Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, made possible by the Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan. I have only borrowed his creation and I make no money. For this story I have used several other Rangers from the books, though I've also added my own. I do this only in the hope to entertain….

Author's Note: No harm shall come to the characters that can't be fixed with enough coffee…

Chapter 6

They just barely got back to the camp before nightfall, no one had seen anything, and so reported the other teams as well. Crowley gave the order to get an early night after a quick dinner. Gilan might have acted jovial when they left, but they returned to camp to find he had organized the cadets into having a meal prepared for everyone. It was a simple stew, and he gave Crowley a sheepish smile as he admitted they'd dipped heavily into the store of supplies for it. However, he had not wanted to send anyone out hunting, which Crowley agreed on. The fact that there was a hot stew and plenty of the fresh camp bread was enough to lift the men's spirits.

"We'll head out again at first light," he decided around a mouthful of stew, cramming a good chunk of bread in with it. "We need as many hours of daylights as we can," he looked around. "And I want sentries tonight, with torches, and a good few fires burning."

"I don't know how much wood we have," one Ranger frowned. No one had had a big supply of firewood.

"There's enough," Gilan shrugged. "We did after all have little else to do. I didn't want anyone alone, but we went in group. We're a bit short of water, so don't waste it, but there's plenty enough of firewood to keep the fires going."

Crowley nodded to himself, the few apprentices and Gilan would have been hard pressed to fetch water for everyone. Firewood was more important. "I might not know how tigers think, but I can't see one coming here. Just the same, we're not paid to be careless. I want six sentries at all times, in pairs. Everyone takes a turn, excluding the apprentices and Gilan, so no one will lose too much sleep." He looked towards the tall Ranger, not surprised when he objected.

"Might be I have to admit that me going bumbling around in the dark won't do much good right now," he admitted. The edge of the camp was rough terrain, in the dark, he would never be able to manage that with a crutch, and he knew it. "But I can still see to the fires, leaving the sentries free to, sentry around?" He said the last with a shrug, as if he was not sure if it was a correct word or not. Will wasn't certain, but given Halt's glare, he thought Gilan as being overly jovial. Halt never had seemed to appreciate good wit, Will mused.

"True," Crowley agreed. "But we're leaving you in charge of the apprentices tomorrow to, and while some of them are experienced enough to know what they're doing," he paused for some cheerful jibes and exclamations of objection to ripple through the crowd. "The point is, while some of them I trust to have a pretty good idea of what they're doing, like we have already noted, this is something we don't know much about. I want you sharp tomorrow."

"Nothing for it Gilan," Leander gave him a cheerful nudge. "You're just going to have to suffer through a full nights sleep, unlike the rest of us lucky ones."

Though Will noticed that Gilan seemed to relax from the jab he was glad it was not him. Though he was not overly fond of patrol, he preferred it to be singled out as the one who couldn't do it. It wasn't that he looked down on him for being injured. Gilan couldn't help being injured, it wasn't his fault, but it was a ridiculously embarrassing way to have been injured.

He would have hated to have been the one, one of the patrols would find the tiger, and they would all know they had done their part, though he doubted Gilan would feel much like it. Being left in the camp to watch the recruits wouldn't feel like much of a contribution he figured.

With the food eaten, everyone quickly cleaned up their bowls and spoons. There wasn't much water, but there was a hot pot to rinse them off in after they had been scoured clean with sand.

"Come on Gilan," once Crowley had finished up a rough roaster for the night patrol the rest disbanded and headed for their tents. Halt, nodded to his two former apprentices, Will shrugging as he stepped in beside him.

"Anything in particular?" Gilan, hobbling along beside them at a slower pace seemed to note just as Will had that he was singled out by Halt. "We got the water from this morning, not much, but enough for a small pot of coffee in the morning." Speaking as he walked, his crutch caught on a root and Halt reached out a hand to steady him.

"Careful," the older Ranger admonished.

"I think about a hundred more roots has sprouted out since we came here," glancing at the ground Gilan shrugged. "I really don't recall them being that many."

"Well, if you're going to trip over every single one, we'll soon have counted them," Halt snorted. "Will you be careful!"

"I am, you're fussing," Gilan snorted. "Even if I did trip, what could happen?"

"You could break your arm," Halt snorted.

"Nope," grinning Gilan inspected his arm. "Completely unbroken, even if I did trip when you were away."

