here's another chappie..

ENJOY!!..

Chapter 10 – Joel's Story

On the second day of riding Halt estimated that he was about a day behind Gilan. Halt had been following his tracks easily but the thing that was bothering him was the direction. Gilan had been following Will's kidnappers tracks and they had been heading in a generally north-east direction. Halt was not a fool.

Araluen was at war with Morgarath.

Morgarath hated Halt more than anything in the world.

Their intelligence suggested that Morgarath's main war camp was somewhere in a forest in the north-east.

Halt could put two and two together but how he hoped that he was totally wrong. If Will was being held by Morgarath...it just didn't bear thinking about.

Halt rode all through the day, only stopping at midday to have a bite to eat and give Abelard a break. At that time Halt guessed that he only would have to ride half the night before he reached Gilan so he kept riding through the night.

It was just after midnight when Halt saw the light of a fire up ahead. He slowed his pace a bit. He was sure that it was Gilan so there was no need to hurry anymore. After a couple of minutes Halt rode into the camp.

Joel's nose twitched. He could smell something great, but that wasn't what woke him. What woke him was the sound of horse slowly marching towards him.

Slowly he sat up and saw a small man sitting on top a small horse. He watched the man as he dismounted and took off the saddle and then watched as he went searching through a pack, much like Gilan's. Then the man gave his horse some grain and water.

After this he made his way over to the fire. As he passed, Joel tensed, he did not know this man and at the moment Joel was suspicious of almost everyone. Then he relaxed when the man just walked straight passed, not appearing to notice him.

Halt noticed the boy in the shadows. Apart from Gilan, who was at the fire, he was the only one awake. He didn't say anything to him but he noticed the way he seemed to tense up, even more than he usually was, when Halt walked past.

Gilan stood up to greet his former master.

"Hello Gilan," Halt said.

Gilan nodded, "Halt. How are you?" he asked worried.

"As good as one can be under the circumstances."

Gilan sighed inwardly; Halt was never really one for words, especially when they were expressing feelings. Gilan knew how much Will meant to Halt. Their bond was past the usual master and apprentice bond. It was more like father and son.

"Any news on Will?"

Gilan shook his head sadly. "Nothing."

"Who's Will?"

Both the Rangers jumped slightly. Strangely, neither of them had noticed Joel come over.

"Who's this?" Halt asked.

"This is Joel," Gilan introduced. "Joel, meet Halt."

"And how did you come across each other?" This boy was obviously running away from wherever he came from. He was not on a good condition at all. Halt was curious as to what his story was.

"Well, the man on watch woke me, not too long ago," Gilan started. "And there was something crashing around on the trees, I went to check it out and found Joel. Brought him back here and I was just making him something to eat."

Halt nodded slowly. So Gilan doesn't know anything about him yet.

There was silence for a minute and then Gilan asked Halt, "You probably haven't eaten in a while. Do you want some stew? I've made enough."

"Thanks Gilan, I'd appreciate that."

There was silence again while Gilan served up the stew. Halt found a comfortable spot on the ground next to the fire and so did Joel.

"So," Joel started nervously. "Who's Will?"

"How about," Gilan handed Joel his bowl. "You tell us your story and then we'll say ours."

Both Rangers looked at Joel expectantly. He took a mouthful of his stew, which was surprisingly good and then looked up. He didn't trust either man in front of him but he did trust them more than most people. He didn't really know how to start so he asked them.

"What do you want to know?"

"Well, for a start," Halt said. "Who exactly are you?"

"You already know that. I'm Joel."

"Yes but, why did Gilan find you in the forest? What are you scared of?"

It was then that Joel started getting defensive.

"What makes you think I'm scared of something?"

"Because when I first came in and you were watching me, yes I saw you," Halt added when he saw the look on Joel's face. "I walked past and I could see you tense up and get all nervous even though you thought I hadn't seen you."

"And," Gilan added. "When you fell, you wouldn't let me help you up even though you were obviously weak, tired and on the edge of unconsciousness."

"Well," Joel said uncomfortably. "I didn't know who you were then." He muttered.

"Why were you in those trees?" Gilan asked softly.

"I was...running away," Joel started, it was obvious that he'd never talked about this openly before.

Maybe, Halt thought, because there was no-one to talk to.

"Why?" Gilan asked.

"Let me start from the beginning."

"It's always a good starting point," Halt said.

"I was seventeen at the time. I lived in a small village near the coast. One day I went to town to get something for my mum. It was about a half a day's walk to town. On my way home I was aware of some guys who were behind me. I was aware of them but not really worried because I thought they lived in one of the closer villages. Next thing I know two of them ran up beside me and before I could do a thing they knocked me unconscious

"I woke up somewhere that, later, I found out was the Mountains of Rain and Night. Turns out Morgarath was getting his men to kidnap people that he could make his own. If you didn't agree to side with him, it was hell for you." Joel took a deep breath. "I was tortured for days. In the beginning I kept count but after a while it just all becomes a blur. You can't even tell the difference between one day and the next. There are professional torturers that work for him but occasionally you get him. And he's the worst. It's like, Morgarath blames you for making him do it and the pain is...deep. There's not a part of your body that isn't on fire. It's just..." Joel's voice broke and a tear found itself making a path over the dirt on his face.

Gilan put a reassuring hand on his arm.

"Eventually we moved out and went to his main war camp. He only took the ones he could 'have fun with' as he puts it. There was me and a few others, I don't know what happened to the rest. After a while I escaped. Someone forgot about watching me for a second and I just took the chance. I've been on the run for about eight days. I haven't eaten much but that didn't make much of a difference. I never really got fed when I was there. And so," he turned his attention mainly to Gilan, "when you found me earlier I thought you could be one of Morgarath's men."

Gilan nodded his understanding.

"You said that you lost count of how long you were there," Halt said. "But roughly, what do you think?"

Joel thought for a second. "Maybe two years, possibly three. They know how to keep you alive enough to survive but so you are almost begging for death. I'd seen others do it when I first arrived and I never thought that I would be like that but..." he trailed off.

"I'm sorry," Gilan said. "No-one should have to go through with that, ever."

Joel yawned.

"Why don't you go back over there and sleep, you'll need it for tomorrow."

"But-"

"We'll tell you about Will tomorrow, promise."

"Ok." Joel said and then handed his empty bowl to Gilan and went back to where he was sleeping.

"What do you think?" Gilan asked Halt.

"It's no wonder why he's so bloody nervous all the time. Imagine what happened to him."

"I don't think I want to."

"No-one would."

The two friends sat in silence a while longer then, "Actually Halt. I've been thinking."

"Always a problem."

"About Will."

Halt looked at his old apprentice. "Me too."

"The direction we are heading in..."

"Is the direction of where we think Morgarath's camp is." Halt finished for him.

Gilan nodded sadly. "What if he took Will?"

"Trust me Gilan, I've thought about it. And as much as we wish it wasn't true, we have to admit it's probably the most likely thing."

shock!GASP

these Rangers with their outrageous ideas!!! :D lolz.

review please!!

luv u all..

passion.