Arthur is... unsure.

He's been feeling unsure about a lot of things lately. For the first time in his life, the instincts he's always relied upon to survive, can't tell him what to do.

What is right?

He listens as the knight talks with rapid excitement about going home. A home, Arthur knows nothing about, yet the boy seems set on the idea that that's where they're going next, first thing in the morning. Hell, even before daybreak he wants to head out.

Not that Arthur is against leaving this place, after all, there's no food for him here. But...

What is right...

Should he still stay with the knight? He has promised him food, and even continues to deliver on it. He's not been this full since before... then...

Or should he leave? He's a capable hunter, and if he were to go to those mountains they just came back from, he's sure he could find plenty to hunt throughout the rest of the winter. But then...

That would mean leaving Alfred...

What is right..?

Time was, when he didn't have to think so much about anything. Didn't have to worry about where his next meal would come from. When he was feared...

Now...

He's surrounded by humans of all things, and they don't fear him. Not like they should. In fact, if he didn't know any better, he'd say they're reassured by his presence. They act as if they feel safe around him. Even letting their pups play with him.

No, wait. Not pups, what was it Al called them? Kids? Was that it?

Young ones anyway.

They climb all over him, and he doesn't even fight it, he allows it. Only allows, not... not like he's enjoying it...

What is right?

He should growl, snap, bite at them. He should tear apart that boy that keeps tugging on his ear. He should. He would have, before... then... and before Alfred...

Alfred...

He looks over at the knight, now free of that ever present armour, running around throwing snow at the little ones. He can feel it, this bond they have. The boy's happy, the happiest Arthur has ever seen him in the short time they've known each other. But he can tell. No. He knows, that this is the happiest he's been in two years.

The knight was chased from his home, by others. By those with more power. By those that rule the land.

Like he was...

But unlike him, Al can now go back. He can go back to his family.

But Arthur can't, he knows that's all been lost to him.

He sighs, dropping his head down onto his paws and closes his eyes. He can here the voices of the humans around him. Odd sounds that hold no meaning to him. Only Alfred's rings clear, ears tuned in to listen.

He misses this, being able to relax.

When that half faced human hurt him, hurt Al...

When he dropped, when he wouldn't wake...

Images flash behind his closed eyelids.

Teeth, claws, a voice of hell, screaming, blood...

So much blood...

'Run! Run! It's coming!'

'Hurry!'

'Marianne!'

'Go! Take Peter and go!'

'Aaaaarrrhhh!'

'Alistair!'

'Go! Just go!'

'No! Nonononono!'

"Artie?"

He wakes with a start. It's dark now. Disoriented, he pulls himself back, keeping low, ears back and teeth bared, snarling at the danger.

"Hey, take it easy." A gentle voice tells him softly.

He blinks, no longer seeing rivers of blood, but a familiar face looking worriedly at him.

"Hey." Alfred smiles softly at him, voice quiet and gentle.

Alfred, right, not... then...

He can feel his breathing is quickened, his heart is racing. When did he fall asleep? Stupid dream.

"Are you Okay? You were whimpering." Alfred keeps looking at him, worried.

'I don't whimper.' He snaps. Or he tries to, but it just comes out sounding tired.

"Hey, it's alright." Al tells him as he steps closer, but stops when he drops his ears back in threat.

But he doesn't do anything more, doesn't growl or snap like he should, and when Alfred continues his approach, he doesn't stop him, even when the knight reaches out to him, he does nothing to show he doesn't want the other near.

Despite the cold, the knight sits with him, saying nothing.

Is this right?

He lost his pack once, but can he really consider a human part of a pack?

He doesn't know. But he does know one thing, he doesn't want to be alone anymore.

Pack or not, human or wolf, whatever it is they have, he'll take it.

Just please, don't let him be alone anymore.

Alfred is certain of two things. First, fate is a bitch that has it out for him. And second?

'No.'

Arthur is the single most stubborn person? Wolf that he has ever met.

"Oh, come on! This'll make things ten times easier."

'No, I am not wearing that.'

Al sighs, wondering why he couldn't have bonded with a more reasonable wolf. For the past two hours he's been trying to convince Arthur, but the other is adamant in his refusal.

"Just try it, please."

'I am not a horse! I refuse to be made a fool of by wearing a saddle!'

"Come on, please Arthur." He begs for what feels like the millionth time, "It's like a months walk to the capital, but if I ride you, we could cut that time in half, easily."

'I am not your pet! You can't just go riding around on me as you please!' Arthur shouts affronted, making Al wince whenever he raises his voice like that.

He sighs, lowering the saddle.

"What do I have to do to get you to work with me here?"

'Nothing! Because I don't work for you. I don't work for anyone. I'm not some beast you've tamed that you can just go prancing around on like you own me!'

