12 years later...

Daniel was frozen, to the point of shivering but he kept still, no way was he going to let an opportunity like this slip by. Looking out slightly from his vantage point he saw that his targets were not far off from his position and closing in.

Just a little more and it's perfect. He thought as he watched them.

He was wearing a light grey tunic with a dull leather belt at his waist, a dull grey and white cloak around him as he stuck to the shadows of his surroundings. The cowl was pulled up hiding most of his face, but not his mouth which was curled into a smile of delight. His breath came out in small clouds but he breathed mostly from his nose so the little clouds wouldn't give him away.

He was sitting in a tree that was in the castle court yard of Castle Redmont and his unlucky prey were below him riding in on their small, shaggy, barrel-chested horses with their bows across their saddles and their cowls pulled back.

As soon as they were beneath the tree, Daniel acted swiftly and quietly, practically slithering down a part of the tree trunk, he then gave a small powerful jump onto one of the larger branches and sent a shower of snow down on the riders.

"Damn that's cold!" Gilan shouted. All of the riders had cried out when the snow hit them and their horses had much the same reaction. Snorting and shaking their entire body to rid them of the cold as they shook their manes.

Daniel was helpless. He was slumped against the tree and leaning against its branches for support, holding his sides from laughing so hard. "Oh your faces, your faces!" He cried out in joy.

"Daniel Treaty you get down here right now." A very serious voice came. He groaned when he looked down to see none other than his mother, Alyss Mainwaring, walking through the thin blanket of snow and towards them. Climbing down the tree he landed with a soft thud, the snow crunching beneath his leather boots as he did so.

He was still a bit giddy from his little prank and couldn't help but smile again when he looked at Halt, Gilan, Maddie and Crowley who were still covered in snow. "Your going to regret this." Maddie hissed under her breath but in truth she was laughing along side with him, knowing that they must have truly been a sight to see, all covered in white powder.

His smile was short lived however when his mother reached them and it instantly disappeared. He looked down, he knew why she was mad at him and didn't want to have this conversation again, especially in front of the most respected Rangers in Auralen, the Commandant and not to mention the daughter of the Crown Princess.

To late he realized that Alyss was already speaking to him. He felt fear for he had been completely ignoring her and his discomfort grew when she began to notice that and was about to scold him when Halt lived up to his name and stopped her before she could start.

"Alyss, don't you think it would be better to continue this conversation inside were it's warm and were there is less of a crowed?" He asked gently. She glared at him, but sighed seeing the logic in his question. "I suppose..."

Daniels heart lifted in hope which was quickly dispelled by her next words, "but we will continue the conversation Daniel. Now get inside were before you catch a cold." He rolled his eyes when she turned and left "Thank you." he said to Halt who only raised and eyebrow.

"Oh I only did it so I could make sure you were alive long enough so I could wring you my self for showering me in freezing snow." He said cheerfully.

Daniel took that as his cue to run inside and when he was gone Crowley turned to Halt. "He's been doing it again hasn't he?"

Gilan and Maddie nodded and Halt replied "And more frequently as well, Alyss isn't to pleased about it." Crowley looked at were both Alyss and Daniel disappeared. "I could tell."