Well I was on Supersonic's blog and then saw some of his friends, and decided to check out some of their blogs. I saw POTCgirls, and Shootingstars, and Catcher818, or something i don't remember (don't hate me, its been too long...) My faves =) I remember her sister, Nicole...the Yankee fan.....I dont remember her HSB name. Anyway I don't really like HSB that much b/c:

1. You never know when someone has commented on your blog or you have commented on something and someone else have responded to you. Unless of course you check your e-mail, which is really annoying.
 
2. It does not have chat. You can only chat unless you add it yourself.

3. No one that I know actually has one.

Nuff' said. Go Facebook.

©2009 RedSox24 is the writer of this site.

• Post Watcha think!

Okay, I'm going to try really hard to start posting, b/c I'm working on Chapter 19 right now and I'm just now posting 8....

Let me know if you guys have any suggestions on anything. :)

 

Chapter 8

 

   Outside Kit and Aaron followed the doctor to the hospital. The building itself was no different than any of the other buildings. But once inside beds were placed anywhere they could. Beds were also made on the floor, making a very narrow path between beds for nurses. Every single bed and pallet was filled with a fevered body, most with a red rash on their chest. Women ran around with bowls of water and towels to bathe the fevered heads.

   Kit and Aaron wasted no time in helping. They asked for no permission to attend to anyone. Starting with the most advanced cases, they worked without a word.

   Kit was running for more water when her cloak was pulled on. She immediately stopped and looked to fin a young boy, not more than eight, holding onto her.

   “Can you help me? I’m cold,” the little boy said.

   Kit looked at him with great sorrow. She knelt down and stroked his fevered forehead, brushing his tangled hair away.

   “Yes, of course,” she said with emotion.

   He released her and she rushed on to grab blankets along with water.

   She quickly returned to the boy and covered him with a blanket. She also gave him the special powder. He started to shiver, so she again knelt beside him on the floor and stroked his head.

   “What’s your name?” she asked, trying to distract him for a while.

   “My name is Jacob. What is your name?” he asked curiously.

   “My name’s Kathryn, but everyone calls me Kit.”

   “I like the name Kit,” he said, smiling.

   “Where are your parents?”

   His face fell and Kit regretted asking.

   “Maw died yesterday and Paw left with Michael,” Jacob said this as tears came to his eyes.

   Kit hugged the thin form closely to her bosom, tears coming to her own eyes. She hugged him for a while longer before kissing him on the head and telling him to get some rest.

   It was the end of the day and Kit had witnessed ten deaths, she could vividly remember each and every one. Tears clouding her vision, Kit made her way to the front of the hospital. She encountered Aaron on the way out, he tried intercepting her, but she budged by.

   At the door, Kit felt as if she didn’t let the tears fall she would burst. She leaned over hospital railing and covered her face to try and hold them back.

    This is the state Aaron found her in. He was a bit uncomfortable and didn’t know what to do. But he put his arm on her shoulder kindly. Kit turned to him with tears in her eyes and burst out in tears, burying her face in Aaron’s cloak. He understood her feelings…he felt the same way.

   Kit started talking into his cloak. Not understanding her, Aaron lifted her chin and looked at her with raised eyebrows. She smiled weakly through her tears and told him about Jacob.

   She stopped shedding tears and looked up at the sky.

   “It’s time to go,” she murmured.

   “Are you alright to go right now?”

   She nodded sadly and followed Aaron into the night.

 

~***~

 

   Kit was not overly excited about going to a city pub. She wondered why they were meeting there of all places.

   It wasn’t too far from the hospital and soon enough they could hear the loud shouting of the pub and the bright lights were seen.

   The small building was buzzing with activity as they walked in. Kit immediately felt uncomfortable being the only female. She wasn’t too afraid, but all the same stuck close to Aaron.

   It took only a second to recognize Lawson in a dark corner with his hood over his head.

   It got quiet as Kit and Aaron walked in, they must not have noticed Lawson, who had come in earlier. The people, who had been shouting and yelling, now stood gawking. This, however odd, made Kit feel more confident as they made their way toward Lawson.

   They sat down at the beat up little table, gradually the talking of the pub came back.

   “Perfect timing,” Lawson said in a quiet tone.

   “Why did you want to meet here?” asked confused Kit in the same quiet tone.

   “No one will bother us. And if this were a mission concerning enemies, unwelcomed ears wouldn’t be able to hear.”

   Kit nodded.

   “What’s your idea?” Aaron asked.

   “I want to hear yours first. I assume the both of you came up with a plan together?”

   “Yes, I thought on it on the way here. But I would like to know what you were doing,” Aaron continued.

   “Nate, being one of the top commanders of the country, gets some of the most important new from the king first. Some very important discoveries have recently been found that we were discussing, but that is for when we get back.”

   “I assume that’s where you disappear to every now and again?” asked Kit.

   “Yes, but that’s enough. We need to take care of the matters that are now pressing.”

   “By your lead, Aaron,” Kit said, nodding her head toward him.

   He nodded and started on the plan they had composed on the way to the pub:
   “Our idea is for Kit to stay here and help, well it was against my better judgment, but Kit insisted she be the one to stay. Anyway, you and I can track Michael as the tracks will be obvious. Honestly I think, and Kit agrees, that some of the men have fallen sick. They have to accept help. I’ve kind of thought on the idea if they don’t accept our help, but really haven’t come up with a good one,” Aaron finished.

   “You have something to add to this?” Lawson asked Kit. He noticed her eyes had a rather deep thinking look.

   Kit started to speak, but stopped for a moment.

   “What if you just watch them? I know that sounds offal plain….” Kit trailed off.

   “No, it was precisely what I thought. I don’t like the idea of leaving Kit behind, but she does have a point and she certainly did make it,” Lawson said.

   “You can’t actually consider leaving Kit here!” Aaron protested.

   Kit snapped her head toward him, eyes flashing.

   “Now don’t get worked up!” Aaron said, putting up his hands defensively.

   Kit started her tongue, but a sharp look from Lawson held it back.

   Just then a few men came tumbling toward them. They had obviously had too much to drink.

   “You…Rangers! Wats you talkin bout?” one of them said, his words slurring together.

   “Now Jim, you’ve had a bit too much, I think you ought to sit down,” said a sober man who came walking up to the small group.

   “I sinks yous right!” said Jim.

