I've decided, graciously, to make a multi-chapter Will/Gilan story, starting in Celtica and extending beyond. You all better thank me for this. But I find it hard to quit a fandom I love. And I really do love the Ranger's Apprentice fandom.

…

"See how my grip is relaxed, and then tightens at the last minute?" Gilan asked Horace. The apprentice warrior nodded, frowning in concentration. He, like Gilan, was aware of another set of eyes on them. But he, unlike Gilan, wasn't trying to show off for that pair of eyes. Will was leaned against the rough bark of a tree, and wrapped in his cloak as he was, he appeared to vanish from thin air. His being there served as a double purpose. He was watching the proceedings of the battle training, and keeping a sharp eye and ear out for anything or anyone that might try to distract them. Gilan leaned closer to Horace now. "Is he watching?" he asked anxiously. The apprentice warrior shook his head in wonderment. Rangers were known throughout the kingdom as people to keep a cool head. Gilan certainly didn't seem that way today.

"He's watching us," Horace confirmed. "And the trees to our right, our left, around us, and occasionally behind us." Gilan frowned. He was glad Will was taking his training to heart, but with everyone in Celtica practically disappearing off the face of the earth, he wasn't as worried about attackers as he could be. But both had been trained by Halt, a legendary Ranger, and he'd drilled into them to never let their guard down. Even now, Will was ghosting through the shadows to a vantage point that offered a better view. He wished he could climb the trees, but they did little in the means of good hiding spots. He glared at them.

"Why don't you have low branches?" he accused. The trees, of course, offered no comments. He shook his head and ghosted off again, getting lost before either Horace or Gilan could say anything.

"He's good," Horace said breathlessly. For someone who didn't know the finer points of unseen movement, he was ready to agree that Will was perhaps the best. But his claim would be false. Because the best unseen mover was currently doing sword drills with him. And looking a little mopey to boot. Gilan sheathed his sword, more than a little flustered. What it took to capture that boy's attention these days!

"Perhaps if I was a girl…" he muttered to himself. Horace's eyebrows shot up, but he resumed his look of wide-eyed innocence before Gilan could see. It hadn't been the first time Gilan had uttered that phrase, and the battleschool apprentice was sure it wouldn't be the last. "Don't look like that," Gilan huffed. "I know you've heard me."

"You can't go around wishing you were something you're not," Horace replied slowly. It wasn't that he was slow on the uptake, it was just the way he always spoke. In that slow, calculating way he'd become familiar with when he training began. "After all, Will wouldn't want someone who's unsure about themselves." Gilan turned a murderous eye to the battleschool apprentice, but over the weeks he'd become accustom to it. They'd start a task, Will would wander off, and then they'd end up on that topic. Always that topic. Horace was wondering how much of the older Ranger's mind the apprentice Ranger was taking up these days.

"I'm going to scout around," Gilan said moodily, picking up his bow and moving silently off. He disappeared before he'd gone more than five meters. Horace sat by the fireplace, resting comfortably against a log. He closed his eyes let what meek sunlight filtered through the cloud covering to bathe him.

"Looks peaceful." He started when he heard Will speak. He started again when he opened his eyes and Will practically loomed over him, a very big feat for the little apprentice ranger. He'd thrown the cowl of his cloak back, and his messy hair stuck out at irregular intervals. Horace chuckled and made room for the apprentice Ranger, who sat beside him gratefully. "I saw Gilan slinking away, so I decided to come back," he added.

"Yeah, that was partially your fault to begin with," Horace said. Will turned to look at him quizzically. "Gil's been so mopey since we've come to Celtica." Will nodded slowly. He'd noticed that part. "And it's all your fault." At that, he let out a short bark of laughter. There was no way that he'd caused Gil's obvious moping.

"Yeah right," he snorted in disbelief. "Gil's just got a lot on his mind, that's all. It has nothing to do with me." Horace, with the reflexes he'd gained over the months as a battleschool apprentice, reached over and rapped Will none to gently on the head. The apprentice Ranger glared at him, rubbing the now sore spot. "What was that for?" he asked crossly.

