Here is my new attempt at Revenge. It has new characters and a different story but I am hoping this works better. I decided to go ahead and give Gil an apprentice so I can make him commandant sooner. Also the picture I used for the cover image I did on my own so hopefully it isn't to bad. I already have a one-shot typed up for Pritchard but will gladly do other one-shots when the story catches up. Hope this doesn't get abandoned and redone again. This disregards Lost Stories and Royal Ranger.

Disclaimer: I am not John Flanagan so I don't own Ranger's Apprentice. I only own little Pritchard and Nick

Chapter 1

Pritchard saw the large rock and moved slowly towards it, his boots making hardly any noise on the forest floor. He was almost there almost.

"Pritchard I got you," came a familiar voice. Pritchard sighed and stopped. He glanced around and saw his father coming out of the tree line.

"You need to learn to move with the shadows," Pritchard's father said. Pritchard's father was none other than Halt the Ranger.

"Yea I know," Pritchard said his voice dropping a little.

"You will get there Pritchard you are only five," Halt pointed out. Pritchard grinned.

"What were you doing at five?" he asked. Halt hid a grin.

"Trust me you don't want to know," Halt replied, then added, "come on you know your mother doesn't like you out this late."

"You can be out this late," Pritchard complained. Halt raised an eyebrow.

"I am older mister," Halt replied. Pritchard sighed. Halt could almost always beat him in any verbal match and when he couldn't he simply pulled rank. Father and son headed towards Redmont castle. Pritchard was Halt and Pauline's adopted son but as far as he knew he was theirs. Pauline hadn't felt comfortable about telling him his past yet and there wasn't much to tell anyway. The boy was a pretty close mix between Halt and Pauline anyhow. He had blue eyes like Pauline but black hair like Halt.

When they reached Halt's apartment Halt opened the door and much to his surprise found Crowley sitting there.

"Uncle Crowley!" Pritchard cried running straight to his Godfather.

"Hey Pritchard," Crowley greeted as he got up and hugged the boy.

"Hello Crowley I hope someone knows you are here," Halt said raising an eyebrow. Crowley nodded.

"I knocked and Pauline answered and said you were out with Pritchard," Crowley replied. Halt nodded. He sat down beside his long time friend.

"So what is the reason for this visit?" Halt asked.

"I have an assignment for the task force…minus Horace," Crowley said. Halt frowned.

"Why not Horace?" Halt asked puzzled.

"The thing is Horace and Cassandra is on a mission elsewhere for Duncan," Crowley explained.

"Well we always have a task force of three," Halt said considering his options.

"Well you can ask Gil. He is good with a sword," Crowley suggested. Halt nodded.

"He is but he also has a second year apprentice to think about," Halt said.

"Well take him with you then I am sure he can learn a lot from the two of you," Crowley pointed out. Halt nodded again.

"I suppose you are right so what is this assignment?" Halt asked.

"To be honest I am not entirely sure. We have gotten reports of a group of outlaws operating near the Picta border and into Picta itself. They will attack then flee into Picta," Crowley explained.

"The local Ranger having a hard time dealing with them?" Halt asked.

"The thing is I haven't gotten any regular dispatches from him and I am concerned he may be dead," Crowley said.

"So I see," Halt said slowly. He could now see what was going on. Crowley nodded.

"When do you want me to leave," Halt asked.

"ASAP if you can," Crowley replied. Halt glanced out the window and realized how dark it was.

"Not going anywhere today Crowley but I will make sure Will is ready to go tomorrow and we will pick up Gil on the way down," Halt replied. Crowley nodded and left the dispatches and information with Halt before getting up to leave.

"Want to stay here for the night?" Halt asked. Crowley shook his head.

"No thanks Arald has already offered me a place," Crowley replied. Halt nodded and closed the door behind his friend.

The next morning Halt grabbed his gear and prepared to leave. He had told Pauline about the assignment that night has they went to bed.

"You are careful mister," she had told him.

"Of course my love," Halt had replied back.

Now Pauline was waiting for him by the door. Pritchard stood beside his mother. "You leaving father?" he asked.

"Sorry Pritchard but I have to go," Halt said and the boy pouted a little. Halt then turned and kissed his wife.

"YUCK!" Pritchard cried. Halt slapped him on the back of the head and Pritchard rubbed his head.

"You best be going Halt," Pauline said. The Ranger nodded and headed towards the stable. He quickly tacked up his dapple grey stallion Abelard. The little horse grunted as he mounted then the two headed for what had been nicknamed 'The Treaty Cabin'. Will had taken over the cabin and had jokingly said that it was where his children would grow up. With that being said the cabin had been called 'The Treaty Cabin' as a joke.

As Halt approached he heard Tug's warning call from the stable. Lying on the veranda was Will's dog Ebony. Will opened the door and walked out to greet Halt.

"What is going on Halt?" Will asked.

"Grab Tug and come on," Halt said as he turned Abelard around. Frowning Will quickly complied tacking up Tug and grabbing his own gear. Will also left a note for Alyss when she came by to look after Ebony since he figured he wouldn't be back anytime soon.

