Scratching on the Walls (Merlin)

[Caitylin Roe]

A quickly fading line of orange light rested on the horizon when Caitylin opened her eyes. A shiver ran up the length of her spine while she pulled her dress up over her head. A second layer of clothing peeled away from her flesh and then a third until she was completely naked. The night wasn't particularly cold and she was under a blanket, but still her body trembled.

Pain ripped through her back and into her hips. Everywhere sockets were popping and bones were crunching. Her face lengthened into a muzzle while a tail pushed out just above her butt. Her ears traveled to the top of her head as her teeth grew pointed and her fingers shortened. Claws forced their way out where her nails had once been and her pupils shrank to slits, then expanded back to almost perfect circles. Everything about her was shrinking, squishing into itself until she was barely larger than a housecat.

All of this was extremely painful, but by far the worst was the rapid growth of golden-orange fur over every inch of her body. The burn was excruciating, yet Cat made no sound. Twenty-two years of this transformation every night had long since accustomed her to the pain. Though it didn't hurt any less.

Squirming out from under her thick, wool blanket, the little vixen stood and listened. The city was an explosion of scent and sound to her newly heightened senses. It was almost as if she'd been under water all day and had finally burst into the frigid, night air. Absolutely electric.

Each night at the dissapearance of the last ray of the sun, Caitylin changed from an inconspicuous stable maid into a cunning red fox. It was a curse passed down to her from her mother and her mother's father before her. Being the fox was like being buried inside your own body: aware of everything that was happening, but unable to reach out or speak to anyone. In a sense, she was trapped, held down by the weight of her animal instincts.

Without hesitation, she slid over the matress in the corner and slipped through a small piece of cloth tacked over a fox-sized hole in the back wall. Cat had long ago stopped trying to contain her fox self at night. Nothing worked. First she'd gone through a window and when she blocked those off, she chewed a hole in the wall. She covered that hole and then just chewed another. That second hole was where her fireplace now stood. The first, was her fox door, an easy way to slip in and out of the den during the night.

Squeezing past the stack of firewood she'd piled to hide her exit, the fox burst into the night with a little hop. Where did this shapeshifting vixen live, you ask? Why she lived in probably the dumbest place she possibly could, the city of Camelot. It was the world's most anti-magic zone. If her secret was discovered, she would be dead by morning.

The girl in a fox's skin passed through the barn down a line of snorting horses and hurried to the streets of Camelot. She stuck to the shadows, following the wall back to her chosen destination. As she neared it, she slowed, slinking low to the ground. It hadn't taken her long at all to get to the local farmer's house.

No! she screamed from inside her head. This is such a bad idea. I'm going to get caught. Go home. Go raid someone's garbage. Anything but this. The farmer has gotten wise. But her fox mind paid no heed to her warning. The prize she was after was far better than garbage. Her insides tightened with a mixture of excitement and dread as she skirted towards the chicken coop.

A mother pig grunted at her on her way by and she gave the sow and her piglets a wide berth. The pig had grown careful since the last time Cat had snatched up one of the little hams.

When she reached the coop, her shoulders slumped for just a moment. The whole thing was sealed up tight, the windows boarded, the door bolted shut. The set up could've kept out of one of the infamous knights of Camelot. Obviously the farmer thought one of the locals was stealing his chickens. It would take a clever trick to get in, but it wasn't enough to fool this fox. She was as good getting into places as she was getting out.

A moment later, she was sniffing round the hen house, poking her nose into every crack and inhaling the damp, dusty smell of chicken. It went straight to her head and fogged up her mind. She found the largest hole and started scraping her teeth against the wood. A few chickens roused inside and began clucking their disapproval. The more she worked, the louder they got until their frightened chortles rang in her ears.

Hurry up you stupid fox! Get out of there.

Made anxious by the noise, she started furiously scratching away at the earth. She was halfway through digging her way in when she felt an explosion of pain in her side and went sailing backwards. Screeching, she flipped over on her side and twisted in midair from the force of the blow. Above her stood the farmer, a shovel in his hand.

He looked as shocked to see her as she was to see him. After all, she could easily fit through the grate in and out of the city, but what animal would be stupid enough to come to a place so infested with humans? His shock didn't halt him for long, though. Face furrowing with rage, the farmer swung his shovel again.

