"Well, that worked out nicely."

I'm duly surprised by my luck. I had assumed that my arrow had flown too high. What luck to have it corrected by the wind and fall right on top of my target! I turn to Little John.

"That was a rather fortunate turn of events, eh, Johnny Boy?" I say, my ears perking up in gaiety.

He looks at me with a smile on his face to rival that of my own. "You're the best, Rob," he says cheerfully. "I didn't think you'd be able to hit that apple, but boy, did you prove me wrong!"

"That was marvelous, Robin!" My love praises me.

I bow. "Thank you, my darling Marian. Now to see if Johnny can match it."

"Oh, Lord knows I'm not Robin Hood," he says.

"Oh, come now, don't be shy." I take an arrow from my quiver and hold out my bow for him to use. "Here, Johnny. Try your skill."

He accepts it a bit timidly, attempting to disguise his timidity with confidence. I hand him the arrow, which he immediately nocks. He tilts the bow upward, mimicking my own strategy, as I sit down next to Marian on the log we've been using for observing each other's antics. I feel her paw slowly, quietly, wrap around my own. I squeeze it affectionately and turn to look into her eyes. I smile at her, and she does the same. I give her a quick kiss on the lips.

"I can't think of a better way to spend a day than this, my love," I tell her. "Enjoying an afternoon with the two people I care most about in the whole land." I sigh contentedly. "It's times like these my appreciation of our love becomes so much more fervent."

She giggles bashfully. "Oh, Robin," she says. "You're so romantic."

I bring her paw to my lips and kiss it. "That's only because I've found someone who loves me as much as I love them."

"All right, you two," comes Little John's amused, chuckling voice. "Save the lovey-dovey stuff for when I'm not around." I focus my attention on him. He looks ready to let the arrow soar.

"And...there it goes!" John lets go of the bow, sending the arrow into the sky. I look for it in the bright blue afternoon sky, but I detect no trace of it. I wait, hoping to spy it in the air. But as the seconds pass by, I get less certain that it hasn't already hit the ground.

Little John turns to us. "Whoops," he says sheepishly. "Well, I did warn you that I'm not the best at this kind of thing."

I chuckle. What an amusing thing to say! Before I can stop myself, I begin to laugh heartily. I hear John join in soon after, and even Marian gives a small laughing noise. "Oh, Johnny!" I say. "You're so entertaining!"

"Well, someone's got to keep your spirits up." John gives a shrug. "After all, we did almost get caught last time."

I keep my smile as long as I can, but it slowly fades away. Yes. The last time. That wretched feeling of my life slipping from my body. My helplessness to save myself. The merciless pull of the rope around my throat. I thought death had finally caught me. And then...then...well, I can't recall what happened. What memories of that miraculous escape remain in my head as mere blurs: lying on the ground, slowly falling into unconsciousness, and a figure...a figure of whom I have a vague clue. Or, at least, so I tell myself. I frown at the wet grass in between my claws. My life seems so much more enjoyable now that I've nearly lost it, but at the same time...I'll lose it eventually. And when I do...Prince John will make me suffer. There is no doubt to be found in my head. I've made a fool of him too many times for a merciful death. The most excruciating thing he could possibly imagine...that's what he will use to provide me with my end. But I have no intention of ruining our lovely afternoon. I laugh aloud to mask my sorrow, keeping Little John and Marian safe from the truth. "You've succeeded, John," I tell my dear friend. "With you around, there's not a tear to be seen!"

He grins at me. "Hey, Rob," he asks, "you been down to see the friar recently?"

"What? Friar Tuck is back? Has he returned from his trip to London?" I thought he said he would be returning to Nottingham at a later date.

John gives me a confused look. "He left for somewhere?"

I am easily as confused as he. "Didn't he tell you he left for London for a meeting of English leaders of the church?"

John shakes his head. "No…" he responds slowly.

Marian laughs. "Oh, you two! Always so mirthful."

I give her a smile. "Such a lovely lady deserves a show, does she not?"

She waves a paw at me bashfully. "Now, stop that, you scoundrel!" she laughs.

John gives me back my bow. "Come, now, Roh-bear." He utters my name with a French accent. "Shall we see the friar?"

