Ok guys so here is the most anticipated chapter, and when I say anticipated I wasn't talking about you guys I was talking about myself and I've been wanting to write out this next chapter for a while. I was stalling so I could figure out a name for a new character. I'm also not as motivated to write as I was when I first joined the site so if people could review more I might help my extream writer's block.

-Wolfy

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"Let go," Samuel growled as he swung his leg back to kick Merlin in the face.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?" An angry shout from the entrence of the kennel stopped the kick short of Merlin's face and making Samuel freeze in place. Merlin's tightly squeezed eyes slowly opened up as he looked towards the voice and felt relief overflow him. There standing, looking complexly pissed was not only Arthur but all the knights of the round table.

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Samuel starred, frozen in shock at the prince and his personal band of rowdy knights. Arthur's expression was one of compleat anger, the other knights stared on in disbelief, worry and quickly rising anger at the sight of their youngest brother on the ground trying to cover his face from a blow.

Arthur rushed forward, slamming the still stunned Samuel into one of the support beams of the kennel. Samuel was so shocked by the sudden assault of the angry prince that he released his hold on the puppies scruff and dropped him.

Merlin, despite the pain from the blows and the fall, let out a cry and lunged forward from his position on the ground and landed chest down, his hands above his head just in time to catch the falling, whining puppy. When his hands caught the small pup Merlin quickly moved onto his side, brought the pup to his chest and curled around the pup protectively.

The next thing Merlin knew Gwaine was by his side, sliding his arms under his body and lifting him and the pup up to his chest and backing away from Samuel and Arther. Gwaine knew that a fight was going to break out in a moment and he didn't want Merlin anywhere near where he could get hurt.

Lancelot, Percival, Elyan and Leon all steped forward, each looking more angrier than the next. Lancelot moved to Gwaine's side to check on Merlin while Leon drew his sword and stood by Arthur's side, lifting his weapon to Samuel's throat. Percival stood silently in the entryway of the kennel, arms crossed over his chest, fully ready to stop the other large man from escaping.

"What do you think you were doing?" Arthur's voice was low and dangerous. Samuel had his head tilted back against the beam in order to keep the sword from cutting into his throat. The man was pale and sweating, fear was rising in to his throat, he knew the prince was ready to let the knights kill him.

"I was going to down the runt of the litter, its how it is, the runt is always the weakest of the litter and they die young because they aren't strong enough to keep up with the other dogs," Samuel growled. "They are useless to any knight, the best thing to do is to drown them and not waste any effort on them."

"First of all you have no right to kill any of the pups, runt or not, they are the royal dogs, every single one of them," Arthur hissed through his teeth. The prince glanced to his side at Merlin who was still in Gwaine's arms, curled around the puppy who was licking at his cheeks, tears dribbling down his face and shaking.

Arthur's eyes blazed with fury as he watched Gwaine try to comfort the boy and turned his attention back to the target of his anger.

"And second, that doesn't explain why you hurt the boy," Arthur growled, nodding his head towards Merlin's direction. Samuel's eyes darted back and forth as if trying to decide what the best corse of action would be. Arthur, having no patience for the man, pulled him forwards into Leon's blade before slamming him back into the support beam.

"Answer me!"Arthur shouted making the man grunt and Merlin whimper. Gwaine growled at the whimper and pulled Merlin impossibly closer.

"He got in the way," Samuel hissed back losing whatever hold he had on his composure. "He tried to stop me from doing my job, tried to save the pup. The useless brat tried to take me on, he's just a runt, he should be drowned like any other useless animal!"

With that Arthur cocked his arm back and punched Samuel square in the face with a satisfying crack of broken bone. Samuel doubled over, clutching at his broken nose, but Arthur didn't leave it at that, he brought his still armored knee to the man's gut, knocking the breath out of him. He then punched the man in the temple before finally bringing his elbow down onto the back of the man's neck, knocking him out.

Samuel dropped harshly to the ground. Arthur sneered at the pathetic man before turning to Merlin. Leon sheathed his sword and went to tie the man's arms and legs with the help of Percival.

Gwaine still had the boy tucked in his arms, sniffling slightly. The timy puppy in his arms looked as if he was trying to comfort Merlin by licking his face free of tears.

"Are you Ok Merlin?" Arthur asked as he approched the boy and gently started to run his fingers through the raven locks. Merlin looked up at him with big watery and slightly red eyes. They stared at each other for a moment before Merlin reached one arm out towards the prince, the other still wrapped around the puppy.

Arthur got the idea and wrapped his arms around Merlin, taking him from Gwaine's arms before hugging the boy to his chest. Merlin whimpered but was hushed him. Arthur looked up to see all the knights looking back at him knowing smirks. Arthur glared at them, it wasn't often that Arthur showed affection for Merlin where others can see.

Arthur was distracted from his glaring by the puppy licking his chin.

"Merlin control your dog, I don't need to be covered in dog slobber," Arthur teased, trying get a smile out of the boy. Merlin looked up at him surprised.

"I can have him?" Merlin asked in a hopeful voice. Arthur smiled kindly and nodded. Merlin gasped happily, hugging the pup to his chest. The pup yipped as if in approval and licked both Merlin and Arthur's faces oblivious to the prince's complaints and Merlin's happy giggles and the snickering of the knights.

"What are you gonna name him?" Elyan asked tilting his head.

Merlin looked down at the pup in his arms and studied him. He was black, his ears were mostly perked up but were flopping slightly at the tips from puppyhood making Merlin believe that his ears would be pointed up when he got older, his tail was mostly straight but curled slightly at the tip. His toes were white as was under his tail and on a patch of his fur on his chest in the shape of a star.

"You should name him shadow!" Gwaine gushed at the cute puppy.

"That's too common, how about onyx?" Lancelot suggested.

"No Midnight!" Leon joined in happily.

"Spike!" Elyan cried.

"Let Merlin decide!" Arthur shouted above all the fussing Knights. "Go on Merlin, as long as you don't name him something girly like fluffy or cutie," Arthur teased the boy still in his arms.

Merlin stuck his tong out at Arthur before snuggling into his chest and stared at the puppy in thought. The pup looked back at him with his big emerald green eyes and Merlin thought about the star shape on his chest and a name popped into his head from the time when he used to watch the stars with his friend will and name all the ones he knew, his favorite star.

"I'll name him Sirius."

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Aaannnddd done! yay! I hope you loved it, and for the record the name is not based off Sirius Black from Harry Potter. For those who don't already know this, Sirius is the name of a cluster of stars that look like a single star from earth because of how far it is, it's also known as the dog-star and is one of my favorites so that's where the name is from, it's pronounced like 'serious'.

Oh and I was disappointed with the number of reviews last chapter, I need a reason to keep writing so more reviews will keep me motivated, so keep them coming!

-Wolfy