Run! Run! Run! And for once her fox self didn't need to be told twice.

She bolted, just barely dodging another blow. As she ran, she heard him calling out for the guards. She had only a moment to think how silly it was to rile them over such a small animal before two of them materialized from around the corner.

The larger one pulled out his sword and the other followed. They charged her and Cat jumped into the leader's face, screaming up a storm. She barely even scratched him, but the baby tumbled backwards, hollering like she'd spit acid in his face. The other one hesitated for only a second before he went for her too.

This time, she turned and ran, ducking under carts in an effort to slow them down. She easily got ahead of them and turned down a side alley. The two guards from before and three more ran past while she crouched in the comfort of the wall's shadow.

God, I'm so stupid. How could I let this happen?

She was just about to head back to the safety of her den when she heard the cautious footsteps of another human. The scent of herbs, soap, and leather reached her nostrils and she tensed, watery blue eyes searching for the source of the scent.

Timeline: Season Two-Post Lady in the Lake
Time: Early Nighttime
Tag: Merlin
Notes: If you want to hear what a fox scream sounds like, www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxLHUxzEoRU skip ahead to 1:11 ...turn your sound down. XD

[youngwarlock]

Merlin had been collecting water from the well in the lower town when a scream had caught his attention in the calmness of the early evening air. A scream which had sounded so fuelled by terror that the young sorcerer couldn't decide wether it belonged to a human or some kind of creature. He'd never heard anything quite like it in his life. Either way he had to find out what was going on. Someone, or at least something, sounded as though they were in trouble.

The young servant instantly darted away from the well, following the direction in which the noise had come from, his eyes constantly darting around for any signs of disturbance, though most of the townsfolk seemed to be scurrying around nervously, desperate to get back into the safety of their homes. Merlin would not be so timid.

A couple of chickens almost tripped him as he rounded a corner, forcing him to slow his pace to a quickened walk before he spied a couple of guards up ahead, one of them appeared to be seated on the ground holding his face. Merlin followed their trail cautiously, first passing the farm and then the guards, going almost unnoticed as he casually jogged by, his senses alert and his gaze constantly searching the surrounding area. He must be close now, he could feel it.

And then he heard it.

The sound came flooding into his ever open mind as freely as the tidal waves flow onto every shoreline, stopping him dead in his tracks as he stood, listening to the voice of a frightened druid girl, alone and scared. She was hiding somewhere, safe from the guards, but they would keep looking until they found her. Merlin had to make sure he got to her first.

The area was silent as the young boy crept quietly around the carts littered along the cobbled street, making sure to glance beneath them incase she happened to be hiding there, despite knowing how unlikely that was. It wasn't until he approached the last cart that the servant spied a darkened side alley up ahead, and without hesitation made his way towards it, slowing only to peer into the darkness of the narrow space ahead.

But what he found hiding there, was not a druid girl.

In any other circumstance, Merlin would have moved on to other hiding spots upon finding nothing but a mere fox... but this fox was drawing him in, it's eyes shining with enchantingly pale blue hues which glowed as brightly as the moon itself. This was no ordinary fox.

Slowly, the boy edged into the darkness of the alley and lowered himself into a crouching position a short distance away from the small creature, his gentle gaze fixed upon her, if she were indeed a her, or any magical creature for that matter. Stranger things had happened, he reminded himself sadly. In a land so filled with magic, anything was possible, and if he was wrong, he could only look ridiculous to himself, which was nothing compared with how stupid he apparently looked to others on a daily basis.

"Hello..." he whispered softly, resting his hands on the ground either side of him, not wanting to alarm the fox by reaching towards it. He blinked slowly, his eyes still resting upon those of the small animal as he realised he probably ought to try a different method.

In gentle tones, Merlin let his telepathic consciousness speak for him... "Can you hear me?"

[Caitylin Roe]

Cat followed the new human's movements carefully with her keen ears. The urge to run surged at every pause of his steps. But her human mind held her in place. He was looking for something. He was looking for her. Her hackles rose. She counted the possibilities in her head. None of them seemed good. It could be another guard or even a passing knight coming to help hunt down the animal. Running would almost certainly mean discovery and death.

