Chapter 13

WRITTEN BY - Maltesegirl50

CO-WRITTEN AND EDITED BY - Maltese-Sapphire

Weeeeeeeeeeeeee're baaaaaaaack! =D

So, yh, anyways, here's Chapter 13. =P

Not very much else to say really. =D

Oh, and just so you know, Maltese-Sapphire already has Chapter 14 written and edited (she was really passionate about that chapter. She's calling it "Her Masterpiece" XD

Anyway, read, review and enjoy!

xxxxxxxxxx

CRASH!

"Ow!"

Merlin was aruptly woken by the loud noise.

"Intruder!" was the first thought that crossed his mind. He jumped to his feet on the bed and began barking wildly.

"Jet, calm down!" Arthur shouted at the puppy.

Merlin turned towards the voice and saw Arthur on the floor rubbing his forehead.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

"No intruder" he thought happily. "Stupid dollophead just tripped over something"

Still, he was puzzled as to why the noise had spooked him. Why did he automaticly think it was an intruder? He couldn't think of anyone that did that.

He shook the thought from his mind and lept off the bed, taking a running jump at Arthur. He began to lick all over his face, his tail wagging madly.

"Jet! Jet, get off!" Arthur laughed as he tried to push the puppy off of him.

'What the heck am I doing?' Merlin asked himself as he clambered off of Arthur. "Like I'd ever want to lick THAT face! Weird..."

Suddenly a knock echoed through the room and a servant entered with breakfast.

Now that really was an intruder!

Merlin ran forward, barking and growling threateningly.

"Get out, intruder!" he snapped angrily, baring his teeth at the poor servant, who shrieked and backed into a corner, nearly dropping the tray he carried.

"JET! SHUT UP!" Arthur yelled at the dog, who had never behaved in such a manner.

Surprisingly, even to himself, Merlin immediately stopped barking. He reluctantly walked away from the servant and sat next to Arthur's feet. He tensely watched the servant's every move until he gratefully scampered out of the chambers. Able to relax now he was gone, Merlin took a moment to consider his outburst.

"This isn't right" he thought. "He was just delivereing food. Why did I feel so nervous around him? There's no way he would be a danger..."

Eventually, he decided to blame his temper on his stomach. He walked over to the table to get his breakfast.

Instead of waiting patiently for Arthur to put it down for him, Merlin found himself jumping up at the table, yapping impatiently for his food.

"Come on, you dollophead! I'm hungry!" he barked, clawing at Arthur's leg.

"Jet, sit!" Arthur commanded, and Merlin found himself automaticly obeying him.

"Why on Earth did I do that?" he gasped to himself, realising what he'd done.

The territorial barking; the impatience for food; the doing as he was told for once; he was starting to act like a... dog.

"OH GOD NO!" Merlin gasped, realisation hitting him like a swift kick in the guts.

The spell was getting stronger! The dragon was right! He really was turning into a real dog!

Merlin began to panic, whining and whimpering, unable to sit still.

Arthur stared at Jet curiously. The puppy had been acting downright weird all morning. He'd never shown such aggression to anyone like he had to the servant, he'd never jumped up at the table, demanding his food, and now he was fidgiting crazily and whimpering, like something was wrong.

He reached down and stroked Jet's back, trying to calm him down.

"Jet, calm down" he urged. "There's nothing to be scared of"

"Easy for you to say!" Merlin yapped at him in annoyance. "You're not the one turning into a bloody dog!"

After breakfast, Arthur had to go train the knights, same as every morning. And Merlin, of course, went with him.

Arthur had considered leaving Jet in his chambers. The puppy seemed to be pretty unpredictable today, but he was willing to give him a chance. He let the puppy walk freely, through the castle (he never really bothered with a lead anyway) but kept a close eye on him incase he suddenly went wild again.

