A/N I wasn't going to publish this, but I have the notorious habit of writing things and then not publishing them, and subsequently not finishing them, and so here it goes! Random inspiration spurred from finishing the Ranger's Apprentice series, and a side story I decided to write and so have been writing instead of my other story I'm supposed to be working on so... ANYWAY, here it goes! First draft unedited mind you, so please don't hesitate to give friendly, constructive criticism!

Will stalked silently through the forest, tracking his prey. "He's good," Will muttered to Tug under his breath.

No kidding.

"Shut up, you're a horse," Will snapped good naturedly.

Fine. Don't ask me next time.

Will smiled wryly, dropping from the saddle to inspect the tracks left by his quarry. They were barely a few hours old, and Will would have to be on a sharp lookout as he drew closer to his prey. "C'mon Tug, we've nearly caught up. I don't think he knows we're following."

"Oh doesn't he?"

A voice cut through Will's thoughts, chilling his blood for a split second as the unexpected noise rattled the young ranger. Will stilled instinctively, then groaned, standing straight. He turned to face Halt, who was looking at him impassively, one eyebrow raised.

"Drat." Will said simply.

"Please. He becomes a ranger then thinks he can best his master at his own house!" Halt exclaimed in mock exasperation. Will grumbled something unintelligible under his breath. After sulking for a few moments he allowed his smile to overcome his young features. Halt's mouth twitched slightly. He was once again stricken by the small hole Will always seemed to leave during their times apart, then subsequently fill when he came visiting. "Good to have you back, Will." He said gruffly.

Will beamed at him, knowing that the simple statement was sincere. "Good to be back." And he was, back in Redmont Fief, not very far from Halt's little cabin in the woods. Will remounted Tug and Halt walked back to where he had left Abelard, and then mentor and apprentice took the familiar road back home.

Meanwhile, worlds away...

"Legolas!" the man's frustrated yell was met with silver laughter, as the wood elf ever evaded him through the trees. In the light of the setting sun Legolas suddenly sprang from his branch, caching the mortal with his back to him, and tackling Aragorn to the ground. They landed with soft thuds on the springy grass and Elrohir laughed.

"Won't you two ever grow up?" Thranduil's bored drawl drifted to them from the table. In the warm summer evening their merry party had set up a nice picnic dinner in the forest.

"Let them play!" Glorfindel exclaimed, slinging his arm over the elvenking's shoulder. Glorfindel was one of the very few who could do such a thing and expect to still be breathing at the end of it. "Let them be young. They have time yet until they grow old and crotchety like some other elves I know."

Thranduil glared at him, a stare that would reduce most to nothing, which Glorfidel met merrily. Then with utmost dignity Thranduil shrugged his arm off, and turned back to the table eating quietly.

"Ada come play, as Lord Glorfindel so kindly calls us!" Legolas urged the king. Thranduil turned his back pointedly to them, engaging Lord Elrond in conversation. Legolas shrugged, disentangling himself from Aragorn and helping his friend up.

"Gerrof you big buffoon!" Aragorn exclaimed, gasping dramatically.

Legolas laughed. "You spend too much time with your brothers. You were not always this dramatic," he mused. Almost as if his words had summoned them, the twins appeared behind him.

"What's that Elladan?"

"I think he was insulting us."

"Yes, decidedly insulting"

"Well consider us insulted! You've done your work well, wood-elf."

"As you have done yours," Legolas laughed, moving away from them towards the horses. "You have taken my decidedly nice and calm mortal and turned him into another drama queen. You two filled out the role quite nicely; I don't think you needed him."

"Oh but you see," Elladan began, following the prince. "Estel brings something else to the table! Something we two cannot achieve alone." He made a vague motion with his hand, as if he could not begin to capture just what it was that Aragorn brought.

Legolas rolled his eyes, taking the flint from his saddlebag. He started the main fire, then lit the torches surrounding their little clearing, bathing the forest in warm light.

"Oh yes," Elrohir said gravely, intercepting Legolas as he was coming back to replace his flint. "Estel is quite talented."

At this Aragorn rolled his eyes. Legolas's flashed mischievously. Aragorn did not miss the look.

"You've done it now Elrohir; took it one line too far you did," Aragorn said ominously.

"Did I?"

"Aye, you did. Just look at him!" Elladan said, looking with narrowed eyes at the elf prince. Legolas looked back innocently, but a shadow of a smirk with visible on his lips.

"I've no idea what you're on about." Legolas replied gravely, but the twins recoiled in horror.

"I did! I did, didn't I? I'm sorry brother, I've done us both in," Elrohir apologized somberly.

Legolas laughed lightly, but smirked. Oh yes, the two of them had it coming. At some point, somewhere, sometime, the two sons of Elrond would see retribution.

"I'm sorry," Elrohir said quickly.

