The Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 5

The warm morning gave way in to a temperature afternoon, sun still gleaming for the sky and birds swooping through it casually. The horses ambled through the forest, bees swarming drunkenly through the trees, the knights enjoying the sun shine and not thinking about what awaited them when they reached their destination.

With every hoofstep Merlin felt the darkness receed inch by inch from the darkness that had enshrouded his heart, as the laughter and sunshine worked its way into him. A smile grazed his face and let him relax into the conversation.

"It is a tradition" Leon was saying sombrely to Mordred who rode beside him, sitting backwards on his horse. Merlin's eyebrow danced in wonderment.

"Goes back years!" Elyan called over his shoulder.

"We all had to do it on our first quest." Percival reassured him with a nod seeing his quizzicating look.

"Mordred, what on earth are you doing?" Merlin asked with his face screwed up in confusion.

"Melding the saddle" He explained simply from his position on the horse facing Merlin, whom was riding behind him.

"As in the ancient tradition....of melding." Gwaine said conspirationally from beside him with a subtle wink. Merlin grinned.

"I trust your breeches are on inside out?" Arthur joined in from the head of the group. Merlin snorted and ducked his head to hide it as Mordred twisted around in his seat to look ahead perburtation on his face.

"My lord?" He asked. Around him the men all burst into raucous laughter unable to hold it in and keep a straight face anymore.

Suddenly a warning sliced through Merlin's thoughts, tugging him roughly from his joy. A snarling painful feeling in the back of his mind eminating from the trees besides them.

"Arthur...." Merlin said warningly looking into the dim shadows of the forest canopy for any sound of the animal. A branch snapped.

"Arthur, Run!" Merlin yelled, leaping from the gelding and running almost superhumanlly fast towards the trees. The creature was getting closer; he couldn't let it reach them. But Arthur merely pulled his horse to an abrupt stop, a look of confusion cresting his face.

"Merlin....?" He asked sharply looking around reaching for Excalibur.

Suddenly and without warning the indonnimous beast emerged from the trees, howling and snarling a crunsome wail, with it's beady eyes trained manically on the king. The noisome beast shuttered it's acrid fangs, in a sickly snap, its rancid eyes burning a stale yellow from its fetid black cheeks. It hauled itself swiftly like a miasma out of the trees and towards him on full length arms sinewy covered in amphorous black hair, it's flat face bare shoring it's rank purpling skin stretch tight over misshapen bones. With no lips or eyelids its wild eyes swivelled and mouth foamed gluttenously.

Before Arthur could draw his sword Merlin, snarling like an animal had lept high into the air and on to the beast knocking it from its stride, his long fingers now claws razorous sharp, sinking into the monster's flesh and carving out its throat with frightening efficiency. With splurt of blood and a frightening gurgle the creature died, it's sound fading from Merlin's mind. He stood up, breathing heavily and wiped his sticky bloodied hand on it's fur.

There was total silence. He looked up to see all of the knights still on horseback, hands on their undrawn swords staring at him with wide eyes.

"You've got...." Arthur said in a strangled voice, indicating vaguely at his face. Merlin rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead - it came away streaked with the monsters blood.