal family. It made having her around easier because Serpent did not fuss about her being loud. Her mere presence seemed to help the older man. Even as he watched Serpent play with Banita, Raven could see the faint traces of gray in the man's hair. That made Raven's heart twist. Soon Serpent would no longer be there to guide him, protect him, watch over him.

Feeling something on his leg, Raven looked down. Serpent's massive snake was coiling around his feet. Those green and brown patches seemed to camouflage the snake against the skins. A black, forked tongue flickered near Raven's right boot. The snake was watching Serpent and Banita. Though the snake had never done anything to her, Banita was fearful of it. She would crawl as fast as possible away from the animal whenever it came near. Every day the animal seemed to grow larger, stronger, deadlier. Already the head alone was larger than Raven's fist. Those fangs were long enough to hit bone if the snake bit a human. It was a force to be reckoned with.

Slowly the snake pulled away from Raven and headed for the door. Frowning, Raven set down his book and rose. Serpent noticed both movements. Gently he placed Banita back on the ground and stood. His hands went directly to his sabers. Raven and Banita were here. If it was a threat then Serpent would make sure they suffered. Greatly. The snake reached the door, coiled, and raised its head to be level with Raven's knee. A strike there would hit a major artery on a regular sized human. That meant venom could travel faster. That meant the enemy would lose a leg within a few minutes of being bitten.

A knock rang out on the door. Slowly it opened. A man carrying a purple sash stepped into the room. The snake made a hissing sound. Mouth opened. Fangs were revealed. Instantly the man froze, deathly afraid of the monster snake before him. Serpent stalked forward, his blue eyes going cold. Raven stepped closer to his daughter. Her brown eyes were watching, uncomprehending, afraid. Her father could see the fear in her as easily as he could see the anger in Serpent's demeanor. Why she was scared, Raven did not know. What he did know was that no one should make his daughter cower. Not while he was there. Not while Serpent was there. Nothing would harm her. Nothing would threaten her.

What he did not know was that it was Serpent's change in attitude that scared his daughter.

"Ssssspeak," Serpent hissed angrily.

The man stumbled over his words, his brown eyes darting from Serpent to the snake, "Skan-Skandians….in…in the m-moun-mountains. They…they want to…to destroy us all."

Raven bristled inwardly at that thought. Such arrogance. Such disregard for honor. Serpent ordered the man to find all the Mordasins. With a bow, the man turned and fled. The snake slithered away and under the couch. It was not needed anymore. Serpent approached his son, seeing the anger and hate burning in those green eyes. That made him smile on the inside. He knew what Raven wanted. With a nod, he gave his permission.

The Mordasins gathered at the entrance. Serpent and Raven soon joined them. Talon and Wind had been summoned to guard Banita. Keep her happy. Keep her in the dark. All the Mordasins were ready to go, ready for blood. Serpent divided them into groups. In these groups, they were surround and crush the Skandians. However, he whispered to them that if Anderson and Krunk were there, they would leave them for Raven. Serpent knew that his son wanted blood. Maybe now was the time to give it to him. It did not matter anyway. Serpent would hunt them for Raven…

Just so his son could taste blood.

"Come on!" Anderson bellowed impatiently.

The group of men straggled up the path. Their heads were low as they fought the howling wind. Thick fur coats were wrapped around their shoulders. Hands were heavily gloved. The Oberjarl was tired of losing both slaves and men to the mountains. Many told him that the mountains were cursed. Anderson had laughed at that. He swore to his Oberjarl that the mountains were not cursed and that he would prove that. With permission granted, he had gathered a group of twenty men to go into the mountains to hunt down these runaway slaves. Thus, most of the group were slavers or slave masters, people who worked with slaves on a day to day basis. Looking back, Anderson caught sight of Krunk. This man had gone quiet ever since that slave named Teller escaped. Anderson remembered the slave well.

Hopefully they would meet in battle.

