Apprentice
By Kwolfhard

PAIRING: Locke, Walt
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: Placed between Solitary and Raised by Another. Locke
teaches Walt how to knife-throw, using a tree as target practice.
Locke takes on Walt as an apprentice. This may, in fact, be a
series. I haven't decided yet.
WARNING: Knives are thrown at trees! ;) Otherwise, there are no warnings.

****************************

The small knife zinged through the air at a moderate speed aiming
for the tree. At the last second, however, the sharp knife tilts to
the left, leaving it in an awkward position as it hits the tree. As
if disturbed by the knife's side hitting the tree, a bird flies
to the air.

"Better. It's all in the wrist, Walt," Locke replies calmly, looking
at the tree and then back toward Walt.

Walt looked as if he was losing patience. After all, he was just a
kid.

"But, at least he has potential," Locke thought to himself before
pointing to Walt's right wrist.

"What do you mean in my wrist?" Walt looked at his wrist as if it
had all the answers and then looks back to the older man with much
the same look.

Locke gave Walt a smile, amused by the boy's antics. The Colonel
shook his head and replied composedly, "You have to flick your
wrist just as you release the hilt, Walt."

"If he were to have just a little more patience, he could hunt
with me. Or at the very least, become better bait than Charlie,"
Locke thought to himself in clear contemplation.

Walt frowns at the scarred hunter before jogging to the tree being
used as target practice and grabbing his knife and moving back into
position feet away from the looming tree. In quick succession,
Michael's son looks at Locke, the tree, his wrist, and finally
the knife. After a moment of silent thought, Walt pulls his right
arm back, lifts his forearm and flicks his wrist as he sends the
knife zinging again.

This time, the knife manages to hit its target. However, as
inexperienced as Walt is at knife-throwing, the thrown knife only
manages to dig the tip into the bark of the tree.

Locke looks on with mild approval while Walt punches his arm up in
the air with unbridled enthusiasm.

"If you work hard enough, you could become my apprentice,
Walter," Locke replies with a cryptic smile.

Walt finally puts a cork in his excitement as he hears the scarred
hunter's response, looking at Locke with burning curiosity.

"What's an apprentice, sir?" Walt asks, looking up at the
bald man.

"It's a person who learns from another the skills of the
trade. I bet you could even catch a boar once you learn what I have
to offer you, Walt," Locke explains, his face remaining as neutral
as possible.

Walt's eyes open wide in shock and exhilaration as he hears
Locke's clarification. Walt grins suddenly and asks in a louder
voice full of wonder, "Really!? I could do that!? I could be your…
apprentice??"

Locke merely nods at the boy before grabbing another knife from his
collection. He takes a look at the tree where Walt's knife is still
jammed and then back to Michael's son.

"It's a long process though, Walt. Do you think your father
would approve at all?" the hunter asks, looking upon the kid.

"Of course not sir, but my dad doesn't care about me anyways!" Walt
replies back in defiance, lifting his chin up to show his
willingness to the Colonel.

"I wonder if Michael cares at all what his son is doing right now,"
Locke thinks to himself while watching eager young Walt stand
across from him in defiance. The hunter nods slowly at the pre-
adolescent.

As if they couldn't grow wider, Walt's eyes widen further at
Locke's slow yet sure nod.

"You mean it? I can be your apprentice?!" Walt asks eagerly as any
other boy his age.

Locke nods once more and grips his knife with white knuckles,
telling the boy, "You'll have to do everything I say, Walt. I am not
your father, Walt."

Walt nods in compliance to Locke's request, so easily for a boy
his age, practically signing away his soul to the former paraplegic.

"Okay, Locke," Walt replies, his voice still jittery with
anticipation.

"Call me Colonel," Locke replies.

As if to solidify the agreement between Walt and Locke, the hunter
throws the knife he holds, thus sending it zinging through the air
toward the tree being used for target practice. A crack sounds as
the stainless steel knife hits its mark.