A/N: An longer chapter! Yay! I was going to make it two chapter, but it works like this. : ) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't really own Robin Hood. Although, I'm not sure who does.

Chapter 4

'Robin Hoods'

A few minutes later, I was seated on a log between Gil and James with a big bowl of stew on my lap. I ate it hungrily, not having eaten since the morning of the day before. As I ate I listened to the man who called himself Robin Hood unfold one of the most unlikely stories I'd ever heard. Strangely enough, I found myself starting to believe it.

"You were actually right. The original Robin Hood did die about five years ago. However, probably two years ago, I was walking through the forest and saw John. He had hunted some of the deer and the sheriff's men were about to arrest him. So I stepped in to help out a little, and then Gil and Alan showed up. They were actually part of Robin Hood's original band and just never left the forest. Pretty soon, it evolved into what we have now." He finished. I set my bowl down.

"So you do the same things the old Robin Hood did?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yes we do." He replied proudly. I laughed.

"Right. Then why are people still going hungry? And why does everyone think that Robin Hood is dead? Why don't any of the villagers have hope for a better life?" I asked bitterly. Robin looked uncomfortable.

"Well, we haven't quite figured out how to make a production about it without King John coming into the forest and searching us out." He said awkwardly. I laughed again.

"King John won't bother with you the first time. He'll just think it's someone copycatting unless we keep doing something." I said. He gave me a strange look.

"We? Does that mean you're joining us?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Why not? I don't have anything else to do." I said nonchalantly. Then, as though I had just thought of it, "By the way, how would you feel about a woman joining up?" I asked. Everyone stared at me for a moment, then a chuckle escaped. Before long, the whole group was almost rolling with laughter. I nodded grimly.

"Right. That answers that question." I said, setting my bowl down and standing up. "I'm gonna go for a walk." I said, then quickly walked away. I wasn't alone for long before Gil ran up beside me.

"So, you got a girl at home?" He asked. I smothered a smile and shook my head.

"No, the girls never had that much interest in me." I replied truthfully. He shook his head.

"A good, young fellow like you? You must be kidding." He said. I shook my head.

"Nope. I don't have any girls back home pining for me." I said, trying hard not to start laughing. The whole situation was just ridiculous. Gil must have noticed the laughter being held back and grinned.

"Aw, you're just kidding me. You've probably got a sweetheart at home." He said wistfully. I rolled my eyes, but let it be.

"So, what about you? Do you have a girl?" I asked. He laughed.

"Nah, not much opportunity for courting in the middle of the forest." He said. I shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess." As the two of us walked through the forest together, I had the feeling that this could turn into a beautiful friendship.

For the next few days, everyone debated over how to start out. Finally we just decided to go stake out the road and stop the first important looking cart or transom. On the third day, Alan came running up to where Gil, James, and I were hiding next to the road.

"Carriage, coming up the North Road." He puffed out. Immediately, the three of us set off for the North Road with our bows. I could feel my stomach roiling with nervousness, but I pushed the feeling down and continued. I had to do this, to prove myself if nothing else. When we got there, I took deep breaths and looked down the road. Sure enough, a richly ornamented carriage was coming down the road. Only four knights guarded it, making it easy pickings. Then I heard it. The bird call of a bird that only came out at night.

"That's the signal." Gil whispered. Everyone jumped out in front of the carriage.

"Halt!" Robin called. The driver pulled up, looking confused.

"This, is an ambush." Alan said cheerily. I had to smile at his impudence. At that moment, a lady's head came out of the window of the carriage.

"Why have we stopped?" She demanded.

"An ambush, M'lady." The driver replied, just as the knights came to engage us. It only took a few moments for us to disarm them.

"Now, if you would so kind as to step out of the carriage for a moment." Robin said with a small bow. The door to the carriage opened slowly, then a blur of skirts and blond hair came flying at Robin. He fell under the onslaught, but the lady was immediately surrounded by bows and swords. When Robin was unearthed from the lady's skirts, he gasped for breath.

"I think she was trying to smother me." He choked out. The lady gave him an imperious look, or at least as imperious as you can get with an outlaw holding your arms behind your back. Robin stood and brushed his clothes off, looking peeved.

"We are outlaws, madam, and we wish to relieve you of your purse." He said, quite courteously considering that she had just flattened him in the middle of the road. The lady struggled, but it was no use. John Jr. was as big as his father, and held her tightly. Robin nodded at Alan and I and we sprinted towards the carriage, knowing that we had to hurry or we would be caught by another traveler, or even some of the castle guards that were known to patrol this road. We quickly stripped the carriage of any valuables, while Gil took money from the lady herself. Despite the fact that it was all done with the utmost haste, we heard hoof beats as we finished.

"Time to go." John Jr. said. Robin agreed and we ran into the forest, blending perfectly.

Nottingham Castle

"This is outrageous!" The Sheriff stormed from one end of the room to the other, trying to walk out his anger. His right-hand man, Philip of Lancaster, stood watching with a stormy expression.

"After all these years, Robin Hood has returned? It's impossible." The Sheriff decided. Philip spoke up.

"My lord, could it be that someone is copycatting Robin's deeds?" He asked. The Sheriff stopped for a moment, considering that.

"It is possible. In fact, it's possible that this wasn't Robin at all." He said happily, then snapped his fingers at a servant standing silently in the corner.

"Fetch me some wine." He ordered. The servant scurried away and the Sheriff sat in his throne-like seat.

"Either way, I want this outlaw strung up in front of the castle. I cannot have anyone taking away from my authority." He said sternly. Philip nodded.

"It will be done." He said, then spun on his heel and left the room.