AN/ Okay. I'll make you a deal. I'll write this as a five story mini-series if anyone wants it. But if and ONLY IF I get at least five comments on this one. :)
Who knows? Maybe everyone hates it and no one in their right mind would want me to write another one. I'll leave it up to you guys. Enjoy!
The bright orange leaves crunched lightly underfoot, and a cool autumn breeze whistled through the trees. Halt steered his shaggy horse toward the small clearing in the center of the wood, the little beast willingly following every slight command his master fed him. The night was drawing near, and the boy following him was slowly catching up. Halt swung off his horse, glaring into the woods he and Abelard had cleared. He unconsiously patted the barrel chested animal on its head, his dark eyes still trained on the forest line behind him.
Halt made a show of unsaddling and rubbing his horse, keeping an ear out for the stranger pursuing him. He set up camp, quickly pitching his tent and starting a small fire. Halt knew the boy was not a threat, and the fire would do them both good once the kid had caught up to him.
Halt sat down on a fallen tree, gently chewing on a bit of soft bread, when the boy finally reached the camp. He tried to stay hidden from the older Ranger, his tread quiet and his breathing silent. Halt pretended not to notice, his gaze set on the fire as he let the kid have his fun. Halt heard the boy splashing through a nearby stream, trying to avoid the open clearing. A small smile touched Halt's bearded face. The kid doesn't stand a chance.
Halt heard the boy stop just inside the tree line behind where he sat. He whipped around and entered the woods, firmly gripping the dumbfounded boy's wrist where he stood.
"Gilan," he said calmly, recognizing Sir David's only son. "Why have you followed me? I'm returning to Redmont. There's no reason for you to come with me."
Gilan fearfully gazed into the dark eyes of the Ranger. "I wanted to come with you, Sir. I... I thought you wouldn't hear me. I thought I could avoid being seen. I- I thought that-"
"You could best an experienced Ranger. Without any training."
Gilan stood a little straighter, looking his adversary in the eye. "I thought I could try."
Halt surveyed the young man before him. He couldn't be older than the young age of fourteen. His fiery red hair would contrast sharply with any sort of attempted camouflage, and his bright blue eyes held a generally unhealthy amount of confidence.
Halt glared at him, jerking the boy sharply toward the tree line on his left.
"What? Wha- where are you taking me?" stammered Gilan, eyes wide. Halt ignored him, his gaze set forward as he dragged the baffled young man behind him. The two reached the stream Halt had noticed earlier. Halt turned to his captive.
"Do you still think you could beat a Ranger?" there was a hard light in the Ranger's eyes that just dared Gilan to
Gilan nodded slowly, a dry smile playing at the corner of his lips. "I'd try it again given the chance, Sir."
Halt glared at him, his forbidding eyes ablaze with an untamable fury. "You'd try it again, son?" He grabbed Gilan by the nape of his neck, grunting slightly as he pitched the boy into the stream. Gilan was plunged under the frigid water, his mouth still wide open in surprise. He collided sharply with the rocky bottom of the stream, his bare limbs littered with scratches and cuts upon impact. Gilan sat easily on the bottom, pulling his head and shoulders from the water.
"Have you learned any sort of lesson here?"
Gilan smiled thinly as he tried to wring his shirt out. "Rangers can never be bested."
Halt snorted derisively. "Don't forget that, boy." He held out a hand. Gilan took it and allowed the Ranger to pull him from the shallow stream. "Now, lets get you changed into some dry clothes."