Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood. It is entirely property of the BBC.

Chapter 4

When Allan and Ava rejoined the others in the camp, Allan went off to speak to Robin, who was cutting himself some new arrows.

This left Ava with a group of people whom she knew nothing about.

Looking around the clearing, she saw a huge mountain of a man sitting in the corner. The man who had tried to ambush her along with Robin, was talking to a skinny black haired woman who looked like a man, as the woman fiddled about with some herbs. A blonde haired man was stood by the fire watching a piece of meat that was cooking over the fire, and occasionally prodding it carefully with a twig.

As Ava looked around, the woman caught her eye and smiled at her, before she and the man she was talking to made their way over to her. The large man, who caried a wooden staff, saw this and decided to go talk to Ava too.

' Um, hi. I'm Ava, as I suppose you already know,' Ava said shyly.

' Hello,' John said, ' I'm John, this is Will...'

Will nodded at her silently

' Over there cooking is Much,' he continued motioning to the man by the fire

' and this is Djaq.' John finished, motioning to the boyish looking woman, who was a sacracen.

Ava raised here eyebrows, ' Djaq? That is an unusual name for a woman.'

John and Will looked rather taken aback.

' How did you know she was a woman? ' Will asked.

Ava snorted in a rather unlady-like manner, ' Please, it's as clear as air that Djaq is a woman. It' all in the way she holds herself, and the shape of her face, and her features. It's just obvious.'

Djaq laughed, ' Perhaps to a bright girl like yourself, but men are idiots.'

Ava laughed with her, ' You mean to say that these two thought you were a man? '

' Well,' said John defensively, ' She was masquerading as a man and we were more bothered about trying to free the slaves from the Sheriff.'

Ava looked interested at this, 'Freeing slaves? ' she confirmed, ' is this a regular occurance? '

' When neccesary.' John told her.

' Wow,' grinned Ava impressed, ' You guys are so amazing.'

' Don't let Robin hear you say that,' Djaq warned, ' His ego is big enough already without you to add to it.'

' I'll bear that in mind.' Ava smiled softly.

' How did things go with Allan? ' Will asked her carefully, so as not to make her think he was prying in her business.

She simply smiled, ' Quite well, I believe. Now - is there anything I can 'ave to eat, because I am starving.'

' Much should be able to help you there,' John informed her, ' He is the one out of the lot of us who cooks all the food and sorts out all of the stores.'

Ava nodded and left the three of them stood together as she approached the side of the fire.

' Hi,' she said.

Much looked down at her - being a fair bit taller.

' Hello - Ava was it? I'm Much,' he brought her hand to his lips in true gentleman fashion, to which she responded with a smile.

' So, um, I'm hungry,' she told him.

He looked at her with a grin, ' And I thought that I was the only one who needed to eat. Honestly, everyone around here never thinks about stopping to eat, it's always rush, rush, rush. Save this, help that - not that I'm against that of course - but it would be nice to settle down and eat once in a while.'

' When will it be ready? ' she asked him.

He observed the meat for a moment then said, ' I believe it is ready now. You three - dinner is ready! ' he called to John, Will and Djaq, who all gathered around the fire and took seats on the ground.

' Where are Robin and Allan? ' Will asked.

It was Ava who spoke up, ' Father went to ask Robin a favour.'

' And Robin would like a word with you,' said a voidce from behind. Ava turned around to see Allan and Robin. It was Robin who had spoken. He raised his eyebrows at here, ' Well, come on then,' he prompted.

Gladly, she followed him away from the rest of the outlaws. He leant his shoulder against a tree and folded his arms across his chest, as she stood in front of his, awaiting him to speak.

' You really have nowhere else to go? ' he asked her.

' No, I am afraid I do not,' she said meeting his eyes with a confidence that a certain blue eyed outlaw shared.

' Living in the forest is not easy, you understand.' he continued, ' It's dangerous, and to fraternise with us would automatically make you an outlaw. There's the constant threat of being caught by Gisbourne or the Sheriff when we're out helping the poor, or freeing prisoners. You get caught and you'll get killed if no one saves you. You'd be risking your life and you're only 16 years old.'

' Are you saying you don't want me around? ' she asked of him.

' No, I am merely warning you what you're letting yourself in for. This is serious.'

' I know,' she sighed, ' But my father is all I have now, so this is where I want to be. And I would love to have the great adventures that the rest of you do. And how much danger can really befall me when I have you and the rest of the lads to look out for me? '

This last comment seemed to have reassured him, if the way he smiled at her had anything to do with it. Ava knew that Djaq had told her not to add to Robin's ego, but sometimes compliments were that way to get what you wanted, and this had worked.

' Welcome to the gang, Miss A Dale.' Robin announced.