Chapter 23

Tale of the cat and wolf

Will's disappearance was not noticed until the next day. Halt had woken up with a monster of all headaches, so he was not thinking too clearly until a little later that morning. He had not worried about Will because he knew that he was safe and sound, the monster was gone and the witch was too far away, but still where was his little wolf pup. Things had been strange for a while but now they should be getting better.

Will, Halt knew had been acting weird arould him and Gilan ever since the day they had desided to give them honors for rescue and realease of their world from the the monster's threat and he had promised to himself to spend time with the boy after the ceremony. After all he and Will deserved to be happy for awhile, too much had happened to them and they needed time off. Halt then saw Gilan coming up to him, he had to know where his love was and he thought that Gilan might know, so when he asked the question of him Gilan had an answer.

"Halt I know where Will is, and I have a pretty good idea why he ran like he did"Gilan told Halt and when Halt raised an eyebrow at him,wanting to know why he would know and not him, then Gilan continued "I will go after him, I think he will talk to me, because being with a person like is hard on any one apprentice or lover or anything else".

Halt nodded, he knew that Will would likely hold things in around him, trying to not worry him about how he was feeling but Gilan not so much. The big lion was like a big brother to him, not a lover like he was and although he would have liked to go after Will himelf, Will would say thing to Gilan because of his knowleadge of want Gilan would think of want he had to say.

"Alright go after him and bring him home"Halt said as the lion nodded and ran off in to the dark forest.

Gilan traveled most of the day, Will could cover the ground when he wanted too. Will's wolf form was an animal that could run all day just like a ranger's horse. Gilan had seen over the past few days the self - doubt and pain that had racked the boy's mind and he knew he had to fix it so the boy would have peace. Sometimes he had felt that pain himself when trying to find Will and Halt but he knew in his heart that he would find them and find them he did, so now he had to help a boy realize that too.

Gilan found the boy laying down under a tree by a lake.

"This is a pretty big millpond you have found,Will"said Gilan and when the boy did not respond he poked him and said "isn't it?".

Will was engrossed in his thoughts but he still responded by saying "why is it I can never hear you coming Gilan? I can hear Halt alright but you never"

"Will what's wrong? Halt was right when you ask questions back at me, just when I have asked you a question"Gilan grinned at him.

Will growled. So his habits were still too easy to see, were they. Then he said "I must admit I do have something on my mind and I suppose since you found me I will tell you".

"So what's the problem?"

Will drew a deep breath and then said "its my fault, so much of this is my fault. If I had not gone after those wargals in Celtica and got captured. To allow Halt to trade himself for Evanlyn, and to not fight when they abused me and to only to have the two of you put your lives in danger. All this was because, it was my fault"Will screamed out the last part.

Gilan could tell the pain in the young man but it was not like he was the only one to go though this. Gilan studied the troubled young man or young wolf as he was in this wolf form.

"Will it was not your fault. There are many factors involved in what happened, yes if you had not got caught, then you and Halt would not be wolves or me a lion but Will you must remember that if word of what had happened here reached us I am sure that we would have still gone to help and who knows you might have still been turned anyway"he concluded.

"Gil, I am Halt's lover. How can I possibly live up to the fact that he is a hero to the village now? that you both are heroes. When I am just me? young,impulsive, green as grass, me?"Will cried out.

"Will just by being you, yes there will be times when you have some "what if" thoughts running around your head, and I am sure you will make mistakes when it comes to all of this. For as you said your young but you will always have us no matter what happens from now on we will all ways be by your side, my little brother"Gilan finished

Will nodded his gratitude. This talk by his big brother had made him feel lighter some how. Like some thing heavy had been removed from his chest.

"Race you?" Will called as he raced into the trees and the two moved as one, with the young wolf racing ahead wanting to get back to the one he loved in all the world.

As they entered the village Will quickly turned back into his human form, only to be hugged tightly by a pale Halt.

"Where have you been?"he asked, his tone light, even though his emotions were anything but that.

"Telling Will the tale of a cat"replied Gilan.

Halt said nothing and nothing was needed to be said but an eyebrow that was raised said what its owner could not. This was something that would be found out soon.

An:how was that?