A/N: OLAF! IT'S ME, IFYOUCOULDFLY! Early update! Whoop whoop! So…I'm back. And a little sad. We did pretty poorly at the competition, and our worst enemies got to move on to the worldwide competition because of a stupid Wild Card. For the first time ever, we didn't get to go with them. Anyways, you didn't come here to read about my stupid life, you came here to read about the RA character's! That said, continue on…8D

-Chapter Five: Elena-

Will fired, sending his arrow into the target with a satisfying thunk. He turned around expectantly, meeting the grim gaze of his mentor. "A hundred more." The Ranger demanded, and Will moaned softly.

"My arm still hurts, Halt." He mumbled, but there was no sympathy in the Ranger's eyes. "That's unfortunate. A hundred more." Halt said, and Will sighed, knowing better that to argue. After all, this was part of his punishment for fighting with Horace at the Harvest Festival.

He began firing arrows once more, only stopping when a scream pierced the air. Immediately, Halt was on his feet, bow in hand, and Will was running toward the fence. "Wait, Will! We don't know any-"

He was wrong. Will knew that scream.

-Flashback-

Will was miserable and alone. Daniel was passed out on their couch, completely oblivious to the fact that it was son's twelfth birthday. The boy sighed and stared out the forest. Strangely, though he had lived here his entire life, it never felt like a home to him. It seemed as if his spirit was somewhere far away, somewhere he couldn't reach.

Will let a few tears roll down his cheeks as he though once more of day four years ago, when his father held him tight, and they both cried together over the loss of someone who had meant the world to them.

Suddenly, a scream sounded out from below, and Will raised his head, wiping the tears away. Timidly, he looked down to see a girl about his age sprawled out on the ground. Quickly, he dropped from the tree and helped her to her feet.

"Th-that man stole my bread!" She shouted angrily, jerking her hand away once she had been helped up. Will shuffled around awkwardly. "Do-erm-do you want me to get it back?" The girl glared at him. "I don't need you to anything for me!" Will dropped his gaze, and the girl softened.

"Sorry. I'm just a little shaken up. I don't think we could catch him anyways. I didn't see which way he went." She said, and Will grinned. "I doubt I'd be any help. I'm not exactly some muscular hero or anything." He gestured to his arms and legs, and the girl laughed. "You've got that right. You're like a bag of twigs! My name's Elena, by the way." The pair smiled at each other, and an instant friendship was formed.

For the next eight months, Elena and Will met up every day they could. They were best friends, and nothing could tear them apart. Elena was Will's only companion, and vice versa. Elena was also the only person that Will had ever told about his father. For the first time since his fourth birthday, life seemed to be looking up. Then everything changed.

Elena had showed up at their meeting place with tears streaming from her eyes. She told him that her parents had died in a fire, and she was being sent away to an orphanage in Picta. The two had cried, both knowing that this meant Will would again be alone with his father.

The next day, Will and Elena were separated, and never saw each other again. Once more, Will was alone in the world.

-End Flashback-

The scream was the exact one Will had heard three years before. Of course, he couldn't be certain. She had been sent to Picta, after all. Still, he had to be certain.

All his uncertainty vanished as a girl burst through the dense forest. Her eyes widened in recognition as they met Will's. Within a few seconds, she was vaulting over the gate. For a moment, all three stood completely still; Halt in confusion, Will in shock, and Elena was still trying to catch her breath.

Finally, Elena turned to Will. "What the hell, Will?! What are doing here? Do you have any idea what's happening right now back at home? Again, why are you here? No, never mind, it's better you're here. Actually, it would be better if you were further away. Let me stress that, actually, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE. NOW. I mean, you're da-"

"Elena!" Will cut in, making a slight nod in Halt's direction. "Stop. First, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Picta!" Elena smiled. "I was adopted. Horrible people, they were. Just wanted me for the work, so I escaped and went looking for you. Didn't expect to find you here, though. I was just heading to Celtica."

