The patrol moved out slowly, the moral of the group was at an all time low. It wasn't helped by the fact that Gwaine was loudly complaining in a sullen dark brooding mood, all he wanted was to be left alone, not sent out on stupid quests that didn't matter to anyone. He just wanted to be left to dwell on memories of the girl who had broken his heart his mind and his life. He couldn't function without her, everything gave him reminders of what he had lost. He was empty inside, consumed by the numbness that followed the nearly never-ending pain. Nothing held any joy nor interest for him now, Arthur had kept him on as a knight in the hope that he would eventually snap out of this rut but it wasn't looking likely.
The troop was heading to one of the outlying villages, reports of a wild beast had been spotted in the grounds and a few villagers had gone missing soon after. Arthur himself wasn't with his knights though he would have very much liked to be, and Merlin was staying at the castle to assist Arthur.
The knights spent the best part of the next morning ascertaining when and where the beast was said to have been and with that in mind they set out.
"It's been four stupid hours and still no sign, once again, what the hell are we here for? Huh?" Gwaine didn't even bother keeping his voice down, he expressed his annoyance almost too loudly. The other knights had grown accustomed to this new Gwaine but they didn't like it all the same. They too were frustrated but they had a job to do.
It was nearly nightfall when they heard it, a blood-curdling scream, a woman's scream. Immediately they all scrambled in the direction of the sound and as they did it came again, louder this time. They followed avidly watching, looking for clues as to where the sound came from. Again the sound, much closer this time, they were heading in the right direction.
They traversed past a group of rocks when Ellyn called them to halt, there was an opening in the rocks cleverly concealed. Quietly and with bated breath they assembled, the scream sounded again and this time it cam directly from the rocks. The knights launched an attack into the darkness of the rocks. Racing down the passage it took them to a low roofed clearing, where a young woman was being restrained by a cloaked figure, the woman screamed out again, fighting hard against the figure who struggled to contain the woman, the knights attacked swiftly killing the hooded figure and freeing the young woman from her bounds. All the while the young woman was muttering under her breath, confused phrases that didn't make sense. Percival knelt next to the young woman, trying to ask her gently if she was hurt, to reassure her it was ok when he crystal clear eyes shot up and locked directly onto Gwaine. She froze, mouth open, almost frightened "Gwaine?" she croaked out before her eyes rolled back into her head and she passed out.