"For what?" Legolas asked innocently.

"Everything, anything."

"I'm sure I don't understand."

"Please, Legolas!"

"Oh no, you've got it coming to you now."

"Come on, Legolas! It's the picnic dinner!"

"Oh alright."

"Good-"

"I won't do it to you...tonight."

"Legolas!"

Legolas opened his mouth to reply but whatever he might have said was cut off by a loud bang as Thranduil slammed his hand down on the table.

"Quit your mindless squabbling, get your rears over here and come eat!"

Sufficiently cowed, the young elves and man scuttled to the table, joining the older elves.

"Now," Thranduil began conversationally, his eyes never moving from his place where he ate calmly. "You have all four of you incurred my wrath. Beware."

Each young man stiffened in his seat. The wrath of Thranduil was one of legend, and his revenge was often complicated, and that much more ingenious. Legolas thought that the king secretly enjoyed the childish game of practical joking, and even if he didn't the elvenking was exceedingly good at it.

"Now you've done it," Glorfindel's amused voice broke the stretching silence.

As if some spell had broken, talk bubbled up again through the table, and in the ring of fires all was merry and bright.

As it was growing dark, in Araluen ....

Halt and Will reached the little cabin in the woods.

Halt slowed in surprise and apprehension at the sight of the drapes twitching, as if someone had hurriedly flicked them shut. He looked over the cabin warily, but there were no further signs of life. He glanced quickly at Will who had moved to put Tug in the stable, then at Abelard who showed no signs of alarm. Shrugging off his doubts, he slid from the saddle. It had barely been a movement, he reasoned, nothing but a bit of wind.

He stroked Abelard's muzzle fondly. "No trouble old friend?" Abelard merely blinked his large brown eyes at him. Halt shrugged, tending to his needs and stabling the horse. When they had seen to the horses Will and Halt went to the front door.

Will hung back a fraction, making sure the Halt would be the first one to the door. He held his breath, then quickly remembered to breathe normally. He knew what was waiting behind the door, although it seemed Halt didn't. He waited, excitement and anticipation mounting as Halt drew closer to the door.

Halt opened the door to his cabin, once again on alert to duck or draw his saxe, or leap backwards in case someone was waiting inside. It turned out to be that there were five someones waiting.

"SURPRISE!"

The great shout tore from five throats as soon as he set foot inside. Halt leapt forward, startled. Instinctively he drew his saxe, meeting another blade before he realized who it was.

"Woah!" a familiar voice called, beaming down at Halt. The grizzled Ranger looked up to see Crowley, his oldest friend grinning at him, their blades locked overhead. "Happy Birthday, Halt. Now can we congratulate you without fearing for our lives?"

Halt stepped back, looking scandalized. "You should have known better." he replied stiffly, sheathing his knife. He turned around to face Will, who was grinning from the doorway. "I suppose you knew about this?" He said with a raised eyebrow. Will spread his hands apologetically.

"Happy Birthday, Halt!" an excited voice interceded before Halt had time to murder his apprentice. Halt found himself looking into the very happy face of Evanlyn, more commonly known as Cassandra, Princess of Araluen.

"Yes, Happy Birthday," Halt looked up, and this time it was Alyss, the tall blonde girl inclining her head slightly to him. "Lady Pauline sends her regards, and regrets that she cannot attend. Important business at Araluen. She said 'Happy Birthday' and 'don't get carried away'."

Crowley let out a snort at that, and Halt glared at him.

"Yes well, I thought we were done for, for a moment!" Horace said after a pause. Halt looked up to meet the honest gaze of the young man. "I thought for sure you had seen me at the window, when you and Will just got in."

Halt cursed internally. Of course he had seen something. Will, of course, had known, and Abelard and Tug knew all the people in the house. They saw no reason to raise any kind of alarm. That's the last time I don't trust my instincts, Halt thought to himself.

"I can't believe we really surprised him!" Evanlyn burst out excitedly. She had grown to be rather fond of the ranger, and she looked up to him. Consequently she felt some of the apprentice pride Will and Gilan shared, and delighted in besting him.

"It won't happen again." Halt promised sourly.

"Yes Halt, you seem to be slowing with time," the laughing voice of the last person teased quietly.

Halt glared at Gilan, who met his stare bravely.

"Apprentices! They graduate and suddenly you're a million years old, and good for nothing!" Halt exclaimed roughly. He turned to Will. "Make sure you're not like this. I don't think I can handle two of you."

"Oh Halt," Crowley said amusedly. "I think it's too late to save this one. This whole thing was his idea."

Halt turned somber eyes to the Commandant. "Pity, I rather liked him."

The night dissolved into fun and laughter, and good times spent with good friends.

In another forest, in another world, around another table seven other friends laughed and talked merrily. The nights were joyous on both ends, but little did they know that something was about to happen that would change everything.