Halt and Crowley poured over the maps, scanning for any area where someone could hide a captive human being. They found nothing that the search parties hadn't already covered. It was a long process and both men found themselves downing several cups of coffee each. Crowley glanced up as Halt growled in frustration, again. He knew that his best friend was on the verge of a meltdown. A very dangerous meltdown. He needed something to do.
"Okay," Crowley pushed back his chair, "Gilan's father should be here soon, so why don't we go look at the area again. See if we missed something."
Halt sighed, "Crowley, we've scanned that sight four different times now, there isn't anything there."
"You never know," Crowley crossed the cabin and opened the door, "you coming?"
Halt stood wearily, as if his own weight was too much to carry, and walked over to his friend, grabbing his cloak as he went, "alright, let's just go."
They walked outside and entered the barn. Cropper and Abelard greeted them with a whinny, but Blaze merely glanced at them then turned her head. Halt walked over to the horse and rubbed her soft nose. Blaze made a keening noise in her throat and looked at him with saddened eyes.
"We'll find him, girl," Halt assured her quietly, "I promise we'll find him."
Crowley watched the exchange sadly, Blaze seemed to be taking the loss as hard as Halt was. It was kind of depressing to watch. Crowley sighed and turned to his own horse, Cropper.
"We need to find Gil, buddy," he murmured to his horse, "before we lose them both."
Cropper nickered and rubbed his muzzle in Crowley's hair, 'it'll be okay.'
"I hope you're right," Crowley sighed, glancing at Halt, "I can't lose both of them."
***Line Break***
Gilan and Ronan sat together in the darkness for what seemed an eternity. It was terrifying. They could hear their captors moving around above and heard the occasional horse pass by.
"Do you think anyone will find us?" Ronan finally asked, his voice low.
"Of course," Gilan replied confidently, "you know our mentors. They won't give up, neither will Crowley."
"It's been at least 3 days," Ronan protested, "they're the ones who taught us that after two days the victims are as good as dead."
Gilan shook his head, "Halt won't give up. He might be cranky and depressing sometimes, but he's loyal. And he cares about me."
Before Ronan could answer, the trapdoor at the top of the hole creaked open. Light flooded in and the boys cried out as it tore into their dark accustomed eyes. They heard someone drop down inside and then the door was slammed shut. Both boys opened their eyes only to feel a knife at their throats.
"Someone is coming," the man snarled at them, "you two are going to stay silent or I'm going to slit your throats."
Gilan and Ronan nodded, quietly clutching each other's arms. The knife moved back fractionally and Gilan relaxed slightly. They heard the jangling of reins and swords. Knights. Gilan tugged on his friend's shirt sleeve and felt a tug back, both of them knew what it was. They could feel the nervousness coming off the man in front of them. Then Gilan froze as a voice echoed out.
"Hallo the camp," the loud voice boomed, it sounded tense and almost frantic.
"Dad," Gilan breathed, feeling tears well up in his eyes at his father's voice.
***Line Break***
Halt and Crowley made their way through the clearing where only four days ago Gilan had trained. Halt forced down the wave of emotions that hit him. Crowley's hand rested on his arm as the reined in their horses. Halt glanced over at him and was once again grateful that his friend knew when to say words, and when to not. Right now, if anyone said anything, Halt knew he would break. The emotions would engulf him and he might not be able to come back. He had always run from things like this. Things that made him emotional scared him. His whole life, he'd been trained that emotions were weakness and to never show them. He had gotten slightly more lax about it in Araluen, but the training was still there. So were the scars... Halt shook his head. That was dangerous territory. He glanced at Crowley, who was watching him with some concern.
"Let's look around," Halt was unable to keep all emotion out of his voice, so it came out thick and gruff.
Crowley nodded and dismounted, scanning the area around them, "why don't we start where you think you saw him."
Halt sighed and gestured to a small cope of trees, "there. I could've sworn I saw him, but then when I looked he wasn't there."
Crowley grinned, despite the situation, "he's really good at what he does, isn't he?"
Halt nodded shortly and moved towards the trees, clearing his throat roughly. He knelt next to an odd looking indent in the ground and sighed.
"I was right," Halt said bitterly, "he was right here. If I'd just called him out-"
"Stop that," Crowley dismounted and hurried over to his friend, "do not start blaming yourself for this. Gilan getting taken is not your fault. If you'd been with him, they probably would have hurt you and you wouldn't have been able to find him. It played out better this way."
"Better?!" Halt snapped, jerking his arm away from his friend's hand as if he'd been stung, "Gilan is gone! I could have protected him, and now he's gone!"
