Chapter 8

Debt of Bones

Raven watched as the two friends reunited. Halt held Will so tight and murmuring softly to him, hoping to stop Will's sobs on his shoulder and his own on Will's. Will could not believe that this was real even if he did not remember every thing about this man, he remembered enough to know that he missed him so much. Raven for his part smiled. This was beautiful thing to see, a boy and his father reunited, after what must been along time, but by the look of the boy's pale skin colour, Will was getting weaker by the minute and should soon rest again and heal.

My spell can not do everything Raven thought.

"Not to ruin this beautiful moment but Will my spell to heal you can not give you all your health back you should be sleeping." said Raven.

Only to have Will growl from his position on Halt's shoulder, not wanting to leave Halt for any reason at all. He lift his head high enough to glare at the wizard though. He knew that Raven was right but it did not mean he liked it.

Raven glared back at Will and said " bags and double bags don't give me that language boy" only to have Will deepen his growl.

What language thought Halt. He had only heard Will growl at the man. This was followed by more growls and now whines in different tones that made it sound like talking. But how could this be? Will could talk normally so what was with the wolf sounds.

Will sighed at Raven's words. I suppose I must do what he said thought Will, and then let Halt go, and in a flash he was back on four paws. Raven let out a soft windblown whistle and a second latter two horses appeared out of the trees. Halt smiled, the way Raven called and saw to the two horses before moving off in to the trees reminded him of Abelard and Tug.

As Raven got a litter ready to carry the wolf child, Will looked down and away from Halt, afraid of what he might say or do. For a another memory surfaced of how people treated others they thought had magic and now he had some. Would Halt except him now? even though he knew Halt still cared about him and had held him. It did not mean that he would like his wolf form that he was forced to wear now forever. Even if he somehow gained the ability to stay human all the time, the wolf would always be part of him.

"Will its alright I know you are worried about what I think of this, about your wolf self, but I don't care, you are still you whether you are human or wolf. Your still Will, my son" Halt said before throwing his arms around the white wolf neck.

Halt could feel the softness of his coat, his soft breath near his ear. Halt's hand moved down the wolf's body, gently touching the scar on Will's side. Will snuggled into Halt. He felt wonderful even though his body was going to fall any moment. Will now moved to the litter that Raven had set up. Will was not sure that the two wooden poles and the material stretched between them, would hold his weight, (in his wolf form he weight quite a lot most of it muscle) but once he had laid down and relaxed, he was soon sleep.

"Well that did not take long. Come on young man, let's get on home. Where you can clean up and decide what you and your boy want to do next" said Raven getting on the horse that held Will's litter behind it. While Halt got on the other.

"Is Will alright? that wound was bad" Halt asked, he kept his horse beside Will's sleeping form, not wanting for a moment to take his eyes off the wolf child.

"Sure. He will be fine, a few days rest will have him on his paws in no time. It takes a lot to kill his kind, for the most part they are immortal. I know this from others of his kind that I have helped over the years"said Raven, then seeing the shocked look on Halt's face. He must have thought Will would have a normal human lifespan Raven thought. So he continued " as true as toasted toads, he is immortal. He can not speak human though. Lost that ability when he was changed. Even though now with my spell giving him the ability to change back to human and regain his memories, the ability to talk human will take some time to come back to him. Centuries maybe"

Halt took in what the wizard told him about himself, and how he had met Will and about the witch who had turned him. Halt wondered if Will could say any words in Araluen or was wolf the only words he could speak. If that was so how was he going to understand him and help him though the years ahead Halt thought. Halt looked at the wizard he now knew as Raven and even though he was a kind man, Halt did not know if he could really trust him with the most important thing in his life.

Will came out of his dream world nearly six hours later, when the motion of the two horses stopped. He could see that they had been talking about him, but he kind of thought that they would do this, so he was not worried about it. The two of them were resting by the fire they had set up, so Will changed back into human form and went over to them.

Halt looked up as Will made soft noises at him as he came up to the two of them. Halt sensed that Will wanted to say something but like before Halt could not understand a word. Will seeing that he was not getting though to Halt, just sat down and wrapped his arms around Halt again, seeking the comfort that this man could bring.

"Here let me help the two of you" said Raven as he placed one of his hands on Will's throat and the other on Halt's forehead. Raven then said some words that neither rangers could understand, then once he stopped he said "there now, you will be able to understand him Halt".

Will looked at Raven nodding his thanks before saying "Halt, I can't believe I have found you. I thought I would never see you again. When that B..B... Witch changed me and made me forget everyone. Somehow I held on to some memory of you, for you are the closest thing I have to a father. Halt, I love you"Will said before cuddling back into Halt again. He had been though too much and having some one like Halt there brought the comfort he needed.

"Will, my son. I never gave up on finding you again. I will always come for you, no matter where that is and wolf or human I only see you. My home is with you and while I have friends home that might need me one day. I will never leave this place without you"Halt told him, now that he could understand what the boy was saying then he continued "Raven thank you for what you have done for us"

"No thanks needed. I just wish I could do more for the two of you. Like change Will back completely" said Raven looking at the two of them, knowing that one day in the future they would be separated whether they wanted it or not. Whether it was illness or old age or something else, the boy would soon loose his friend again.

"But you could"Halt said looking at the wizard.

Will looked up at Halt and raised an eyebrow something he never lost from his time as a human. What could Raven do that could help the two of them. Will knew that Raven could not cure him completely of the spell that the witch had placed on him. No matter how much he wanted it, that was impossible, then he heard Halt speak again.

"You could change me too"

An: like it? what do you think of Halt request?

Side note: Some people have said my summary sucks so I will run a competion. write me a new one and the best will get part of the next chapter as their reward a full two weeks before any of the others read it.