A/N: This is where the story rejoins the series, at the beginning of episode three, series two.
I don't own Robin Hood.
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The fall was only the beginning. It seemed Ava had an awkward relationship with inanimate objects; if it was possible for some accident to occur it would.
After more practice she acquitted herself well with a sword and bow and the couple of times she had joined them on raids none of her clumsiness had shown through, but it was still definitely there.
The most notable accident was when she was out practicing tracking with John. She had despaired of ever being able to move with the stealth and quiet of the others, she was much more likely to walk into a tree. John had taken her out to practice, insisting that if anyone as big as him could manage it a slip of girl like her could do it easily.
They'd found five guards walking through the forest. They had no wish to start a fight, just to follow them and the first quarter of an hour went remarkably well. John was on one side, slightly behind the group and Ava was on the other. Her side was the one next to the noisy river, which helped her confidence as some of its noise masked any mistakes she made.
It was as the guards paused to take a break that things began to go less smoothly. She saw them stop and moved further back to be more hidden behind the tree. From having all her concentration on the five men it abruptly switched to the ground beneath as it suddenly shifted.
In horror and almost in slow motion she saw the solid earth fall from beneath her feet and she plunged into the freezing and fast flowing river with an almighty splash.
The guards and John heard it at the same time and turned in her direction. It took all John's self-control not t rush to the point Ava had fallen in and expose himself to the guards. He forced himself to track them silently and saw them peer over the new edge of the bank. They looked for some time but apparently saw nothing as they returned to their journey.
As soon as they passed out of view, John rushed to the river's edge and, like the guards, could see nothing at first.
"Ava!"
He called her name quietly but desperately in his deep voice. His eyes strained to see any sign of her, darting to the further bank and scanning the water.
Suddenly there was splashing below him and he looked down to see Ava just surfacing, coughing, spluttering and gasping for breath.
He called her name again and she looked up to see him lowering his staff towards her. She grasped the end with numb fingers and as he started to pull her up tried to help by scrabbling with her feet on the bank. She finally managed to hook her elbows over the top and drag herself up to lie exhausted and shivering on the dead leaves.
John helped her to stand, knowing she had to be dry and warm as soon as possible. To advance this end he draped his coat over her shoulders and they began to walk briskly back to the camp.
By the time they reached it Ava had slowed to a stumble and her teeth were chattering, her lips and hands turning blue. The rest of the gang, apart from Robin, was gathered round the fire waiting for Much to finally finish cooking. As they arrived, Ava dripping wet, bedraggled and looking very small in John's massive coat, they cause an immediate diversion. There were many demands as to what had happened and John replied briefly as Ava was to cold to form the words. She returned the coat to John and went in search of dry clothes. Her top was clinging to her like a slightly transparent second skin but she didn't care or notice the others' reactions. Djaq did and rolled her eyes, she'd had a similar reaction the couple of times she'd worn a dress.
When Ava was dry again, with only her damp hair to show she'd recently taken a dip in a cold river, she came to join them by the fire, sitting as closely as she could and wrapped in a blanket as she still felt chilled.
She heard the tail part of their conversation as she sat down and Much handed her a plate of food. Djaq was complaining about the lack of variety,
"All you eat is bread and meat! We're surrounded by edible berries and leaves. Where's the fruit? The salad?"
"Salad?" Will was bemused.
"Men? Eating Leaves?" and John sounded disgusted.
"There's only one use for leaves around here and you're not going to want to eat them afterwards!"
"Oh, Allan!" Ava's groan was met by the laughs of the other men but she and Djaq rolled their eyes at each other in womanly compainship.
Robin suddenly appeared, leading a small boy. Ava sat up quickly in surprise and everyone stopped what they were doing, food suspended in mid-air.
"We need to go. This is Daniel, his friends are in danger and if I'm not much mistaken so are we."
Robin obviously expected them to be out of there in seconds but there wasn't much chance of that.
"What's up?" Allan curious as always.
"It's Gisborne." Robin looked really rattled. "He's created a new armour. We need to take his away so, arm yourselves."
They all reacted, abandoning food and reaching for weapons. Daniel was looking at them with his mouth open, struck almost dumb with awe.
"Little John," John looked at him in surprise. "Will, Allan A Dale," Allan waved. "You must be Djaq, the Saracen," she smiled. "Wow!" his slightly confused gaze turned to Much. "Sorry, who are you?"
Robin sighed, knowing how Much would react.
"That's Much,"
"Oh, yes, the servant," Daniel spoke with eager innocence.
The others couldn't help it, they burst out laughing.
"Very funny," Much turned his back on them.
Daniel's gaze returned to John and he took a few steps closer.
"What?" John spoke irritably.
"Nothing. It's – just – I thought you'd be taller."
"I'm quite tall," John seemed defensive of his height now; the others looked on in amusement.
"You know, like a giant," Daniel wasn't giving up.
"Men tend to lie about their size,"
As the men of the group turned to Djaq with indignation Ava gave a gurgle of laughter and stood, stretching her stiff limbs. Her movement caught Daniel's attention and seeing him staring, she smiled.
"You're the Nightwatchman! You gave my family food last winter,"
Her smile faded and she blushed slightly.
"No, I'm not the Nightwatchman, that was a mistake." He looked so disappointed she reached a hand out to his shoulder. "Sorry."
He smiled slightly but it broadened into a real smiled as he saw her buckle on a sword and sling a bow and quiver on her back. Robin wasn't to be diverted for long,
"You ready? Give me that," he took Daniel's painstakingly made but not very effective bow and single arrow. "you won't be needing it. Come on, lets go."
They left the camp in haste.
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A/N: episode three carries on next chapter, hope you enjoyed it. Please review.