I

went back outside where I found Flecha waiting for me, as I had asked him to.

"Hello there," I greeted him as I came up to his side.

He arched his neck to nibble at my hand in greeting giving a soft snort; with my other hand I clapped him on his shoulder. Taking hold of his Whitlock I pulled myself up into the saddle, just in time to see Arthur and Lancelot come galloping by.

Urging Flecha forward, I came up next to them and together we made our way over to where Tristan was with Indian and Mirima.

"Tristan, Merenwen, what is the report on your scouting?" Arthur asked, while he kept looking straight out into the dark forest.

"There is a fallen tree blocking the road to the south east not too far ahead. The Saxons have also sent their own scouts out. I had the pleasure meeting one of them," I informed Arthur, the last part having been said sarcastically.

"The only way out is to the south west, this means that we need to change our route," Tristan said, finishing the report.

"If we have to turn the entire caravan around we could be here well into the night, which would slow us down even more. Arthur, I told you that this was a bad idea!" Lancelot shouted, as his temper got the better of him. His outbursts caused a few of the villagers passing by to turn their heads.

"Relax, Lancelot, Tristan found a trail which turns south west not too far away from here," I told him, using the information which Tristan had given me earlier.

"Very well, we'll sleep here, take shelter in those trees. Tristan!" Arthur ordered.

Tristan nodded in reply and left, on yet another scouting mission.

The rest of us began to scatter in different directions around the caravan to pass the message on about sleeping in the forest.

It did not take to long before everyone got the message and we were all making our way over the plains and into the forest, which would hopefully provide us some shelter for the night and make it difficult for Saxon scouts to find us.

I spotted Gawain riding side by side with Galahad not too far ahead. Urging Flecha forward, I came besides them. "Hellllooo!" I said with a funny voice. They both turned their heads to look at me, with a kind smile on their faces.

"Hello, Mer," Galahad greeted.

"How is your arm?" I heard Gawain ask.

"Alright, Dag put a salve on it and wrapped it up in bandages, so it feels better," I told him. Galahad, at hearing this, picked up a bit more interest.

"What happened to it?" he asked.

"I was attacked by a Saxon while scouting, he caught me off guard and sliced me in the arm. The wound is not deep, but still it had to be taken care of," I told him as I glanced down at my now bandaged arm.

"You know, I am beginning to see Bors' point, and I really hope that Arthur knows what he is doing," Gawain said as the smile on his face faded.

"Cheer up, Arthur cares for us, we have been through so much! He would not leave us in stake," I told him.

The ride went on in silence as we both kept out eyes on the ever closer dark forest. As we moved through the dense wood, we all of a sudden heard Arthur's commanding voice through the air: "We camp here, spread out, but stay close together," he commanded as we moved out to our own area. Gawain and I made our way over to a small clearing near a bush on the other side of camp.

Swinging myself out of the saddle, I grabbed for my sleeping mat and turned around to see Gawain already placing his mat on the floor a meter away from the bush; As soon as I had placed my mat next to his I went back to unsaddling Flecha and taking his head gear off; With a gentle clap to his shoulder I sent him on his way: as we were now so close to the Saxons I felt it better that he be free should there be an ambush, so he could get away.

As soon as we were done we made our way to where the others were setting up a fire, waiting for Tristan to return from his scouting, and for Galahad who had gone out hunting for something to eat…