Will nodded. "Well, that explains that, but what was with the screaming and running?" Elena laughed. "Our reunion starts the same way as our meeting, I suppose. There was a wild boar back there in the woods. I didn't see it till I'd stepped all over its home, and by then it was mad. Lost it, I'm pretty sure. You guys really should do something about that." Will laughed, relieved that Elena hadn't changed much since they last saw each other.

"Well, I apologize for interrupting whatever this is, but I'd prefer if I had an explanation of what the heck you're talking about." Halt cut in, and Will finally jerked his head away. "Well, um, this is Elena. She…she used to live with my foster family."

Halt glanced deep into his apprentice's eyes. Over the last few months, Will had grown very close to him. He admired the boy greatly, but at times, it seemed that the apprentice was hiding something, and this was one of those times.

Halt quickly shrugged the feeling off. "Might as well come in for lunch, then. I get the feeling you two have some catching up to do." With that, the Ranger turned and walked briskly inside the cabin.

PAGEBREAK BEIN' PAGEBREAK. SIIIIIIGH NARWHALS IM BORED

Elena stared at Will, eyes wide. He had just explained all that had happened since his fourteenth birthday in a hushed tone. Halt was in the kitchen making lunch, but Will needed to be safe.

"Well?" He asked expectantly. "What exactly is so troubling?" Elena took a deep breath, then began in an equally soft tone. "When I arrived in Oaktown, there were posters everywhere. They all had your face on them. Stuff like "MISSING BOY" and all that. Things got weird when your dad showed up. He saw me and went berserk, trying to kill me or something! He kept asking where you were, and I was horribly worried…everyone thought you were dead, or kidnapped! Oh, don't look so worried, he didn't hurt me!"

Will smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. But why exactly do I have to escape to Celtica with you and your…boyfriend?" Will grinned deviously at the word, he had already teased Elena greatly when she had told him earlier. After giving the apprentice a glare, Elena continued.

"Your dad and his meathead gang are after you, that's for sure. The guards have ignored this mostly, but after a string of kidnappings in the area and it's been about a year since you're disappearance, they're going to start assisting in the search. You'll surely be found here, Will. It's just not safe."

*Halt*

Halt finished up lunch and was about to step into the room and call them to the table, but stopped when he heard Will's voice.

"And do what? Being a Ranger's apprentice is the only thing I've ever been good at, and Redmont is the only place I've ever been accepted. I have friends here, friends that are like family. If I go to Celtica with you, I'll be a burden. I'm sorry, Elena, but I can't."

The girl-Elena-cut in. "Will, I've already told you! They'll find you in no time, and then you'll be done for! They'll drag you back kicking and screaming if they have to!" Halt frowned at this. "Danger?" He thought. "Why would Will be in danger?"

"No, that won't happen." He heard Will say. "How do you know that?" Elena asked uncertainly. "Halt won't let them." His apprentice answered surely, and Halt smiled from behind the wall. For some stupid reason, knowing that Will put so much trust in him was comforting.

PAGEPAGEPAGEPAGEBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAK

Lunch passed by much too quickly for both Will and Elena's liking, and soon it was time for a farewell.

"Goodbye, Will. And good luck to you in everything." Elena called. "And the best of luck to you in Celtica." Will responded. Elena smiled that familiar smile and began to walk off. She only got a few paces before Will called her name.

Elena turned around, question in her eyes. "I won't see you again, will I?" Will called softly, and Elena just shook her head slowly. Will smiled softly. "I thought so. Goodbye, Elena." Elena laughed. "Goodbye, Will." And she was off, running down the path to Celtica.

Halt watched as Will smiled his sad smile, and a pang of recognition struck him. He looked just like somebody…but Halt just couldn't remember. He finally shrugged the thought away, and once the girl was gone, called out to Will.

"We're going to have to deal with that boar, of course."

A/N: Well that was a long chapter. Now I'm all tired :P. Anyways, I included Elena because I needed Will to learn the situation at home, not to be a girlfriend figure (hence the reason she had a boyfriend)! So on that note, keep reading/reviewing/being awesome!-FLY