As the human drew closer, she shrunk towards the safety of the wall. The alley wasn't very long, but maybe, if the darkness was deep enough, he wouldn't see her? After all, humans had horrible night vision. All hope of remaining hidden dissapeared when he poked his head around the corner and his eyes went straight to her as if he'd already known exactly where she was. It sent a shiver up her spine and the fur on her tail prickled.

The scent of shock and confusion as he laid eyes on her was almost palpable. She tensed, unsure of what he would do.

He was young and he didn't seem to be a guard or a knight. In fact, he looked too clumsy to be much of anything, but his presence was overwhelming. The way he looked at her, it was almost like he knew. But how could he? She whined, flattening her ears. With each step he took forward, she took two back. Her gait was stiff, almost limping. Her eyes didn't leave his face for a second.

When her tail brushed the back wall of the alley, panic flared up inside her, her fox self forcing its way back to the surface in preparation for fight or flight.

His slow, careful movements reminded her of the way someone might approach a flighty horse. It was confusing. Surely he wasn't actually trying to comfort her? He was human and more than that, he lived in Camelot. That made him a threat to her in every way. If he knew what she really was, he'd call the guards back in an instant. With that thought solidifying in her mind, her muscled coiled and she pressed as close to the wall and as far away from him as possible.

But the boy didn't push her any further. Instead, he crouched down. She watched his hands as he pressed them to the ground and her eyes flickered back up to his face. What was he doing? What did he want? Was he after her fur to earn some coin or simply the sport of her death? How long would it be before he figured out a way to grab her without being bitten?

His greeting pounded her consciousness without sinking in. The sound of his voice was more like shrieking than a whisper to her fox imagination and she growled. Of course, her growl was more like that of a yappy, little, lap dog than a wild animal. She sincerely hoped she didn't look as pathetically outmatched as she felt.

Cat started to calculate her chances of running past him when his voice reached into her mind and grabbed the human part of her, tethering it back to the forefront.

Her ears flicked forward and her eyes widened. He...he was like her! She was so shocked at first that she forgot to answer. Did he live here too or was he just passing through? Surely it was the latter. She couldnt imagine anyone else being stupid enough to live that close to the chopping block.

Her father had said that all magic users were evil, but, for the first time she noticed the kind way he was looking at her. He didnt seem like he meant her any harm and really what choice did she have but to trust him? He was kind of in the way of her escape. Still, she was nervous. He was using magic in Camelot. What possible good could he be doing? Magic users were cunning, deceitful creatures, or so she'd been told. She should probably tell someone about him when she got her body back.

On a more immediate note, it was impossible to ignore how big and scary he was to her fox self.

Suddenly, Cat realized just how long she'd been staring at him without giving an answer to his question. Grabbing ahold of the rope holding her in control, she reached deep into the fog of her mind and mustered up the conviction for a reply. Hopefully she didn't sound as frightened as she was.

"Who are you?"

[youngwarlock]

The way in which the fox had reacted after Merlin had spoken telepathically, could easily have been coincidence, but he knew it wasn't. The way her ears had flicked forwards and the way she was looking at him.... She had heard him, he was certain of it. And so he remained completely still, watching and waiting with utmost patience, and when a response finally came moments later, confirming what his instincts had been telling him all along, the young servant could barely contain his relief upon finding the scared creature, and he happily beamed down at her with a wide and gentle smile.

"I'm Merlin" he managed at last, briefly overwhelmed by his fascination with the small animal and momentarily forgetting why they were both here. He wondered what had happened... what kind of magic had been bestowed upon her to make her this way? And why was she here in Camelot? The most dangerous place for her. With these thoughts, it didn't take long for realisation to kick in again and the kind eyes of the young man grew cautious once more.

"You don't have to be afraid" the servant added quickly through telepathy, knowing how frightened she must be. "I can get you out of here...I promise no harm will come to you, please, just let me help you."

[Caitylin Roe]

Was she imagining it or did he actually seem happy to see her? That was crazy. He didn't even know her. He had no responsibility for her, no connection. They weren't family. Could it be possible he just wanted to help her, just for the sake of it? Fox instincts aside, she was having a hard time wrapping her head around that.

