*The italicized portion is taken straight from Ranger's Apprentice, Halt's Peril

Will switched the saxe to his left hand. The moment he did, Bacari tossed the dagger back to his right. And laughed.

"You're not very good at this," he said.

"I used to watch a man who—" Will began, and then, without warning or hesitating in his speech, he threw the saxe left-handed, an underarm spinning throw.

It was an old trick Halt had taught him years ago. When you're overmatched, deception and distraction are your best friends. Begin to speak. Say anything. Your opponent will expect you to finish the statement, but act before you do. Chances are, you'll catch him napping.

But Bacari knew the trick too. He had used it himself, many times. And now he simply stepped to one side and the saxe went spinning past him. He laughed.

He was still laughing when Will's throwing knife, drawn and thrown the moment the saxe had left his hand, buried itself in his heart. He looked down and saw it for a fraction of a second before his sight went black and his legs collapsed underneath him.

"I don't need you alive anymore," Will said coldly.

Bacari sank to his knees, his eyes glazed over and his mouth parted slightly giving him a permanent look of surprise. He collapsed onto his stomach with a satisfying thud, face planting into the forest floor and driving Will's throwing knife further into his chest. Will stared at him with a look of nothing but fury and cold disdain. Using the toe of one shoe, he rolled the assassin over and didn't bother to adjust the Genovesan's hand that got stuck under his aubergine-clad body.

He crouched down to pull out the knife and ignored the blood that began to seep onto his clothes, instead, choosing to wipe the blade on the cloth of his shoulder before reholstering it. Will rose from a crouch and pointedly avoided looking in Halt's direction, choosing instead to look further into the tree line for where his saxe knife landed.

"That's one way to get an early start," Halt deadpanned, watching his apprentice carefully and noting his refusal to look his way. He had managed enough energy to prop himself up on one elbow and was squinting into the hazy gloom of the early morning.

Will stole a glance at his mentor sprawled out on his bed roll before stepping over Bacari and scanning the floor for a glint of silver that marked where his saxe knife fell. After he found his knife a little ways away, he marched over to Horace's limp form and rolled him onto his back, his head lolling awkwardly at one side with one arm bent underneath his torso. With a grunt of effort, Will tilted him over a little more and slid Horace's arm free so that he was laying spread eagle on the floor. A tinge of greenish blue was forming around his throat and Will was sure it would become a nasty bruise within a few hours. There was nothing more that Will could do for him at the moment, so he walked back across their little camp.

"You can go back to sleep. I'll finish the last watch," Will said as he dragged his saddle pack closer to the center of camp and sat on it as a chair, his bow leaning against one knee.

"Oh, please. Like there's any way either of us can go back to sleep after that," Halt said disdainfully.

"Horace and Malcolm seem to have no problem with that," Will retorted. They both watched the bird-like man curled up under his thin blanket and Malcolm conveniently chose that time to let out a deep snore as he curled up even tighter.

"Malcolm isn't built for this life," Halt said simply. "Plus, he's tired."

Will snorted and said, under his breath, "No, I'm tired."

Halt grunted with effort and managed to shove himself further up his saddle pack so that he was leaning against it. He laced his fingers together, laying them over his stomach. "How many hours of sleep have you gotten lately?"

Will glanced his way before staring back into the dense thicket of trees around them. "Enough," was all he said.

"That's debatable," Halt shot back.

Will rolled his eyes, but said nothing. There was no use in arguing the undeniable truth-that there was no way he had gotten enough sleep lately. He had ridden day and night for days straight to find Malcolm, then again to bring him back to this clearing. Then he rode again in pursuit of Bacari, fought and captured him, then brought him back where they managed to work out which flower the poison came from. And now, he hadn't even managed to get one full night's sleep even after all of that, instead being rudely awakened with a threat of imminent danger and fighting off the Genovesan, yet again.

"Why don't you go back to sleep and I'll keep watch for the last few hours?" Halt suggested softly. "You clearly could use the sleep."

