Rangers Apprentice: Something Missing

Chapter 3

After Abelard trotted out of the woods, Halt could see a beautiful castle over a hill. Of course, it wasn't as beautiful as castle Araluen, but it was still amazing. It took them about half an hour to get to the castle, but when they made it Halt was exhausted. The little girl was still asleep in his arms when Halt saw Julia and James walk up to him.
"Halt, what happened, you were supposed to be here yesterday?" James asked a worried look on his face. Julia was about to say something when she saw the little girl in Halts arms.
"Oh my! Halt where did you find her?" She asked as she walked over and stroked the little girl's hair.
"A few miles east there was a village. I heard someone cry out, but when I got there the only people I found were a dead man and woman. Then I hear this girl crying in a burning house, so I ran in and got her out. I assume that the two people were her parents." When Halt finished Julia had tears in her eyes.
"May I?" She said as put her arms out to take the little girl. Halt was hesitant for a moment, then he handed her the sleeping little girl. James turned to Halt and waved for him to come inside. Halt gave Abelard to one of the stable hands, telling him what to do, and followed James inside. They walked down many halls until they made it to the dining hall. James waved towards a chair for Halt to sit. Halt walked over and sat down, wincing with the pain in his legs from riding.
"Halt, did you see anyone else at the village or on your way back?" James asked him and Halt remembered the man in the woods or, what he thought was a man in the woods.
"On my way here after I left the village just as the edge of the woods, I thought I saw a man in a black cloak just standing there."
" What do you mean you thought you saw?" James asked razing his eyebrow slightly.
"I saw something in the corner of my eye, and when I turned around the man was just standing there. I blinked and he was gone, it was like he was never even there. I thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me, I had been riding in the heat for so long." As Halt finished James just stood there stroking his beard as he thought through what Halt had just said. Halt raised an eyebrow as he saw the worry on his friend's face.
" What is it?" Halt asked eyebrow still raised. James stopped and looked at Halt for a moment then shook his head.
"It's nothing." Halt's eyebrow went up even farther.
"James I've known you for years, I know when something is bothering you." Looking at Halt James knew he was not going to drop the subject.
"I don't know if it's the same person, but people have said that they have seen a man in a black cloak using magic." When James finished he looked at Halt. Halt's emotions were blank, which James got no comfort from.
"And what do you think about this?" Halt asked. James pondered this for a moment before answering.
"I don't know what to think. I have never seen proof of magic, but I can't ignore what everyone's saying. The people are getting restless. After the Ranger who was stationed here retired is when people started seeing this cloaked figure." James and Halt stood there in silence for a moment before it was interrupted by a screaming little girl.