*EDITED*

Blood was splattered all around. People were fighting, swords were shining and gleaming. Suddenly a man came up behind a someone, sword raised. The 'someone' drew out his own sword and stopped the 'man' from killing him. All in the rush of heat, the 'someone' didn't notice another man sneaking behind him. The other man raised his axe for a killing blow.

_:_:_:_:_:_

My eyes snapped opened, I was breathing deeply from my nightmare. It was night out, the moon shining high above in the dark sky with tons of stars surrounding it. Tomorrow was choosing day. The day I dreaded since I even knew what it was. I quietly got out of my bed and looked around, seeing if anyone was awake. Gladly, no one was. I tiptoed to the window next to my bed as quite as I could.

I carefully opened up the window and looked down. I was two stories high, but the height didn't scare me, if anything, it made adrenaline pump through my veins. Quietly I lifted my foot through the window, wincing as a small squeak sounded from the wooden boards below my feet, and lifted my other foot, glad that no sound went off this time. I grabbed onto the stone wall and quickly climbed down the two-storied wall like a spider. Once I was about three feet from the ground, I let go of the wall.

My feet hit the soft, green grass with a thud. I looked around to see if anyone was watching. Silence gave me my answer. I stuck close to the shadows, just to make sure. Once I got to the forest, I let out a happy sigh. I considered the forest as my home now. My parent's left me outside the castle walls, and Baron Arald gladly took me in (so not true. But you'll find out the truth soon).

I walked around the forest and froze once I heard a screeching sound of pain. I noted that the sound definitely didn't come from a human. Sprinting to where the sound came from at first, but slowed down when I thought I was close. I looked behind a bush and noticed what made the sound.

A HORSE!!! I walked slowly up to the big animal, afraid that it might run away. The horse noticed me but didn't make any movement to go away. I gently touched its wet nose, softly petting. It nudged me in the shoulder and let out hurtful grunt. "It's alright boy. Here, let me see the wound," I cooed. All it did was nodding its head as if to say 'OK'. I walked around the big chestnut horse. I looked down, and noticed a big cut on the stallion's left back leg.

I ripped up some pieces of my sweater and wrapped them around the stallion's leg. The stallion was already saddled up and everything, but it didn't stop me from wondering where the rider was. I grabbed onto reins, and threw them over the stallions head. "You know what; I'm going to name you Ranger. Is that alright with you?" I asked the horse. Once again, he nodded his mighty head up and down as if it said OK.

I laughed and rolled my eyes while saying, "Hmmmm... What am I going do with you?" I looked up, the sun was already peeking through the tall oak trees. Oh no... Choosing Day!! I rushed to get the horse standing on his feet and mounted onto the saddle resting on his back. Ranger didn't buck me off, a good sign if I say so myself. "Come on!! We got to get to the castle," I frantically whispered to Ranger. I tapped my feet lightly on his sides.

Ranger started trotting at a slow but fast pace. I tapped on his sides again, but a little bit harder and this time Ranger went cantering very fast. Woah... this horse is fast. I could see the castle in my sight. I felt like I was flying on Ranger, and that thought made me realize I was sporting a smile on my usual frowning face. I gently pulled back on the reins as I got within fifty feet of the castle gates. Ranger immedietly slowed to a stop and my smile left my face completely. Baron Arald was waiting by the guards, an angry look on his face.

Uh oh... I dismounted Ranger and led him up to the guards. I put a fake smile on and spoke, "Well hello there Baron Arald." He didn't smile back.

He looks angry.

Who said that? Wait, did Ranger just talk to me in my mind?

Yup

You can do that?

Yup

Wow...

I know

"Where were you?! And where did that horse come from?!" Baron Arald yelled. I sucked in a breath, analyzing what I was going to say.

"I was in the forest and I so happened to run into this horse. And his name is Ranger by the way," I said.

"Ranger?" Baron Arald asked.

"That's what I said, yes."

"And how did you know that this stallion is named Ranger?" Baron Arald asked with one eyebrow raised, not so perfectly also.

"I didn't, I named him Ranger."

"But it's not your horse though."

"So?" I asked getting impatient now.

"Bring this horse to the stables," Baron Arald told one of the guards, "And Lilianna, go get ready. It's Choosing Day remember," his stern voice reminding me of something I didn't want to hear. I sighed deeply.

"I remember," I responded. Ugghhhh... Choosing Day, I thought, what's the worst that could happen anyways, though?