   But then Jim got worked up again a moment later and cursed very loudly at the Rangers, mostly toward Kit, being a girl.

   Kit wasn’t used to this kind of language and it took her aback. However, being a Ranger, she didn’t flinch.

   “I’d like to give him a black eye,” Kit said under her breath, trying to resist the urge.

   Aaron and Lawson had heard her and both looked at her warningly.

   Eventually the same man, who had talked to Jim first, punched him in the nose. Jim fell to the ground with a thud, unconscious, but alive.

   The man walked toward the group of Rangers.

   “My name be Carl, this is my place. Now I ‘preciate your work, but I have to ‘gree with Jim over thar, that thar female ain’t fit to be a Ranger!” said Carl.

   Kit looked away, face pink with rage. Her knuckles were turning white from gripping the tables.

   Lawson stood up with a determined, set face.

   “I’ll ask you to not demean my young Rangers, despite their gender,” Lawson said.

   “I’m sorry, but I don’t like women-folk takin’ to wearin’ trousers. Why, I’d only  believe she was a real Ranger if she knocked me out and, at the same time, pinned me to that thar post with an arrow!” he said laughing, however he started to look nervous when he saw Lawson stand up in anger. By now, the uproar had caused the entire pub to watch the commotion.

   Lawson raised an eyebrow.

   Kit looking at him with pleading eyes.

   He sighed and let his eye lids fall slightly, consenting.

   Her eyes glistened with fire and she smiled dangerously.

   She turned around swiftly, punched Carl in the face, and drew and arrow almost at the same time. She shot the arrow and pinned his shirt to the post he had earlier pointed out. After he fell, she added another punch for offending her.

   Kit turned and sat back down gently as if nothing had happened.

   “Nobody messes with my pride,” she thought.

   Aaron stifled a giggle and Lawson, sitting back down, had touches of a smirk on his lips.

   The entire pub fell under a blanket of silence.

   Soon enough someone came with a bucket of water and threw it at Carl’s face. Carl awoke, still groggy. It took awhile for someone to pull the arrow free from the post.

   Lawson stood up slowly.

   “It’s settled then. We’re going with your plan. Kit, you can go to Sir Nathaniel and explain the situation and spend the night wherever you like. Aaron, we leave immediately,” he added.

   Aaron and Kit looked at him with disbelief, they couldn’t believe he was going to use their plan, but they consented.

   “Kit, if we’re not back by tomorrow night, either something’s happened or most of the men are sick. If that happens, I want you to follow us…alone.”

   “Spending the night alone…” Kit thought.

   Kit was worried, but showed no signs of it. Aaron was obviously not happy leaving her, but turned and followed Lawson, leaving Kit sitting alone in the pub.

• Post Watcha think!

  Sorry that I haven't made an entry lately, but I haven't had any time with swimming and school.  I moved into the next group in  swimming, and have had tons of fun in it.  Actually, this weekend I have a swim meet.  Last night I had the 500 Freestyle, and the 400 I.M..  In My 500 Free I added from my best time but it is only the first meet, so I'm not at my peak performance yet.  In my 400 I.M. I missed my "A" time by only 7 seconds.  Today I am swimming the 100 Butterfly, 200 Freestyle, 100 Breastroke, and the 200 Backsroke.  So wish me luck.  I will try to keep everyone posted on how I do when I get the chance.  Well I have to go now. Ttyl. 

• Post Watcha think!

New entry time!
Wow, it has been so long! I can't say that a whole lot has happened, except this September I went to an absolutely amazing church conference in Morningstar and I've come back a changed person. If you don't want to read this whole thing, scan it and read the underlined part, Kay? =)

• Post Watcha think!

Another chapter! Watch out because this chapter is rather sad. So if you're already feeling distressed...you may want to reconcider proceeding. :)

 

Chapter 7

 

   Since Lawson was the only one with a horse, they had to run, stopping every 30-40 minutes to rest.
   On one of these rests Lawson asked the young Rangers a question.
   “What do you think you’ve been trained as?” he asked.
   Kit was confused by his question, she thought it was obvious, most would answer “a Ranger”, but knowing Lawson, it had to be a trick question.
   Recognizing neither were going to answer, Lawson answered for them.
   “A thief,” he said.
   He was sitting with his cloak completely covering him, even most of his face with the deep hood. They had planned on resting here longer to warm up with a fire. Despite their high activity level, they welcomed the warm crackling flames.
   The young Rangers seemed surprised by his answer.
   “I guess we could steal anything we wanted without being seen…” Aaron started.
   “And know the lay of the land, trained to scheme a full-fledged attack without thinking,” she continued.
   “We don’t leave tracks, and can track the untraceable,” Aaron finished. 
   Lawson smiled with his smoking pipe in his teeth.
   “The other thing though is that we’re not accepted in society. You both have been part of the society, but neither of you have been on the rejected end. I must warn you that we’ll only be accepted by the chancellor, nobody else,” Lawson said gravely. “Most people are afraid of us. The uneducated, or really anybody who will believe anything, think Ranger’s skills were first developed by forest nymphs!” 
   “Forest nymphs?” Aaron asked.
   Kit looked over at him.
   “You’ve never heard of a nymph?” she asked.
   “No, I’m not into myths and fairytales.”
   “People think that there is a nymph for any natural mark, such as a forest, river, meadow, ect… Sort of like fairies, I guess, you do know what fairies are, don’t you?” said Kit a bit haughtily. 
   “Yes, I know what fairies are!” he said, leaning over to warm his hands. 
   They sat in silence for several minutes, all sitting with their legs crossed, covered in their cloaks. They sat perfectly still, hoods over their faces.
   “Aaron, Kit, also I don’t want you to not voice your opinions, even if you are speaking to your elders. Do respect them though, nobody likes to be demeaned,” Lawson said,” you both are young, but never the less, you are Rangers.”
   “That would make me incredibly uncomfortable, giving an opinion to a leader,” Kit thought.
   “Oh and here is a pouch for each of you. It is full of several plants that have been crushed. Mix a very small amount of it with water and force it down the throat of someone who has got the fever. When we get there, I want you two to work together; it will make it easier to convince the family of any patients to let you help. Also, if any of them are in advanced stages and are hallucinating, one of you will have to hold them down,” he paused as he stood up. “One more thing, look out for signs of the fever, in anyone who doesn’t have it, including us. The only sign will be fatigue, and it will be hard to see, after they pass out they’ll have a red rash on their chest. That’s when you know. Now we better get going, we’ll be there soon,” Lawson said, dowsing the fire.

