My plot gremlins are so sorry it keeps taking so long to get the chapters out. Here is a short one.

Merlin rode behind Arthur on the narrow path with Gwaine and Elyan riding behind him, Leon and Percival brought up the rear. Arthur had over heard the cook talking to Gwen about the kitchens being low on meat. Hearing this the king realized he hadn't been hunting since before Merlin and Morgana had gotten back.

Merlin had nearly dropped the potion he was working on for Gauis when Arthur burst into the physicians quarters to tell Merlin they were going hunting. Luckily Merlin was able to catch the vial with his magic before it could shatter on the floor.

"Why do we need to be doing this" Merlin asked from the back of his horse.

"I told you before, the kitchen is running low on meat," Arthur said.

"whats the matter Merlin?" Gwaine asked sensing that his friend was not in the best mood.

"hunting isn't exactly my favorite past time" Merlin explained

"Especially with Arthur"

"what's wrong with hunting with Arthur," Elyan asked.

"I think it has to do with hunting bringing out the clumsiness in him," Arthur said as he ducked under a low branch. "Merlin trips and makes more noise when were hunting than any other time"

"Then why do you keep bringing him with you," Elyan asked

"Tradition," Arthur said as he pulled his horse to a stop, the group had reached the spot they would be setting up camp.

"Yeah," Merlin said as he dismounted. "the tradition of me setting up camp, collecting fire wood, starting the fire, cooking and cleaning, then carrying every thing while following this prat around as he tries to kill cute defenseless bunnies".

Arthur and Leon gave each other a bemused look as Merlin started setting up camp while rambling on.

"Merlin you idiot" Arthur spoke "that was when you were my servant and it was your job to do all those things. You seem to forget that's not the case anymore. Plus you need rabbits for rabbit stew"

"Never eat the stuff," Merlin said as he took his and Arthurs water skins them proceeded to take the other as each knight came to a stop and dismounted their horses.

"come on Percival" Gwaine called out as he headed into the woods "help me get the fire wood"

"I'll get some water from the stream," Leon said grabbing the water skins from Merlin and the bucket that was tied to the back of Merlin's horse. Lancelot took a spear and a length of rope from his horse and headed after Leon calling over his shoulder that he was going to see about catching some fish for dinner.

Merlin relaxed a little as he watched his friend go off to take care of the water and fire wood. Arthur and Elyan were already taking the bed rolls down from the horses as they started to help set up camp. Merlin moved to help but Arthur shooed him away saying they had it handled.

The warlock decided to set up the camp fire pit while the others were doing their tasks. He moved around the camp sight collecting stones to form the circle that would keep the fire contained to one spot. After setting up the fire pit perimeter he started looking for fallen sticks and brush to use as fire wood.

Merlin walked through the woods sporadically picking up fallen sticks, after a few minutes he had a good amount of fire wood piled in his arms. Merlin closed his eyes and inwardly groaned as he remembered that Gwain and Percival had gone to find firewood. He turned to head back to the camp when he thought he heard some one speaking in a hushed voice. The warlock frowned looking around, he could see the camp sight through the trees. He spotted Leon, Percival, and Gwaine walking back into the camp. The voices were coming from somewhere else.

Merlin's eyes flashed gold as he used his foresight to look through the forest, he spotted them hiding behind the trees. Twenty of them half circled around the camp armed with swords and crossbows. Merlin gave a frustrated sigh and dropped the wood he was carrying as the leader let out a shout and the other nineteen followed suit and they all attacked.

Damn bandits, they couldn't have a normal hunting trip. Nope, not him and Arthur, they had to run into refugee nobles who turned out to be sidhe bent on sacrificing a prince for immortality or a unicorn that Arthur kills and causes a famine or Bandits more often than not it was bandits.

Merlin ran to help his friends he used his magic to summon his quarter staff that he had attached to his horse's saddle. The staff lifted up out of its hold and flew into the warlock's hand, as he gripped the staff he spun it in an upward motion blocking a sword from striking Percival in the back as he was fighting someone in front of him. Merlin continued the staff's momentum bring it over the bandits head then back in a down ward arch to knock the man off his feet. He then pushed his staff forward then pulled back quickly catching the bandit that was running up behind him in the stomach causing him to double over, Merlin spun around and knocked the bandit to the ground. Lancelot ran into the camp having heard the bandit's shouts and the sound of battle coming from where he had left his fellow knights. Seeing a new opponent a couple of the bandits turned their attention to him. Lancelot held the two fish he'd managed to catch tied on the rope he had brought with him. Without a second thought, he swung the fish and hit the bandits with them.