The mountains were covered in a fresh layer of snow. Dark clouds sat ominously above the peaks. Anderson plodded along. His eyes constantly searched the area around him. An ambush up here would be perfect. They had to remain vigilant. A surprise attack could cost them. Mentally he shrugged. Anderson had a low view of slavers and slave masters. He would not mind seeing a few of them fall. Also, these were slaves that they were facing. What could they possibly know about fighting? How would a few of them even dream of taking on twenty Skandians? That was pretty much a small army. It would be an easy victory.

Little did he know, Serpent and Raven were hunched down in the snow, watching the Skandians draw near. Their blades were still sheathed. In mere seconds, those blades could be out and tasting blood. Raven could sense the joy in Serpent's body. He seemed to quiver with it. Raven, himself, was calm. He cared not for the lives he was about to take. They were meaningless. They were the enemy. They were threatening his people. As the future leader, it was his job to protect them all. His green eyes sparked with a deadly light as he counted the force. Only twenty? Even odds. Odds in favor of the Hunters. Each Mordasin was trained by Serpent himself. Each Mordasin was trained to combat all styles of combat. They were the perfect assassins, the killers in the dark. However, in the open, they were even deadlier.

"Sssssoon," Serpent hissed quietly.

Those blue eyes were sparkling with dark pleasure. He was looking forward to seeing the Skandians squirming under his blades. He was looking forward to making them suffer. For trespassing on his land. For threatening his people. For taking him away from playing with his granddaughter. Now it was almost time.

Raven let out a hiss as he finally got a good look at the men's faces, "Anderson! Krunk!"

The Mordasins exchanged a look. Though their faces were hidden, this group had gotten to know each other so well that they did not need facial expressions anymore. All the more reason they made the perfect assassins. They knew each other inside and out.

"Time for blood," Serpent whispered, his hand coming up. "Time for death."

That hand closed into a fist.

The Skandians did not know what happened. One moment everything was calm, the snow sparkling in the light, the wind whistling around their ears. The next was a blur:

Crunching snow

Pounding feet

Pain

Gasps of the dying

Darkness.

Only Anderson seemed to understand the confusion. Men in black cloaks. Red sashes, like rivers of blood, across the chest. Thick, black, leather vests to protect the attackers. Blades glinting in the light. An ambush! An ambush set by someone far smarter than any slave. Also, these were not slaves. They were bred killers! Yet, though he was obviously the leader, no one attacked him. That was, until a tall man stepped in his way as he went to help a friend. Behind the man, Anderson's friend was killed when a blade cut open his throat. The tall man approached calmly, blades sheathed, that black cloak billowing. No red sash crossed his chest.

Just black…

Like death.

"Who are you?" Anderson spat angrily.

Raven's smooth, purring voice came from behind the cloth, "Don't you remember, Anderson? I thought you never forget. Especially after you killed my sister."

"Teller?" Anderson gasped, backing away. This was not the slave he remembered. This was something much worse.

Raven shook his head, nice and slow. Slowly he drew his weapons. "Teller is dead. Died with his family. I am Raven. I…am…Death."

He attacked so fast that Anderson barely held up his shield in time. Raven's drive was so strong, his hate so powerful, his training so perfect that his blade went right through the shield. Anderson screamed as the blade sank into his arm. Raven released the blade. An uppercut sent Anderson sprawling. Anderson knew he was finished. However, Raven simply turned and walked away. The big Skandian skirl tried to rise. Two of the other people came forward and pointed crossbows at his face. There was nothing he could do.

Then he heard the scream.

He looked in the direction that Raven had gone. There was Krunk, on his knees, Raven forcing his second blade through the man's shoulder. Green eyes glowed with hate and rage. A man in black and green hovered nearby. From under the hood, Anderson could see a square jaw smiling with pleasure. His blades were dripping red, the blood of the man he had tortured to death. That's when Anderson realized that his "army" had been defeated in a matter of seconds. And not one of the Mordasins had been hurt.