 

~***~

 

   They arrived on the outskirts of Johnston as the sun was rising. It was strange to Kit, they had been in dense forest on the side of a mountain, and then, suddenly, a huge city appeared. Kit had never seen so many houses before, but besides houses, there were several large buildings that she had no idea what their uses were.
   They walked into the city on a wide dirt road that had wagon tracks running to and fro. They could look all the way through the city just by standing at the beginning of the main road. But Kit could see several roads branching off into the city. She looked around in wonderment.
   Aaron smiled at her.
   “Obviously you’ve never been to a large city!” he said.
   “I’ve never been outside Trinia!” she answered.
   They walked a little ways down the road before seeing any signs of life, but what they saw made Kit want to lose her stomach.
   There stood a gruff looking man; he carried a white bag over his shoulder, the type of bag that held a body. The man set it along the road. As Kit looked, the line of bags continued down the road, several were stacked on top of one another.
   Kit went pale, as did Aaron.
   Lawson quickly pulled them away down a side street, he didn’t say a thing. What was there to say?
   They turned down several different roads, winding this way and that. Kit somewhat kept track of where they were, but she had a hard time concentrating. 
   Eventually Lawson stopped at one of the largest buildings made of stone and looking like a castle. Ht threw up his hood and nodded at his young Rangers. They followed his lead by throwing their hoods on as well, Kit looking up to the top of the building with curiosity.
   Lawson walked straight up the front porch to the guard in front of the door.
   The guard had, at first, looked stern and unnerving with his frowning brow and long spear. But seeing the Rangers approaching from the fog, his eyes got wide and he moved out from in front of the door to let them pass. He watched as Lawson opened the door and walked in; Kit and Aaron followed dutifully side by side.
   They walked into a large room with nobody present; it was a rather plain room, with only a few tables. The tables however, were quite beautifully crafted and had valuable pieces of glass placed on top.
   Kit wanted to look around, but her training wouldn’t allow such odd behavior. So she glanced around once, taking everything in and then start straight ahead. She did keep her senses tuned, for it was natural to do so in a place she’d never been. 
   Being sure of himself, Lawson walked toward the tall double doors on their right.
   Their feet didn’t make a sound as they crossed the stone floor and opened the doors, which surprisingly didn’t creak. 
   This room was much more interesting.
   Drapes with the city’s symbol of  merchant ship hung on the wall in front of them. Maps and books were covering the rest of the walls. Desks stood everywhere buried in dust covered books. But the largest desk stood at the center of the back wall. It was mostly clear. A short, worried looking man stood while a somewhat sturdier man paced in front of him. The short man had been speaking, but at their entrance he paused mid-sentence. 
   Lawson raised his head to show gleaming eyes, then walked up to them.
   The man who had been pacing walked up to him and grasped Lawson’s forearms in greeting.
   “Hello friend! You don’t know how wonderful it is to see you and to have your help,” the man said.
   “You know that’s why I’m here Nathanial,” Lawson replied, “These are the newest additions to the Rangers: Kit and Aaron. I trust their opinion and hope that you will too.”
   “I’m so happy to meet both of you, but please, call me Nate. But enough chit-chat, we’re in a crisis.” 
   “What have you done to stop traveling?”
   “I sent soldiers to surround the borders, and we caught almost everyone.”
   “Almost?”
   Nate looked uneasy as he turned around to the nervous looking man.
   “This is Dr. Fredrick, the main doctor of Johnston. Doctor, would you please update us?”
   “Yes, to the best of my ability Sire,” he said in a voice more steady than his character implied.
   “To my understanding, and as you have already stated, you have sent soldiers surrounding the city only minutes ago. I was about to report to you on thie progress when your…friends arrived. Your soldiers, Sire, have been successful in stopping all traffic from the city, sometimes using force. But none were killed. And traffic into the city was not hard to do. Every quarter mile around the city a few men stands holding a white flag. Of course nobody wants to come near the city. Now do you want me to tell about Michael?” 
   Nate nodded and sat at his desk with his head in his hands. He looked much more stressed after this subject came to pass.
   “Very well sir. Rangers, Michael is…well…the “head’ of the villagers and less wealthy. He basically speak for them, and though they speak highly of him, most villagers are content to leave their heart and duty to Sir Nathanial. But never-the-less he does voice their opinions and some villagers have rebelled with him, leaving the city. However, they left a day before I issued the quarantine. I am desperately afraid they carry the disease,” he said.
   “How many does he have with him?” Aaron asked, looking up from under his hood.
   The doctor was taken aback, but answered,” We’re not quite sure, but we think it no more than 100.”
   Aaron nodded his head.
   “Please, tell us more about the terrible disease. And I want to be updated on the number of lives it’s taken,” Nate said.
   “It hasn't faltered at all, and I cannot stop it. It grows and still has so many lives to feed on. We estimate the lives taken at 200,” finished Dr. Fredrick.
   “How many reside in the city?” Kit asked.
   “More than 1000 before the fever.”
   “I have brought a substance that I have found that cures the fever. How, I am not sure. It may just strengthen the immune system rather than kill the disease,” Lawson said, “But it does work. I would like to talk to Nate in private while Kit and Aaron go out to help.”
   “Of..” Nate started.
   “You have a cure? Why have you never introduced it to the world?” asked the doctor, who was now pink with frustration.
   “My, what a strange man he is,” Kit thought.
   “The plants I gather to make it are extremely rare and only bloom a few weeks of the year. I will gladly tell you the plants, but I rather doubt it will help you any. As it is we may not have enough for the city,” said Lawson.
   “I am sure you are telling the truth,” said Nate kindly, “Kit, Aaron, you may go about as you wish, here is a map. All citizens with any signs of the fever have been ordered to go to the hospital or school. Doctor, you are free to leave.”
   The doctor bowed his head in respect and left.
   Lawson turned to face Kit and Aaron.
   “I want you at the public pub an hour before night fall to discuss our action on Michael and his men,” he said.
   They nodded and followed the doctor out the door, leaving Nate and Lawson deep in conversation.

• Post Watcha think!

Here's Chapter 6! Enjoy!

Chapter 6

 

   The next day Kit awoke and followed the same drill. And, like always, they sat by the fire.

   But that night, something happened.