But she had to admit, the idea of not being alone was comforting. Since her father had died, she'd basically collapsed into herself. She went through her day, did her work, and slept until nightfall because that was easier than facing how empty her life was. Then night would come and she'd lose herself under the fur and overpowering instincts of the fox.

Seeing Merlin made her realize that she wasn't alone and, as much guilt as she felt over admitting it, that simple fact was a relief.

"Cat," she answered after a moment of hesitation. Cat was less revealing than her entire name and it meant she could have a chance to stay anonymous during the day. As far as she was concerned, the less anyone knew about her, the better.

His offer to help made her pause. On the one paw he seemed like he really did want to help her, but on the other, if he brought her someplace and closed the door, she'd be trapped until morning. And what if he just brought her straight to the king and turned her in to take the suspicion off himself?

"Why? Why do you want to help me? I'm nothing, just an animal." Suspicion and a bit of sadness were evident in her voice.

She didn't have long to question before she heard the heavy steps of the guards doubling back. Cat whined, looking past Merlin's shoulder out to the street. How long would she have before they got back? Not long by the sound of it. How exactly did he plan on getting her by them unnoticed?

[youngwarlock]

"Cat, please...we don't have much time"

The servant glanced back into the street upon hearing the heavy footsteps in the near distance. This could be very difficult. The fox, whoever she was, was hardly going to trust someone she had only just met, especially someone who resided in Camelot, Merlin understood that more than anyone, but if she refused to take this chance, she could be found and unspeakable things may happen to her, though why the guards were so intent on finding a mere fox seemed ridiculous. Why couldn't they just let the poor creature escape into the night? Surely she had done no harm, unless of course they were aware of who she truly was. Merlin had no time to think about it. The footsteps grew louder with each passing moment and soon they would probably be found.

"Camelot is not safe for you" he continued, answering her question, thankful that they had this unique way of communication to share, for it meant they could speak in silence, the sound of their voices safely hidden from the ears of those who wished to pursue them.

The boy averted his anxious gaze to the pale blue eyes of the fox with pure sincerity, hoping she would find a way to trust him, even just a little. "I know what it's like to live like this.... afraid to be who you are....I can take you wherever you want to go.... please...."

The young warlock reached down carefully to open the front of his jacket on one side, allowing the fox access to the space within, if she was willing to accept. "Let me help you..."

[Caitylin Roe]

Merlin turned his head to peer out to the street and Cat saw an opportunity to escape. She took a step forward, crouching low. If she could just get by him, she'd be home free. But before she could get any further, he turned around again.

She jumped backwards, her eyes flying to his face. His words... It was solid now. She wasn't alone. Had she been in her human skin, she might've cried with relief. Thankfully, she wasn't because that would've been embarassing. The last thing she wanted was to let another magic user know how much she needed the company.

There was something in his voice, a kind of desperation that struck a chord inside her. Every ounce of her experience was telling her not to trust him, but she wanted to. Plus, it wasn't like she had much of choice. Something told her he wasn't moving any time soon and if the guards came, they would see the both of them. They'd probably figure he was just some idiot city boy staring at the oh so amazing forest creature.

If she didn't let this boy help her, she was going to die.

Still, when he reached to open his coat, she flinched reflexively at the movement. Thankfully, she recovered pretty quickly, taking a step away from the wall. Her eyes sent him a silent question along the lines of, 'are you kidding me?'

Blowing a sigh out of her notrils, she took another step.

"Okay."

If there had been any more time at all, she might have reconsidered. It went against every instinct her fox body possesed. Sucking in a whine, Cat squirmed into the folds of his coat, trying her best not to scratch him. Thank heavens he was so skinny. There was a lot of room in his jacket.

[youngwarlock]

Relieved that the magical fox had chosen to trust him, Merlin carefully folded his jacket over her small form as she crept inside, gently supporting her with one arm and making sure she was well hidden before he stood and peered out into the street from the darkness of the small alley. The footsteps had grown louder but there was no one in sight just yet. The young boy took this as his chance to escape and quickly leapt forward onto the cobbled street, holding onto his slightly bulging jacket with both arms now as he broke into a fast sprint, dodging empty carts and ducking into each darkened space he could find until the streets began to fill with silence.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked, mind to mind as he slowed to a walk and casually strolled down the empty market street, not noticing the guard who was so skillfully standing in the shadows out of sight...