"You could use the sleep too. You were poisoned and need to rest. Besides, there's not much you could do even if someone else did attack us tonight and I'd rather fight them off fully awake than barely conscious like this time," Will said.

"Well if we both could use the sleep, then I say you kick Horace awake and make him finish his watch."

Will snorted and they both looked at Horace's catatonic figure laying in the shadows. "I'm not sure if I completely trust him to stay awake for a watch any more. He shouldn't have even been that tired. All he did was go for a light jog."

Halt's eyebrow raised quizzically. He had to make sure to ask Malcolm what had happened these past few days. He would ask Will, but chances are, he would probably downplay everything that he had done. "Well when he does wake up from his nap, there's no way he's living this down any time soon."

Will chuckled softly and his gaze met Halt's with a faint smile. "No. There's not."

Will sighed and Halt waited for him to speak whatever was on his clearly troubled mind. Turns out, he didn't have to wait long.

"I'm sorry. I should have woken up the second Horace started struggling against Bacari. I should have heard it." Will sounded defeated, his voice lathered in self-disgust.

Halt grunted again and pushed himself into even more of an upright sitting position. "Like you said, you're exhausted and your body clearly needed the sleep. Besides, it all worked out in the end," Halt said, ever the pragmatist.

"Thank heavens for that," Will muttered.

"Thank you, Will," Halt said softly. His dark eyes met Will's, holding his gaze so that he could not look away.

"Don't thank me," Will demanded. "I almost lost you."

"Accidents happen, that's inevitable. But you kept me alive. I have no idea what happened these past days or weeks or however long it's been, but I doubt that I would still be here talking if it weren't for you."

The corners of Will's mouth quirked up into a faint smile and he responded, "You would have done the same for me."

And it was true. Neither of them doubted the lengths the other would go through to save or even just to help the other.

Halt clapped his hands and rubbed them furiously together. "If neither of us plan on granting our bodies the sleep they so desperately need, we can at least give them some coffee," he said briskly, glancing pointedly at the pile of branches that was once alight with flames.

Will laughed, but didn't move from his seat quite yet. "Are you sure coffee is the best for your system right now? You just got an antidote to a very lethal poison."

"Malcolm isn't awake to say otherwise and I say coffee."

"Fine, but if the coffee ends up making you get worse and Malcolm needs something else to heal you, I'm making Horace get it."

Halt smiled as Will stood and walked over to their food supply in search of mugs and coffee grounds, both of them fully aware that it wasn't true in the slightest. Even still, Halt replied, "It would only be fair."

Minutes later, a fire was crackling in the center of their camp and Will handed Halt a mug of steaming coffee before returning to his perch on his saddle bag. They talked quietly together as they watched the sun steadily make its way up the horizon, casting streaks of pale light towards them, seeping through the leaves and creating a beautiful mosaic of light on the forest floor.

Malcolm stirred and his eyes fluttered open. He yawned loudly and flipped onto his other side, intending to fall back asleep. Instead, he yelped in surprise.

Halt and Will were both staring at him with the same blank look on their faces with Will's face shrouded in the shadow of his cowl.

Malcolm pushed himself up and clutched at his chest, feeling his heart now beating much rapidly against his chest, threatening to jump through his ribcage, and he could practically feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

"Good God! You scared the living daylights out of me!" he said angrily.

Neither of the Rangers apologized, but he hadn't really expected them to. Malcolm ungracefully shoved his way to his knees, then his feet, where he stretched loudly, cracking most of the joints in his body. After he was satisfied, he looked around for a jug of water and just now noticed what Halt was holding.

"What is that," he demanded, looking at the mug in his hand.

"Coffee."

"And why are you drinking coffee?" he asked in the same angry tone.

"Why wouldn't I be drinking coffee?" Halt retorted. Will chuckled at his side, quite enjoying this conversation.

"Because you were just poisoned and you need to sleep!" Malcolm strode over purposely and made a grab at his coffee mug, but Halt lightly switched it to his other hand at the last moment so that he grabbed nothing but air. He reached for the mug again, but Halt easily kept the mug just out of his reach.