   Kit was making arrows; her bow was by her side as always, when her keen ears heard something out of the ordinary. She looked up at Lawson; he looked at her, but didn’t seem concerned.

   “Was I hearing things?” she asked herself. But then she heard it again.

   Within seconds she had strung her bow and was aiming it straight at the door, pulled with all her might. If she had looked at Lawson, she would have seen his smug smile, but her concentration was drilled at the door.

   She heard very soft, padded feet walk onto the porch to the door.

   “Who could it be? Would would even have the guts to come to a Ranger’s house during the night?” Kit wondered.

   The latch lifted…she pulled in her breath, ready to shoot….the door opened.

   There stood a brown haired, surprised young man.

   Kit jumped on the inside, but on the outside her face stayed controlled…one thing she had learned as a Ranger. Her eyes shown daringly as they looked down the arrow at this new intruder.

   Lawson stood up slowly and grinned.

   “Kit, this is Aaron, my other young charge. Aaron, I’m glad you made it home safe and sound. This is Kit, she came a few nights after you left.”

   Kit lowered her bow and frowned. Aaron did the same; it looked like he was measuring her up.

   She then turned her head to Lawson and had an accusing look on her face.

   “You didn’t tell me about him?!?!” Kit asked, trying to control her feelings. She didn’t know why she was so upset, but she was angry at Lawson for not telling her about Aaron. And she was mad at Aaron for…well…being there.

   Aaron turned to Lawson for his reply. When he didn’t, Aaron also picked a fight with him.

   “And you didn’t tell me you were going to train another Ranger!” he said. Aaron was around Kit’s age and she could tell that his voice had just recently changed to a deeper pitch because his voice sometimes sounded unusually high compared to the deeper sound.

   “Aaron, I didn’t know I was going to actually. But when she got sick, Lydie told me that she was of age for training,” he said, then to himself: “Plus, it’ll bring the competitiveness out of them both.”

   “And Kit, well, I guess it never occurred to me,” Lawson finished, shrugging his shoulders.

   “Men!” Kit muttered, rolling her eyes. “Sure, I wouldn’t care to know that there was somebody else living in this house who just so happened to be gone when I came!” she thought.

   “Excuse me?!” Aaron said with attitude toward Kit.

   “Oh nothing,” Kit said in a higher-than-usual voice.

   “Yes, you said something about men – which I’m sure wasn’t a compliment coming from you – and I take that personally!”

   “Oh, I wasn’t implying it to you, you’re just a boy,” she said smiling too sweetly.

   Kit was rewarded with his face turning pink. She could imagine steam coming from his ears.

   “Enough!” Lawson said sternly, “now, go on to bed, both of you. We’ll get to work tomorrow.”

 

~***~

 

   Then next morning Kit walked into the kitchen for breakfast to see Aaron just finishing his breakfast.

   Kit frowned and Aaron smiled when he saw her.

   “Okay, today we’re going hunting. Go wherever you want. Kit I’ going with you,” said Lawson before either of them could say another word.

   “Boy, these kids may be incredibly gifted, but they sure do enough pride and anger for ten kings!” Lawson thought grimly. “And I get to train them.”

   “Of course he has to follow me!” Kit thought.

   Thirty minutes later Kit was tracking a dear…a young doe to be exact.

   “I’ve gotta find something a little bit bigger. Aaron cannot show up with a larger find!” Kit thought as she examined a hoof print. She didn’t know Aaron very well, but she already didn’t like him too well.

   The trees had lost all their leaves and Kit could see her breath. But despite the cold weather, she was very comfortable under her cloak and her long hair covered her ears so she didn’t have to wear the hood.

   She could tell they were getting close to her kill, so she raised her already strung bow. Lawson also knew and had stopped a few steps back to give her space, but he was watching with keen eyes as she stood against the tree waiting for the opportune moment to spring out and shoot.

   The time finally came as the wind had stopped and Kit could see the doe searching intently for some last summer greens. She swiftly turned around the tree as she drew the bow. But as she did, her hair got pulled back as well, making the shot useless. Instead of panicking, however, she drew another arrow and shot the doe on the left shoulder.

   Lawson crept up behind her as she decided hwo she should carry the doe back without leaving a trail.

   “you handled that well. But you have to cut your hair; you wouldn’t want that to happen while you were being shot at,” he said.

   She just nodded as she tried to lift the doe; but finding that it was a bit too heavy she racked her brain for another idea. Coming up with none, she turned truing, questioning eyes to Lawson.

   “You could always ask for help,” he suggested.

   She made a despairing look but asked him if he would help her “please.”

   “Oh, I wasn’t talking about me, I’m busy. Call Aaron.”

   She straightened her back, lifted her chin, and the fire came to her eyes.

   “I would rather break my back than ask him to help me!” she thought, very defiantly.

   She tried a few times to life the doe in different positions. Lawson leaned against a tree, grinning.

   “They have to get along sometime,” Lawson muttered as she despairingly dropped the doe once more. “Kit will be the hardest…of course.”

   “Kit! You’re not going to have much good meat left after dropping it so many times! Think like I know I taught you to!” he rebuked her.

   She sagged her shoulders. “He’s right. Unfortunately he’s always right.”

   Kit whistled a bird call, making the sound pierce through the woods. Then she sat and waited.

   Lawson had told her once that nobody could hear or see a Ranger if he didn’t want to be heard or seen, not even another Ranger. Kit accepted this and decided that Aaron wouldn’t be able to hear her if she crept up behind him.

   He was standing in front of her a few minutes later, seeming to appear out of the woods. Despite the competition between them, they both acted as Rangers should.

   “Nice kill. Why did you call me?” Aaron asked.

   “Thanks. Well I kinda need some help carrying it back though. As you can see, Lawson there isn’t helping,” she said looking over her shoulder at him.

   “Why didn’t you just drag it?”

   “What do you mean?”

   “You know…just grab it by it’s head and pull.”

   Kit looked at Lawson with a question in her eyes, he knew that look better than anybody else.

   “Because she doesn’t’ want to leave a trail for someone to follow, Aaron. I think I may have had to stay away too long.”

   “Oh…” Aaron said as he stared at his feet.

   “Alright then. I’ll carry the head and you carry the other end,” said Kit.

   Even with both of them carrying, it was very heavy. When they got back to the cabin, Aaron helped kit skin the doe, it was a rather unpleasant thing to do and neither of them enjoyed doing it by themselves.

