A voice. He heard a voice.

Had he been sleeping?

No. He had been in the rebels camp.

Another voice. He felt foggy. His eyes were heavy, even closed.

"Shake it off" Will thought "You have to get up." He pried his eyes open, vision still bleary and saw a man leaning over him talking over his shoulder to someone else. His senses starting coming back to him. He still had his weapons and his hands weren't bound. He tried to focus. "Shake it off Will. Get up!" He pushed himself up on one elbow and grabbed the man's wrist as he reached out for him.

"Easy son," The man said. He didn't jerk back when Will grabbed him. "We ain't gonna hurt ya." Will's eyes adjusted and he got a better look at the man crouched in front of him. He looked to be in his late 40s, his hair was starting to grey. He wore simple work clothes and behind him stood two boys, Joseph and Jory. Will let go of the man's arm and sat up rubbing his eyes with one hand. He felt groggy. He took a deep breath of the cool morning air and it cleared his head a bit more. "My boys found you out here while they were checking game traps." The man started. "What kind of trouble is a Ranger getting up too out on the game trails" Will sighed.

"I'm here investigating some suspicious criminal activity." Will replied. What was in that syringe?

"Ain't that normally something Geldon'd do?" The man asked. He had sat back on his heels to give Will some space.

"He's," Will chose his words careful. "Indisposed at the moment. I'm doing a favor for him." He pushed himself to his feet, the ground lurching underneath him as he did so. He steadied himself on a tree as the world stilled. His hood fell back when he stood up and both of the boys stood up straighter.

"Hey I know you!" Jory said. "You're the minstrel from the tavern!" The boys father stood up and got a closer look at Will and nodded confirming his son's statement.

"You've been after those rebels then." The man said. There was no point in hiding it now. They already knew Will was here.

"Yes." Will replied. "Me and my partner have been sent here to stop these rebels." His uneasiness settled and he stood up straight. He was shorter than the boys father but that wasn't uncommon. "It would probably be best if you pretended you never saw me." The man nodded.

"You do what you need to do Ranger." The man said "None of us want these rebels here any longer than they need to be. If you end up needing extra muscle come find me. Logging crews happy to help drive out the rebel rousers." He extended a hand and Will took it, shaking his hand firmly. "Be careful out there Ranger." He got closer to Will and spoke in a hushed tone that his son's couldn't hear. "Don't let em get you like they did ol Geldon. Ya hear?" He shouldn't be surprised. Someone was bound to make a trip to Geldon's cabin. They could hide the body but they couldn't hide all that blood. At least this man was good at keeping his mouth shut.

Will nodded and turned away pulling his hood up as he walked into the forest.

"Bye Mr. Ranger!" Jory waved as he walked away. "Tell Ms Ranger I'm sorry I ruined her dance!" Will smiled under his cowl and waved at the small family before disappearing into the woods.

~

Will looked up at the sun as he walked through the trees. Midmorning. He was very late. Sighing he continued on towards their camp. "I'm going to get an earful for sure." He thought as he walked. As he approached their camp he noted how quiet it was. "Maybe they're asleep?" He walked slower. "No one of them has to be awake. And if either of them are awake at this time they'd be making breakfast." He picked up his pace now and when he broke through the trees into the clearing that held their camp, he found it empty.

Will looked around now, he couldn't find any sign that they'd come back here all. No notes, no fresh tracks, nothing. He saddled up Tug and made off for town. He'd check the Inn. They must still be at the Inn.

~

Castle Araluen

Halt had rode in with the storm in the early morning. He had ridden all night to get here as fast as he did. Now he was walking down the castle corridors, he had taken just enough time to change his clothes so he wasn't stalking through the castle soaking wet. He approached an office door at the end of one of these corridors and seeing his hustle the guards moved to stop him. However they quickly recognized his attire, and then shortly after him, and didn't make the moves they'd intended.

"Crowley has asked us to make sure he isn't disturbed." The bolder of the two told Halt as he approached.

"Well that certainly is unfortunate then." Halt said and without skipping a beat walked into Crowley's office. It was a decent sized office and most of the furnishings had a practical purpose but in the windows there were a few plants that had most likely been placed their by Duncan or Pauline. Crowley was mulling over a mountain of paperwork as Halt approached his desk.

"Does no one in this castle know how to knock." Crowley said, rubbing the bridge of his nose, but not looking up from his paperwork.

"Oh excuse me." Halt said as he came to a stop in front of the desk. "Would you like me to leave and start over?" Crowley looked up at Halt like he was surprised to see him.

"What in god's name are you doing here?" Crowley set his quill on the desk and sat up straight. "And why do you look like you've just been riding all night?"

"Because I have." Halt said. "We have a situation."

"What kind of situation would warrant you riding all night from the south border of the country?"

"If you can stand to step away from your paperwork long enough I'll tell you." Halt said and Crowley stood up.

"I'm assuming the King already knows you're here." Crowley walked around the desk to Halt.

"He should be expecting us now." Halt turned and Crowley moved to follow him.

"I'm assuming the situation has evolved." They exited the office and Crowley dismissed the two guards. "If you felt the need to ride all night to inform us."

"Geldon is dead." Crowley stopped in the middle of the corridor and Halt stopped a few paces ahead of him. "I assume his boy is too."

"Two Rangers are dead?" Crowley looked Halt in the eyes.

"Yes." Halt said grimly. "And if we don't do something soon, that number will to keep going up.