Cass looked at the gawping outlaws apprehensively. Much seemed particularly shocked.
"But…I…er…he's your…dad?" the outlaw managed to get out.
"Yup," Cass nodded cautiously, wondering what they would make of this revelation.
"She's a spy! She was working me," the Sheriff suddenly blurted out. Cass was stunned at this horrible idea.
"You…betrayed us!" John shouted angrily.
"We trusted you!" Allan said.
"She didn't even need saving cos it was all planned!" Sam joined.
"Cass, you used me," Much looked crest fallen.
"Trust you, Much, to go for the traitor," Allan interjected.
"That's not true! He's lying! He's the Sheriff and that's what he lives for! I should know!" Cass defended herself from the advancing outlaws.
"Yeah you should, liar!" John grunted. The Sheriff looked upon the scene with glee at the outlaws fighting among each other, distracted. This had worked out much better than he could have hoped; now they had no chance of escape.
Robin, Marian, Djaq and Jay didn't know what to think. Had the young girl really betrayed them? It seemed likely as she was the Sheriff's daughter and the apple never fell far from the tree but then again she seemed so adamant he was lying to them and they all knew from past experience how low the scheming Sheriff could go. They were stuck over trusting their knowledge or their instincts. Jay had a very strong feeling that the girl was telling the truth because of the way her eyes were portraying her emotions. Either she was giving them the facts or she was a very good actor. She decided to intervene before the girl was hurt by the yelling outlaws but before she could someone else spoke.
"Guys! Seriously! Didn't you see the way the Sheriff was so surprised it was her! He looked like he'd seen a ghost. He didn't have a clue it was Cass and that was because he's not bright enough to have an idea like that. Cass is telling the truth and if you don't get over yourselves and take your heads out of your ass' then we are all gonna die because the Sheriff is trying to trap us!" the loud voice cut through all the arguing and the room looked around to see who had spoken. They were amazed to find it was Will! The usually most quiet outlaw. "Oh, and if you'd be so kind would you mind getting me out of this cell?" This snapped the outlaws to the alert and they soon saw several guards sidling towards the doors to close them.
"Right, I think that is our cue to leave!" Robin yelled at his companions. Whilst Djaq slipped Will's tools to him so he could free himself the others drew their weapons and charged at the guards. The Sheriff backed off behind Gisborne, his plan thwarted as the guards disappeared under a flurry of metal.
"Oh, damn," he groaned as Robin flashed him a victorious grin and ran out the door followed by the rest of the outlaws. Cass was last out and she paused to get the word in or rather a slap. She smacked him hard on the cheek so it glowed fluorescent red.
"That's for being my dad, for locking me in a tower my whole life, for trying to trick my friends and just being you!" Cass spat, "I may drop by some time, you know, to borrow a bit of gold!" Then she dashed after the others.
"Is that it?!" the Sheriff called after her, "I was expecting a bloody nose but if you're too cowardly…" Just at that moment Cass returned, a scowl on her face and then she punched him in the face so that his head snapped back with the impact.
"You're right, that makes me feel much more satisfied after what you've done to me," Cass grinned at him and disappeared.
"I can't believe you socked the Sheriff, girls just don't do that!" Allan gaped, "I wouldn't even do that!"
"Well then you are a wimp and I've spent about fifteen years in a tower I don't really know what the rules of what girls do and don't do," Cass shrugged.
The outlaws were back at camp and sitting around a roaring fire. Their number had increased significantly. There were now ten instead of six. Jay, Sam, Cass and Marian were the new members of the group. Marian was sitting next to Robin on a large log snuggled up to his warmth. He was enjoying it a lot; he'd waited so long to be close to her. He was worried about what the outlaws would say but they knew better than to tease their leader as it had taken him this long to get to this point with Marian.
Sam was beside John, he had taken him as a father figure. John didn't mind, it filled the gap left by the son he barely knew. He hoped to coach the young boy into using a long staff soon. Then he wouldn't be the only one poking a large stick at all their enemies! Sam was almost asleep, his eyelids were drooping and his head was lolling on John's large shoulder. John smiled down at him.
Jay and Cass were sitting next to each other with Much on one side of Cass and Allan on the other side of Jay. Cass and Allan were having an argument about smashing faces and why girls shouldn't do it.
"Why not?" Cass asked, an eyebrow raised as if daring Allan to reply but he was unperturbed.
"Cos girls just don't punch, it's unladylike," Allan replied.
