Hey guys! It's time to do what I REALLY like doing! (Evil smile) What that is you'll find out!

OK Halt and Will are in Redmont after 8 but I haven't read 9 yet so there aren't any spoilers for that.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own this wonderfully fantastic world; John Flanagan does (though that could be arranged!) MWAHAHAH!

Will was lost and thought and Halt was starting to worry. He had never known his former apprentice to be so quiet.

"OK I give what the heck are you thinking about?" Halt exclaimed after much time had passed.

Will gave him a confused glance.

"Don't you give me that look. You have been silent ever since we left the castle. Need I remind you that coming out here was completely your idea! You haven't even told me why or where we are going!"

"Oh, sorry Halt I've just got a ton on my mind. As to why we are out here, I have bad feeling about these sightings. And I kind of needed your advice on how to propose to Alyss." He added a tad awkwardly.

Halt laughed, "There that wasn't so hard was it! I mean that those sightings are just a bit of hogwash and have hardly any merit to them. As for Alyss ," he continued on soberly," I can give no advice. You have to do that all on your own." Under his breath added," And about time at that."

Will gwuaffad. "And how long did it take you to ask Pauline to marry you?" He cried indignantly. With a cold cruel stare at his master.

Not surprisingly Halt copied the gesture and said nothing in reply.

"Well I know the monster is rubbish, but I think that something is going on." Will continued, "There just something fishy about the whole thing."

"I agree, but did you have to bring me along?" Halt complained. Will gave him an evil grin.

"Why Halt, I recall quite clearly that you were very enthusiastic about wanting to get out of the castle." Halt muttered something under his breath. Will grinned.

"I'm sorry what was that?" he said as he leaned over closer. Halt grabbed Will by the ear and pulled him off of Tug. Halt listened to Will's curses as Will landed in a ditch filled with mud.

"Ah, young people, you never seem to think."

Will brushed some mud off grumbling. He was about to comment on how daft older men could be when Halt raised his hand for silence.

He and Will turned to the noise. They listened for awhile, but it never echoed.

Halt turned to Will. "Yeah there's definitely something off around here. Let's try to find out what is and fast. This is getting very creepy."

Will didn't comment as he swung in to his saddle and started towards the nearest town.

"Let's see what we can find out at the nearest inn. I doubt that we'll hear anything, but it looks like a storm is coming in."

The ranger's rode down the hill, oblivious to the observer in the trees.

"Perfect, right in to the net the fish fly."

NOTE: yeah I know the last line is really corny, but don't stop reading 'cause I'm not done writing and this will be REALLY good!

~Yours effervescently

Sicily Tears