Merlin sat on a nearby rock and surveyed the scene. He watched the huge scorpions as they circled. For now they were wary. The small patrol group had sent a few rocks down onto them, causing enough damage for the serkets to want to think about their attack. Merlin had helped with that, pushing with the six knights and adding a little touch of his own. Arthur knew he had, it was the only thing he could do.

Looking around at the imposing mountain and the forest below Merlin wondered what Arthur was planning. They had to get down the hill, and through the Darkling Woods to get back to the main troop. Merlin could only assume the patrol had been deliberately cornered and herded this way. They had been forced to sacrifice the horses to save themselves.

The only problem was, Merlin had no idea who was behind this attack. He could suspect but suspicions were things he was careful to repeat, even to Arthur. He couldn't keep much from him now, but Merlin still thought he had to be careful. Glancing over his shoulder he looked at Arthur, who had his back to him, talking intently to the five people with him, Robert, Olwen, Gareth, Rupert and Jonas. They were listening intently to whatever Arthur was planning, commenting themselves now and again.

Merlin wondered what they were saying. Arthur had ordered him to keep an eye on the activity below. There were at least seventeen of the creatures now, three they had managed to crush. But there was only one way down the precarious mountain range, and they would be surrounded in seconds. He needed to know the plan, so he could work around it, but Arthur had insisted on him sitting out. It wasn't going to help, and he was going to have to bring it up with Arthur at some point. He wasn't entirely certain he could protect the entire group.

It was tempting, as he sat there alone, to try something on the beasts that clattered over the rocks below, just to see if he could scare them off. He didn't think it was going to work, and they were occupied enough for the moment, squabbling over the remains of three of their own. Once or twice they turned to look up the slope, snapping their claws. Merlin winced, looking at the group. There were ways he could get round this, but trying to find a subtle way was almost impossible. Still, he couldn't let anything happen to Arthur.

He turned again. Whatever Arthur was saying had become much more intense. The knights were staring at him with wide eyes. Merlin turned away again; he was just a servant he supposed, and not privy to the knight's plan of attack.

One of the serkets took the risk and started up the slope. Merlin's eyes flashed and he whispered. A cluster of loose rocks tumbled down, off-balancing the scrabbling legs, sending the creature back down the hill, crashing into two others. They all started squabbling at each other, clicking their claws. Merlin watched it carefully, wondering just how intelligent they were. Because they looked like insects he had just presumed that they were kind of stupid, only using instinct to attack, and retreat.

Maybe not, he mused to himself, which opened up a whole new world of problems.

"Scorpions with a battle plan," Merlin murmured to himself. It would be almost funny, if they weren't right in the middle of it. Merlin looked across at the forest to see plumes of smoke; coming, he guessed, from the main group's campsite. It looked a very long way away, and nobody would find them before nightfall. The sun was starting to dip lower in the sky. If they were still here when it darkened, Merlin knew there would be no hope for them. He wished Arthur would hurry up.

"Merlin!"

Arthur made him jump a mile, and Merlin slid sideways on the rock as he suddenly sat down beside him. Merlin braced his legs and hauled himself back up, feeling more than a little undignified. Arthur confiscated the sword Merlin was holding before he could damage it even more, or accidentally stab himself with it.

"Honestly Merlin," Arthur moaned, yanking on Merlin's arm to pull him back into position. "I should not be able to sneak up on you like that."

"It's not my fault you're so stealthy."

Arthur grinned at the compliment, despite the fact Merlin said it so rudely, and then eyed him carefully. "That was what all the training has been about recently, if I can sneak up on you then others will be able to."

"If we survive I'll do more training without moaning about it," Merlin said. Arthur raised his eyebrows and looked at the creatures below.

"I'll believe that when I don't hear it," Arthur said.

"So," Merlin said, also looking at the scrabbling serkets. "What's the plan?"

Arthur's eyes stayed on the creatures below as he said, in a low serious tone.

"You are, Merlin."