A/N: Five years later… Gilan graduated and Will's now Halt's formal apprentice. Of course, Will already mastered the recurve bow, (he's still too young for a full longbow) is brilliant at unseen/unheard movement, and can track animals like a boss, and has had Tug for six years or so. Oh, and he can make a mean pot of coffee. However, Will still has to learn how to use knives and strikers. He also has to learn how to do Ranger paperwork. Poor Will.
Will and Halt were chatting amiably on their way to Gathering. It was a few days after Halt had disciplined Bryn, Alda, and Jerome, and Will was still giggling about how Horace had paddled Bryn. Halt was a little less pleased. He would have preferred to have the boys whipped before sending them out of the fief, but Baron Arald had said no. Seeing Will on the ground with the three bullies beating him had made Halt absolutely furious. He still winced when he saw the lingering bruises on Will's back and the small cut on his cheek.
Halt and Will suddenly paused. Halt had heard something, and Will had seen Halt stiffen when he heard the noise. Will suddenly grinned, knowing what must be happening. He was quite aware of Gilan's behavior during the Gathering. Halt told Will to change his horse's gait, and counted down. "Three, two, one…"
Father and son simultaneously tapped their horses' sides to tell them to adjust their gaits. An echo sounded behind them for a few seconds, then disappeared as Gilan adjusted Blaze's gait.
At a nod from Halt, Will signaled Tug to deepen his footprints and swung up into the trees. Halt stopped the horses and knelt down, pretending to examine a mark on the ground.
From Will's vantage point, he could see where the Ranger following them had been. If he had ever had any doubt that Gilan was the person stalking them, it was destroyed. Will only caught a glimpse of Gilan a few times, and otherwise he only saw where Gilan had been. Will jumped a tiny bit on his branch when Gilan appeared behind Halt like a wraith. Unlike a wraith, Gilan spoke with an excessively cheerful voice.
"Halt, Halt!"
Halt straightened up, brushing off his knees, and sighed. "Does that joke ever get old, my rash apprentice?"
Gilan met Halt's cool demeanor with a happy smile. "Admit it! I finally got the best of you! And you know how long I've been trying…" Halt rolled his eyes.
"Or so you think, my dear apprentice. Oh, by the way, Will loved his birthday present."
Gilan grinned. "Oh, I knew he would love the mandola." Halt hmmed an agreement.
"Yes, that he does. A funny thing, birthdays. They creep up on you. Did you know Will is fifteen now? The same age you were when you started your apprenticeship…" Halt trailed off and looked meaningfully at Gilan, whose eyes widened. Just as Gilan realized what had happened, an arrow whizzed past his nose and hit the tree Gilan was standing beside.
Gilan's head whipped around to Will as he jumped out of a tree. "Looks like I was so intent on catching an old gray fox, I forgot about the monkey in the tree!" Halt rolled his eyes.
"I'd say Will made a monkey out of you. What have I always told you? Be patient!"
Will grinned cheekily. "Yeah, Gil, be patient! I can't believe you didn't notice Tug!"
Gilan rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath while he mounted Blaze, and the three Rangers set off for the Gathering.
A/N: Yes, yes, short chapter. It's basically a bunch of oneshots. Can't wait for the Kings of Clonmel chapter. I'm doing one or two chapters per book. Next up: Morgarath finds Will and gets ANGRY. Yes, I already did a BB AU, but I DON'T CARE! It'll be different. Shoutouts:
TheNavyEagle: Sorry you had trouble figuring out who was talking! Hopefully this chapter is better. Thanks, and yes I do have a plan ;-)
Maddie Altman: I have written more! Not much more… I'm ashamed of this micro chapter, but… it's something. Awesome name, btw!