"Halt!"

The noise stopped Merlin dead and his heart began to pound furiously. If he ran now, there would be guards chasing him from all sides. The last thing he wanted was to look suspicious, so gathering every bit of courage and trying to look as casual as possible, he slowly began to turn around, passing Cat a telepathic message as he did so. "Don't move....don't make a sound. I promise I won't let him find you."

"What have you got there?" The voice interrupted.

Upon finally turning to face the guard, Merlin discreetly tugged at the fold of his jacket, pulling it a little more tightly around himself before swallowing nervously. "It's....for the Prince!" he replied, growing anxious as the guard began to move closer.

"Hey I know you!" The guard interrupted once again, this time with something resembling a smile, though it was hard to distinguish in the darkness. Before Merlin could speak, he continued, sounding friendlier this time. "You're Prince Arthur's manservant! Got you fetching and carrying again has he?"

Merlin somehow managed to force a smile. "Something like that!" he said quickly, unsure how he managed to say it without stumbling over his words. The guard let out a low, almost sadistic sounding chuckle before answering. "You'd better get back to it boy or he'll have your head!"

"Right .....Yes" the young servant replied, too overwhelmed by relief to notice at first that the guard had already began walking away in the opposite direction. He stood there for a moment, sighing heavily into the cool night air and protectively holding onto the small animal hidden inside his clothing.

[Caitylin Roe]

With the feeling of his arm coming over her, it was all Cat could do not to bite down. Somehow attacking her rescuer seemed a bit...rude. But her fox form was not used to such close contact with humans. His scent was all around her, not that he smelled bad, just human and it was making it hard for her to concentrate. His heart sounded like thunder this close. Then he started running and she felt like she was going to fall out of his jacket. No longer caring, she dug her nails in and braced herself between his side and the curve of his arm.

She was just about to lose it and explode out of his coat when he slowed. Oh thank heavens. He asked her where she wanted to go and, again, his telepathy pulled her human consciousness to the forefront. So where should she have him take her? The obvious answer would seem to be home, but her trust only went so far. It probably wasn't a good idea to let him know where she liv-what was that?

"Halt!"

Cat froze, her hackles rising. He was going to give her up. She Could hear ot in his heartbeat, smell it in his fearful sweat. Even if he didn't, the guard would find her and they'd both be dead. The image of herself launching at the guard's face and taking off into the night, never to see either one of them again, but something told her that this was a horrible idea.

But his message calmed her a bit. She did as he asked, not that it took much to convince her. Stay still. Stay hidden. It was what a fox did. She remained motionless save for the flickering of her eyes while the guard asked what he had. She barely understood the words, but she understood the tension in his muscles. One thing was for certain: they were screwed.

She did understand one word out of that and that word was 'prince.' He worked with the prince? The icy led of fear hardened in her stomach. This was important. She needed to focus. He was the prince's servant! How deep had she gotten herself into trouble this time? She'd be damned if she was going to the prince on a silver platter. No wonder he'd wanted her trust so much instead of letting her escape on her own. He was eliminating her so he could go after the royal family without opposition. Or was he hoping to recruit her?

Either way, he was going to find a very unwilling participant.

"Put me down! Put me down or I will bite you."

She dug her claws in a little deeper to emphasize her point, her eyes wide. She may have been fooled before, but the guard had blown his cover.

[youngwarlock]

"Ahhh!" Merlin hissed painfully into the silence of the dark street, hopefully not loud enough to stir attention from any lurking guards as the fox dug her sharp claws into his side, almost causing him to drop her. Quickly he knelt down, gently letting her go despite the pain she had just inflicted on him.

"What's wrong? He's gone! ...I promised I would keep you safe" he declared, unable to imagine whatever could be wrong with the small creature. He knew she may react to almost being caught, but not as badly as this. If the worst had happened Merlin would have had to resort to other methods to get her out of Camelot. There was no way in the world he would have given her up to the guards though.

"Did I hurt you?" he added quickly, wondering if he'd accidentally harmed her by bundling her up so tightly within the confines of his jacket.

