An: Prepare for a bit of drama and angst! Also here is that reference to Caged that I warned you about. If you're curious on the powers Alfred shows here check it out!


A few hours later the lunch was eaten and they were walking along the path Arthur marked in the woods behind his house. Alfred ran off ahead a bit before he came across a tree that just seemed perfect for climbing. Arthur is enjoying the summer air when notices Alfred's gone, he turns to Matthew. "Where's your brother?"

Matthew looked around in surprise. "He was here just a minute ago.." A light giggling sounded from above. Arthur looks up.

"Alfred! Get down from there! You'll hurt yourself!"

He actually laughed at that. "Yeah right! Come on Artie I've been climbing trees my whole life! I'm fine!"

"Yeah, but not at this age!" Arthur replied with a glare.

He rolled his eyes and reached for another branch. "So I shrunk a little! I'm still perfectly capab-" He leaned out but the next branch was just a bit too far to reach. In his surprise his other hand lost it's grip and he started sliding toward the ground. England dashes and falls to the ground to catch Alfred. Alfred manages to catch the lowest branch long enough to slow his momentum and land safe in Arthur's arms.

Alfred sits paralyzed for a minute. The adrenalin surging his system gradually eases but doesnt stop the slight tremors. Arthur is breathing hard as he checks Alfred for any injuries then sighs when he finds none. "I thought I told you that you are to small to do that!"

Alfred snaps out of his shock. "And I told you I knew what I was doing! I caught myself didn't I?!" He crawled out of Arthur's grip.

"Yes, then you fell. If I wasn't there you could've gotten seriously hurt!"

"'If you wurnt hewe'?! It's you fawt I'm wike dis in da fust pwace!" Alfred shouted, his high emotions making his speech slip.

"How do you know it was me and not that golf loving freak!?"

"You wore da one fightn wit him!" Alfred was trying so hard not to cry at this point, he was just so frustrated at the whole thing! "It's always youw fawt! You aways hav ta be wight! When youw not you stawt a fight over it! Just wike da wevowuson and 1812! I hate you!" He couldn't take it anymore, with eyes full of tears he tore off into the forest as far away from Arthur as his little legs could get.

"Alfred!" Arthur looks down at Matthew. "Let's get you home, then I'll find your brother, ok?" Matthew says nothing as he gets picked up, just watches his brother leave with sad eyes.


Alfred ran blindly through the woods not paying attention to where he was going. Eventually he stopped and hunched over trying to catch his breath. When he finally recovered enough to look around he realized he didn't recognize where he was at all. He turned behind him trying to see something familiar but came up empty-handed.

Wandering back a few feet Alfred decided to try and retrace his steps. Unfortunately he ended up going in a direction parallel to the house instead of closer to it. After walking for a good half hour he was hopelessly lost and scared out of his wits. A loud SNAP sounded behind him which sent Alfred running. As he twisted his head around to see if anything was chasing the boy, a vine caught on his foot and sent him tumbling into a rather large ditch.


Arthur frantically ran through the forest, crying out as loud as he could. "ALFRED! ALFRED! ANSWER ME!" He had been looking so long night had fallen and still no sign of Alfred.


Alfred had been stuck in the ditch for hours. The edge was too high to reach and his ankle got twisted when he tripped. To make things worse it had started to rain some time ago. He had thought about flying out, but the eagle part of him seemed to have de-aged as well as the rest of his body. When he pulled out his wings they weren't the big strong powerful blades he used to cut through the wind, but instead little stubs covered in the downy fluff of a hatchling, and his feral instincts only added to his distress now that he couldn't keep them in check.

As he clung to the cliff with tiny little talons, the human side of him said to get out. Because it wasn't safe here and he was hurt and needed help but the walls were too slick and it was dark and he was alone and alone was never good he didn't like being alone because then it was quiet and he was sad and he never liked that feeling. But then the bird says, the ground is dangerous cause he can't fly and there wasn't a flyer around to pick him back up and then big sharp toothed things that were sooo much bigger than him can come and gobble him up with their big sharp teeth!

England is soaking wet as he searches. "ALFRED!" He sees the ditch and looks down in it seeing Alfred. Feelings of relief and worry clash "ALFRED!"

Alfred sluggishly blinked his eyes open revealing their golden glow, his skin was like ice and was barely conscious. The eaglet had hugged himself so hard he ended up scratching his sides and arms with his talons. The downy wings hidden under his shirt clung onto water like a sponge. Not to mention the thick coat of mud he was wearing.

Arthur slides down the incline pulling Alfred close. "It's ok. I'm here..." Alfred weakly snuggles closer, chirping softly. He could barely stay awake, soo tired.. Arthur carefully climbs out of ditch and heads home.


Matthew is waiting by the window absent-mindedly stroking Kuma. Finally he sees Arthur's flashlight in the yard and runs toward the door flinging it open with wide panicked eyes.

Arthur gives Matthew a reassuring smile. "I've found him." Matthew hugs his legs crying tears of relief. Arthur then dashes up stairs to run a hot bath, he needed to warm Alfred up and fast. Matthew follows, he doesn't want to be separated right now. Arthur rushes around quickly and gets Alfred into bath; he sneezes three times in a row.

"Bless you." Matt says slightly worried, "Are you ok?" As soon as Alfred was in the tub Matt stood beside it to hold Alfred's hand, his brother was still unresponsive.

Arthur gently shakes Alfred. "Hm..." He uses magic to heal him leaving Arthur slightly out of breath because of magic exertion. Alfred's eyes blink open, they've still got a slight gold tinge. He looks around sleepily.

Arthur sneezes again. "Alfred, my boy, are you ok?"

"..Dad?" He's still slightly out of it, "Wha..?"

"You were unconscious in a ditch. You nearly k-" he choked on his words "H-hurt yourself. But you're safe now." Arthur smiles.

Memory's click into place one by one. Tears dot his eyes as he wraps his wet arms around Arthur's neck. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" He was just so frustrated and confused on his current condition the emotions had built up to burst.

England smiles and hugs him back. "It's ok, I forgive you." Matthew glomps them both.


And vuala! Fluffy angst! Next up, can't spend the night in the rain and get out scott freeX3 sickness galore.