Will stifled another laugh and a smile danced across Halt's face.

Malcolm puffed out his chest and stuck his chin up, trying to portray authority over the Ranger. "You can not be drinking coffee right now. Tea, sure. Water, yes. But coffee, no."

Halt just cocked his head at him and took a defiant sip from his mug. He didn't think now was the best time to tell him that this wasn't his first cup of coffee this morning.

"He can be quite infuriating sometimes," Will added with a conciliatory air to Malcolm, but Malcolm was determined.

"Will, can you get his coffee mug for me?" he asked, his gaze stern.

"No, thanks. I already fought one angry, weapon-wielding hooligan this morning. I don't intend to fight another," Will said.

Malcolm blinked at him, stopping his harangue before he even began. "What?"

Will gestured to the dead Genovesan lying on the forest floor and he watched as Malcolm's gaze slid to the bloody wound in his chest and then to Horace who hadn't moved in the past few hours. Malcolm's mouth dropped open and he quickly closed it to turn back to Will.

"Why did you kill him? We already got the information we needed from him, there was no need to-"

"I killed him because he was trying to kill me, Malcolm," Will interrupted, his voice suddenly sounding extraordinarily tired. "And that was after he tried and nearly succeeded in strangling Horace."

Malcolm stared at Will, his expression a mask of confusion. He stammered a few times before regaining his original train of thought. "Okay, let's get back to that in a moment. The fact remains that Halt should not be drinking coffee. Will dragged me here to help you and I just brought you back from the brink of death. The least you can do is actually listen to my expertise."

Halt narrowed his eyes at the short man before him. Finally, after a long stretch of uncomfortable silence, he sighed and threw the last of his second mug of coffee into the dirt behind him.

"Happy now?" he grumbled.

"Not quite." Malcolm turned to Will now who was watching this whole affair with a giddy grin. "Why are you drinking coffee? You need to sleep just as much as Halt."

Will cocked an eyebrow and the grin slid off his face. "I'm drinking coffee because I wanted coffee. That, and I needed to stay awake to keep watch since clearly Horace didn't feel up to the task."

Malcolm breathed out heavily in frustration and threw up his hands. Then he wagged a finger between the Rangers. "You two may just be the worst patients I've ever had the misfortune of treating."

Halt smirked, but Will said in sheer curiosity, "I wasn't aware that I was your patient."

"You're my patient if I say you're my patient!" Malcolm fired back in a way that sent both Rangers' eyebrows climbing. "You showed up at my door exhausted and haven't had a break since. I'm going to wake up Horace and then both of you are going straight to sleep."

"I don't think that's possible. I just had two cups of coffee," Halt said completely seriously.

Will let out a bark of laughter that just sent Malcolm fuming even moreso.

"You know, most people think it prudent to thank me after I save their life," Malcolm said loudly, interrupting Will's chuckles.

"You're right," Halt capitulated. "Thank you, Malcolm. Truly."

Malcolm took a soothing breath and met the Ranger's gaze, seeing nothing but genuine gratitude. He nodded his acceptance.

"I'm going to go check on Horace, then. When I'm done, I expect you both to either be sleeping or at least cooking and eating. Halt needs more sustenance." Malcolm turned on his heel and grabbed his medicine bag before marching over towards the knight.

Will, on the other hand, sighed and drank the last of his second cup of coffee in one go before heading back to the food supply in search of packets of oats, nuts, and sugar to make porridge. Halt switched between watching Will work at the fire and Malcolm, who had now pulled out two different glass jars of dull colored pastes. He unscrewed the first, the dusty pink color of clay, and scooped a glob onto his fingers before beginning to smear it onto Horace's throat where dark bruises had begun to form.

But the moment Malcolm's thin fingers touched his skin, Horace's eyes bolted open and he sucked in a deep, rasping breath. His arms flailed out in a panic and he accidentally slapped Malcolm across the chest before making it onto his elbows, taking heaving breaths all the while. Malcolm hardly flinched when Horace's hand made contact and he laid a comforting hand on the knight's shoulder to calm him.

