Crowley watched as the two younger Rangers spooned generous helpings of wild honey into theirs. He shook his head. 'Never could get used to the taste of honey in my coffee. Halt and I used to argue over that in our younger days.'

Will grinned. 'If you're Halt's apprentice, you don't have a choice. You learn to shoot a bow, throw a knife, move silently and put honey in your coffee.'

'He's a fine teacher,' Gilan said, sipping his coffee appreciatively. 'So did Halt say what this new cult are calling themselves? They usually come up with some portentous-sounding name,' he added, in an aside to Will.

'He didn't say,' Crowley said. He seemed to be hesitating over whether to voice his next statement. Then he came to a decision. 'He's worried this might be a new outbreak of the Outsiders.'

The name meant nothing to Will but he saw Gilan's head come up.

'The Outsiders?' Gilan said. 'I remember that name. It must have been in the second year of my apprenticeship. Didn't you and Halt go off together to see them on their way?'

Crowley nodded. 'Along with Berrigan and several other Rangers.'

'That must have been quite a cult,' Will said, surprise in his voice. There was an old Araluan saying about 'One riot, one Ranger'. It meant that it rarely took more than a single Ranger to solve the biggest problems.

'It was,' Crowley agreed. 'They were a very unpleasant bunch of people and their poison had gone deep into the heart of the countryside. It took us some time to get the better of them. That's why Halt is so intent on finding out more about this new group. If they're a recurrence of the Outsiders, we'll have to act quickly.'

He tossed the dregs of his coffee into the fire and set his cup down.

'But let's not worry about what might be a problem until we know that it is. In the meantime, we have a Gathering to organise. Gil, I was wondering if you'd give our two final-year apprentices some extra tuition in unseen movement?'