However, Jet seemed to be behaving pretty normally, for now at least. He happily ran ahead in the hallways, pausing every so often for Arthur to catch up. When he began to put on his leather gloves, Jet yapped excitedly, begging him to throw them. Arthur threw one and watched as the puppy bounded after it, bringing it back and yapping for him to throw it again.

Merlin was very concerned about how doggish he was behaving. Fetch? Since when did he find it so... fun? But then again. The eclipse was now in TWO DAYS!

Eventually they left the castle and walked out onto the field where the knights were already waiting. Before Arthur could stop him, Jet sprinted up to Sir Leon and jumped onto the unsuspecting knight, happily licking his face. Sir Leon stumbled a bit as he tried to shake the clinging puppy off of him. Arthur jogged up to them and pulled the puppy away from Sir Leon. The knight frowned at the loose threads that now littered his tunic from where Jet had clung to him with his sharp puppy claws.

"I don't know what's gotten into him today" Arthur apologised, dropping the wriggling pup to the ground.

"Me neither" Merlin thought, absent-mindedly rolling around in the warm grass.

"Dogs can be very energetic and... unpredictable, My Lord." Sir Leon told the prince, staring down at the rolling puppy and trying to hide his obvious look of distaste.

"That they are" Arthur replied, shaking his head hopelessly at Jet. "Let's start the training, shall we?"

"Yes my Lord."

Arthur scooped up Jet and carried him over to the shade of a nearby tree.

"Stay" he told the puppy firmly as he set him down on the ground.

Watching to make sure he obeyed, Arthur unsheathed his sword and began the training session.

Merlin sat under the tree and watched as the knights of Camelot trained. He was watching with interest until something in the distance suddenly caught his eye.

Cat!

He licked his lips, fidgeting on the spot excitedly as he watched the unsuspecting cat lazily groom itself. Oh, he wanted so badly to go after the cat! It was just sitting there, waiting to be chased! The adreneline pumping through his veins was overpowering!

Then he remembered what Arthur had last said.

"Stay"

How could he chase after a cat when he was told to stay here? Anyway, he knew that he had dog traits now, but that was just a step too far. He wouldn't allow himself to take off after a poor, innocent cat, who was now on lying on it's back in the sun.

He whined longingly. God, how he wanted that cat!

He tried hard to concentrate on watching the knights, but the cat was too distracting. Oh it was just too much! He couldn't resist temptation a minute longer!

Letting out a gleeful yap, he ran full-speed ahead after that cat.

His eyes were focused so intently on the black and white feline that he may aswell have been wearing blinders.

So of course he didn't notice that he had dashed right through the training field and charged right at the knights (who were practicing sword combat). He charged through a sea of legs, and leaped out of the way as Arthur was forced to swerve his sword to avoid hitting the charging puppy.

It really wasn't his fault that Arthur had swerved his sword right into Sir Owen's leg.

The knight cried out in pain as he doubled over in pain, clutching his wounded leg.

Merlin growled angrily. Sir Owen has scared away his cat with his selfishly loud cry of pain. He looked back at the scene he had caused. Two other knights were supporting Sir Owen as he limped off to get his leg examined, and then he noticed Arthur, who was staring at him with his arms folded across his chest, a stern scowl on his face.

Merlin crouched low, letting out a low whine.

"Great. Well done, Merlin. Once again, your stupidity had landed you in hot water" he cursed himself.

"Jet" Arthur called, his voice dangerously low. "Come here now"

He watched as the puppy slowly crawled towards him, his head bent low, his tail tucked between his legs.

Eventually, Jet was sitting down in front of him.

"YOU BAD DOG!" Arthur yelled at Jet, who looked down at the floor in shame and started whining softly.

Satisfied that the puppy was now feeling miserable, Arthur then adressed the remaining knights.

"Training for today is over!" he said. "Meet in the courtyard in an hour for this afternoon's hunt!"

Merlin's head shot up in alert at the mention of a hunt.

"HUNT!" He realised. "The plan! Must go and tell Gaius!"

He was sprinting back towards the castle before Arthur even noticed he was gone.