When Will caught up with Halt he pulled Tug beside Abelard to talk to Halt. "So Halt what are we up too?" Will asked figuring it was a mission from Halt's abrupt manner.

"There are a group of outlaws operating near Picta and into Picta as well. Crowley hasn't heard anything from the local Ranger so he wants the task force to check it out," Halt explained. Will nodded then frowned.

"Aren't we taking a long way to Araulen going this way?" Will asked.

"We aren't going to Araluen," Halt replied. Will frowned again.

"I thought you said Crowley wants the task force to check it out," Will said puzzled. Halt sighed.

"He does but Horace is preoccupied so we are going for Gil," Halt said.

"You know you could have just said that in the first place," Will said. Halt raised an eyebrow.

"Why would I do that?" he asked.

"Because…oh never mind," Will said shaking his head.

"Can't really win these arguments can you Will?"

"Shut up Tug"

It didn't take them long to reach Whitby Fief. Will knew it would be slightly confusing taking Gilan from the fief because in their absence Gil would cover for them in Redmont while Alun took over Gil's old fief. But since Gil would be called away it would mean Redmont would need a replacement. But Will figured Crowley was already working on that problem.

Blaze sounded from the stables. The neigh was neither a greeting nor a sound of danger just a simple warning to let Gil know that he had company. In the stables with Blaze was a chestnut mare named Coco. She belonged to Gilan's apprentice. Once they arrived in the little clearing outside of Gil's cabin the two Rangers dismounted and waited patiently for one of the two inhabitants to make themselves known.

Halt wouldn't really be surprised if neither Gil nor his apprentice came out right away as they might have been training. Even as the thought occurred to him Halt saw the door open. Halt's tall first apprentice moved towards Halt grinning happily. Gilan was all most never not cheerful and had loads of boundless energy. Gilan was also very outgoing which was why Halt thought it was ironic who his apprentice was. Gil's apprentice, Nicholas or simply Nick, was shy and quiet. He rarely if ever spoke his opinion about anything and preferred to keep to himself. Despite this he was very good at silent movement able to move as quietly as a mouse.

"Hey you two," Gilan greeted happily then turned back towards the cabin and called, "Nick get out here!"

Gil's shy apprentice darted towards him. Nick had brown hair and vibrant green eyes. He looked around Gilan at the other two Rangers. Unknown to Halt Nick was actually terrified of the grizzly Ranger. Nick was born in Coledale Fief but because the Ranger stationed there was injured Crowley had Nick assigned to Gilan who was ready for an apprentice.

"Hey Nick," Will tried.

"Hey," Nick returned but his voice was quiet.

"What you doing down here? I assume it isn't a social call or you would have just sent me a letter," Gilan said.

"It isn't a social call. Crowley has a mission for the task force and before you ask Horace is pre occupied so that is why I came to you," Halt said hoping to forestall any questions. Gilan frowned however and looked at Nick.

"But I have an apprentice Halt what about him?" Gilan said.

"Nick is coming with us. It is unfair for me to ask you to come without him," Halt explained. Gilan was nodding but Halt knew he was still struggling with the idea.

"Halt he is really shy," Gilan said.

"And this will be the perfect chance to help him out of his shell," Halt said. Gilan came to a decision.

"Nick grab your gear we are going on an assignment," Gilan said. Nick nodded vigorously and ran back towards the cabin. Gilan followed and grabbed his gear as well. Once outside again they quickly tacked up their horses. Coco was considerable smaller then Blaze because Nick was more Will's height. Halt moved beside Gilan to answer another question that he was pretty sure Gil had.

"Will left a message for Alyss and Pauline knows about the assignment so don't worry about telling Jenny she will hear from the two of them," Halt said.

Once the horses were saddled and ready the three full fledged Rangers and the apprentice headed towards Picta. Halt was glad Gilan was with them as opposed to Horace because now they could travel at the Ranger's forced march. As they rode Will brought Tug alongside of Abelard.

"When we break you think we should help Gil with Nick? It only seems fair since we are taking him away from training time with his apprentice," Will said. Halt considered that. What Will said made lots of sense and he did have a point.

"We can work with him if Gil is ok with that but let's try not to undo anything Gil has already taught him. Gil is going to have his own way of training Nick and we need to respect that," Halt explained. It hadn't been so much a problem when Will had joined Gilan on their mission to Celtica ages ago because Gilan, being Halt's former apprentice, already had a pretty good idea how Halt operated. Neither Halt nor Will knew what Gil's training style would be so Halt didn't want to try and override his authority.

"I get that we can always ask," Will said. Halt nodded.

"I will let you do that," he said.

Will fell back a little so he was riding alongside Gilan with Nick in front of Gil and behind Halt. Gilan had to look down a little to see Will.

"Hey Gil when we stop tonight you want me and Halt to work with Nick a little?" Will asked.

"That would be helpful yes," Gilan said. Will nodded and stayed beside Gilan for the rest of the ride till Halt pulled up for the night. They had no reason to go full out to Picta and Halt saw the value of teaching while they were riding there.

Please review and let me know if you like the start of this one better. Still to make a series out of this but am starting before Will, Alyss, Horace, Cassandra, and Gilan, Jenny have children.