“I said, names aren't important," he repeated. There was a silence between them for some seconds, then the Ranger said: "Do you know what is important?"Will shook his head."Supper is important!”

“You're apprentice Rangers,' he said. 'And the important word there is "Rangers".' He tapped the silver oaklead amulet around his neck. 'As a wearer of the Silver Oakleaf, I might expect obedience and some level of difference from you. But I do not expect you to call me sir. My name is Will and that's what you call me. You'd call my friend Gilan and my former master Halt, if he were here. That's the Ranger's way.”

“What was that, Kurokuma?' asked one of the escorts riding near him. The others chuckled at the name.'Nothing important,' Horace said. Then he looked at them suspiciously. 'What's this Kurokuma business?'The Senshi looked at him with a completely staight face.'It's a term of great respect,' he said. Several others within earshot nodded confirmation. They too managed to remain straight-faced. It was a skill the Nihon-Jan had perfected.'Great respect,' one of them echoed.”

“Gilan hesitated. "I wouldn't advise anyone to face a battleax with just two knives," he said carefully.So what should I do?" Will joined in. Gilan glared from one boy to the other. He had the feeling he was being set up.Shoot him," he said shortly. Will shook his head, grinning.Can't," he said. "My bowstring's broken."Then run and hide," said Gilan, between gritted teeth.But there's a cliff," Horace pointed out. "A sheer drop behind him and an angry axman coming at him."What do I do?" prompted Will.Gilan took a deep breath and lookd them both in the eye, one after the other.Jump off the cliff. It'll be less messy that way.”

“Halt shook his head. "You warriors don't do much geography in Battleschool, do you?"Horace shrugged. "We're not big on that sort of thing. We wait for our leader to point to an enemy and say, 'Go whack him.' We leave geography and such to Rangers. We like you to feel superior.""Go whack him, indeed," Halt said. "It must be comforting to lead such an uncomplicated life.”

“You know the old saying: 'one riot, one Ranger.'"The saying stemmed from a legendary event in the past. A minor fief had risen up against their cruel and avaricious lord, with hundreds of people surrounding his mano house, threatening to burn it to the ground. The panicked nobleman's message for help was answered by the arrival of a single Ranger. Aghast, the nobleman confronted the solitary figure.They sent one Ranger?" he said incredulously. "One man?"How many riots do you have?" the Ranger replied.On this occasion, however, Duncan was not inclined to be swayed by a legend. "I have a new saying," he replied. "One daughter, two Rangers."Two and a half," Will corrected him. The King couldn't help smiling at the eager young face before him.Don't sell yourself short," he said. "Two and three-quarters.”

“Crowley shook his head. "I sometimes wonder if it was a good idea having Halt train apprentices. He seems to teach them no respect for authority.""Oh, he teaches us to respect authority," Gilan said innocently. "He just teaches us to ignore it when necessary.”