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Tristan shot angrily at the target scowling all the while. One would think he was never happy. Something twittered from the trees and Tristan sadistically willed it to fly in front of his target, which was laden with arrows. He walked forward and yanked them out before returning to the fort.
"Tristan!" There was a shout from behind him Gawain came forward looking as though he'd been told to jump off a cliff. "Tristan I'm coming with you on patrol."
"Oh no your not" Tristan answered.
" Sorry Tristan, Arthur's orders" Gawain said apologetically, hoping that Tristan would allow him to live the night.
"Damnare it" he cursed "You armed?" Gawain nodded
"Lets go then"
Gawain grimaced behind Tristan, now hoping that he would somehow die before they left Hadrian's Wall.
As they left the fort Tristan's hawk landed on his arm, he talked gently to it. Gawain wondered at his gentleness to his pet. Tristan swung up onto his horse mounted and Gawain was not far behind him.
"Right Tristan where are we going?"
" This way" Tristan answered trotting into the darkness.
"Tristan"
"Mmmmm"
"Where are we going?"
Tristan veered off the path then halted in front of a large tree.
"Tristan what in gods name are you doing"
Tristan had transferred his knife to the mouth and was scaling he tree with ease.
"Tristan come back here!"
"Come on" he called through his teeth and knife. Gawain sighed and followed Tristan up the tree, as he discovered it had footholds carved into it. He reached top to find Tristan sitting in the middle of a small wooded platform
"God Tristan did you build this?" he nodded and had an arrow notched, ready to kill anything that moved. He fired just near his horse's feet and they took off.
"Tristan do you want to die?"
" No" he answered now picking off people in the woods.
" Tristan what are you doing?"
" Killing Woads" he replied dismissively loosing another arrow.
"Tristan is this what you do on patrol? No wonder you do not complain like the rest of us, you have an unfair advantage."
Tristan didn't answer but he suddenly swung and his arrow grazed the top of Gawain's head not making it past his matted hair
"OI, Tristan are you mad? Stop trying to kill me!" Tristan grinned and turned his focus back to the woods. Gawain shifted uncomfortably, still mentally cursing Arthur for forcing to come here. Gawain watched Tristan warily for quite a time.
Dawn eventually crept over he forest. Tristan had stood as if carved from stone for the last half and hour, Gawain, unable to exercise such self control was growing increasingly agitated, not helped by the fact that Tristan would occasionally fire an arrow past him just for the fun of it.
" Tristan I think you have scared off every Waod, Saxon and possibly Roman within the vicinity. Everyone, even you, needs to sleep occasionally" Tristan cocked his head to the side as if considering Gawain's suggestion before leaping down and landing deftly on his feet. Gawain grumbled and carefully picked his way down the tree.
" Shush Gawain, I have driven them away and you will draw them back" Gawain fell silent mortified by Tristan sharp comment.
"Come on then"
They rode back to Hadrian's Wall, Gawain almost falling off his horse several times. Tristan arrived silently as usual, but lightly dismounted and walked away nonchalantly taking his saddle with him. Gawain grumbled and flung his saddle onto its rack.
Lancelot was laughing openly at the door accompanied by Galahad and Arthur
"Never again" Gawain mumbled, he turned and seized Arthur by his collar "Next time …you…are …going…" he said fatally releasing his startled commander. Gawain glowered at Arthur then stormed off to his quarters amidst Lancelot and Galahad's audible laughter.