A/N: Once again thanks to Emmithar for betareading. All mistakes are mine though. Thanks also for your comments to the first chapter.


Chapter 2: Ambient Sounds

Robin directed his horse carefully along the edge of the forest, keeping an eye on the village that nestled against the wood. He had not seen any guards or soldiers so far, but could not be certain that the village was safe ground for him, even though it lay a fair distance away from Nottingham town.

He had decided to bring both the horse and the bigger part of the money he had snatched to the village before returning to camp. He would keep a small part of the money, so that the outlaws would be able to make a few purchases from villagers if they were in need to. Since the traitor had left, there was no Allan at the camp anymore to argue about keeping a greater share of the money than they usually did, Robin thought bitterly. So there wouldn't have been a fight about the issue, if he had chosen to bring his whole capture back to the camp for now. As he was aware that the people were in dire need of it though, he wanted to bring it to them as soon as possible.

After a few more minutes he decided to make a move and rode into the village. People watched him nervously, yet curiously. It was a while since Robin had been in this settlement, but he believed that one of his men had delivered goods to the villagers a few weeks ago.

Finally Robin jumped off the horse and led it to a low fence where he could bind the rope about it. He would have a long walk, if he left the horse in the village, as he was a good distance away from camp now, but the weather was good and he didn't mind the walk in general. The other outlaws would wonder slightly where he was, as he would not make it back to the camp tonight, but they would guess the right thing and would wait for him back at the camp until he finally turned up again.

Robin walked around the village, leaving small bundles at the houses. Some people saw him and smiled, some didn't seem to notice him. He had been walking around for a few minutes, when an old man came up to him while Robin was passing his house. The man stopped a few paces away from Robin and looked at him, not saying anything though.

Robin was about to continue on his way, when the man glanced around and said, "You should go. Guards are coming." He said all this in a low, but determined voice, turned around once he had finished, and hurried into his house, closing the door behind him.

Robin looked at the closed door for a moment. before he went on with his tour around the village, wondering. He had not seen any guards approaching from any direction, nor could he hear any uproar that would indicate a surprise entry into the village. Why had the old man warned him then? Did he know anything that neither Robin nor the other villagers knew? Robin shook off the slight feeling of threat, believing that he could easily escape into the forest if danger should arise. Now he needed to finish his task.

He walked around the next house, jumping over a low fence that kept some ruffled chickens inside a rectangular area. Some flapped nervously while Robin bound a small bundle filled with money to the fence so that it was in sight of the door.

Just when he turned around, he saw an unwelcome sight approaching around the house. Two guards were marching up to him quickly, swords drawn, and Robin felt quite caught together with the chickens for a moment, before he dashed to the other side, the birds fleeing into all directions, as Robin leapt over the fence again, heading for the forest.

On the left side he could see the horse he had come with, but he kept running towards the forest. A woman was motioning him to take the horse, but Robin shook his head, only few paces away from the edge of the forest now. The villagers would be able to make better use of the animal than he did and it wouldn't help him much in the woods.

He heard somebody calling out to him and finally understood that the guards were telling him to stop. Robin smirked. Did they actually believe he would do as they said?

At this moment an arrow whirred past him and almost stumbling in surprise, Robin wondered where it had come from; the guards he had seen had not carried any bows. Still running, he glanced back and saw several more guards following him now.

He reached the forest and was glad to have a few trees between him and potentially more arrows now. He ran and jumped and ducked through the thicket, hearing the guards' steps cracking on the forest ground. He was still fairly confident that he would easily outrun them; he had way more experience in rushing through the woods than they did.

He drew his sword to help him cut down small branches that came into his way, if necessary. It would also prove helpful in case the guards caught up with him, he thought, becoming somewhat apprehensive now. He was running uphill at the present and it slowed him down.

His steps grew heavier as the ascent became steeper until he realized that he was running into a dead end. The way did not actually end there, but it had led him to a cliff that one could only call a dead end if he would try to jump down there. Not even making his way up to the highest point, Robin turned and tried to get away by going to the side.

Turning to look where his pursuers were, he hastily put away his sword, grabbed the bow from his back and shot two arrows into the general direction of them. Even if he did not hit, it should at least slow them down, maybe even scare them away, although Robin did not quit dare to hope for so much good.

He continued running to the side, deciding quickly that it was even worse than running uphill. A few minutes later he seemed to have escaped the guards, for now at least, as he wasn't able to hear them anymore. He walked slower now, trying to catch his breath. This one had been close, and it was not nearly over yet. He was more careful now, attempting to not leave too many traces behind. He knew, however, that a trained eye would still be able to follow the path he had taken.

