Ghost of the Past-Ranger's Apprentice Fanfic *Working Progress*

Chapter 2

Gilan sat on the steps of the veranda of Will's Cabin staring into the woods as he drank the warm mug of Coffee grasped tightly in his hands. The warm dark liquid passed his lips, skimmed over his tongue and trickled into his body without him tasting it. This rich liquid had always provided him comfort in whatever situation he'd been in, but today this once heavenly drink only reminded him of his bitter past.

Will watched his friend sitting on the steps to his home, he could sense that something had happened today, something that troubled Gilan deeply. He wanted to comfort his friend but Gilan seemed to be in a distant place. Will couldn't figure out what had happened that would trouble him so much. He went through the day's events in his head over and over again.

It had started out like any normal day in his cabin.

At around eleven Gilan knocked on his door, which was of no concern to Will as he had been expecting him, Gilan had sent him a letter a week ago explaining that he would be visiting for a few days. They'd spent an hour or so catching up when there was an urgent knocking at the door. It was from a local farmer who had been attacked by a large group of bandits who had robbed him and destroyed his crops. Naturally Will and Gilan set off straight away in search of the bandits. They located them in an hour and set up a plan, in which they could get rid of the bandits without unnecessary bloodshed.

At nearly two they found themselves face to face with the group of bandits on the verge of a fight, that they tried to avoid but the Bandits weren't going without a fight.

At half past the hour they stood alone on the dusty path, surrounded by a few dead bandits who had fought for their life whilst their 'friends' ran off in fear of their lives.

At three Will found himself stood inside the door way of his cabin staring at his friend who sat motionless on the steps of his veranda.

Gilan, finally sensing his friend's presence behind him, placed his mug beside him and turned to face him. Will smiled at him but Gilan didn't smile back, he was still lost in his thoughts. Will knew his friend well, they'd been friends for over seven years, and in all that time he'd never seen Gilan like this. Gilan was always smiling and joking around, but when he had to be serious he was, but he'd never been like this. Lost in thought, distant, disconnected from everything and everyone around him.

Will walked over to Gilan and sat beside him, pausing for a moment unsure of what he was going to say. He always had this problem, he only planned so far in his head.

"It's a nice day." He remarked mentally kicking himself. Of all the things he could have said, that had to be the worst thing to say.

"Hmm?" Gilan said as he came back to reality.

"I said it's a nice day." Will repeated. Gilan nodded dismissively as he drifted back to his thoughts. Will, sensing this, nocked his coffee onto Gilan's lap.

"Will!" Gilan exclaimed as the hot liquid landed on his lap. He quickly jumped to his feet and tried to wipe off as much as he could with his hands, the hot liquid soaking through his clothing and burning his legs. Will quickly rose to his feet to try and assist Gilan.

"I'm so sorry" he repeated over and over again. Gilan sighed and looked at him.

"It's alright, it was only an accident." Will nodded several times.

"Still, I'm sorry." Gilan nodded his acknowledgement of Will's apology.

"I'd better change and wash these." He said glancing down at his coffee stained trousers.

"I'll wash them for you, after all it was my fault." Gilan shook his head.

"I couldn't let you do that."

"At least let me help" Will insisted feeling terrible for what he had done. It had been an impulsive action one without any thought to the consequences which in the scheme of things weren't very big but it wasn't exactly pleasant for Gilan. Gilan nodded and walked inside to change.

Gilan came to the sink as Will was filling it up with his coffee soaked trousers in hand. Gilan watched silently as Will filled it up with clean water from the stream.

"Who was she?" Will asked nonchalantly trying to act as though it was a casual thing to say. Will had finally pieced together the day's events and remembered seeing a girl run from the fight after coming face to face with Gilan. He presumed that it was her who was playing on Gilan's mind as he couldn't think of anything else that it could possibly be. Gilan played the same game as Will and began scrubbing his trousers.

"Who was who?" He asked, trying to convince Will that he had no idea what he was on about, or to convince himself that he had never seen her. Will, persistent as he was, continued pressing Gilan on the matter.

"The girl who ran from the fight." Gilan shrugged.

"I have no idea" Will looked at him as he placed the empty bucket on the ground beside him.

"Really? It looked like you knew each other."

"Well I don't know who she is" Gilan spat angrily. "And it's none of your business even if I did know her." He exclaimed throwing his trousers in the sink of water and storming out of the cabin.

Will heard Blaze nicker to Gilan before hearing them galloping into the woods. He picked up the trousers from the sink and continued to clean them. He was positive that Gilan knew who she was and that he was hiding something, something that troubled him deeply, and Will wanted to know what. Not just to satisfy his curiosity but to help his friend.