She knew she needed to strike again before they put up their defenses. She wheeled around, pivoting on one foot to face Will."
Make me your apprentice," she said, parroting herself. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water a few times before answering her.
"Um, that's, uh, that's really up to them," he answered, taking a step back and raising his hands to his chest defensively. She pivoted back to face the rest and put on her best "Well, I'm waiting," expression.
"You planned this!" Gilan accused Will, who shook his head vigorously in disagreement with the sudden wave of slight hostility directed at him.
"I didn't! I felt like someone might be following me and I did see a tree branch shaped like her funny looking bow, so I suspected she might sneak up to me and ask again, but I didn't expect her to go so... full out on this," he said, still in a defensive position. Halt had been watching her as the scene unfolded and had observed her look of delight as things played out. He decided he liked her as he saw her grin at Will's discomfort. He wanted to ask her a couple questions, but decided to let Will stew in the unpleasant feelings for a few more minutes. Crowley, however, wasn't so keen to let her get away scot free.
"What it you had heard something confidential while waiting in here?" he asked her slightly angrily.
"I knew I wouldn't. You passed right by me when Will asked when to schedule the meeting," she said. "Nice turning the heat back on Will," thought Halt absentmindedly."Right by you, you say?" Crowley said. "Uh huh." she said, not that he needed verification. He remembered something moving in the corner of his eye and him dismissing it.
"What a coincidence."
"I know! I almost couldn't believe my luck!" "I don't believe it either." This triggered a round of loud arguments where everyone but Halt and Ellya spoke. Ellya walked up to him.
"Hello. I'm Ellya. You must be Halt. It's an honor to meet you." Halt hid his surprise masterfully, extending his hand for her to shake it to give him a couple seconds to think of a reply.
"Enchanted. Why do you want to become a Ranger so badly?"
"Well, I suppose it started when I was very young..." Slowly, the arguing Rangers noticed Ellya and Halt's civil conversation and stopped to listen. "Do you mind not eavesdropping? I am trying to speak to Halt here," Ellya said, trying her best to sound a little miffed. They started to mumble apologies before realizing she was joking and their sentences stuttered off.
"So... tell us about yourself," Crowley said lamely. She gave a thin smile.
"My name is Ellya, I am nineteen, I wanted to become a Ranger after my father died in the second battle against Morgarath because I found out that Rangers saved thousands of people like my father, I grew up as a farmer, I trained myself to be a Ranger, I invented a bow that uses a pulley system to reduce the draw weight to allow me to shoot farther, my favorite color is blue and ancient horse in the meadow by the front of the forest is named Dust. Can I be a Ranger now?" she said sweetly, tilting her head and giving begging eyes.
"Well, I suppose we would have to measure your potential with a couple tests." she frowned.
"Do you do that with all potential Rangers?"
"Well, no," Crowley conceded, "but you are a special case, are you not?"
"I suppose I am. When can we start?"