A Forest for Everyone (Allen)

[goddess1girl]

”You do have a point there.”Asha said ,keeping what Allen had told her in mind. She always wanted to know who the night watchman was, maybe he knew. But it was to early in the conversation to ask. ”But with a mask, you never know who the person is behind it.”

She listened to him; Allen really was making a point and made complete sense.”I`m sure the sheriff has noticed the odd missing thing ,,some jewelry. But they must all crawl back to him and say that it was Robin Hood and his man. Though I’m a one woman team.”

[Allan A'Dale]

?But with a mask, you never know who the person is behind it.?

"True enough," he agreed, chewing over possibilities in his mind. If you were on the run in a mask, all you'd need to do to disguise yourself would be to take it off. Might look a bit suspicious the other way round though, a lone masked person attempting to blend in with a crowd.

He laughed hard at what she said next. "Yeah, that's understating it an' all. Anything the Sheriff don't like gets blamed on us lot. To be honest, sometimes I think people assume we're the only criminals in the whole of Nottinghamshire, the way people carry on sometimes. Anyone steals from the rich, let alone helps the poor, everyone assumes they're with us. It's good to be able to act alone though, I reckon. Makes you a bit less noticable, like you said. Lots of folks assumed the Nightwatchman was one of us, but it might do good to have them confused. What with you as well, we could hit three targets at the same time. Vaisey wouldn't know what hit him."

[goddess1girl]

”See there is sense is my madness.”Asha replied laughing. Were as a mask allowed her to become someone else without having the fear of someone recognizing her. Her fighting style was different then those people around her, but that’s what made her special. She is a unique person.

”It’s a good way that I can hide. He blames you guys an not me. As bad as that sounds.”She said with a smile, not really doing that on purpose. You could and can. See its not all that bad. Asha reminded him. Now if they were to band together ,it would be easier to get and accomplish golas, not to mention a heck of a lot faster.

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan laughed along with her.

"Yeah, I suppose so," he agreed. "Sheriff blames us for anything that goes wrong anyway, and he assumes any do-gooder's with us regardless. He thought the Nightwatchman was one of the gang...maybe he still does. I mean, it's not like we're enemies or anything, but we don't exactly have secret meetings to co-ordinate our plans."

He stretched and yawned; the sun was warm and it wasn't exactly making him feel lively. "Maybe I can introduce you to Robin next time we meet, it'll be useful for him to know we've got a spare pair of hands on call if we need it."

The gang was looking pretty small these days too. What with Will and Djaq raising Shafiq and Marian still mostly out of commision it was mostly down to him, Much and Robin; and Tuck now and again of course.

[goddess1girl]

”Because he has no one else to blame or to lazy to blame someone else.”Asha replied laughing a bit. The sheriff seemed like a lazy man, or well looked one too. ”Maybe he thinks that. But it’s a good idea to have the Nightwatchmen on your side. He seemed like a decent guy. ” It seemed like he had a heart of gold, giving those people food and medicine.

The sun was nice, hot but nice none the less. The trees blocked most of it out, with cool shade. Allen stretched and Asha cracked her shoulder that was bothering her for a bit. ”Well i`d be honored then.”Asha replied with a smile, it maybe have been a little over dramatic, but Robin seemed like another good souled man.

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan grinned. "Well, it suits him to blame everything he can on us, really. While we've still got the peasants on our side, it's gonna be a hell of a job trying to catch us. If he could convince everyone that we're the enemy, we'd be pretty much done for. Couldn't go anywhere without being spotted and cornered. They'd be after us with swords and pitchforks."

When Asha spoke again, he couldn't help but laugh. "If you say that when you meet him he'll bloody love you. He likes to know he's still the people's hero." He looked up at the sun. It was lowering now, and he suddenly remembered what he'd come out here for.

"Oh god, I'm supposed to be catching dinner. It'll be leaves and berries unless I get off my arse and shoot something."

[goddess1girl]

”Awe ,but i`m sure Allen if you guys had real allies that wouldn’t happen. You have friend, you just have to look.”Asha replied with a reassuring smile, even if he was just talking in a figure of speak way.

”Well if you put it that way, I don’t know if I’m going to tell that to his face.”She said with a laugh.”Just ask anyone in Nottingham and I’m sure he’s going to get a good answer.”The sun was getting lower as the talked.

”Do you want to help me. I do have really good aim when it comes to catching deer.”Asha offered with a grin,”And we`ll be faster on horse back.”Looking back at her horse.