Crowley sighed, "Halt it's not your-"
"Yes it is!" Halt cut Crowley off, "it's my job to protect him! He's my apprentice, I was supposed to... He..." Halt was unable to finish his sentence as everything caught up with him and he collapsed to the ground, head in his hands, tears flowing down his cheeks.
Crowley sighed sadly, he hadn't wanted to make Halt upset but he knew it had been necessary. Knowing the Hibernian, Crowley had come to the understanding that sometimes, Halt just needed a small shove in order to break. The last thing Crowley wanted was for someone to make Halt mad before he let it all out. That would only result in someone getting hurt. Halt made a despairing noise in the back of his throat and Crowley felt his heart shatter. He hadn't ever heard Halt actually cry before, it was heart breaking.
Unable to stop himself, Crowley knelt next to Halt and wrapped his arms around his best friend's shaking frame. He rubbed soothing, gentle circles around Halt's back. Halt stiffened for a few seconds, seeming to be unsure as to what to do, then melted into the hug. He kept his own arms firmly in between himself and Crowley, almost as a protective barrier.
Crowley could feel Halt's elbows pressing sharply into his sides, but he didn't care. Halt needed this. Halt needed to know it was okay to cry. It was something that Crowley had been trying to instill in his best friend for years now, but Halt had never seemed to fully understand. Crowley knew that there were some things that He would never understand about his friend, but he knew that crying was good for him.
His line of thinking was interrupted by a sudden movement from Halt. The Hibernian was using his forearms to shove Crowley backwards. Crowley loosened his grip and Halt slid his arms out, only to then wrap them around the red-head. He gripped the back of Crowley's shirt and sobbed into his shoulder. Crowley realized after a second that breathing had become slightly more difficult, but he didn't care. This was a hug. Halt was giving him a real, honest to goodness, hug. Crowley smiled into Halt's hair and sighed with relief. Halt would be okay. They all would.
***Line Break***
Gilan felt the tears roll down his cheeks as his father's voice sounded from up above. His father was feet away and had no idea.
"Hello,"David sounded like he'd dismounted, "I'm passing through and I was wondering if you've seen my son. He's seventeen years old and we haven't been able to find him for a few days now," his father sounded choked, "he's tall and lanky and has dark blonde hair."
"We saw a kid who looked like that a while ago," a man replied, "he was travelling with a ranger."
"A ranger?" Gilan almost sobbed at the hope in his father' voice, "Halt must have found him," they heard him mount up again, "thank you. Have a good day, men."
"Glad we could help," the same voice responded.
They heard hooves pound off into the woods, then a flurry of movement. The trapdoor swung open and two more men jumped down into the hole. Swords glinted in their hands and their faces were set in a horribly malicious look.
"Boss said it's time to go," the closest one ordered, "that guy won't be gone long. The ranger cabin is only a few kilometers away."
Gilan glanced over at Ronan, it was clear that this information was just as shocking to him as it had been to Gilan. The cabin was only a few kilometers away. Halt, was only a few kilometers away. Gilan clenched his fists and felt his stomach curl. Ronan placed a hand on his arm and glared at him.
"Look," he whispered, "if I can get them distracted, you need to get away."
"Heck no," Ronan snapped, "I'm not leaving you. There's no way."
Gilan glanced over at his captors who were distractedly taking up camp and watching the trees surrounding the hole.
He gripped his friend's shoulders, "if you get the chance, take it."
Ronan hesitated, "what about you? and the other apprentice? We still don't know what's happened to him."
Gilan shook his head, "you have always been the fastest of us. You have to go. You have the best chance, you just haven't gotten the opportunity yet. If you get it, take it."
Ronan looked his friend over carefully, "you're gonna do something stupid. Aren't you?"
Gilan nodded as their captors made their way over to the two boys. They hauled the two apprentices up out of the hole and were moving to tie them up when Gilan acted. He slammed his heel down on one man's foot, pivoting and then ramming his elbow into the man's nose. The other men moved to restrain him, leaving Ronan with only one man to deal with. Ronan, applying the same techniques as Gilan, quickly slipped out of his captor's gasp and made a break for the trees.
Gilan watched as Ronan disappeared into the woods, two men on his tail. He knew Ronan would escape, his friend was the best of the best. Now, Gilan was concerned about his own safety. He didn't relent in his defense until the two men pursuing Ronan returned, empty-handed. The men then turned their anger on Gilan. By the time it was all over, Gilan's hand had been broken and his left eye was swollen completely shut. He was sure he had several broken ribs and his foot was completely shattered. He was thrown onto the back of a horse and a realization hit him. They would be watching him like hawks now that one of them had escaped. Every move he made would be examined twice over, and he could be attacked for the slightest infringement. There would be no escaping now.