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 13

Gilan picked listlessly at the food Halt had left him, mostly, fiddling with it and eating very little of it. He didn't like being left alone. It felt a little too much like having been abandoned for his taste. Not to mention the fact that if something went wrong, and the two did not come back, then he really was alone? Who'd he go then? Would they decide he should be with his father? Halt had said his father was just trying to do what was best for him, and he trusted Halt. Even so, he'd be lying if he said his actions didn't sting. David had certainly known he was his father, even if Gilan didn't.

Letting him go to Halt, because it was the best thing for him, the most likely to help, was one thing. What he didn't like was that David had been there, spoken to him, and never once mentioned that he was his father… Though it certainly explained why he had made Gilan feel like he wanted something from him. He had probably wanted Gilan to instinctively feel a kinship with him, feel safe, and connected. Instead, all he had felt was uncomfortable and pressured. He doubted David was very happy about that.

The question was, would Baron Arald keep him if Halt wasn't around? He had been friendly enough, but was it because he liked Halt, or because he liked Gilan? He had come to trust Halt and Will, he was comfortable with them, he liked them….and he certainly didn't want to lose them. It wasn't just himself he was worried about, he cared for Halt and Will and certainly didn't want anything to happen to them.
It was hard not to be angry about it, if he could just remember what was going on, they would not have been going alone. He would have been with them, and not left behind to be protected… Unable to quench the frustration he felt over his still missing memory he got up from the table and stalked to the small window.

Two hours later, the food was still left on the table, and he made up his mind. It was about time Halt had wanted him to go to the castle. Getting rid of the hardened bread, he made for the stable, mind made up. He wasn't going to the castle, he wasn't going to be safe there while the others risked themselves.

He was perfectly aware Halt would most likely be unhappy with him, but, he figured he could just say he forgot where he was supposed to be… Not that Halt would buy it, he mused with a dry smile. The truth was, he didn't care, he couldn't ignore the feeling that something was wrong, and if Halt was unhappy with that, he didn't care. He doubted the older Ranger would throw him out for it.

Saddling the large horse he mused over how different the creature was from the Ranger ponies. Tall, heavy boned and muscular. Extremely well trained, but still nothing like the smaller barrel chested ponies. It was a knights horse, and one that had to be worth a lot. He suspected it was due to David. When Crowley and he started towards Halt's cabin, Gilan really hadn't paid much attention to the horse, he hadn't been much interested. Now though, he realized this was a horse trained to fight. He suspected it was David's way of trying to look after his son. By giving him a horse that would know to protect its rider in case of trouble.

Feeding the gelding an apple he saddled him, securing the recurve bow to the saddle. He didn't have any other gear, not even a mottled green and grey cloak as Halt and Will did. Just a regular brown one.

His leg was still sore enough it was a little hard getting into the saddle, it sent twinges of pain through his leg, but he ignored them, and never even hesitated as he turned the direction away from Redmont. He knew the direction they had gone in, and he had a general idea of where they were going. How he would find them when he got there, he wasn't certain. He figured that was just something he would have to deal with later.

He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, and he wasn't about to sit still at the cabin, or the castle, not knowing what was going on with his friends. So he kept a sharp eye on the ground along the trail, looking for any sign that they might have turned off.

Finally, just as it was starting to get dusk, he saw them. Two horses, smaller prints than his own gelding, and they turned off the trail into the woods.

Without hesitation he steered the gelding that way, and found he had to duck constantly as the low branches threatened to sweep him out of the saddle.

Chewing his lip, he soon had to dismount, as it was getting dark and harder to see the tracks. Feeling more and more unsettled, even if he could not explain it, he took the bow from the saddle, and slung the quiver over his back. It was Halt's arrows, since he did not have any of his own.

He wasn't even thinking about the lessons Halt had tried to give him about how to move silently and unseen. His feet seemingly on their own accord came down softly, feeling for any twigs and nudging them out of the way as he moved. Of course, the gelding wasn't quite as silent, but the animal seemed to sense something was going on and refrained from any unnecessary noises.

Even so, Gilan hesitated, there was a faint whiff of woodsmoke in the air, and he thought he heard a cry. Meaning, something was near though he did not know what. Even so, obviously there was a call for more caution, taking the reins, he secured them loosely to a sapling. If the gelding needed to, he would easily be able to get loose. "Wait here," he told the horse. He wasn't sure if the horse was trained to know commands such as that or not, but it couldn't hurt to try. Rubbing the velvet nose, he took a deep breath to steel himself.

Pulling the brown cloak tighter around himself he slipped further into the woods. He was relaying on instinct, refusing to let himself think as he moved forward slowly. Halt kept saying that was what he should do, but it wasn't easy. In the clearing outside the Ranger cabin, it had seemed all but impossible. Now though, so far away from the safety of the cabin, it seemed easier. He moved with the shadows of the forest, letting the wind gently guide him. Slowly, ever so slowly getting closer to the source of the smoke, and the voices he now could hear.

Yard by yard, until he was close enough he could see the camp…

TBC
The caffeine addicted Cricket wants to thank you all for reading...