Ranger's Apprentice: A Twist in Time
Chapter 7: Approval Found
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of the characters involved except Hueven and Adam.
Hueven and Adam were sitting in their camp that night. Hueven was using a stick to stir the coals in the fire to keep it lit and he noticed that Adam was being unusually quiet.
"Everything alright?" He asked.
"Yeah… I was just curious about Crowley's comment at the end of my last test," Adam told him.
"Oh, that? Well, it's not a big secret. You'll be completing your third year of Ranger training, which would normally mean you're ready to become a fully-fledged Ranger, however you're not a Ranger. You're a Shadow,"
"Right…" Adam trailed off expectantly.
"That next phase Crowley mentioned is my training you in the skills of a Shadow," Hueven explained as he set down his stick and leaned back on his log.
"Oh… what kind of training can I expect?" He asked.
"Firstly we'll need to finish your stealth training. You're almost there but not quite up to Ranger level, from there we'll begin to develop the more under-handed tactics of the Shadows, as well as the dual-knife and blade fighting,"
Adam nodded, "And… what about the storm to the north?"
"Heard about that did you?"
"I overheard you and Crowley talking about it. You're going on a mission to investigate after the Gathering is over right?"
Hueven stopped and looked at his apprentice, the determined look on the boy's face told him that he was expecting to come along, but he was more surprised that neither he nor Crowley had seen or heard him eavesdropping on their conversation.
"That's the plan, yes," Hueven replied after he realized he'd been quietly staring at Hueven for almost a full minute.
"I want to go,"
"Absolutely not," Hueven immediately answered, swiping a hand in front of his chest for emphasis.
"You're my master, how am I supposed to learn the skills I need if you go out and die?"
"You certainly have some faith in my abilities," Hueven replied sarcastically.
"Sorry, it's just… ever since you offered me a position in the Shadows on that day I've… well I've looked at you as more than just a mentor,"
Hueven seemed a little surprised at this, giving Adam a quizzical look.
"How so?"
"You've taught me so much, and we've been living together in Araluen castle for almost three years now… I-"
"Hueven!" A familiar voice called to them.
The two looked out into the darkness surrounding their small camp and recognized a figure approaching. Halt stepped into the firelight and gave both of them a short nod. Hueven siddled over on the log he was seated on allowing Halt to take a seat.
"I've come to discuss that thing from the other day," Halt said to Hueven as he took a seat.
"No need to keep it a secret, Adam overheard the whole thing," Hueven told him.
"Really?" Halt looked to Hueven out of the corner of his eye, "And does he know what the current plan is?"
"I just told him that I'd be going alone, and now I'm telling him about how he'll be staying with you to finish his Ranger training and work on maintaining his skills while I'm gone," Hueven addressed the second half of his sentence at Adam.
Halt nodded and looked to Adam who had shot up from his seat and was beginning to walk toward the forest edge that surrounded the Gathering grounds.
"Where are you going?" Halt and Hueven asked together.
"I need to take care of some business," Adam called back over his shoulder.
Once he was out of earshot Hueven sighed and looked to Halt, "He wants to come with me,"
"I gathered that much, have you told him how dangerous it'll be?"
"He already knows. He wants to come because he's afraid I'll get myself killed,"
"The boy has plenty of faith in you doesn't he?" Halt asked with a small grin.
"That's what I said!" Hueven shouted suddenly as he shot up to look at Halt.
They remained where they were for a minute before Hueven sighed and dropped back to his sitting position besides Halt.
"I just don't want him getting hurt… he was telling me something before you showed up… he said that he's considered me as more than a mentor since the day we met,"
"Well of course, you pick a random orphan boy and teach him how to be an assassin that doesn't kill and you don't think he'll look at you as more than a mentor figure?"
"What? Do you think he views me as some kind of father figure too?" Hueven asked with a joking tone as he looked up at Halt.
The grizzled ranger lifted an eyebrow expectantly.
"You… you're serious?"
Halt sighed before clapping a hand on Hueven's shoulder before looking down into the fire.
"The fact that you're concerned for his safety after three years of Ranger training tells me that you've known all along, but weren't willing to admit it to yourself,"
"What do you think I should do?" Hueven asked.
"Let him come with you. Besides, Crowley had no intention of letting you go alone,"
Hueven looked up in surprise.
"He was going to have Will tag along behind you and keep it secret,"
"If it's supposed to be secret why are you telling me?"
"I just don't want him getting hurt. I've heard the story of you and those road-side bandits,"
"Those were bandits though!"
"And would you be able to tell the difference between a potential stalker and Will until you saw him?"
Hueven went to retort but realized Halt's point, and made another smaller realization at the same time.
"You care about him? Even after all these years of letting him be on his own?"
Halt sighed as he stood up and grabbed a nearby log, tossing it into the fire he took Hueven's stick and stirred the coals to make sure it would burn on the new log.
"No one ever said being a Mentor was easy, even when they're not looking to you for every little detail anymore, there's never a day I don't worry about Will, or Gilan,"
Hueven sighed and hug his head into his lap. "Fine. I'll tell him when he gets back,"
"I never left," Adam said as he stood up from behind his log.
"Adam!" Hueven and Halt shouted together seeing him rise up in the darkness.
"How did-" Hueven began but Adam smiled.
"I may not be good at sneaking in plain sight, but when it's dark and everyone's too busy talking it's really easy," He said.
Hueven looked to Halt who shrugged.
"Excellent work," Hueven told him as Adam came close. He put a hand on the boy's head and ruffled his short, dark hair.
Adam was ginning from ear to ear, "Thanks! Now, tell me about our mission will you? I can't wait!"