[Caitylin Roe]

Caitylin practically spilled out of his jacket when he knelt down and moved his arms to release her. She was about to bolt into the darkness, but something stopped her. The hurt in his voice rang through her mind, halting her where she stood. He actually sounded honestly offended, almost confused.

She stood a bit taller, her ears poking forward, though her back still arched slightly in defense. Every hair prickled across her back, all the way down to her tail, her eyes daring him to reach forward.

She was prepared to call him out on whatever harm he was planning to inflict, yet somehow, she felt her resolve faltering. It would've been so easy for him to just give her up to the guard if exposing her was his intention. Although that would've taken the opportunity away from himself and given her the opportunity to escape. More than that, it would put himself under suspicion for how he got ahold of such a small, wild creature.

"That guard said you work for the Prince!"

In another matter, there was no telling what harm a magic user could do so close to the royal family. He could poison the king. Why else would someone with magic dare to live that close to danger. Sure, she lived in Camelot, but she saw the royal family very little. No more than the average citizen of the city. He had so many opportunities to cause harm. She found it hard to believe he wouldn't take them.

"Why? Why would anyone like you do that?"

Her father had told her that those who use magic were not to be trusted. Of course, those words came from a thief, but he was her father nonetheless. She wanted to believe they weren't true. She was a good person. Her mother, his wife, she had been good too, hadn't she? Cat wanted to trust this boy, but she also didn't want to die.

[youngwarlock]

Merlin slowly rose to his feet and took a small step back in an effort to assure the fox that he would not try to recapture her. The thought hadn't even occured to him that this was about him being Arthur's servant.

Blinking down at the small creature, he folded his arms and took a deep breath, almost feeling guilty for his position in Camelot. He understood how it looked. She knew he was magical, but what she didn't know was that there was a valid reason why he had allowed himself to take on such a role, despite the dangers he faced each day of existing here under Uther Pendragon's rule.

"Yes... I'm prince Arthur's manservant." he admitted, feeling all the more ridiculous for doing so. This fox, whoever she was, seemed to have the ability to bring out that part of Merlin that wanted to leave all of this behind and go somewhere where he could be free. She reminded him instantly that so many had suffered, and still continue to suffer, at Uther's hand. But he had to be here. He had a destiny. One day things would change and she needed to know that. She needed to know the young boy was not one of them.

"Cat... It's a long story... and I'll tell it to you... Somewhere safe." he replied, risking a quick glance around the quiet street. It seemed empty. "Please...Tell me where you want to go and I will keep you safe. I don't have to carry you...but we need to get you out of here."

[Caitylin Roe]

Cat watched him stand with wary eyes. She half expected him to go for her, but instead he stepped back. Her eyes widened a little at that, but she tried to hide any trace of trust from her face. She wouldn't be fooled again.

He was like her, alone in a sea of hate. She could just imagine the looks on peoples' faces if they ever discovered what she was. The disgust in their eyes while she burned at the stake...she couldn't bear to think about it. He knew what it was like. He lived it more than anyone, day in and day out. But why would he do it? Why did she do it?

The fox side of her mind was slowly fading with every word that passed between them. This was the clearest she'd felt her entire life.

Her eyes narrowed at his admittance that he was the manservant of the prince. She snorted. How could he be so close to the man who was so intent on making sure his kind went extinct? She knew from personal experience how lonely and crushing that kind of life could be. She had herself locked up so tight it was impossible to let anyone in. Something in his eyes made her wish she could have friends, but it wasnt possible. She didnt deserve friends. She was a monster.

She was about to say that she could get herself out of this mess just fine when she heard another guard heading their way on a normal patrol. It seemed the initial search for her had died down, but there was still the risk of being discovered. She and no doubt the hunt would continue if she was seen again. Hadn't she attacked a guard? Oh he'll, she seriously hoped she'd imagined that.

Cat turned back to Merlin, her eyes wide, her confidence wavering. She couldn't have him take her home, so where?

"I-I don't know. I don't know this place." It was a lie, but it would do for now.

[youngwarlock]

Merlin could sense a hint of dishonesty in her voice as Cat declared that she did not know Camelot while at the same time avoiding his question. He supposed it was going to take a while for her to put any sort of trust in him, and he understood her suspicion. A magic user working for royalty in a place where magic had been banned was so utterly wrong, he knew that. But his reasons for doing so were extremely important, or so everyone kept telling him.