He didn't know this part of the forest, but realized that he had still a long way to go until he would reach more familiar territory. The journey had not taken him long on horse-back, even though he had needed to go slowly for part of it in the woods. On foot, however, he would of course need a fair amount of more time. He hoped that he would not have to play hide and seek the entire way; it would exhaust even him at some point, although he was used to run through the forest and hide there.

Robin walked swiftly, but more calmly than before through the thicket for a while, until he heard a sudden sound from behind him, like a shout from a human, as he believed. He did not really think that anybody had seen him, but decided that he either needed to hurry or hide somewhere from where he could get a look at whoever was coming along this way. Maybe he had misheard the sound, but he had taken more than enough risks today, he mused, jumping over the trunk of a fallen tree and glancing back into the direction from where he believed the sound to have come.

The ground was going downhill again here and Robin's steps picked up speed. Another sound rang through the forest, similar to the earlier one. This time Robin decided that it was only a bird that had alarmed him. Glancing back again, he walked on quickly, but then his foot was suddenly caught in a tree root he had not paid attention to, and he stumbled forward, catching his fall with his arms, but tumbling a few feet downhill anyway, until he was finally stopped when he crashed against a tree.


Djaq quenched the small fire that had been burning while they had been sitting and waiting outside, keeping their eyes open for any signs of approaching danger, and, even more so, for Robin. The rest of the gang had already retreated into the more comfortable camp, while Djaq had stayed outside for a few minutes, the night having fallen over the forest for at least half an hour now.

She looked into the darkness that surrounded her, listening closely, but there were only the sounds of the forest. She walked closer to the camp and could hear the muffled sounds of her friends talking. They weren't really worried about the fact that Robin hadn't come back yet. If he had taken to go to a village that lay farther off, he would naturally need more time to return than Will, who had ridden to small settlement near Locksley, and the rest of the gang who had returned to the camp directly after the ambush.

Neither was it unusual for Robin to stay away for some time to scout, for example on moves the Sheriff or Guy of Gisborne would make, Robin being especially obsessed with the latter one. He would go alone, would often lie in waiting for a while, until he had learned what he wanted to know, and would return to the camp with new information and often with new plans as well.

Climbing into the camp, Djaq looked at the people that were working or just relaxing inside. The place seemed to have become disproportionally emptier and quieter since Allan was gone, even more so with Robin's absence.

There were people like Allan who would gossip and joke for a good deal of the time and whose absence would be clearly noticed. Then there were people like Will who rather kept quiet and whose absence an unobservant watcher might not even notice. Djaq noticed Will's presence or absence clearly, of course, just like she felt it when somebody else from their gang was away. With Allan's departure, however, a distinct character and a lively, maybe sometimes annoying, part of their gang was gone.

They all had lost. Not only that Allan's betrayal had given Gisborne valuable information, but they had all lost a gang member. Robin had lost some confidence, even though he would not admit it, showing only his bitterness about the matter, if anything at all. Much had maybe only lost someone to argue with, Will had lost a friend, and Djaq herself had lost the companionship to a man she had considered a good person. Still considered a good person, somewhere deep down.

She sat down, watching Much rummaging in the food storage, while Will was talking with John. They were really a small group, she thought, hoping Robin would return quickly. It was not like they could not look after themselves, but they were directionless without him. Of course, if Robin were ever gone for a longer period of time, they would have to, and would find their own ways, but as of now, they depended mostly on him.

At first she thought she had misheard, but then another sound alerted her that somebody or something was moving outside. It wouldn't be the first time that an animal had found its way to the camp, but Djaq had the distinct feeling that this wasn't an animal. The three men had apparently not noticed the sound, as they kept talking, Much holding a small sack now, binding it up with a cord. Djaq moved closer to the entrance of the camp, listening for any further sounds. Branches cracked outside and she was now sure that she could hear steps.

"I think there is somebody outside," she said quietly, and the conversation of the others stopped immediately, all three men staring at her.

"Robin?" Much asked eagerly.

"I don't know," Djaq admitted, still speaking quietly, motioning the others to be quiet as well, although there was not much point in it. If whoever was outside had found the camp, they would also notice that they were there. Djaq could not really imagine that anybody besides Robin would find it, especially at night that would make it even more difficult to find the well-hidden camp.

Therefore she stood up more confidently, stepping outside to greet Robin who she guessed was staying there in order to not wake them. The darkness engulfed her once again, only a small shimmer of light coming from their camp. Before her eyes had gotten used to the darkness, she heard another crack, followed by a low curse.

Djaq guessed that she would have recognized that cursing anywhere and she certainly did here at the camp, a place where the curse along with its user belonged. Or had used to belong.

She was not quite sure what she should do. As disappointed as she was that it was not Robin who had returned, she could probably be glad that he was not here right now, as she was staring at Allan-a-Dale, who didn't dare looking into her eyes, as she could even notice in the limited light the camp offered.

TBC