"I will punch if I want to, you ain't gonna stop me and if you try I'll thump you," Cass threatened.
"I love your terms of speech," Much grinned.
"Thanks, I may be the Sheriff's daughter but I did not have a decent upbringing," Cass smirked.
"Me neither," Jay interjected, "I lived in the wood for nine years of my life!"
"Yeah, we both had unfulfilled childhoods," Cass nodded.
"But the difference is I have a very annoying brother," Jay jerked her head at Robin.
"Hey, I am here, you know!" Robin frowned.
"I think Gisborne could have filled that position," Cass said.
"Oi, don't ever compare me to Gisborne! We are similar in no ways whatsoever!" Robin protested looking aghast.
"No, I can think of at lot of similarities," Jay said scrutinising her brother.
"No, no, no!" Robin yelped.
"Only kidding, the only way you were ever similar to Gisborne is that you both liked Marian but I can kinda tell who won that contest," Jay eyed Robin's arm that was snaked around Marian's waist possessively.
"Won?" Marian said, "I think you'll find I chose who I wanted to be with…"
"Which was me," Robin smirked.
"And he was the better of the two although neither were that special," Marian finished. Robin looked hurt.
"That was not very nice," he pouted.
"I never said I was nice," Marian grinned and pecked him on the cheek.
"Ok, moving swiftly on," Jay averted her eyes quickly, "What are we gonna do now?"
"I think," Djaq spoke up from where she was tending to Will's head wound, "That we should just relax."
"I like that idea," Allan nodded.
"Yes, relax," Much agreed.
"I think that's what we all need," Robin said.
"Hmm," Marian was dozing on Robin and not really taking in the conversation, much like Sam.
"Yes," John and Will replied in unison.
"Well we don't!" Jay and Cass yelled, suddenly equipped with pails of water that appeared out of thin air. "Water fight!"
"Oh no!" Allan cried as Jay emptied her pail all over his head. The water was freezing and flattened Allan's usually spiky hair to his forehead. He leapt up. "You are for it now girl!" He grabbed Jay round her skinny middle and lifted her up into the air whilst she screamed.
"Put me down!" Jay screeched.
"No, I am gonna pay you back! How about a dunk in the river?" Allan grinned wolfishly.
"Ahhhhhh!" Jay struggled to free herself as he ran down to the river that was about twenty metres from the camp.
"Cass, help!" Jay shouted to her friend but Cass was too busy soaking each of the others in turn and then she had her own problems when they gave chase.
"Eek!" Cass giggled as she ran after Jay and Allan. "Oh, crap!" She skidded to a halt as she saw the glistening water. "Backtrack! Backtrack!" The girl turned to run back up the slope only to realise she was cornered.
"Let's chuck her in!" Robin yelled and they all charged at her.
"Oh well, something tells me I won't be getting out of this one, may as well do it in style," Cass took a run up to the nearest tree planted her feet on the trunk and did a back flip into the cold water.
"She ruined our fun!" Robin sulked as Cass made it to the surface beaming.
"Not my fun!" Marian laughed and shoved the unsuspecting Robin into the water.He emerged a few seconds later coughing and spluttering.
"You're evil!" he bellowed.
Meanwhile Allan was having a very difficult time getting Jay in the water. She was clinging to him like a limpet. He tried to pull her off but her strong fingers dug into the material of his top.
"There is no way you are getting me in that water, unless you come in too," Jay told him.
"Not a chance," Allan shook his head, still struggling to remove her.
"Then there is 'not a chance' of getting me in," Jay retorted.
"Why don't you both go in?!" Will smirked and pushed them into the river.
Now there were four of them in the water and Robin added to that number by sneakily reaching onto the bank and plucking Marian in. She shrieked as she came up for air and started hitting Robin on the arm.
"Look at my hair!" Marian growled.
"Look at my hair!" Robin gestured to his brown hair sticking up in random tufts on his head. Marian giggled at this thinking he looked so cute.
"Point taken," she said. Jay, followed by Cass and Allan, swam over and whispered conspiratorially to them.
"Ok, considering we have to be in here I think it's only right that the others come in," Jay hissed, "On the count of three we get them. One…two…three!" The outlaws burst onto the bank spraying water everywhere.
"Uh-oh," Will yelped, "Run!"
He he, ok that water fight ending was really random but I always have to end my stories on a high! Hope you enjoyed this and please review:)