   After finishing they walked into the barn to wash off. Lawson had disappeared.

   “Where did you go when I came to live with Lawson?” Kit asked.

   “An old friend of Lawson’s wasn’t doing so great. He had a bad case of pneumonia,” answered Aaron.

   “A Ranger?”
   “Nope, just a friend.”

   They paused for a minute while they dried their hands off on an old horse blanket.

   “Hey, you wanna shoot? I’m interested in how good you actually are, or if you just shot that deer from luck!” Aaron said, smiling. It was a genuine smile.

   “Sure, I’d like to see how you survived alone,” she said.

   “Touché,” he said, running toward the targets.

   “You first,” Kit said.

   “No, ladies first.”

   “No, you go first.”

   Aaron threw his arms up in exasperation.

   “Fine! We’ll go at the same time,” Aaron said. “We’ll see who can shoot a dozen arrows first.”

   They were both very good archers and would beat any archer from the King’s army by a quite a few minutes and had a must more deadly aim. But they were only average for Rangers.

   They knelt to one knee, bows in their left hand. Their arms hung loosely at their sides. They counted to three together and, as one, nocked their first arrow and let it fly. They each had gotten to chose which target to shoot at. Aaron picking a target high in a tree to his left and Kit picked one high to her right. Apparently they liked shooting at the same place on opposite sides.

   At first they were exactly together, but half way through, Kit pulled ahead. Kit shot her last arrow, a second later Aaron did.

   They stood up, amazed at one another’s skill.

   “Wow! That was fun, I’ve never shot against someone before. You’re a wonderful archer!” Kit said, surprising herself that she allowed such a compliment.

   “Not as good as you though. That was amazing, Kit!” Aaron replied, just as enthusiastic.

   For the next few hours they practiced with each other. More “shoot offs”, throwing knives, and they played several tough games of hide and seek.

   When they finally realized how late it was, they went inside to eat.

   “Where do you think Lawson is?” Kit asked after supper was ready.

   “He likes to disappear, if you know what I mean,” Aaron replied.

   “But where does he go?”

   “I don’t know!”

   “You haven’t ever wondered? Or followed him?”

   “Follow Lawson?” Aaron said, laughing,” that would be impossible!”

   “You’ve never asked him?”

   “No, have you though?”

   She smiled, “That’s a good point!”

   A few minutes passed as they ate their meal.

   “Do you know if Lawson has a mirror anywhere?” Kit asked.

   “No, I don’t think he has one, why?”

   Kit looked down at her food.

   “Lawson wants me to cut my hair. It kind of…got in the way this morning.”

   “Oh,” Aaron said uncomfortably, “you could use water as a mirror.”

   “That’s probably what I’ll do. You know, it’s a lot more fun having someone else around. It kind of livens things up a bit.”

   “Same here. Just imagine Lawson and me – two guys – we were lucky to get a sentence in a day!”

   Kit smiled. “Well Lawson sure can talk if he’s telling you what to do!”

   “Too true, too true,” Aaron replied, grinning.

   They then cleaned up, Kit went to her room afterward with a pail of water and her throwing knife. When she positioned herself above the water, she took a breath as she took off six inches of hair. She looked into the water and her heart jumped.

   “O-oh my! Ok, just don’t think about it Kit,” she assured herself.

   It didn’t’ take her long to continue cutting six inches all the way around her head.

   After finishing, her head felt a few pounds lighter, the hair that had been cut off lay on the floor at her feet. The hair remaining on her head didn’t even touch her collar bone. She stared at the image of herself for a minute before taking a strip of leather and tying her hair into a half pony tail…she couldn’t get all of it in. She felt sad that most of her hair was gone, but she kind of liked the new look.

   She gathered all her hair and carried it and the pail out to the barn; thankfully Aaron was in his room.

   When she was in the barn Lawson came riding up on his dapple.

   Kit stood up straight and tuned all her senses up, ready for anything.

   “Where were you?” she asked.

   “Come inside, I need to talk to you and Aaron together,” he said, leaping of his horse and heading for the cabin. His face was even grim for him. She followed close behind him.

   When they walked in the door, they found Aaron reading. He immediately put his book down, sensing something.

   “Here we are, probably going to be assigned a mission for the first time, and all I can think bout is how short my hair is!” Kit thought.

   “Johnston is under quarantine. Many of the children have been struck with scarlet fever,” Lawson said solemnly. “We need to go and help. Not only to help rid the cit of the horrible disease, but to make sure no on enters the city.”

   Lawson walked to the table and poured himself a cup of coffee. After taking a sip, he sighed and continued.

   “The fever struck the worst place! Johnston is one of the largest trading cities in the nation; it is certainly going to be a task. I need you both to gather your things; we leave as soon as possible,” he said, gulping down the rest of his coffee and heading to his bedroom.

   Kit and Aaron already knew that Johnston was a large trading city from Lawson’s many geography lessons, and knew the danger. They looked at each other. Neither of them had ever been on a mission that concerned lives other than their own. They nodded and headed for their bedrooms to pack as Rangers would…fast and light.

 

I hope everyone likes the new character, Aaron! I had a good time writing about him and Kit.
~Lillian

• Post Watcha think!

Chapter 5

  

   Kit was woken when the sun rose. They had a quick breakfast, consisting of biscuits and eggs. She had made it herself. Then she was sent outside with the throwing knife, and her bow.

   Lawson led the way to a long, but narrow clearing. Kit could see targets nailed into a few of the many trees surrounding them. They were at different heights and lengths.

   It wasn’t too chilly and the only sound was the many chirpings of birds.

   Within seconds Lawson had nocked an arrow had shot it, hitting a higher up target in the exact center.

   “That is what is accomplished after year of practice. Determining the wind, sighting your target and actually hitting your target will be natural for you after a year. But for now, we’ll stick to the basics,” he said.

   Kit was eager to start and picked up her bow, she would have nocked it too, but found she had no arrows. She looked up to him with questioning eyes.

   “Take one of mine, I’ll show you how to make them tomorrow.”

   She grabbed one of his from the few he had thrown into the ground in front of them.

   She was determined not to make a fool of herself, but she got caught up in the excitement and tried her best to execute what Lawson had just done. She pulled back and, since she didn’t have a good grip, practically dropped it instead of releasing it.

   As soon as she let go of the string she dropped the bow and yelled “ouch!!”