I give a wide shrug. "Why not? I have wanted to ask him something, after all." I extend my hand to my love. "Will you be joining us, my dear?"

She gives me an entertained smile. "Of course, darling," she says as I take her paw gently.

"Robin! Robin!"

I hear the friar calling my name from behind. What a fortuitous arrival. I turn to see him running as fast as he can to us. He looks to be in a bit of pain from the effort.

"Ah, talk of the devil!" I say merrily. "Welcome back to Nottingham, Friar Tuck! What's the news?"

He stops in front of us, breathing heavily and putting his hands on his bent knees. "Oh, I'm...I'm so sorry, Robin," he gasps.

Little John gives a nervous chuckle. "Heh heh, what are you talking about, friar?"

"It's...Puh...Prince John. He's coming!"

And as he says it, I hear, faintly, the sound of the royal carriage approaching, quickly. "He's not lying, John," I say. My spirit lifts. At last, a bit of danger!

"Let's have some fun, then," I tell them. "Come on!" I break into a run, beckoning them to follow. Why should we not have fun with the thrill of the chase? I grab an arrow from my quiver, nock it, and turn around. Pausing only for a moment, I let the arrow fly, watching it ascend to the sky before resuming my running. This is what I love: the excitement of being hunted, the choices I must make in the blink of an eye, the feeling of a purpose in life...even if it would lead to the end of my own. The forest is a blur of greens and reds and yellows, flying past my vision as I put each foot in front of the other. I step to the side when something obstructs my path and focus on nothing but the quickest way to safety. I chance a look behind me. Little John. Marian. The friar. No one is slowing down. I give them all a smile of confidence.

A stabbing pain seizes hold of my ankle. I hear myself cry out in pain. The ground rushes to meet me, and my muzzle is thrown into the dirt with vicious force. I roll once, twice, three times and stop. My ankle feels as if it is on fire. I grab it with both paws in a hopeless attempt to assuage the pain. The others catch up to me and gather around.

"Are you okay, Rob?" Little John asks me, his face full of concern.

I wince as my ankle sends a wave of agony over my leg, but I try to pretend I'm fine. "It's nothing," I say, gritting my teeth. "Probably just a bit of a twist."

"I don't know, Robin." The friar kneels to look at it.

"Wait!" I protest. "Keep going. Don't worry about me. I'll make it. I've had wounds much more terrible than this."

The horses are getting closer, and the joy of the game is replaced by the uneasiness of potential death. There is no way I will be able to get away, but the others...if they can run fast enough, they might evade capture.

"Please," I beg them to leave me behind. "I won't escape today, but you can. Go! Run, before they find us here!"

Marian grabs my paw. "Robin, we can't leave you here!" she says to me, tears in her eyes.

I shake my head, tears now welling up in mine. "You must. It's the only way to save me. If they don't catch you, then you can break me out of the prison. Please. Go. I can't run fast enough."

Little John grabs her by the shoulder.

"As much as I hate to say it," he tell her, "Rob's right. We have to leave him here for now. We'll set him free before Prince John can do anything."

She looks at him, then back at me. With no warning, she places her lips on mine. Only for a moment does she do so, but that moment filled me with courage, courage to face whatever might happen to me in the dungeon.

"I love you, Robin," she says as Little John forces her to run.

"I love you too, Marian," I return her gesture. The friar looks at me.

"I'll pray for you, son," he says.

I swallow; the pain is getting worse. "Thank you, Friar," I tell him.

"Oh, no," Little John says, worried. "They're here."

I see movement out of the corner of my eye. Marian gasps and puts a hand over her mouth. Friar Tuck's eyes widen in fear as a crowned, robed figure approaches. Prince John. He walks to me calmly as his guards surround us, brandishing their sharp-edged swords, arrows, and spears. I meet his gaze with defiance.

"So!" he gloats triumphantly. "The infamous Robin Hood captured once again. And this time-" He looks to the rest of the group, all taken captive by the tyrant's royal guards. "-I've captured your friends, as well."

The capture means nothing to me. "I've bested your prison walls before," I remind him, blinking tears out of my eyes and trying to ignore the searing pain in my paw. "I shall do so again with great pleasure."