"Or, I could break it for you," Halt offered. "If you're talking back to me."

"It's fine Halt," Gilan's voice had been cheerful before, but now he sounded more firm.

Will, following a step behind them found it strange.

"It's fine when I say it's fine," Halt stated. "And I want to inspect that ankle before we go to bed, and don't even think of arguing with me."

"Halt, it's fine," Gilan stated softly, almost gently Will thought. As if the taller Ranger was trying to offer his mentor some comfort, which really did not make sense at all. "Want to help me out here?" he turned partially to face Will.

Will wasn't sure what he would say to that, though it turned out that he did not have to say anything. He didn't like it, that was for certain. Halt seemed to be only focused on Gilan, and Gilan in turn was being overly cheerful and attentive. He really did not like it, but he had no time to say anything at all before Gilan tripped again. Hobbling along with his eyes on Will behind him, it wasn't really surprising the younger Ranger mused. He was however glad that it was not him Halt snapped at.

"Careful you idiot!" he grabbed Gilan's arm, just as the taller Ranger straightened himself. "Look where you're going, or you will break your arm." Shaking his head he jerked his thumb at the log when they had reached their small space. "Sit down, and let me have a look at that, and don't even think about arguing with me."

With a sigh, but without even a word, Gilan sank down on the log and Will slipped into his tent to unroll his blanket and gear. Not really minded to stay outside while Halt was doing even more fussing over the taller apprentice. Backing out of his tent, he noted Halt had unwound the now rather grubbed bandage and was inspecting the ankle that was still nearly black with bruises and badly swollen. With a shudder Will noted the dark ribbons of bruising spreading down the instep where blood vessels had burst, it had even started to pool around the toes and it looked quite horrid. Suppressing another shudder he slipped into Halt's tent to unroll his blanket roll, smoothing it out and making sure the ground tarp was in place just as he had done on his own. If it wasn't in place, dampness from the ground would make them all stiff and sore as they woke. One thing he had quickly learned, a stiff and sore Halt was a grumpy and rather foul tempered Halt.

It didn't take long though, and after a moments hesitation he slipped into Gilan's tent, hastily unrolling the bedroll. Frowning as he did so, the tents were small, and standard issue. There were place enough to lie down, and sit if you were hunched over, with barely enough space for their gear. They were not meant to be luxurious by any means, and he wondered how Gilan who was so tall slept in one. By all logic, he should have his head or his feet sticking out at night, unless he slept doubled over… Either way, Will wondered if it was comfortable and for once he found himself glad for being shorter.

Shrugging he gave the blanket a last pat before crawling backwards out of the tent.

"Thanks Will," Gilan gave him a smile as he turned around to face them.

He shrugged, Halt and Gilan seemed done, and Halt seemed satisfied. He noted the crisp white linen binding on Gilan's ankle, and figured that was why Halt seemed satisfied. Biting his lip as he found himself feeling uncertain and awkward. "We had better get some sleep," he shrugged. "Me and Halt have sentry duty shortly after the first hour."

"I know," Gilan sighed softly. Pursing his lips he caught Halt's eye. "Wake me if you want a hand."

"Sorry, can't go against the commandant's order," Halt stated, though he did not sound sorry at all. In fact, Will thought he sounded right pleased with himself.

"You never seem to have a problem with it when you want to," Gilan snorted. Which was exactly what Will had been thinking and he found himself dropping his head so they wouldn't notice.

Gilan however seemed to shrug it off even before Halt had a chance to reply. "Well, goodnight," he nodded to both of them, before crawling slightly awkwardly into his tent.

"Goodnight," Will echoed, one second after Halt. When the two was alone Will turned to his mentor, uncertain if he should say anything else.

"Get some sleep Will," Halt however spoke unusually softly to him. "Crowley is right. With this many of us, no ones losing much sleep, but we'll have a long day tomorrow. This isn't something we know a lot about and we can't leave them here at camp without water or wood. We'd better get some of that out of the way before we head out again."

"Yes, I suppose," Will nodded, heart sinking in spite of himself. It was just typical that was what Halt worried about. What Gilan would have to do when they were away. He never could remember Halt being this much of a mother hen, he really couldn't, and he couldn't understand why it bothered him as much as it did. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Halt dropped a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently before he turned to his tent and Will crawled into his own.

TBC

Thank you all who's read and reviewed, the coffee addicted Cricket is thrilled...