Hello everyone! I don't really have anything to say, as I explained everything in the last chapter. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Ranger's Apprentice, or any of the characters in this story.
This takes place during the wild boar hunt in chapter 20. Again, I will quote the last sentence before I pick up the story. But, as he did so, his foot slipped on an icy patch in the snow and he sprawled helplessly onto his side, the long spear falling from his grasp.
Horace felt the razor sharp tusks tear into his arm as he rolled out of the way. The boar kept on charging, unable to check it's momentum immediately. The other knights automatically raced to stand in front of Horace, but were too slow. The boar had stopped and reversed it's charge, again at Horace. He felt helpless, lying there on the ground, watching the bloody tusks come nearer and feeling the vibration as the huge beast thundered towards him. In a desperate ploy, Horace rolled towards the beast before it managed to lower it's tusks. He felt one hoof hit his chest and crack a few ribs, another land on his leg, and then the first hoof knocked against his head and he saw black.
Sir Rodney cursed himself for bringing a first year apprentice on this hunt. What was he thinking? He had just reached Horace as the boar was charging over and past him. Immediately he placed himself in front of the wounded boy, should the boar choose to charge again. His concern was invalid. Apparently, the boar, satisfied that Horace would pose no more threat, was now charging the young knight that had killed the first boar. This would have been fine, had the knight's spear not still been stuck in the carcass. With nothing to defend himself with, he danced around the nearest tree, which rocked an amazing amount when it was hit by the boar.
Meanwhile, Halt was trying to get a clean shot at the boar, but the blasted bush and whackers kept getting in the way! They were running around like ants whose nest was on fire. Cursing, he tried to push Abelard through, closer to the raging beast, but, yet again, the thick-headed knights were in the way. After trying and failing at this tactic for a few minutes, Halt lost his patience. The young knight was obviously to slow to avoid the boar forever, and the constant activity on the ground was hampering his abilities. "Everyone, STOP!" Growled Halt. A few of the knight's marveled at the way his voice was so much louder than his stature, and at the ability that Halt seemed to posses that allowed him to sound like he was growling at such a high volume. A second after this thought flitted through their heads, however, they realized that Halt was trying to shoot the boar, and immediately jumped out of the way.
The arrow made a hissing noise as it streamed towards it's target. It slammed into the boar with such force, that the boar actually skidded a few feet, then again as Halt's second arrow hit, a split second after the last. Again, the knight's marveled at Halts skill.
Horace woke up, throbbing in multiple places, and with a massive headache. Vaguely he wondered if Alda, Jerome and Bryn had anything to do with his condition, before he remembered the boar hunt. He cursed and sat up, only to be on the receiving end of a sharp pain in his ribs and head. Sighing, he laid back down. Whatever had possessed him to make that stupid move? Honestly, throwing himself at the boar? He had the presence of mind to wonder about his sanity before passing out again.
He stayed in the physician's quarters for 2 weeks before he was relatively healed.
I hope you enjoyed this last chapter. I decided not to kill Horace off in this chapter, he's too interesting a character. Please read and review!