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 5

As intense as the rain storm had been, it seemed to abate at some point during the evening which Will was grateful for. It was pretty clear to him that the delay grated on Gilan who in spite of the pouring rain and the knowledge their horses were secure and warm in the stable had gone out to check on them. Coming back inside he was soaked to the skin, shivering in front of the tap room fireplace while water dripped from his clothes and formed a puddle on the floor.

Harcourt had made himself comfortable with a mug of ale, and Will for nothing better to do had leafed through Gilan's sketch book. He had at first assumed he carried it for the purpose of drafting letters and making maps when needed, yet that seemed to be a secondary use for it. Oh, there were several maps, but they were detailed in a careful way Will was not used to seeing. Mountain ranges filled in with such minute detail they seemed to rise from the paper. Forests where each tree was drawn, castle walls where the stone seemed to gleam as it rose from the field. He had had no idea that Gilan possessed such talent, but the silver stylus now made sense. He would want something reliable that he could always use. Though several of the sketches had been filled in with ink.

It seemed, that had Gilan not found his calling as Ranger, he might very well have been an artist, which really was not something Will had ever considered.

"Is the stable holding up for the rain?" he asked. Gilan's excuse for going out had been to make sure the structure wasn't leaking.

"Seems like it," the taller Ranger nodded, still shivering. Though it was not too late in the season, the rain would be cold Will knew, and Gilan had no insultation from the chill with his wiry frame.

"I asked for another pot of coffee, it should be ready any minute," he had done so partially out of boredom, but also knowing his friend could certainly use something to warm him when he came inside.

"Sounds good," though he was clearly restless, Gilan still smiled at him. Raising one eyebrow at the sketch book that now lay in front of Will.

"What can I say," he shrugged. "Halt raised me well…" Their mentor had a habit of not caring overly much for privacy if he felt himself justified. Sometimes, curiosity was all he needed to justify the act. Not that he would ever really snoop on his apprentices, not without a good cause. "That stylus must be pretty handy, where did you get it?"

"Baron Arald gave it me when I was still an apprentice," he picked the item up from where it was stored in a small pocket on the leather cover.

"How come?" the Baron was well known for being generous, and Will had always liked him. He'd speak to the children in the ward, and had even been known to give them a few coppers for sweets and treats at times.

"Halt and I were able to take down a man eating bear," Gilan shrugged with a grin. "I suppose he was grateful."

"I thought we weren't supposed to take any form of pay from the Barons," that was certainly the impression Will was under.

"Not as such no," Gilan agreed. "But it's a little bit different when it's someone like Baron Arald, and you know it's just a well meaning gift. He'd never do them with strings attached. Halt certainly approved, though I think that was mostly because of how traumatized Martin seemed to be over the expense."

Will had to laugh at that, Martin was Baron Arald's aid, and very good at his job. Yet he was known for never opening the Baron's purse without feeling the pain himself, and he was a bit of a stickler for protocol while the Baron was more relaxed himself. Baron Arald tended to take most things as they came, and if he gave a gift, it was freely given indeed.

"It does seem like something that comes in handy sometimes," he mused.

"It has, a couple of times," as the inn keeper came with the coffee that he put down on the table together with a plate of some hand pies Gilan moved away from the fire, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the food.

"I figured we're probably going to be back to cold rations or such tomorrow, so if we're staying here for the night, we might as well try to stock up," Will stated somewhat sheepishly as he reached for the pies.

"For a moment there, I thought I was with Horace instead of you," Gilan grinned. "He seems to be of the belief that he's still growing."

"He keeps eating like he does now, and he will keep growing, sideways," Will laughed.

While it was clear Gilan still chafed somewhat over the delay, as far as Will was concerned it was not an altogether unpleasant evening.

The beds at the inn weren't the best, but they were decent enough. Though the room only had two beds, one smaller and one slightly larger. They might have taken a second room, though they were somewhat over priced. Neither Gilan nor Will really wanted to split up though. Leaving two in one room, and one alone meant one of them would be more vulnerable. Instead the two of them shared the larger bed while Harcourt did not seem to care either way.

Will wasn't surprised when Gilan motioned for him to climb in first, so that Gilan would be the one on the outer side of the bed with Will by the wall. It seemed to fit the pattern the older Ranger had established.

The rain had really put a chill in the air, so he could not say he really minded either. Gilan had changed into a dry shirt and pants, though he was still shivering from time to time. Tremors running through his body, enough that the rope frame of the bed creaked.

Half asleep already, Will threw out an arm over him, if Gilan could constantly try to put himself between Will and any potential danger, then he couldn't say anything about Will sharing some body heat.

After a hasty breakfast of coffee and somewhat watery porridge they were on their way again, the ground wet and boggy from the rain. At least the sky was clear Will mused, happy to let Gilan set the pace.

The muddy ground was no hindrance to the sure-footed Ranger horses. Rather Will thought Tug seemed to enjoy stomping down in the puddles so that the muddy water splashed high on his legs, and Blaze's who was beside him. The larger pony bore it with good grace, though she seemed to sigh over the juvenile behaviour of the smaller one.

At regular intervals they stopped to walk the horses, thereby letting them rest. Eating jerky and dried fruit as they rode. It was how the Rangers moved fast and steady. The horses would be able to keep that pace for days, and generally it was the rider who tiered first.

At least as there was no reason not to have a fire, there was coffee in the mornings and nights, which Will found to be a great relief, as he knew did Gilan. He still found it somewhat odd that Harcourt would prefer tea, but then, he had seen one or two Rangers who put milk in their coffee. The mere thought was enough to shudder.

For a moment he wondered if Gilan had picked up on his thought, as he to gave a shudder, then the taller Ranger sneezed and Will shook his head in mild amusement. He wouldn't be surprised if he had caught a chill from getting soaked in the rain.

TBC Please review, the caffeine addicted Cricket is hungry…