"Of course not!" He cries, shaking his head wildly, "Your not a pet, or some random animal I'm trying to show off. We're a team, Artie. I want all this to work for the both of us."

Arthur huffs, but at least he seems to be listening.

"The faster we get there, the sooner you can have all the food you could possibly want. I promise. And your a lot faster than me. And we both know you can carry me just fine. But if we're going to be doing it for a long time, we'll need a saddle. For you as much as me. I'll end up hurting your back riding bareback all the time and my legs'll get super sore. I don't want to hurt you, and I'm not trying to humiliate you or anything." He sighs more heavily, dropping the saddle when Arthur shows no sign of being closer to agreeing.

"I just wanna go home." He murmurs to himself.

A silence passes between them for a time, before Arthur huffs.

'Oh, fine. Let's just get this over with.'

"Wha- really?" He asks excitedly, looking up to the wolf.

'Don't make me repeat myself.'

Grinning happily, Al snatches the saddle back up and immediately gets to work.

He grabs the biggest saddle blanket he can find and throws it over Arthur's back, then does the same with the saddle, immediately in countering a problem.

"It's not big enough." He tells the wolf, scratching his head.

Arthur's back is simply too wide for a horses saddle.

'So you made me do this for nothing.' Arthur sighs, both annoyed and relieved.

Al pulls the saddle off, taking a step back and thinking.

"I've got it!"

Arthur watches bemused as the knight dashes about the stables, grabbing seemingly any old odds and ends, before running outside, with a call of he'll be back.

He returns ten minutes later with even more stuff piled high in his arms.

"If a horses saddle won't fit you, then I'll simply have to make one that does!" He reveals is brilliant idea as he sits next to the wolf, getting to work.

Alfred may not be the most skilled at this kind of thing, but like they say, necessity is the mother of invention. And he's had plenty of time over the past two years to at least know how to mend something. So how much harder could it be to make something?

Apparently, quite hard. It takes him far longer than he thought it would to make his slapdash saddle from the random bits and pieces of fabric and leather he scraped together.

He holds up His finished creation to Arthur, who gives it a wary look as Al moves to put it on him. Some messing about later, and done! One working saddle, fit for a wolf.

Arthur though, is less thrilled, as he shakes and raises his back leg to scratch at it.

"Hey! Don't scratch it!"

'It's itchy.' He complains.

"You just need to get used to it. You'll see, it'll help in the long run, I promise."

'Yeah? Well, it better. Or I'm ripping it apart.'

But Al just grins, climbing up, but Arthur immediately starts to complain.

'Ooww! What is that jabbing me in the side?'

"Huh? You mean the stirrups?"

'Get rid of them, they hurt!'

"But..." He tries to explain their purpose, but Arthur is having none of it.

'Get rid of them, or I swear, I will rip this to shreds right now.'

Not wanting to lose all his mornings hard work, he quickly climbs back down, altering the saddle and removing the stirrups. It'll be harder to stay balanced with out them, but it'll still be better than no saddle at all.

"Alright, they're gone, but if I'm to get on, you'll need to lie down again."

Once back on, the pair adjust themselves, getting a feel for the saddle and Arthur for Alfred's still unfamiliar weight on his back.

"Well?" Al asks when he thinks they've both got this all figured out.

'Hmm, it's not completely horrible. I'll wear it, for now.'

"Great!"

And so, that was how the town bid farewell to the unlikely pair. Alfred grinning like an idiot as he rode atop a slightly annoyed Arthur, with a new destination in mind.

Home.

Authors notes: Hello, and welcome to a game I like to call: who's dead?

Haha...ha...aah.. I'm a terrible person.

So this is actually two chapters combine, since Arthur's one alone was too short, I just added it on to the start of the next, hope it doesn't come of as too weird like that.

But yeah, poor Artie doesn't have the nicest past. Man, what is with me giving him crappy back stories? This, my Pokemon au his dad's an ass, even in my Fruk one him mother is dead. I love ya really Artie, honest, your my fave, I just keep torturing you. Well, Alfred has his fair share in this too, so I guess it evens out.

But with his worry over Alfred passing out, and a very rapid explanation of what's going on between them — "Artie! Artie! I can go home! 'Cause I'm magic and your my beast and we're bonded for life and I can go home!" — Arthur is starting to reevaluate how he views the knight. Or at least that's what I'm hoping my writing shows.

But since I woke up to so many wonderful reviews, I'm feeling generous, so have a sneak peak of what's to come:

The knights glared burned into him far hotter than the deserts sun. Just to prove his point, with a flick of his unarmed hand, he ordered one of the ethereal swords down. He didn't even blink as he mercilessly killed one of the random patrons of this gods forsaken dive.

"I won't ask again." He warns dangerously, pushing the tip of his own sword further down on the axe wielders throat, "Where can I find Lukas?"

R & R people.

Until next time, stay awesome!