Ranger's Apprentice - Race For Halt

Ch. 25

It was finally time. His wounds had healed. Only his memory remained wounded.
Will could go home.
Of course, he wasn't his normal self, and it broke Halt's heart when Will didn't jump out of the infirmary with joy. He simply walked out and stood to wait for Halt to take the lead.
"I assume I have a house that you're taking me to?" Will asked. Halt nodded.
"Very private. In the woods. You'll love it." Halt replied. He mounted Abalard and Will mounted Tug, but only because Halt told him to. Will didn't recognize Tug.
It was almost as heartbreaking as him not recognizing Halt himself.
The shaggy horse neighed in joy at the sight of Will, but Will didn't understand. He just glanced at Halt, fearfully.
"He's just glad to see you," Halt choked out. "He missed you."
Will nodded and followed Halt down the road.
The silence was smothering. No questions to bombard Halt. No jokes to share. Only silence.
Ages later, they arrived at Will's cabin.
"It's beautiful!" Will exclaimed. "I live here?"
Halt smiled at all the memories. "Yes."
Will dismounted and Halt led both the horses to the stable. Tug whinned at Will's absence, and Halt pitied the beast.
"He doesn't remember you," he said, feeding Tug an apple. "But he will. Someday."
With that, he left and walked into the house. Will was standing still in the center of the room, staring at the kitchen table.
"Will?" Halt asked. The nurse had mentioned that seeing old places might bring back memories, which could be good or bad. Too many memories at once could damage his mind.
Will didn't answer. Halt walked over to him and laid a hand in his shoulder.
"Will, come on. Let's sit down." He suggested. But Will didn't move.
"There was girl." He said slowly, not looking away from the table. Halt couldn't imagine what Will was trying to remember. Only that he was talking about Alyss.
"Yes?" Halt prodded.
"She- she was beautiful." Will continued. "Blonde and smart..."
Halt watched as Will's eyes slowly lowered.
"It's alright," Halt said, knowing Will had lost the rest of the memory. "That is progress."
Quietly, Will explored the little cabin. Halt moved to the kitchen and began to make coffee. Minutes later, he sat two mugs at the table.
Will came over and sat across from Halt. He watched in interest and Halt poured honey in both cups.
"I liked this?" Will asked, disgusted.
"Oh, indeed." Halt chuckled.
Tentively, Will sipped his cup. After a few tastes, he gulped the mug.
"That's good!" Will exclaimed. Halt laughed sadly.
Oh, the things we have discussed over this drink, he thought.
The two sat in silence before Halt decided it was time to do another experiment.
He moved from the table and went to the wall, where he carefully chose the bow he saw fit.
"Come here," he told Will. Will obeyed and followed Halt outside.
They stood in the grass, a good distance away from a group of targets.
Like so many years ago.
"String it." Halt said. Will stared at the weapon and then at Halt.
"I can't." He said.
"Oh, yes you can." Halt insisted. "Just try."
Slowly, Will tried to string the bow. Halt watched in satisfaction as Will put the bow between his foot and the ground correctly. But a few seconds later, Will misjudged the power needed and failed to string the weapon.
"Stop telling yourself you can't do it." Halt demanded. Will took a deep breath and tried again. This time, he was successful. Will looked up and beamed at Halt.
"Good," Halt said, hiding his excitement. He handed Will a quiver of arrows. "Now shoot."
Gingerly, Will selected an arrow and notched it. He pulled back, but when the arrow flew, it missed by a foot.
"Use your back muscles," Halt said, repeating his training words from years ago. "Not your arms."
Again, Will notched, aimed, and shot. He hit the target.
Unsatisfied, Will tried again. Another hit. Again. Hit. Five in a row.
Will glanced at Halt, clearly looking for a pleased nod. Instead, Halt walked past him to the house.
"A Ranger doesn't practice until he hit it," Halt said.
"He practices until he doesn't miss." Will finished.
Halt froze and turned to look at Will. But the man was focused on shooting again.
He hadn't even realized that he'd remembered a phrase from decades ago, when he was only a boy, being trained by Halt.
But Halt had heard it.
And he was hopeful.