Two RH fics in one evening, can't be bad... Don't ask me how I came up with the idea for this, because I honestly can't remember. But I do know that I wanted to write a little something focusing on Allan, so here it is. I wasn't sure of how to write Allan, whether I should write his speech as he actually talks or not, but I decided I would in the end, hope you think that it's worked.
The usual quiet chatter had descended over the camp, and the gentle clatter of Much clearing away the dinner things mixed with the birdsong of the forest to create a familiar background soundtrack.
'Where is Allan?' asked Djaq, looking around.
'I don't know.' Replied Much. 'He keeps disappearing after meals – I'm beginning to wonder if he hasn't got a secret girlfriend.'
Robin snorted. 'Much, its Allan, d'you really think he'd keep something like that a secret?'
'And you have a better explanation, do you master?'
'Like I said, it's Allan. If he's got a secret, it means he's up to something.'
''Ere we are then, eat up' said Allan cheerfully. He dug the leftovers from their most recent meal from his pocket. 'Uncle Allan's brought you some of Much's roasted venison, how's that eh? Come on now, it's not that bad! I've told you before, if Much thinks I've been bad-mouthing 'is cooking, even to the likes of you, he'll tell me to 'jigger off' again!'
He flashed a quick grin, and headed back to camp.
As he approached, he noticed that the others were stood around in a circle, talking hurriedly. Whatever this meant, he was sure it wasn't good.
Able to see over the other heads, John nodded towards him, a sign to the others that he'd returned. Robin turned, and positioned himself at the front of the group. Typical.
'Where've you been Allan?'
'Eh? I've just been out, y'know, for a walk.'
'You haven't been scamming people again have you?'
'Course not!' They looked at him sceptically. 'Alright, alright, if you must know. There's this family right, that I've been giving food to and stuff, I've been going to see them.'
'If they need our help, why haven't you added them to the list?'
'Well, y'know, they like to see me, it's a woman on her own with a couple of kids, I've been looking after her a bit, y'know..'
Much opened his mouth, but Robin held up a hand to stop him. He gazed at Allan for a moment longer. 'Alright.'
The others took their cue from Robin, and let it go.
For a couple more days they said no more on the matter, hoping to make Allan think they'd forgotten all about it. They hadn't.
They followed him through the forest as quiet as was possible, and further away than they usually would've, as they knew that Allan would know what to look out for if he suspected he was being followed.
'Where on earth is he going?' whispered Much.
'Shhh…' said Robin. 'He's stopped.'
They crept closer. Much was about to ask what he was doing, but then saw that Robin was staring intently at Allan, trying to work out exactly that. He never replied when he was like this.
Allan had climbed partway up the tree he'd stopped at, and was sat on a branch, one foot dangling in the air and the other resting against the trunk of the tree. He was muttering, apparently to the tree itself.
'Well that's it then isn't it?' said Much. 'Allan's gone mad. I wondered if this might happen to one of us.'
Djaq hurried over to them. 'We will not see any more from just staying here.' She looked at Robin, waiting for a solution.
He stood up and began to stride quickly towards Allan, followed swiftly by the others. 'Hello Allan.'
Poor Allan jumped so much he almost fell from the tree. 'What you doing here?'
'I didn't think your story about giving food to a widow and her children sounded quite right. So what have you been doing?'
Allan looked down at them with his tongue in his check, considering his options. He didn't really see a better one than telling the truth.
The branch was just a little too high to jump from, and he stepped back down the trunk with the help of a rope. ''S a birds nest. I killed the mum, didn't realise there were little ones too. Go on and have a look if you want.' Djaq climbed up the rope, then nodded down to the others, before smiling at the chirruping chicks. Allan looked indignant at the looks on the others' faces. 'I couldn't just leave 'em could I?!'
'Allan! It's a whole new side to you!' Robin laughed.
'Shut up' he muttered, embarrassed.
Will laughed and clapped his friend on the shoulder, as Much smirked 'Well, you have always said you had a thing for the birds.'
'S'true that.' Allan grinned.
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