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan looked up at the horse doubtfully. "Not that I'm rejecting the offer of your help, 'cos I'm not, but won't the sound of a horse scare off the deer? I reckon we might be better off on foot; keep it quiet. What do you think?"

He pulled himself to his feet and stretched, trying to rouse his sluggish body. He'd been sat down too long; he was almost ready to lie down and sleep. If he didn't get moving soon he'd be no use to anyone.

Stepping over to Asha, he extended his hand to help her up.

[goddess1girl]

That never really crossed her thoughts, Allen was right, but it had worked before, or was that a wild boar? Shaking the feeling off she smiled back at him.”I guess your right. But if my horse gets stolen when were gone I’m going to make you steal it back.”She laughed, she only half joking.

Asha watched as Allen stretched, sitting was tiring after all. Smiling as she accepted his hand to help her up.”I must get something’s first.”Walking over to her horse, she kissed his nose, and grabbed her bow, quiver with arrows, and a small sword. Strapping the quiver and sword to her she turned back to Allen with her bow in hand.”Ready?”

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan pulled a mock-hurt face. "Well of course! Any gentleman worth his salt would steal a lady's horse back for her. I might be an outlaw but I have the manners of the highest noble in the land, I'll have you know."

As she took her bow and quiver from her mount's pack he took the opportunity to check his own. Unslinging them from over his back, he gave his bowstring a cursory examination and counted his arrows.

To be honest his bow wasn't in the best of shape; with Robin around the rest of the outlaws had little cause to keep in practice; the weapon could do with re-stringing and he made a mental note to see to it once he got back to camp. At least he had plenty of arrows; if he missed a few times it wouldn't be the end of the world.

"I was tracking a set of footprints when I came this way," he told Asha. "They lead that way;" - he pointed off to his right. "Probably the best tack to take for now, I reckon." He started towards the edge of the clearing, searching for any clear signs of animals passing recently.

[goddess1girl]

”Well I am very happy to hear that you are not some scum bag outlaw.”Asha replied, knowing that none of the outlaws in this forest were trash, each worthy men who were cast away for trying to survive in this cruel world. ”I have you know though, you’re as much as gentleman then any lord around.”

After gathering her things she turned back to him with glee. Allen was nice and hoped that they would be returned to a higher standard of living after the Sheriff was gone, these were good men.

Looking him the direction that Allen pointed Asha nodded.”All right then, lets hunt.” Getting down a bit lower ,no longer standing tall ,she crept in the direction that Allen had pointed him, looking down at the tracks of what seemed to look like a deer’s.

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan took his time following the trail, letting his mind sink into hunting mode. He kept his breath soft and even, trying to make as little sound as possible, not only to avoid scaring off any prey but to allow himself to hear any tiny clues that might suggest there was something worth shooting in the nearby area.

It was several minutes before there was any hint that their hunt was worthwhile. He and Asha had been sat talking for a while, and it looked like the herd had kept on the move for most of that time. But now he could see here and there a few telltale signs; bark stripped from a tree to his left; a small pile of suspiciously fresh droppings in the centre of the path; a big trampled pile of brambles that suggested the animals had tired of following the path.

Allan nudged Asha's elbow and pointed silently at the gap in the thicket, before stepping silently towards it. The only problem was, they weren't exactly going to be able to climb through there in silence, really.

[goddess1girl]

Asha walked slowly and quietly, a predator slaking its prey. She was quiet skilled at this, being rather smooth with every movement never wanted to scare the animal. It was a rather normal thing for Asha, having to fend for herself mostly every day, a regular routine. Though berries and such could be substituted fro meat but not all the time.

She quietly slipped an arrow from her quiver and planed it on the bow, ready for the shot because the trail before them started to look a little bit more promising then before. Fallowing Allen’s gaze after being nudged in that direction ,but it was going to be a hard time to get through there. Not with out making a heck load of racket. Looking over at Allen with a questioning look on her face wondering what he had in mind.

[Allan A'Dale]

He couldn't hear any obvious noises, which probably meant the the herd had passed on through. Deer weren't the quietest of animals, despite how delicate and timid they looked from a distance. He crept silently towards the trampled brambles and craned his neck, trying to see through.

He couldn't detect any obvious movement, either so he abandoned his caution and clambered through the hole in the hedge.

Luckily he'd been right in his initial assesment; the deer had moved on and the trail was still fresh. Sticking his head back through the gap he whispered to Asha: "Not there yet; we've still got a way to go."