*AUTHOR'S NOTE* Hi guys, sorry for the late update, been busy and had a bad bout of writer's block. But I finally managed to come up with another chapter for you all, so here it is. Enjoy!
"Gaius!" Arthur ran into Gaius' chambers, panting, Merlin curled up in his arms. He had come round and was moaning loudly, clinging onto Arthur, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Gaius acted quickly and immediately cleared books and papers off of the nearest table. Arthur set Merlin down on it, and stood near him, gently stroking the base of one of the huge brown ears that protruded from the warlock's hair. "What happened?" Gaius was already examining Merlin's leg, which was very obviously broken.
"He climbed a tree and fell from the top." Arthur couldn't dampen the feeling of guilt that swirled inside his stomach. He had hurt Merlin, and he felt awful.
"Okay. I'm going to have to straighten that leg." Gaius was already putting together a pain remedy.
"Arthur! Hurts!" Merlin reached up, searching for his Arthur, he would keep him safe. Arthur grabbed Merlin's flailing hand and squeezed it. "I'm here, Merlin, it's okay."
Gaius lifted Merlin's head and tilted the pain relief into Merlin's mouth. He sputtered a little, and spat most of it out, but after a while it began to take effect. Gaius gently took hold of the leg, and felt up the shin, searching for the break. Merlin kept wriggling his toes and whining, so Gaius the break wasn't too severe. Eventually, his fingers found a definite lump in the bone, just below the knee. He put a hand over it, gripped the calf and pulled it straight. Merlin let out a loud yowl, and whimpered. Arthur comforted him, watching as Gaius set the leg in a splint, using a thick set of leather thongs to secure it.
"There, we just need to let it heal. No more trips outside for Merlin."
Merlin looked up at Gaius and down at his now heavily splinted and bandaged leg. "Broken?"
"I'm afraid so." Gaius sat down and sighed. "What are we going to do with you!"
Several weeks had passed since Merlin's fall, and he had astounded everyone with the speed at which he had healed. Gaius had expected it, as he knew that wolves tended to heal fast. Merlin seemed to be becoming more aware, and was beginning to speak more fluently, often stringing together sentences or mimicking the speech of others. Within four weeks, he was walking and seemed to be almost back to normal, the only clues to his previous state were the golden colour that remained in his eyes, and the tips of the once huge ears protruding from the covering of thick hair. Within six weeks Merlin was completely back to normal.
"Do you remember anything?" Arthur watched from his chair as his manservant made his bed.
"Not really" Merlin finished with the bed and sat on the chair opposite Arthur, hugging his knees to his chest in an endearing manner that reminded Arthur of the wolf-like Merlin. "I mean, I remember some of it, but it's all a bit hazy."
"Oh, I was hoping you'd remember who did it to you."
Merlin's stomach flipped. "No, I don't think I saw them."
"It's okay, I suppose father will send a search party out to find them, I think he was hoping you'd remember."
Merlin laughed. "I spent most of my first week here in the stocks for 'forgetting' things, don't you remember?"
Arthur laughed, and then blushed. "Be quiet, you!"
Merlin laughed back. "And to think, you didn't like me then!"
"I still don't you idiot!"
Merlin smiled and got up. "I thought you wanted to go hunting?"
"Yes?"
"Right then, I'll go and get the horses sorted." Merlin left for the stables, with a slightly lopsided gait. Arthur watched him go, secretly missing the wolf Merlin.
Several hours later, Arthur and Merlin were on the way back to Camelot, having caught a prize stag and several pheasants. Merlin smiled and breathed in the crisp air, glad to be outside. He spurred his horse on to keep up with Arthur, and laughed as he zoomed past him, pulling the horse to a stop to wait.
"In a hurry are we?" Arthur caught up with him.
"Not really."
"You overtook me!" Arthur feigned a cross look. "I should punish you for that!" He grinned. "But I won't." He spurred his horse forward again, leaving Merlin to race him home.
"Are you completely sure you're alright?" Gaius sat down opposite Merlin.
"Yes, I'm fine." Merlin smiled and stretched. "Oooh I'm tired" he said, mid yawn.
"Go to bed then." Gaius smiled.
Merlin sighed. "I will actually, I'm exhausted." He got up and walked over to the door that lead to his room. "Night, Gaius"
Merlin woke with a start, cold sweat drenching him. Outside, the full moon shone brightly, sending its ghostly, silvery white light into the room. An uncomfortable pain was growing in his stomach, and starting to seep into every limb, every cell. He took in deep breaths as he felt his chest start to tighten, and suddenly the pain intensified with a sharp twinge. He doubled over and rolled to the floor, the pain growing and growing to an unbearable level. Merlin let out a low moan that rose in pitch to a scream that seemed to keep going, squeezing the air from his lungs. Every bone in his body began to tremble, and as Merlin forced himself to his knees, he felt a sickening snap in the base of his spine. It spread, each vertebrae warping and snapping into a different shape. Merlin screamed again, unable to move as the snapping sensation rippled over his body.
Gaius woke to hear Merlin's gut wrenching scream reverberating around the room. Instantly, he leapt out of bed and raced to Merlin's room. At the same time, Arthur came tearing into Gaius' chamber, knowing something was very wrong with Merlin. Both of them burst into Merlin's room, to see a huge dark brown wolf standing hunched in the centre of the room. It was about the size of a horse, and stared at them both with huge golden eyes. It took a step forward with paws the size of dinner plates.
"Merlin?" Arthur stepped forward and Gaius grabbed his arm. He knew, with a sinking feeling what Merlin had become.