I look up at the howls. The local pack is hunting a group of humans. That's odd there are very few humans that would dare to enter these woods. It's why I came here in the first place. As a shifter, should I meet with a wizard, I am drawn to protect that wizard. I have hidden in these woods since I left my pack. I feel a slight tingle as the wolves howl again. There is a wizard with that group of humans, and a powerful one at that. Otherwise I would not feel the pull from this far away.
I put out my campfire, and grab my bag. It was made by the seamstresses in my pack. It is designed to stay on me even when I shift. I race through the woods. If I am fast enough, I should be able to save the wizard. I race through the woods. The wolves howl again, and I get a tingle of electricity down my spine. I leap over a fallen tree, and shift into my wolf form. I land as a jet black wolf. I move twice as fast now. I send up a howl of my own, claiming to hunt the wolf pack.
I shiver in the cold. How is it Arthur always manages to get enlisted in the most dangerous journeys? I stoke the fire, and shiver as the wolves howl again. This time though a single voice rises up separate from the pack. I can feel something ancient and magical approaching. A deeper voice sings a sinister song. I hear the wolves start yelping, and making more noise than usual. One of the bushes on the edge of the clearing starts to shake violently. Out of it leaps a let black wolf. My hair stands on end at the magic flowing off of this wolf.
I watch as the young wizard stands up. I surprised him, so it's only natural that he would look so frightened. "What is your name warlock?" I mind speak to him.
He blinks a few times, and looks around the clearing. "Who wants to know?" he asks the air.
"I, raven, of the shifters," I tell him with a slight bow of my head.
"How do I know that it is you?" he asks.
I look around for a moment, before I wiggle my bag off. I pull out a blanket, and pull it over my shoulders. "If you cover up how will I know it wasn't a trick?" he asks.
"I'll be naked when I return to my human form. Do you really want to see me naked?" I ask him. His face flushes a bright red. "I didn't think so. It will only take a moment," I tell him. I turn my back to him, and shift.
The magic in the air triples. Then it disappears all together, and there is a girl in the place where the wolf was. She is holding the blanket tight to her bare body. She turns to face me, and I feel my face burn. She is very pretty, and mostly naked. "Will you tell me your name now wizard?" she asks. Her voice isn't as harsh as her mental voice.
"It's Merlin," I stammer. She smiles at me.
That is a very good strong name. He must be someone very great indeed to have a name like that. "Merlin, I will watch out for you from now on, if that is ok with you," I ask him.
"Why?" he asks.
"It is a shifters job to protect a wizard when we meet one. It is ingrained in our very natures. I have found you, and so I must keep you safe," I explain.
"Why me?" he asks.
"It is not a choice Merlin. There are so few shifters nowadays, because of Uther that we bond to the first wizard we meet," I tell him.
"I'm the first wizard you've ever met?" he asks in shock.
"I have been hiding out in this forest to avoid it, but your magic is so strong that it called me to you from many miles away," I say almost happily.
"You might want to shift back. The other will be waking up soon. Plus it's really cold out here," Merlin says shyly.
"Are you going to make me leave you?" I ask.
"No if you can't help it then I won't try to change you," he says nicely.
"Can you carry my bag?" I ask him.
"Absolutely," he says with a big smile. And now it is my turn to blush because he is handsome when he smiles. I give him a small smile, before I shift again. I crawl from under the blanket, and shake out my fur coat. Merlin comes over, and folds the blanket for me. He stuffs it into my bag, and hangs my bag over his shoulder.
We sit by the fire talking about nothing in particular. The knights around us stir, and get up. Merlin is still laughing at a joke I told him. The knights all look at him like he is crazy. I wag my tail. A blonde notices me first. "Merlin, don't move. There is a wolf sitting next to you," he says in a serious voice.
Merlin looks down at me. "Huh would you look at that there is," he says in a joking voice. He pulls out a pot, and starts getting breakfast ready.
"Merlin for once will you do what I say?" the blonde asks.
"No because she isn't a threat," Merlin says simply.
"Isn't a threat, Merlin this is not a palace dog, this is a wolf. You cannot tame one," the blonde says heatedly.
"Why don't you come over here and pet her," Merlin says just as heatedly. I look between the two warily. Slowly I stand up, and walk over to the blonde with my head tilted to the side. He watches me warily, with a hand on his sword. I wag my tail to ease his fears, but he is of a stubborn lot. I reach my nose towards his foot. I see him tense up so I sit down, and stare into his eyes. I whine at him a little, until he reaches out. I lick his gloved hand, and he rolls his eyes at the look on Merlin's face.
"Breakfast is ready Arthur," Merlin says happily.