The young sorcerer glanced around, hearing footsteps stir in the distance. If the fox honestly did not know Camelot and would not tell him where she wanted to go, then he had no choice but to get her out of the town and into the surrounding woodland so that she could make her own way home. Not knowing of her past and thinking about the possibility that she could infact be some kind of mythical creature, Merlin considered that perhaps there were more of them out there. If he could just get her out of here then she would be safe to make her own way home.

"Follow me"

Silently, the boy crept away from the centre of the street, keeping as close to the wall as possible as he made his way further into the lower town, knowing a shortcut that would lead them right out of Camelot and into the dense woodlands.

[Caitylin Roe]

Cat reluctantly followed the young warlock, though she, at first, had no idea where he was taking her. She kept herself close to the wall, shadowing his footsteps while her eyes darted around. Her ears constantly swiveled back and forth in a never ending search for danger.

What was she doing? Seriously, what the hell was she doing? He used magic. Her father was probably turning in his grave. But this boy made her feel clear, like she wasn't even a fox. Although the swinging tail behind her butt kind of poked a hole in that fantasy.

It didn't take her long to realize he was leading her out of the city. Part of her wanted to stop, to turn and run straight back home, but that would be admitting that she lived in Camelot. She didn't really want him to know that. Even just the first part of her name was more than she'd really ever hoped a magic user would know.

At the same time, he didn't really jive with the image she had of sorcerers in her head. Her father had painted those who willingly used magic as cold, foolish, evil people who cared for nothing but themselves. This boy was kind and anything but ruthless. His position was certainly suspicious, but the fact that he'd saved her was making it hard to believe he would hurt anyone. God, he was cute as a kitten.

Did she really just think that? What was wrong with her? He was a magic user, a...well, a fox smack dab in the middle of the hen house. But maybe, just maybe, he was good like her. At least, she was pretty sure she was good. Aside from stealing chickens that is.

One thought did trouble her though. As they snaked through the back streets, avoiding all prying eyes, she sent him a question.

"Hey Merlin...how did you know where to find me?"

[youngwarlock]

"I heard screams" said the young warlock via telepathy in response to her question, carefully placing one foot infront of the other as he crept around the back of the tavern that he would later become so unintentionally associated with. "I ran to find out what had happened...and then I heard you. I heard your voice...So I followed my senses. I knew you had to be hiding somewhere close by. What were you doing here anyway?"

The warlock glanced back at the small creature behind him, nothing but kindness and concern embedded in his features. He desperately wanted to know more about this magical animal and where she had come from, but the most important thing was to get her away from Camelot. Turning forward once more he stepped over an empty barrel and hurried up the grassy bank which led to a low part of the wall surrounding the town. Clambering over it he allowed himself to drop to the otherside, landing uninjured on the soft grass just a few feet below. It wasn't too bad a drop and it would be especially easy for a fox. After this it would be a steep walk down the grassy hill towards the woodlands. Merlin glanced up at the top of the wall and waited for the fox to follow suit.

[Caitylin Roe]

"You heard me?" she asked, her ears going back. "But I didn't send any thoughts out... I'm-I'm not very good at magic."

To his other question, she paused. What was she doing here? She wasn't sure how she was going to explain her being in the city? It wasn't exactly the normal place for a fox to be. Wild animals, even magical ones, didn't exactly come to such a place. Too many humans. Honestly, it was amazing she'd managed to keep her fox self in the city at night, at least at first. After a while, she'd realized there was easy prey, many shiny little trinkets to play with. Most humans were inside after dark anyway and she was a fox. Foxes were sneaky. She'd only been seen a handful of times in all her years in the city. Admittedly, her father kept her locked up at night until he died a little less than a year ago.

"I ..uh. I followed a rat in through one of the grates and got lost. There are so many streets, so many people. I didn't know where to go."

It was another lie and this time it sounded like a lie even to her, but she didn't know what else to do. Did he even realize she wasn't really a fox? I occurred to her that she sounded pretty suspicious herself and she considered telling him the truth, that she lived here, had practically her whole life, but she wasn't entirely sure if she could trust him yet. Besides, she felt kind of pathetic admitting that she'd stayed here.