"Stop!" Krunk screamed, his voice pleading for mercy.

Raven hissed angrily, "I thought the same thing when you beat me senseless. I thought the same thing when you arrested my sister, sending her to her death. You know no mercy, Krunk. Therefore, I will show you no mercy."

He twisted the blade in a circle, still driving it downward. The man screamed again. However, there was nothing that could be done. Already the ground around him was red with his own blood. That blade slowly, painfully, inched towards his heart. That's when Serpent stepped close to his son. He laid a hand on Raven's shoulder, causing his son to look at him. Then he leaned in, putting his mouth close to Raven's right ear.

"Make it ssssslow. Make it painful. Pierce hisssss heart now and you don't get any more fun," Serpent hissed, his voice filled with glee.

Stepping away, Serpent ran a red tongue over his white teeth. After that, they were not so white. Raven yanked out the blade. Krunk slumped forward, tears streaming down his face. Then he grunted as Raven kicked him in the stomach. He landed on his back. That's when Raven started. Anderson watched with absolute horror. Krunk continued to scream and beg for mercy. The other Mordasins moved around, taking away the weapons that the Skandians carried. More weapon for them. Eternal wandering for the Skandians. Once done with Krunk, Raven rose and headed for Anderson. Anderson knew that Raven would show him even less mercy. Then he realized something with absolute shock:

Krunk was still alive!

Raven had tortured the man. Now he was leaving him to die a slow, painful death. A cruel smile snaked its way across Raven's features as he stared down his nemesis. Anderson had taken away the most precious thing to him: Quince. Now that man was going to pay for it. The two Mordasins took a step away. Raven would tell them if he needed help. Anderson pushed himself away. He did not want to suffer like Krunk. He wanted a noble, honorable death in battle. This was not it. He did not want this!

"Ssssstop!" Serpent commanded Raven.

His son obeyed. Those hypnotizing green eyes continued to stare the cowering man down. Serpent approached, sheathing his blades. Then he wrapped an arm around Raven's waist. His blue eyes studied Anderson. So much for the great warrior that Teller had described years ago. His arm tightened.

"I have an idea," he said out loud, in the Skandian tongue. "Why not keep him around? Sssssshow him our best. Let him sssstay with ussss for a while before he leavessss."

Raven smiled at the thought, "A brilliant thought, Father."

Then he frowned. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he had an idea. He knew Serpent would be pleased with it. However, there was a chance for another satisfying victory in the idea. If only Serpent would allow it.

Raven looked at his father and spoke, "They thought they could challenge us. Let's make sure they get the picture: we can't be defeated."

"I'm listening," Serpent replied, his eyes still locked on Anderson.

Raven leaned closer to his father and growled, "Let's use these men to send a message. One that I sent using my blood father. Then, let's rid ourselves of a nuisance. Let's put Skandia in a state of panic."

Serpent looked at him and smiled in return. With a nod, he gave his permission.

The Skandians found the group a couple days later. They had been mutilated beyond recognition. Tied around their necks was a rope, hanging them from the trees. Pools of blood collected in the snow. Only one was missing. However, everyone knew that he had met a similar fate. However, the worst was discovered the next day.

Hanging from the Great Hall was a man they all loved and respected. Hanging there was their hope. Hanging there was the ruling force of Skandian. The Oberjarl had lost his hands and feet. His mouth was open as he screamed in death. Those eyes, once blazing with fire as he sentenced a young woman to die, were gone. The body, like the others, had been completely mutilated. The worst part, though, was something as clear as day:

The massive hole in his chest…

Where the heart should have been.

Man, I give myself nightmares. I omit details because I don't want to think about them. Anyways. Ragnak gets elected Oberjarl. Erak takes his place as a Jarl. And Anderson is going to spend a lot of alone time with Raven. Not a good thought.

Two more chapters. The next one explains a death I'm sure you're all looking forward to.