The Ranger's Apprentice. Timed Disaster

Part Four The Search

He had been traveling for an hour now,  judging  by the sun burning overhead; though as unsteady as he was on his feet, Will's progress had been hampered by the numerous times he'd fallen or slid down a hill.
Using every ounce of cover he could find, he had just two thoughts: keep ahead of the Skandians, and get back to Aurelean.
  He came to a stream and stopped to quench his thirst; refilling his flask, Wil heartily wished he had been able to take his horse with him. Tug would have been invaluable.
Will blinked hard as his vision swam again, waiting for it to steady. He didn't like how often that kept happening.

Suddenly a twig snapped, and he jerked upright,  stunned by the fact that he had nearly fallen asleep where he sat, near the murmuring water.
Ducking into the cover, he waited, watchful.

Two men emerged from the brush, leading their horses. One was rather short, with hair that looked as though he had probably cut it himself. The taller one was younger and carried a sword, unlike his companion.  But what made Will sit up and take notice was the fact they were obviously following him. The Skandians.
He wet his lips nervously. He wasnt about to go back to that land of freezing winter and misery.

Focus, Will. What to do next.

The men were discussing the tracks, in disagreement over what they each wanted to do. He strained his ears but the noise of the river was sufficiently covering their voices.

>>---->

"He's walking in circles?" Gilan's forehead wrinkled in consternation. 

"It looks that way." Halt gestured grimly to the tracks at the edge of the river. "This is the second time he's come to this river, and we have just been passing the same landmarks." The ranger ran a hand over his chin, groaning.

"He could be within a few yards or within a mile of us." Gilan unconciously speaking  truer than he would have dreamed. "Do you suppose..." he lapsed into silence, not wanting to voice the horrible thought that had entered his mind. "I mean, how was he today?"

"Fine! Never been better." Halt snapped out angrily, guessing the other half of Gilan's sentence. "He hasn't had any problems since he was drugged by the Skandins, and never will. Do you hear me, Gilan?"

The young man raised both hands. "I believe you, Halt. I'm just concerned about him and trying to find a reason for all of this." He sighed, lowering his voice. "Well, where do we go now?"

Trying to reign in his emotions and anger, Halt looked the tracks over carefully again. He blamed himself, secretly. If he had just taken Will with him.. Having to push his thoughts aside, Halt spoke over his shoulder. "We aren't far behind him, and I don't see any fresher footprints over on the other side of the bank, so I believe he's following the river now."

Gilan squinted up at the sun. "Well, why don't we split up then, and meet back here in two hours if we have or haven't found him?"
"Alright." They parted as agreed, Gilan heading downstream, Halt going up.

From the bushes, Will had come to.the decision that the only way he would be rid of this search party, was to eliminate them. This had just made it easier.
Throwing his hood up, he began stalking the shorter man.