They reached the edge of the wall and he hopped down. Cat perched on the edge and looked back towards the city, towards her den. If she didn't get back soon, she might get stuck out there with no clothes and no way of getting back in. She could easily turn around and run home, but then he'd know for sure she lived there or he'd think she was up to no good and blow the whistle on her.

Without a second's longer pause, she slid down the wall and hit the ground with a little hop. The grasslands spread around her, framed by a dark line of forest on the horizon.

"You don't have to come with me," she said. "But I thank you for your help."

She had a feeling it wouldn't get rid of him, but you can't blame a girl for trying.

[youngwarlock]

Merlin watched as the fox hopped down onto the soft grass beneath, then glanced around to make sure no one was around. They weren't out of the woods yet. Jumping the wall to the outside of the city didn't necessarily mean that there would be no guards, though there was certainly a lot less chance of running into one.

The young boy started down the grassy hill, glancing down at the sly fox as he did so. He knew she had lied to him about what she was doing in Camelot, but he'd get to the bottom of it sooner or later. If he were a fox himself, he wouldn't exactly go trusting the first human who found him and helped him to escape either. At least not for a while anyway.

"It's fine ...I'll make sure you get out of here first. It'll be safer when we reach the forest." he answered as they strode along the grass towards the thick woodland up ahead.

"So what were those screams I heard? Was that you?"

[Caitylin Roe]

Cat blew an almost frustrated sigh out through her nostrils. Couldn't he see she was trying to get rid of him? Maybe he did and wanted to see if he could bother her long enough to annoy her into leading him home? If that was the case, he was going to be seriously disappointed. She was a fox, for crying out loud. If she got bored of this, she could easily duck off into the trees and disappear. It was one of the few advantages to being a fox: quick reflexes.

So why wasn't she doing that right now? Maybe, just maybe, she was a interested in his story too? She was trying to pass it off as her learning more about him so as to better reveal his magic and protect the king later, but in reality, she was very curious about him.

Cat tried her best to keep her focus on Merlin as they walked, but the wild was ridiculously distracting. For one, the grass was nearly as tall as she was in this form and it brushed against her, prickling her skin and begging to be rolled in. It was all she could do to wade through. A thousand crickets serenaded all around them while owls hooted in the distance and dozens of tiny rodents shuffled through the grass near the earth. Her ears were going crazy, all shifting in different directions. Oooh and there was one just to her left.

"Hmm? Oh. Yeah, that as me. A guard came at me and I kind of...freaked out and jumped at his face." She pinned her ears down as she said it, a little ashamed. "I didn't mean to I...I just panicked."

The grass rustled deep near the stalks just a hop's length away. Her instincts took over and she did a quick crouch, wiggling her butt, then erupted from the grass with all the force her small body could manage. She landed face first, tail and hips squirming above the grass. She missed the mouse though, and promptly fell on her side, disappearing in the brush.

When her head popped back up again, her nose was covered in dirt. She quickly shook it off and promptly fell over again, tangling herself in the thick grass. Damn, you nature!

[youngwarlock]

Merlin couldn't help but smirk to himself a little at the thought of the small creature pouncing onto the guard's face and no doubt scratching it to shreds. That would explain the guard he'd seen earlier who had been sitting on the ground holding his hands up to his face. He looked to be in a bad way. Despite his compassion, Merlin knew just how ruthless those men could be. It was the reason why they were merely guards and not knights of Camelot. As far as he was concerned, they deserved whatever injury the fox had inflicted upon them.

The woods were not too far ahead now and Merlin reached into his pocket as he strode through the soft grass.

"So I thought that you might..." his words trailed off as he glanced down to find that the fox had gone astray. However, when his eyes searched the rustling grass in the twilight they quickly fell upon a large bushy tail, and then a set of paws. Merlin found himself beaming in amusement as he watched the fox playing, assuming that was infact what she was doing, even if she had picked a rather strange time to do it. The warlock glanced up briefly at their surroundings. They were far enough now from Camelot that no one would notice them here. "What are you doing?" he asked, letting out a short breath of laughter as he watched her rolling around.