   She knelt to the ground to examine the damage. She could feel throbbing pain on her left forearm and on her right hand. Kit found she had a thin line running vertically on her arm, it was dark red and had small crimson dots oozing blood along it, it was caused by the string, which had slapped her. Her hand wasn’t as bad. The stiff feathers on the arrow had scratched her fingers when she “released” it, causing thin red lines to appear. But none of the pain was as bad as her embarrassment, her check had turned crimson, she had to swallow her pride.

   Lawson squatted beside her and handed her something.

   “This will protect your arm from the string, just slide it up. It won’t hurt your fingers after I teach you to hold the arrow right,” he said with a teacher’s voice.

   He again nocked an arrow showing Kit how to properly hold the arrow in place.

   “Your middle and fourth finger go below the arrow and your pointer finger above it. When you do it, be sure to squeeze your fingers together to be sure the arrow doesn’t slip. However, you still need to be relaxed.” He demonstrated as he spoke. “When you pull back, you need to be straight…legs and shoulders square. Pull the string until you feel the feathers tickle the furthest end of your lips.”

   She pulled on the gray-green sleeve that matched her cloak, assuming the padded side when on the inside for protection. She grimaced when it touched her tender wound.

   Kit nocked an arrow and slowly pulled back so her hand was at her lips. She held that pose while Lawson made some corrections.

   She released and the arrow didn’t make it very far. She frowned.

   “What happened?” asked Kit.

   “Pull your shoulder blades together. That way you’re straighter and you actually pull back a little further, giving the arrow more flight at the same time.”

   Kit was a fast learner, but still had some trouble. She could feel her back muscles flex in a new way when she brought her shoulder blades together.

   Again she released the arrow. It hit the tree, but nowhere close to the target.

   “Don’t worry, that’s what practice is for,” Lawson stated matter-of-factly, “and understanding the wind and how it can affect the flight of the arrow just takes experience.”

   “You do need to understand and know one thing very clearly,” he said in a demanding tone. He paused. “Do you trust me?”

   “Yes,” Kit said. It didn’t come out as steady as she had wanted.

   “Do you trust me with your life?”

   “Yes,” she still couldn’t get her voice to come out steady; his tone was making her nervous.

   “Ok, we’ll see how much trust you really have in me. Go stand in front of the farthest target.”

   She looked at him suspiciously and glanced at the farthest target.

   Her heart had sped up as she wondered what he was going to do, but she obediently jogged over to the far end of the clearing, about 30 yards out. It was more than twice as far as she had shot. She stood in front of the target.

   “I’ll ask you one more time: Do you trust me with your life?” he asked in a booming voice.

   She had to make the decision quickly.

   “Either trust him now, or live with him in fear,” she whispered out loud.

   This time she answered with a more sure voice.

   “Yes!” she called out, making her voice close to demanding.

   “Then hold still!” Lawson called back.

   Kit thought she saw him smile smugly at her, but it was too far out to tell.

   He again nocked an arrow, this time pointing it directly at her.

   Before she had time to panic she heard a loud thud as the arrow hit exactly an inch above her head into the tree.

   She wanted to start panting from relief, but decided instead to release her held up breath in small amounts. She turned around and pulled at the arrow in the tree. It took a a while to pull the arrow free because it had been lodged in there so deep.

   She jogged back to Lawson, retrieving the other arrows on her way. When she got there, Lawson had an amused smile on his face.

   “You must always find someone to trust your life with, Kit,” he said.

   Kit did realize she trusted him more after the rather nerve racking exercise.

   “Go ahead and start practicing with your bow, we can start on the knife after lunch.”

   He had thrown a whole lot of arrows on the ground and if she had a bird’s eye view, it would have looked like a large orchard of small trees.

   She picked one up and nocked it, forcing her fingers to grasp the arrow firmly. Her shoulder blades came together; the arrow feathers tickled her mouth. One of the things Lawson had told her to do was to breathe in right before she shot, this was to keeper her arms from quavering. She breathe din and sent eh arrow on its way. It was a thrilling feeling, and she loved it.

   It again hit the tree, but nowhere close to the target.

   She took a calming breath, trying not to be frustrated at not hitting the target.

   “Just concentrate on shooting the bow, worry about hitting the target later,” Kit thought to herself.

   She continued shooting, growing more comfortable holding he arrow in place, even starting to feel confident. Each arrow was set deeper into the tree. However, she could feel muscles in her arms and back that were straining and knew they would be sore later on.

   Lawson had watched for a few minutes before calling her to lunch.

   “So you’re growing more comfortable with it?” he asked.

   “Yes, I think so. It’s starting to feel more natural. Each shot is like the last one, to where it’s almost automatic where my arms go. I must admit though, my arms are getting tired,” she replied, sitting down on the ground where Lawson had set a plate of beans.

   Before eating she took of her arm guard to inspect her wound, it was green with blotches of purple. Before looking at it, the wound hadn’t hurt too badly, but after looking at how nasty it looked she could feel her pulse in the wound.

   Her fingers were starting to show pockets of skin, and little white spots.

   “Ah man! I’m gonna have calluses all over my hands,” she mumbled softly.

   “Don’t worry, they’ll soften again after getting used to shooting a bow,” Lawson said. He didn’t mention anything about her soreness.

   They finished lunch, then Lawson handed her the belt that the knife was connected to.

   She buckled it on and pulled the knife out. Kit ran her fingers on the flat side of the blade, noticing that it was very smooth.

   They again walked to a clearing, this time walking closer to the target.

   “Compared to shooting an arrow, throwing a knife isn’t very hard. Try,” Lawson said.

   She decided to hold the knife on the hilt and just fling it, no technique involved.

   Surprisingly the knife hit the target, right outside the center.

   Lawson nodded…then walked away.

   Kit threw the knife a few more times, but then decided she needed more work with the bow.

   The rest of the day she practiced shooting, knowing the next day she was going to be stiffer than a board.

  

~***~

 

   The next few days went the same: practicing shooting both the bow and the knife, going on long jogs for stamina (Kit rather despised those), and making arrows. Arrows, she found, were not easy to make, you had to glue a half of a goose feather to the arrow, being sure not using too much glue to make the arrow heavy.