"It's all right, Horace. You just have a few bruises I need to take care of," Malcolm said in a soothing tone.

"What happened? Is everyone okay?" Horace demanded, looking around.

Will had noticed the slight chaos and walked over, leaving their uncooked breakfast near the flagging fire. "We're fine, but with no thanks to you," Will said as he lowered himself into a crouch beside Horace. He gave him a good-natured grin and Horace collapsed back with a sigh.

"Glad to see your sympathy is still intact," Horace said.

"I'd have a lot more sympathy if you didn't fall asleep on your watch, leaving me to deal with an irate Genovesan assassin before the sun had even risen," Will replied.

Horace's expression darkened. "I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have let myself fall asleep. I really, really messed up."

"Yes, you did," Will replied shortly.

"No harm no foul?" Horace offered hopefully.

Will stared at him blankly. Malcolm flicked his gaze between the two of them with a mix of nervousness and confusion. The air was thick with tension and he was quite frankly astounded that the two friends would let it come to this.

"I'll take your watch tonight to make up for it?" Horace suggested.

A grin broke out on Will's face and he thrust his hand forward. "Deal," he said, shaking Horace's hand the minute the knight had lifted it an inch. Will walked away satisfied, humming to himself to finish their breakfast.

Horace grinned. Even though it meant him losing a few hours of sleep, he certainly owed it to his sleep-deprived friend. Malcolm thought about interceding on Horace's behalf but resigned himself, accepting that one argument with a Ranger was enough for the day. Or at least the morning.

"Just keep still for a moment so that I can put this on," Malcolm instructed Horace, keeping one hand on his shoulder to make sure he remained on his back. He quickly smeared the pink paste over his throat and Horace's nose wrinkled in disgust.

"That smells horrible!" he cried out, turning his head and wriggling to get away from the smell.

"Poor you," the healer snapped irritably. "I swear, the three of you are the most disobedient patients I have ever had the misfortune of treating."

Horace snapped his mouth shut, fully chastised and forced his body to remain frozen as Malcolm smeared on the second fetid paste. But Halt's vocabulary didn't contain the word 'chastised.'

"Ranger's aren't exactly known for being obedient," he offered quietly from his bedroll where he was leaning against his saddle comfortably, one arm stretched casually behind his head.

"I'll have you know, I healed another Ranger in my time and he was perfectly civil and respectful. Unlike you recalcitrants."

Will and Halt shared a glance before Will shrugged. "We've been called worse," he said with an air of acceptance.

A smile crept onto Halt's face and Malcolm slammed his medicine bag closed in a temper and walked to his bedroll where he carefully placed his medicine bag with some dignity.

"Okay, okay," Will said through a few chuckles. "Sorry. We shouldn't pick on you, especially after everything you've done for us."

Malcolm narrowed his eyes at the young man before him, not quite ready to accept his apology.

"Want some breakfast?" Will offered, holding out a bowl of oats. "Halt even saved you some coffee."

"Not willingly," Halt grumbled from beside him and Will kicked him in the shin.

"Yes, I would actually," Malcolm capitulated after a moment of hesitation. He was never one to hold a grudge. "It's all water under the bridge now, so long as you tell me what I apparently slept through this morning."

"I would suggest Horace tell the story, but he was asleep for most of it," said Halt.

Horace groaned as he sunk onto the ground nearer the firepit and cradled a bowl of warm porridge in his hands. "I'm never going to live this down, am I?"

"Never," came Will and Halt's reply with near identical grins.

Yes, that last bit of dialogue is inadvertently very similar to Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire when Ron practices dancing with McGonagall. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this story! More will be coming; some are missing scenes and some are just random ideas that are floating around in my head.

If you have any suggestions for stories, please let me know! Or, if you have any suggestions, thoughts, or found any typos in this story in particular, please leave me a comment!