CHAPTER 7

Much added some fresh kindling to the fire and stoked it gently with a long stick. It was just coming up on dawn and the camp would be stirring soon. Robin had woken him a few hours earlier to take last watch and it had been a non eventful time. He had been puzzled to see Will and Djaq asleep leaning on each other near the fire but hadn't woken them. They looked very peaceful together. He knew how worried Djaq had been yesterday when Will had failed to return. Her pacing when they had been writing the message to the King and fretful glances into the forest had reminded them all of the bond she and Will had formed recently.

He poured some oats into the cooking pot and added water and sugar. Much had become accustomed to preparing most of the camps food. Djaq sometimes helped but she had been quite correct in saying that she was a rubbish cook upon joining the gang. Now, Much even liked to cook sometimes when they had a plentiful supply and everyone could be well fed. He put the cooking pot over the fire and soon the smell of cooking wafted over the sleeping members of the gang.

Will was the first to stir. He looked down at Djaq and smiled and then he was reminded of his cracked ribs as he tried to shift slightly. Sleeping upright on a tree was in hindsight not a good idea. He looked over at Much who was giving him a questioning look and jerking his head towards Djaq with a wry smile. Will suddenly got very embarrassed and nudged Djaq awake. He saw Much walk over to get more water his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

Djaq yawned next to him and smiled up at him. "Morning- how are you feeling now Will?" she said in a tantalizing sleep filled voice. "Much better thank you" he replied. His cheeks were red and he was embarrassed. She looked over and saw Much throwing glances at them and thought that she heard him mumble something like "…knew it wasn't honey…"

"Would you still like to get out of those clothes today?" she said. Will cheeks blushed a deep red at this and she realised what she had said. "…I err…I meant about going into Clun with you to get new material to get you some new clothes and out of those guards ones!" She hastily added. Will was laughing quietly now and could only nod in agreement at first. "Yes we can head there straight after breakfast if you don't mind." He said finally.

John had joined them around the fire and Djaq could see Robin stirring in his cot from the other side of the camp. It really was master craftsmanship this camp and good that they no longer needed to move constantly. From the outside no one would know that five outlaws lived in secret here.

Much served breakfast and they all ate in amiable silence listening to the natural sounds escaping the forest until Robin spoke up looking Will in the eyes: "Will, you really should have told us what happened to you yesterday and that you were injured. I am sorry that we were too busy to have helped you…if I had known we would have come to help. Thank god you are ok…well you are after Djaq has bandaged you?"

"What happened…no one told me?" said Much disgruntled. "No one tells me anyth…wait…you were injured Will?" he carried on now worried for Will. Will shifted on his perch uncomfortably. "I'm fine just a couple of cracked ribs. I apologise for not telling you Robin, I just didn't want to worry anyone what with everything else that occurred yesterday."

Will didn't want there to be an uncomfortable air around camp so yet again he told the story in full, well he made the whole escape sound a lot easier than it was and made the Sheriffs beating sound like nothing at all. He went quiet after he had told the others about Allan helping him and the Fool escape.

"Well…he may have helped you escape but that is still a long way off making up for what he did to us." said Much. "It's a good thing that the Fool decided to scarper yesterday; I bet he isn't in the Sheriffs good books at the moment. Where did he say he was going?"

"He didn't" said Robin "I don't think he really knew himself but I'm sure he will be fine, he's very resourceful." They all laughed and finished the breakfast porridge. "Djaq and I are going into Clun after breakfast. I need to get some new cloth to make some clothes. I can't wear this guards uniform for ever. Does anyone need anything?" said Will.

"We need to do some food drops today said Robin…John and I will go to Locksley and Nettlestone with parcels. Much, you go with Will and Djaq to Clun. That way we can get more done in shorter time. Just be careful everyone, especially you Will, the sheriff may have discovered you aren't dead by now.

They cleared away and secured the camp. John pulled the lever that hid the area to anyone who may stumble past and they set off. Will walked slowly, still tender but in not nearly as much pain since he had been bandaged by Djaq. She and Much were a little ahead of him stopping every now and again to collect herbs and medicines for use in the camp. Much had learned a great deal about different medicines since Djaq had joined the gang.

About an hour later they were approaching the edge of Clun. Djaq noticed that something was wrong before Will and Much. She stopped and sniffed the air putting her hand up to stop Much and Will who were behind her.

The acrid smell of burning, that was all she could smell. Looking ahead there was a thick smoke at the edge of the forest. Djaq looked over at Will and Much who had now noticed the same thing. Something was definitely wrong in the village. The air was ominously silent. The wildlife was also silent. She did not like this atmosphere at all.

"Something has happened in Clun…I do not like the signs" she said. "We should go and get Robin in case there is more trouble than the three of us can handle." Much and Will didn't look very happy at the thought of leaving, their male bravado betraying them but Djaq was just being sensible.

They didn't have time to respond however as at that moment an ear splitting shriek pierced the forest. It was a woman's anguished cry and continued again and again. "Nooooooooooo, not my boy, spare him…take me in his place. Noooooo…." The scream stopped halfway through and then more screams of younger children were heard.

Will, Djaq and Much were running forward before they could think of the consequences of running blindly into an unknown danger, trying to get to the village as fast as possible. As they got closer to the village it was surrounded in smoke. When their eyes grew accustomed to the smoke they looked around with dread in their eyes. Clun looked like a war zone. A garrison of soldiers were thundering away down the path to Nottingham.

Djaq was dizzy with adrenaline and horror. Her heart pumped in her chest violently. She turned round and dropped to her knees at the sight in front of her hearing Will and Much react in horror too.