25 days of Christmas

My Christmas Fanfic for 2011. 25 short drabbles in Araluen. Alas, I'm fifteen days behind, so I have some writing to catch up on.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's apprentice

Chocolate Calenders

"The first of december," Will smiled to himself. "Perfect."

For over the past few days, ever since he had acquired the calender, he had been in a fever pitch of excitement to see what kinds of chocolate it had in it. It was something new to Will, these chocolate calenders. Each day, to mark the passing of time until Christmas, he was allowed to open the flap and eat the chocolate inside.

Jenny had given it to him. An old friend of hers from Master Chubb's cooking school had invented them and as a favour, she was handing them around the village.

This chocolate, Will saw with interest, was in the shape of a reindeer. He wolfed it down and licked his lips. Then, he frowned, because he had to wait until the next day before he could eat more.

"Ah well," he shrugged and went on his way to hunt down bandits and such like, as Ranger's do from time to time.

When the peace in Redmont had been restored, Will decided to make his way up to the catsle to see his old mentor. On the way, he spotted Jenny, who beamed at him.

"Hi Will," she said, smiling all over. "I'm just doing my christmas shopping."

She held up a ladle made of metal. "For Master Chubb," she said with a grin. "so long as he doesn't use it on me."

Will winced. Jenny caught the look and laughed. "Oh, don't worry. You'll be fine, as long as you behave yourself. Than again, knowing Rangers, you probably won't."

Will smiled and shrugged, still watching the ladle warily. "I'm on my way to see Halt." he said.

Jenny nodded immediately. "Yes, I won't hold you up. I just saw him myself earlier today."

"You?" Will asked in surprise. He had no idea the cheerful girl was acquanted with his former mentor.

"I gave him a calender," she said.

"Ah," Will said. "I ate the first chocolate of mine this morning. It was really good!"

Jenny beamed. "Excellent, I helped Christine develop the recipe. See you round!"

Will waved goodbye, smiling to himself at her bouncing figure.

He made his way to Halt's rooms and knocked on the door.

"Come in," the grizzled ranger called.

Will glanced around the room, searching for Jenny's calender. He couldn't imagine Halt having such a bright, slightly childish calender on his wall. Then again, many years back he wouldn't have known Halt to always have a vase of flowers on his windowsill. Indeed, he spotted purple and orange flowers on a bedside table, but no calender.

"It hasn't changed much since you were last here," Halt said mildly, seeing his former apprentices curiosity.

"Jenny told me she gave you a calender, is all," Will explained.

Halt snorted. "I don't have time for such childish things."

"Oh, it's not that bad," Will sat down beside his mentor. "I quite like them."

"You would," Halt said with a shrug. "I'm more grown up than you."

"Old, you mean," Will said, then immediately regretted it when Halt fixed him with a glare.

"Sorry Halt," he said.

Halt shrugged angrily, but really he was glad the subject of the Calenders had been dropped. He was all too aware of the calender under his bed, all 25 chocolates already eaten.

Not that he particularly liked chocolate. It was just that it seemed so ridiculous to eat one piece a day. It was much less childish to eat all the chocolate at once.

Will didn't need to know that, of course.

Eh, yeah, that was really bad. I had trouble coming up with 25 ideas so some are a bit... dumb. Anyway, hopefully the next one will be better.