Chapter 1
The silver clouds released a drizzle of rain onto the land. The water seeped through the ground and into the streams, which joined the smaller rivers, which joined the Great River as it flowed toward the ocean. Narnians, man and beast alike, avoided going out in weather like this…or at least most did. The man riding along the river, with his eyes fixed on the ground, payed no mind.
He was often seen around the town of Beruna and its other outlying villages, but no one really knew anything about him. Popular rumor said that he camped in the woods wherever he wished, or that he lived in a cabin hidden by enchantments. But that was outrageous…surely? Not that they cared anyway. He was a queer fellow, but very handy to have around whenever things went wrong that the sheriffs could not solve. Such was the case today.
A series of thefts had occurred in the surrounding towns over the course of several days. A few things here and there — just enough to keep the sheriff wary, but unable to apprehend the thieves and never really sure when they would strike next. The sheriffs tried everything they could, but the last straw came when — in one night — five head of horses disappeared. Having had enough and nearly at their wits end, they begged for the wanderer to help them and even offered to pay for his services. Of course, he accepted.
That was how he came to be riding out in the rain, with little to show for his efforts so far. He had picked up the trail a ways outside of Murkwell, a smaller town, and followed it through the trees along the Great River. The rain, combined with the now setting sun, served to make the trail harder to follow.
He wanted to press on, to keep following the trail while he had light left but knew that he wouldn't get very far. The man dismounted, picketed his horse, and collected some firewood. After a light supper he banked the fire and settled on the ground, letting his mind drift into a light doze.
A/N: I will try to keep these notes to a minimum, as I want this to read like a novel, but I am pleased to welcome readers - both old and new - to my final version of the Narnian Rangers series, Book 1.