   Kit hat thought that it was going good, and it wasn’t as hard as she had first thought. But a week after she had come, Lawson stepped it up. Not only did she keep up what she was doing, but now she also tracked, hunted, practiced being unseen (Lawson watching carefully of course), and, at night, studied…everything. Mostly history and geography, but also studied common legends and told Lawson why they were likely to be false. He even taught her basic writing skills.

   He also added to her bow training. He put other targets up, putting them higher in the tree, further and closer too. But the most difficult he added to the bow was swiftness. He would tap an arrow against a tree and she had to shoot every time he tapped. As soon as she would start to catch on to one tempo, he would speed it up.

   Kit continued to have muscles built onto her back and arms, and knowledge was constantly flowing into her mind. After a couple of months she could climb, hunt, and be completely unseen if she wanted to, and shoot very swiftly. The bow was her favorite and she loved mastering the skill.

   “She is one of the best bowman er girl I’ve ever seen at her age,” Lawson thought. He never voiced his comments, not wanting his young charge to get too cocky.

   One night, after practicing shooting, Lawson gave her a small compliment while they sat at the fireplace as they did every night.

   “You’re doing well with your bow,” he said. And that was it.

   Kit smiled broadly.

   “Thank you!” She was also starting to learn respect and knew how to answer respectfully.

   “Now, I have to tell you that I don’t want to compare you to the other young rangers, and I don’t want you to either,” he said it as a fact, not wanting to continue on this subject, but knowing he had to address it, even if it was only a small bit.

   She raised an eyebrow. “Why,” she asked sternly. She had gotten used to Lawson and recognized his uncomfortable voice. Not many people knew him so well. She had also mastered her won voice and knew how to sound demanding.

   He just looked at her and made a regretful face as if he wished he hadn’t taught her so much about knowing another person’s emotions.

   “Lawson!”

   “It’s because you’re the only female Ranger. Actually you’re the first in history.”

   “Oh….brilliant,” she said, rolling her eyes.

   “You see, it’s just never happened that a ranger only had one child, and if it did happen, the child was always male,” Lawson explained.

   “You mean if the first born child of a Ranger was a female, but then the next child was male, the girl wouldn’t get to become a Ranger?”

   He nodded his head.

  “Then why did you pick me? Why didn’t you just forget the tradition of a child of a Ranger becoming a Ranger?”

   “Because you were different, Kit. You’ve been through hard times, and that’s what has made you tough. Rangers who train more Rangers don’t just choose the first male; they choose the child – usually male – with the best personality for becoming a Ranger. But enough said on this subject, go on to bed,” Lawson said sticking his pipe into his mouth.

   She got up and went to bed, falling asleep quickly…as usual.

Alright, so, if you've read this chapter, you know that Kit just learned how to shoot a bow (the most deadly weapon Rangers are known for). I had hoped that I explained it clearly...especially the part on how the arrow is held. I had to do some reasearch as I've never actually shot a bow myself. My reasearch actually entitled me asking my brother-in-law who bow hunts deer. ;)

So, in case it wasn't clear (and please let me know if it wasn't), here is a picture I found on Google of someone holding an arrow to a bow:

Let me know if anything with the training wasn't clear, I would really like to know.

Thanks for reading!
~Lillian

• Post Watcha think!

Hey Guys! Well, I"m back form my Vacation! Been back for awhile now. lol Yeah, anyways  I"ve just now had the time to get on here 2 tell  you about it..Well, the 1st day we drove 15  hours. We stayed in West Virgina for the night. Then we headed to Maine. We went to Maine to see a Light house that was designed by George Washington. It was rainy that day.. It pretty much rained the whole time we we're gone. But that's okay. I still had a wonderful time. Then after we left Maine we went headed to Boston. I really enjoyed Boston. It's one of my fave places. I also got to meet MY PENPAL!!! It was the coolest thing. She was on facebook one of the nights we were in Boston. I told her I was in Boston and she was like "NO WAY" so i got to meet her. So that was pretty neat. I also got to meet Steve (not the guy who plays off blues clues) but he plays in between shows on PBS kids. lol It still was awesomeeee!!! lol The last day we stayed in Boston mom and I just walked around. My brother and dad went to a baseball game. :) We stayed in Boston for 3 days. I really enjoyed Boston most of the time mom and I just walked around. It was fun! :)  then we went to New YORK CITY BABY! Well, I LOVED NEw York! We stayed in th Crownie Plaza.. Yeah, so that kewl. I just had a great time. We walked around and shopped.  Oh it was just awesome. Had a great time. I'll have to post the pictures when I can. :D I took TONS of pictures. So it will prob be a long time before I"ll post them all. 

Well, I've been so busy one again.  This Summer has went by WAY fast...Hasn't it???? We start school soon. So that should be fun. I"ll be in the 10th grade. Yeah....Well, I gotta go! I"ll post pictures when I can.

Oh sorry if i misspelled something or whatever but i dont really have much time. So yeah. TTYL!

Over and Out,

~*Smiley*~

 

• Post Watcha think!

Alright, I'm putting this story aside for a while. Just thought I'd let everyone know so they don't wonder. I'm currently working harder on Guided by Rangers which you can read on my other blog.

• Post Watcha think!

I've really got to get posting these chapters! I'm currently writing chapter 13 in my notebook, so everyone got lots to read!

 