It wasn't long till six of the bandits sat disarmed and defeated the other fourteen bandits having run off when it became obvious they were highly out matched. Which was about two minutes into the fight.

"Merlin, do you have something we can tie these men up with?" Arthur asked not taking his eyes off of the bandits, one of which he held a sword on.

"Think I can come up with something," Merlin said as he turned and walked over to his horse.

Merlin opened one of the saddle bags and reached inside, his eyes flashed gold as he spoke a spell under his breath. The warlock pulled out a length of rope from the saddle bag and set it across the saddle before pulling out eleven more. He closed his saddle bag then took the ropes from the horses back and turned to see the bandits all staring at him slack jawed.

Merlin brought the rope to Percival and Elyan who took the ropes from him without batting an eye as if it was perfectly normal to have that much rope in such a small bag. Percival and Elyan tied the bandit's hands while Merlin tied their legs. When he was finished each bandit had a length of rope connecting one of their legs to the leg of another bandit and their other leg to the leg of a different bandit.

Merlin stood up and observed his handy work then he looked at Arthur who was looking at what Merlin had done. Arthur's eyes turned to meet his advisors, he raised an eyebrow in question.

"Merlin, what?"

"the ropes are long enough for them to walk, but if they try to run they'll most likely end up tripping each other up"

Arthur smirked and gave Merlin a nod of approval. The king looked around and sighed at the mess the bandits had made of the camp. The sun was setting and they would have to wait till morning to head back to Camelot.

"damn bandits had to ruin a perfectly good hunting trip."

"This is another reason I don't like hunting" Merlin muttered

"Arthur always attract trouble"

Merlin rolled his eyes, the bandits were still staring at him.

"swefn" Merlin waved his hand at the bandits.

They all fell asleep instantly, it took a couple second for the knight that had their sword on the bandits to realize what Merlin had done. Gwaine shrugged and put his sword away.

"Merlin you idiot why didn't you do that before," Arthur asked as he put his sword away.

"because doing things with magic that I am perfectly capable of doing without is lazy," Merlin said throwing the words Arthur had used when ordering Merlin to not use his powers to do his chores (back when He was still a servant) back at him. Arthur looked up giving the sky a why me look.

"Uh Merlin buddy," Gwaine said placing a hand on Merlin's shoulder.

"normally I wouldn't presume to ask but uh?"

Gwaine gestured to the messed up camp sight with a sweep of his arm. Merlin's eyes flashed gold and with out a word the camp set to righting itself. Once it was done and the sleeping bandits tied to a tree the group settled down by the fire.

"we'll head back to Camelot at first light" Arthur grumbled

"It's too bad we have to cut this hunting trip short," Leon said

"yes, Camelot really needs the meat to," Arthur said

"But it's not like we can drag the bandits along while we hunt"

Merlin could see the bandits sleeping by the tree from his place by the fire.

"I was looking forward to venison stew," Elyan said as he poked the fire.

Merlin actually didn't have a problem with hunting if the meat was needed.

"Yeah and I know of a few families that wouldn't mind getting a rabbit or two," Percival said his eyes landed on Merlin, he remembered what Merlin had said about cute defenseless bunnies.

"or uh a boar"

The wheels in Merlin's head started turning.

"Maybe we don't have to cut the hunting trip short" Merlin spoke

"Merlin what are you talking about," Arthur said

The king's friend and advisor smile mischievously at the king and his knights

"I have an idea"

A few days later the people of Camelot were treated to odd sights as their king his advisor and three of the kingdoms best knight rode through the town followed by six men with two knights bringing up the rear. The bandit's legs and arms tied to each other. The six men carried two large deer three large boar and ten fowl and no cute defenseless bunnies.

Ok that's it for this one, sorry it's not much but my plot gremlins keep getting distracted by other stories idea's, add writer's block for this story or stories since it's supposed to be interconnected one shots and you've got, well a while between chapters.