This is basically just a little randomness that popped into my head, i could totally imagine it happening. Merlin and Arthur go on a litele hunt in the woods, and Merlin never was the best at climbing trees . . .

"It's not funny anymore Merlin."

Merlin wiped the mud from his eyes and cringed slightly at his master's angry tone. "Y'know, after a while, watching you trip over thin air can become quite tiresome."

"Not my fault." Merlin heaved himself up off the forest floor. Arthur had dragged him on another hunting trip, why couldn't he take one of his knights? They were all petty bootlickers who would nothing better than to accompany his highness.

"Can we actually make some progress now?" Arthur leant back against a tree impatiently as Merlin began to gather all the bags he had thrown into the air when he tripped.

"Er, Arthur." Merlin gulped when he saw where Arthur's arrow bag was.

"What now, Merlin!" The prince turned to his servant in a bored manner."Your bag . . ." He glanced upwards. The aging leather sack was balanced high on an overhead branch. Merlin stole a look at Arthur whose face was turning an unpleasant shade of crimson.

"Tell me Merlin," He challenged, "That that bag up there is not my favourite arrow bag." Merlin looked up at the tree.

"You'd be able to climb up there." He replied simply. Arthur laughed his awful, that was stupid and now I'm going to make you do something you don't want to do, laugh and smiled.

"Actually, since you threw it up there, you can get it back down."

The young warlock gulped remembering the last time he was up a tree . . . it had taken six men to get him down!

"Arthur, I don't have a very good history with trees . . ." He mumbled.

"Well, think of this as a new start." The prince put his hands on his hips and Merlin knew he no longer had a choice.

The tree was extremely slippery, its bark wet from all the recent rainfall. Merlin began to heave himself up its upright frame.

"I'm not enjoying this!" Merlin gasped when he had cleared six feet.

"Good." The prince smirked back. Merlin couldn't understand why he had to climb the tree; of course, he

could do it in two seconds, probably because he just enjoyed watching Merlin suffer. Fingers outstretched Merlin reached out to grab the bag, he was in that annoying position where his fingers were just brushing it but unable to get it and he couldn't move out onto the branch because it could snap off and he would fall and he was beginning to get his fear of heights back. Arthur laughed from way below, Merlin looked like he was wetting himself up there, that boy had some serious problems.

"Arthur!" Merlin cried shaking. "I can't reach it!" He had of course considered using magic to inch the bag closer to him but Arthur was watching in a hawk-like manner so it would be far too risky.

"Move closer to it!" Arthur shouted back impatiently.

"I can't I'm scared!"

Arthur sighed and Merlin thought he could hear his eyes rolling.

"I swear Merlin if I have to come up there . . ."

"You should have come up here in the first place!"

"Merlin, you threw the bag up there, only God knows how you got it that high up, if you weren't so damn clumsy we wouldn't have this problem!" Arthur stepped towards the tree and began to scale it with ease, with his back to Arthur, Merlin seized his chance. A quick flash of gold in his eyes was seen by no-one and the bag moved right into his hand.

"I got it!" A grinning Merlin twisted round to see the glaring face of Arthur.

"Fine, I'll go back down then, shall I?" Arthur began to head down leaping off one of the lower branches and landing expertly before staring up at Merlin a half smile playing on his lips.

It took a while for Merlin's feet to tough the ground again, it was all Arthur's fault, as he rushed him, saying that is he didn't get down in ten seconds then he would get Gaius to make him clean the leech tank out again. At first he was doing fine, he managed to put one foot securely on a branch and dropped his full weight on another which promptly snapped, leaving him hanging Arthur's bag draped over a shoulder.

"Merlin?!" Arthur sounded genuinely concerned, "Stretch your feet and put them on that branch, no that one!" Arthur instructe

d as Merlin grew suddenly paler. Doing as he was told Merlin managed to balance for a few more seconds while he caught his breath. Then he navigated his way cautiously down the tree trunks using whatever foot holes and hand holes he could find, although it was kept well hidden Arthur was quite impressed.

"I'm ok." Merlin slumped to the floor breathing heavily and answering Arthur's unasked question quietly.

"Good, let's get a move on now!" Arthur offered a hand and pulled his friend off the dirty ground.

No sooner had they walked ten feet Merlin tripped over a large root of a nearby tree sending all Arth

ur's bags flying in different directions and one, his favourite arrow bag high into a tree . . .

"MERLIN, THIS IS NOT FUNNY!"

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