"That was for being so dense," Horace said simply. He was content with his lot in life, but that didn't mean he'd let his friends be depressed. He would just as eagerly knock some sense into his friends as well as his enemies. "You really can't see it, can you?" he asked.

"See what?!" Will exploded. "What's there to see, other than this barren countryside and a few things that call themselves trees? There's nothing, Horace!" The apprentice warrior waited until Will finished his rant. Now that some of the fight had left him, Horace spoke calmly again.

"I'm not talking about outside the camp, Will," he said gently. "I'm talking about inside the camp. You need to learn to read people better." Will shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He wasn't good with people. He always felt a little awkward and out of place around others, even friends like Gilan and Horace. It was part due to being a Ranger, and part due to the fact Will was just clueless on how to read people. "Gilan's been trying to show off," Horace pointed out.

"Why?" Will asked. "Who's there to show off to?" Another rap on the head, this time a little harder, and in a different spot. Will glared at Horace. He was really beginning to hate this talk. "I think I'll go see what Gilan's up to," he growled, stalking off. His bow was already slung over his shoulder, as was his quiver. He stalked off, following the path he'd seen Gilan take. Before too long, he found the older Ranger, leaning against a tree with his eyes closed. "Hey Gil," he called softly so he wouldn't startle him. Gilan's eyes flew open and he broke into a big grin.

"Hello Will," he said delightedly. "What have you been up to?" Will rubbed his head thoughtfully.

"Oh, just talking with Horace," he said casually. "About training!" he added quickly when Gilan opened his mouth to speak. "Just comparing notes on how it is to work with two different Craftmasters. I'm not spilling secrets," he added helpfully. "Just about day to day life, and stuff he already knows."

"I see," the older Ranger said, frowning slightly. He had to admit, he was slightly jealous of the friendship Will and Horace had. It probably helped that the boys were the same age, he added ruefully. He didn't have many years on the boys, but it was enough. Maybe if I was a little younger… And a girl…

"You okay Gil?" Will asked, derailing the older Ranger's train of thought. "You've been so distracted since we've left Redmont." Gilan cursed under his breath. Had he been that transparent? Will laid a gently hand on his shoulder. "If you need to talk…" he began.

"I'm fine!" Gilan replied quickly, perhaps a little too quickly. He pried Will's hand from his shoulder and ran lightly back to the campsite. Will followed at a safe distance, feeling more than a little confused. He'd only been trying to help. But Gilan acted almost fearful of him. When he emerged into the campsite, Gilan was gone again. He looked at Horace, but the apprentice warrior merely shrugged. He sensed Gilan wanted some privacy.

And that he did. Gilan ghosted along, cursing every time Will's smiling face flashed in his mind. Why was he gay? Why did he have to like Halt's new apprentice? It probably had to do with the fat Will was so likeable. He was a young, fresh face at the Ranger Corps, and everyone had been eager to meet him. Since Gilan had been Halt's previous apprentice, he felt a special connection with the boy. Maybe he was letting his imagination run away from him. Will obviously liked Alyss. He'd seen that plainly. So, that question remained. Why, out of all the people in the vast kingdom of Araleun, did he have to like his former master's new apprentice? He could have his pick. But now, he had to like Will. The boy he couldn't have.

…

"Alright, you may have a point about something," Will said to Horace. The apprentice warrior looked up but said nothing. He was going to let Will get out whatever was in his system. After all, he was a simple person. Ranger's tended to have a lot more on their minds than simple swordplay. "I'm worried about Gil," he added. "It's not like him to just run off. I don't think he would've gone far. After all, we're in a strange land, and we're two apprentices. He wouldn't leave us to our own devices for too long. But still. The simple matter is he ran off."

"I know that," Horace said, flushing. Will seemed to think he was some sort of idiot. But the anger died as soon as it had flared. Will was simply worried about his friend. He hadn't meant anything by it. "He's been distracted lately," he added meaningfully.

"With what?" Will asked. "I know this mission is, in a way, big and important, but he's not known for a wandering mind." Horace tisked. Sometimes, he really thought Will was a little too dense for his own good.

…

Alright, so this is the start of this story. I really hope these chapters get a little bigger as I continue.