"As you all know, while I'm not one for drawing out introductions..." Crowley paused, a smirk crossing his face as the rest of the Rangers groaned, several calling out jokingly because they all knew, Crowley included, that their Commandant did enjoy his dramatics. Spreading his arms, Crowley continued, "You know what? No sense in waiting. Let's eat!"

The Rangers cheered, and immediately the sound of dishes clanking, food being passed, and drink being poured filled the clearing. Halt served himself a dollop of creamy potatoes, while Will immediately went for the fruit. Gilan's hand momentarily drifted toward the dessert tarts, before Halt's glare had him amending his reach toward a basket of biscuits instead.

Will bit into a grape, savoring the sweetness and crunch. His face lighting up and mind whirring, Will tilted his head at the bunch that remained in his hand. "Hey, Halt?"

Said mentor looked at his student, eyebrow raising. Will took this as a sign to continue. "Do you think I could fit five grapes in my mouth?"

Halt blinked once. Twice. Teenage boys and their thought processes, he thought grumpily, conveniently forgetting that he had once been one. "You're a hazard to society," the Ranger said with a roll of his eyes.

"And a coward," Gilan chimed in, his face innocent as he ate his biscuit. "Do ten."

"Don't encourage him," Halt grumbled, swatting at his former apprentice's head. Gilan ducked, his signature grin gracing his face.

Will watched the exchange before turning to look at the other Rangers, a warm feeling of belonging settling over him.

He was home.

Gilan almost choked on his coffee in his laughter as Will's face pinched in disgust before he spewed out his own mouthful of dark liquid. "Ugh!" the boy groaned in distaste, his lips puckered as he peered into his mug. His coffee, that tasted like it had been laced with copious amounts of salt - and Gilan's reaction was evidence that he was the culprit.

"Gilan! This was a perfectly good mug of coffee and you ruined it! Apologize!" Will insisted, crossing his arms as he glared at Gilan, trying to look as intimidating as his short, slim, young frame would allow - which, admittedly, wasn't that intimidating.

"No," Gilan said cheerfully, smirking at Will's stance before breaking out into another peal of laughter. "That reaction was gold."

"If you don't apologize, I'm going to tell Halt. It was his good coffee, too," Will threatened, crossing his arms.

Gilan bit his lip slightly before shrugging, stretching his legs out from where he sat against a log. "Okay. Though, I am an adult, you know. I can do what I want."

Will's eyes narrowed fractionally. "Fine. HALT!"

"No, wait, I'm sorry!" Gilan's nonchalant facade dropping instantaneously. Knowing that he had called his friend's bluff, Will just laughed, the previous irritation melting off his face.

And when Gilan winced after later biting into a salty tart that Will offered him...

"Your originality is overwhelming."

Gilan gagged, breaking into a rough coughing fit. Hastily setting the mug back down, he braced himself against the table, still trying to calm the coughing as tears leaked out from the effort.

Erak beamed at the young Ranger. "What do you think?" He asked jovially, taking a hearty swig from his own mug.

Gilan finally looked up, eyes still streaming. "It tastes like paint thinner and bad decisions," he gasped through his burning throat.

"Perfect!" Erak chuckled, smirking at Gilan's reaction. "Want some more?"

"No thanks," was the response as Gilan pushed the mug further away from himself, glaring at it as though it had personally wronged him; which, really, it rather had. "I might die."

Halt rolled his eyes from where he was seated at the other end of the ship's cabin. "I hope that teaches you not to try anything Erak considers 'perfect'. Your lack of self-preservation is worrying."

Gilan made an offended noise, before sizing up the mug again with a new light of interest in his eyes. "Say... I wonder if we could get Horace to try it."

"Gilan, that is a terrible, horrible, foolish idea..." Halt trailed off for a moment and was unable to hide the faint smirk that appeared on his face. "Let's do it and see what happens."

"That was a mistake," Will said gloomily from his perch in the pine tree outside of the cabin.

"A mistake we're going to laugh about one day..." Gilan offered from where he sat several branches higher.

"But not today."

Gilan winced. "Oh, no, today's going to be a mess."

"Halt's going to have us up here all night," Will sighed, looking up to give Gilan a glare. "It was your idea, you know."

Gilan chucked a pinecone at his friend's head, making him yelp. "You were supposed to talk me out of it!"

"You're the adult," Will reminded the other Ranger, shifting as he tried to find a more comfortable position. Oh, they were in for a long night, indeed.

Gilan grimaced as he leaned against the trunk. "Not adult enough, apparently."

Far below them, Halt's voice floated up. "How's the view, you terrors?"

"Oh, it's lovely!" Gilan answered with false cheer. "I'll trade you spots; I wouldn't want you to miss out!"

"Next time, don't tie my boot laces to the chair." The salt in Halt's voice could have been used as seasoning. "By the way... I think it's going to rain tonight."

Both boys winced. No, they wouldn't be laughing at their prank today.

Maybe tomorrow.

Thanks for reading!

The third snippet was written with the idea that this was sometime during their trip home from Arrida in Erak's Ransom.

Any suggestions on what you'd like to see covered in this little series?

-TrustTheCloak