Chapter 4

   They arrived in a clearing, after going up hill for a long while. There stood a modest little cabin.
   Kit didn’t care what it looked like, but she did notice a barn just a tid bit smaller than the cabin.
   Lawson rode the pony in and waited while Kit hopped off. She immediately started exploring, taking and memorizing everything.
   “A raccoon must have got in the hay trough while I was gone,” Lawson said.
   She looked at him quizzically.
   “See the hole? Racoon probably used it as a bed.”
   Kit looked, but there wasn’t much of a hole, she really hadn’t thought anything of it.
   “I don’t see much,” she confessed.
   “I didn’t expect you to.”
   She frowned.
   “You couldn’t have Kit, I know not only because I track, but I memorize everything’s position with a glance. I’ll have to cover the trough.”
   Kit made a mental note to start memorizing…a lot.
   Lawson led the way to the cabin and opened the screechy door. Kit winced.
   “I think you need to oil your door,” she said.
   “If I leave it like this, nobody can sneak in without me knowing, now can they?”
   “Ah.”
   They walked in to see a very clean kitchen on the left and fireplace with two sitting chairs on the right. Pots were neatly stacked on top of the cupboard and Kit could see no dust anywhere. Three doors were on the opposite wall.
   “The door on the far left is yours, mine’s the middle,” Lawson said.
   Kit only had a very small bag that held only a brush and another change of clothes.
   “And here,” he said, giving Kit a small parcel.
   She took it and headed towards her new bedroom.
   When she stepped in she was impressed to see everything dusted and the bed made.
   She set the bundles on the bed and opened the one Lawson had given her. There, she found the same cloak as his. When she looked at it, she really couldn’t tell what color it was. It was grey, green, black, and brown, all at the same time.
   She tied it on, it fit perfect, and she liked the feel of the fabric. She stood there rubbing it and looking around at the plain room. A dresser on her left, the bed in front of her, and a small window too high for her to see out of. If she didn’t know better, she’d think it was a prison cell.
   “You like it?” Lawson asked, suddenly appearing.
   She turned around quickly.
   “The room or the cloak?” she asked.
   “Well, I would be surprised if you truly liked the room.” 
   She nodded. “Well, I really like the cloak.”
   “Leave it on and come into the kitchen when you’re done.”
   She wasn’t sure what he was going to do. Fear again crept into her mind as she realized she knew nothing about actually being a Ranger.
   She set her brush on top of the very small dresser and put her extra clothes into the drawers.
   Then, very nervous, she walked out into the kitchen.
   “Okay, first things first. Since you’re a girl, I assume you know how to clean and cook, am I right?”
   She raised an eyebrow wondering what that had to do with being a Ranger.
   “Well sorta…” she said.
   “Sorta? It’s either “yes” or “no”,” he said, raising an eyebrow.
   “I know how to clean fairly well, but I can’t cook.”
   “Really?” he asked, surprised.
   “I didn’t have to cook. I tried once when Aunt Lydie forced me to try to make pancakes. But the batter was almost hard as a rock and when I cooked them…they burnt.”
   “I see…” he said, rubbing his chin, “Well then, I guess today we’ll tidy up and…um…have a cooking lesson. Go get the broom behind the door and start sweeping…”

~***~

    A little after dark, about eight hours later, Kit had cleaned the small cabin from top to bottom except for the room on the right. She had also partially cleaned the stable, restocking the food bins. Kit also knew how to cook four different meals. They sat now in from of the fire, Lawson smoking his small pipe.
   “I’d say you made quite the accomplishments today…very good,” Lawson said between puffs.
   “Thank you,” she said, knowing it was very hard to win his approval. Earlier, when she was refilling the hay, he made her pick up all the pieces she had dropped so she didn’t waist a single bit.
   “Tomorrow we’ll start your training,” he said, standing up. 
   He walked over a truck beside the wood fueled stove, opened it, and took out a few items. He closed the trunk and walked back to his chair.
   “But I am going to explain a few things to you.”
   He first pulled a small dagger. It didn’t have anything fancy on it, just the knife with a leather handle sticking out of a worn leather sheath. 
   He then pulled out a bow and quiver, though it didn’t have any arrows in it.
   Lawson brought both of them over to their sitting area and set them on the floor. He had also brought his large bow.
   “This,” he said, pointing to his bow, “is a long bow, you may have heart of it. You won’t be using one of these for a very long time; you must develop years of muscle built onto your back and arms for pulling a bow string before shooting this. This bow is yours. It’s a recurve bow, bent on the edges, and strung just right so your...young muscles can get used to pulling a bow string.”
   Kit raised an eyebrow. “He meant my “weak” muscles. Hmf! “young” muscles!” she thought wryly. 
   “I assume you know what this is,” pointing to the quiver.
   “A quiver, who doesn’t know?”
   Lawson cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow. They seemed to be raising a lot of eyebrows between the two of them.
   “I mean, it’s a quiver, sorry Lawson,” she said, correcting herself. They had had a discussion on replying with too much attitude. He had said, “You don’t exactly need to tame your tongue all together, I like lots of spirit…it just needs to be the right amount. Just don’t answer smart-alic and try to show more respect.”
   Lawson nodded.
   “Now this is a very special too, Kit. You know Ranger’s are known for their strait shooting and they don’t miss their target. But what about hand-to-hand combat?”
   He picked up the knife and unsheathed it.
   “It’s a throwing knife. Perfectly balanced. Good fro stabbing and, as the name implies, good for throwing.”
   Kit was paying attention. She was engrossed with these new weapons, wanting to become familiar with them. She had no idea just how familiar she would be though by the end of the week. 
   “If you wanted to balance a regular knife on one finger, you would have to balance it somewhere on the handle. Not just where the blade meets the handle, that way, you would have an even amount of weight on either side of your finger. Understand?”
   Kit nodded her head, deep in concentration.
   “Now, with this knife, the blade and the handle weigh exactly the same,” he said. He demonstrated and it took little work to balance the knife exactly where the blade and hilt met.
   Kit was nodding her head the whole time, amazed. She hadn’t ever thought or cared about the weight of the knife, but now it seemed very important.
   “Okay, now for up here,” he said, pointing to his head.
   He got up from the floor and sat back down in his chair.
   “Rangers, as you probably know, are excellent at being unseen. People think it’s these cloaks that we wear. But the key isn’t the cloak itself, though it greatly helps, but the person inside. You’ll be trained at being absolutely still and blending, or seeming to disappear, into your surroundings. Being quiet, climbing, and tracking are other things you’ll excel at. But there’s one thing that almost surpasses the bow that a Ranger does. Do you know what it is?”
   Kit thought for a few minutes, not only did she hate when she didn’t know the answer, but she was warming to the strange man and wanted to please him.
   “In times of war, Rangers often help the king. Giving advice, but on what, I don’t know,” she replied.
   “Warfare, good. Going into war, you would want to know the lay of the land, which is geography. But geography is useless if you set your troops in a bad position. You have to know how to use it. This is true with all things: Being knowledgeable is one thing, but using that knowledge in the right way is wisdom.”
   He let her ponder all oft hat for a few minutes, knowing it was a lot he’d thrown at her.
   “Go ahead and take these to your room and get some rest. You’ll need it,” he said the last sentence as if it were a joke.
   Kit picked up the bow, quiver, and the knife, which she noticed was connected to a belt, and went to bed thinking hard.

 

I'm sorry for the weird format, I don't know why it changed half way through the chapter, it won't let me change it back. Oh, and please let me know if you like the title, I've been thinking on it and like to know others opinions.

• Post Watcha think!

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