"Where are they?" Allan asked, "The Sheriff and his guards could be here any moment. We've got to go or we'll lose the haul."
"No, they'll be here any moment," Robin countered, pacing the edge of the court yard where they were hiding. As if on cue they heard a yell that was undoubtedly Much.
"Run!" Their missing comrades appeared round the corner with a stranger. Much barrelled into Allan and knocked them both flying.
"You muppet," Allan pulled himself off the ground and glared at him.
"Sorry, but we have to go. The Sheriff's guards are coming," Much panted.
"Right then let's get out of here," Robin shouted, "I'll ask you about your guest later." He eyed the girl as they sprinted out of the castle gate. She had curly brown haired and greeny-blue eyes that sparkled with excitement at the prospect of a chase. If she was going to stay then he could tell she would fit in well.
The outlaws charged through the market place and reached the street where their horses were. Robin swung up onto his bay mare and the other outlaws got onto theirs.
"Er…where should I go?" the girl asked, seeing everyone starting to gallop through the gate.
"You can come with me," Jay grinned and pulled the girl up onto her chestnut horse as they made a speedy exit.
The horses cantered through the forest, jumping over logs and roots as they headed back towards camp. The two girls whooped as their horse cleared a particularly high tree stump and skidded down the leaf strewn hill into the ditch where the camp was. Jay drew the horse to a halt just before it careered into the remnants of the fire. The girl sitting behind her leapt down and grinned.
"Nice place." She wandered round the camp still smiling. The boys and Djaq brought their horses to a stand still and tethered them to trees.
"Ok, now I'll ask," Robin started, "Who are you?" The girl smirked at him.
"Cass," the girl answered simply.
"And where did the guys find you?" Robin was intrigued.
"Oh we found her in this tower," Much interrupted.
"In a tower?" Robin choked on the water he was swigging from a flask.
"Yes a tower," Sam repeated.
"What? Like a damsel in distress?" Allan sniggered.
"No, like them busting into my room while I was getting dressed and gaping at me," Cass corrected him.
"Oh, how could you Much, she's only like…" Robin looked at the girl for the answer.
"I'm fifteen, sixteen next month," Cass replied.
"That's only like a bit younger than me," Jay butted in, stroking her horse Jasper's mane.
"My point exactly," Robin stared pointedly at Allan.
"Ok, too much tension here," Cass whistled.
"So what were you doing in a tower?" Will asked curiously.
"I was a prisoner," Cass sat down on a log.
"To the Sheriff?" Will queried. Cass nodded. "But why? And why weren't you down in the dungeons then?"
"Er…I can't answer either," Cass shrugged, "Can you stop with the questions?"
"Do you want a…?" Much started, getting out cooking equipment.
"What did I just say?" Cass started, frustrated, and then realised what the question was about, "Oh food! Yeah anything, I'm starving!"
"Much!" Cass yelped, "That thing under your hulking great foot is my toe!"
"Oh, sorry!" Much blushed crimson and removed his foot quickly. He was already quite taken with the girl after seeing her in so little at their first encounter. Every time she spoke to him he flushed, much to his embarrassment which only made him turn purple. Robin smirked at Much, so obviously smitten with the newcomer.
"Why have we suddenly got so many girls in the outlaws?" Allan suddenly piped up from his perch on a tree branch, "Not that I'm complaining or anything," he added after seeing Jay look at him. Then he spotted his leader's fuming face that looked as if it would explode at any moment, "And not that I like them or anything. But I do though. What I'm trying to say is, er…" Allan stumbled over his words, remembering Will's bloody nose, "I'm just gonna go now!" He leapt down from the tree and sprinted into the trees.
"What's up with Mr Stutter?" Cass asked, her eyes dancing with amusement.
"He's not usually like that, trust me," Much told her, "Usually you can't get him to shut up."
"Oh, I'm guessing it has something to do with Jay and Robin," Cass grinned, "Am I right? Over protective brother, rebellious sister, poor bloke stuck in the middle?"
"Exactly," Will chuckled but only just dodged a boot that was chucked in his direction from Robin which persuaded him to keep his mouth shut.
"He's kinda cute isn't he?" Jay smirked at the other girl's correct analysis.
"Yeah," Cass smiled. Much looked heart broken, thinking he had been overlooked again. The younger girl noticed and made up her mind. There may be lots of handsome men in this gang but she could guess who had the nicest personality and not bad looks to go with it. She stood up and went to sit beside the man.
"Hey, d'you wanna come for a walk with me?" she asked. Much looked amazed wondering whether it was a joke but then he saw her eyes were genuinely smiling so he agreed. He got up and the two headed into the depths of the trees.
"I think I'll go after them," Jay suddenly said, jumping up.
"But I think they wanted…" Will stopped, realising it wasn't them Jay was following. He glanced over at Robin but he didn't seem to have noticed, too preoccupied with his own thoughts. Jay also vanished into the forest.
"Well I guess it's down to us four then," John said bemused but no sooner than he'd said that Robin stood up, a determined look in his eyes.
"I'll be back before nightfall," he informed them and then swung onto his horse to gallop away. They all knew where he had gone or rather who he had gone to see.
Will sat back against a tree trunk, "Well then it's just us left."
"Will, do you want to come and help me get some meat for later. We are running low and I am not very good at wielding a long bow to catch anything," Djaq spoke up. Will's eyebrows shot up, catching the suggestive tone in her voice. He nearly tripped over himself in his haste and scrabbled to pick up his bow and axes.
"Sure, let's go," he followed Djaq out of the camp.
John realised he was completely alone. Everyone had left him, even Much, he was amazed to say. He suddenly felt very old. It was so long ago that he wooed a woman. There had only ever been one for him and he knew he would never be with another now she had gone. He wished to be young again, to go through the feeling of first love again with the most important person to him. His Alice.
What do you think?!!! Plz review and i'll give you a popadom and, cos i'm in a good mood, a gherkin!!! lol!!! HYPER!!!!