Prince John gives a menacing chuckle, and I suddenly become much more uneasy. He never laughs when he captures me; what made this so different? He reaches for something. What is it? The glint of a blade peeks out from his robes as he unsheathes a dagger. Now I fear for my life. This isn't a capture. This is an execution. Marian emits another audible gasp.

"You see," he explains as he advances towards me, waving the dagger threateningly. "I simply can't have you breaking your fetters and escaping the dungeon again, Hood. So…" He gives a cruel laugh. "...I merely need to dispose of you as quickly as possible."

"Now, listen, buster," Little John begins to defend me. "If you so much as lay a hand on him, I'll-"

Prince John's fist connects with his stomach, and he doubles over in pain. He shifts his gaze between Marian and Friar Tuck. "Do either of you wish to protest justice?"

I start to talk, but my first attempt comes out as a groan. I try again. "Justice? Taking my life isn't justice. It's murder. What have I done to merit such a fate?"

He narrows his eyes. "You've stolen more gold from the castle than I can remember. That was not yours to take."

"And it was not yours to take, either," I bite back. "That gold belongs to the people who worked for it. You have no right to collect such an unfair amount of taxes."

He drags his fist across my cheek, snapping my head to the side.

"You have no right to question me," he spat. He looked at a pair of his guards, unoccupied with holding my friends' arms behind their backs, and throws them a long piece of rope. "String him up," he says to them.

"No, Robin, no!" Friar Tuck yells. "Don't do this!" He pleads Prince John to let me go.

Prince John merely laughs evilly. "It's too late, friar. Be glad you don't share his fate."

I feel them tighten the rope uncomfortably about my throat, choking me slightly. I give a straining cough. The prince takes note and looks at the guards.

"What are you doing?" he asks impatiently. "He doesn't deserve such a painless death as hanging! Now, tie the rope to that branch there and use the extra rope to bind him by his wrists!" He points at a tree branch above my head.

The rope parts itself from my neck and I watch as the guard throws the rope over the branch and ties three knots in it. I hear Marian beseeching with Prince John.

"Please, sire, spare him, I beg you!" she cries.

"He's chosen his path!" the prince lashes out. "And now he reaps what he has sown!"

Marian collapses, eyes full of tears. "Please, don't do this! He doesn't deserve to die this way!"

"You are wrong, my lady!" the prince yells. "He deserves much more than this! I am being merciful by executing him this way!"

Marian's sobs continue; I know she won't be able to stop herself. How many times have I seen her weep before an execution? This is no different. A tremendous force is put on my wrists; I groan in pain. I feel myself being raised up, and I every so slowly inch higher and higher until I'm dangling above the ground, my tail brushing the dirt.

Prince John bares his claws and grabs hold of my tunic. The tips of his paws cut my skin ever so slightly as he rips the cloth into pieces, exposing my bare chest and abdomen. His face lights up and he laughs wickedly, taunting me with his knife.

"Where to begin?" he asks himself. "So many choices?" He presses the blade to my shoulder. "Perhaps a quick stab here?" The knife climbs up to my forearm. "Or a long, drawn-out cut along here?"

"Devil!" the friar shouts at him. "You'll burn in hell for this!"

Prince John turns to him. "Meager price to pay," he replies, before concentrating on me. He looks as if a thought has occurred to him. "Ah, I see where we should start." The point of the blade touches in between both of my scapula, just below my Adam's apple. "A deep incision all the way down to the belly, a cut across the stomach, and we'll have ourselves a long, excruciating evisceration."

"Rob!" yells Little John. "NO! ROBIN!"

Prince John cackles devilishly. "Farewell, Robin Hood."

I close my eyes and brace myself for the agony to come. I brace myself for the end. I brace myself for the afterlife, for the ascension to heaven, to the streets of gold, the heavenly host…Father, protect me. Forgive me, for I have sinned.

Flashes of white and green envelop me; Prince John is knocked aside. What? What is happening? I fall to the ground. The rope has been severed from the tree, but my hands are still bound by it. Everything has become a blur; voices are nothing but fading echoes.

"Help me!" I manage to shout before everything turns to white. A racing sensation, pain, a sound persistent in my sensitive ears…

And everything goes dark.