You Put Your Boots On [Todd]

[Regina Apple]

The forest was quiet and Regina took extra care to not make much sound. Deers spooked at the slightest sound and she wanted to take some food back to the camp. Bloody Gavin had been scrumping again. Seriously, if she didn't love the buggar so much she would have killed him by now. He probably only did it to annoy her as well. One of these days she would have to get him drunk and make him admitt to it. Then she'll have a reason for taking a chunk out of him. Not that she ever needed a reason really - all she had to do was think of his tooth. But then again, he'd eaten her foot.

She held a bow in her hand, ready with a arrow on the notch. That way she was ready for a quick shooting - deers had a habit of just appearing. She stayed a moment, listening for a rustle. There was nothing, so the outlaw moved on. She kept her ears open but let her mind wander. It didn't wander far, of course her mind zipped to the topic of Gavin and the other night.

The cogs were turning in her mind, plots involving alcohol and the Gavin she'd discovered the other night. But she suddenly heard a rustle, and all plots were pushed aside for later thought. Gina looked around, trying to locate the sound. It was close, in the clearing. She heard the sound again and spun round. Bow up, she aimed at a bush which was rustling suspiciously. A smirk crept on Gina's face as she loosed an arrow. They were going to have something tasty for dinner tonight.

"Ow!" Her brow snapped together in confusion. "Since when did deers say 'ow'?" Taking a closer look, Gina noticed that the deer shape was actually more human shape. What had she done? Hopefully something very funny. This would be an amusin annecdote for the guys later.

[Alfie Todd]

Alfie Todd was alone in the forest. He had been wandering for three days, lost, and now he was stuck in a bush. He had been grumbling to himself about is family, who he had recently disowned. After he stabbed that guard, his family wouldn't have taken him back, so he ran to the forest. He was grumpy, alone, and in need of a good wash.

He tried, again, to untangle himself from the twigs and branches, but they were caught in his hair and tattered clothes. It was at times like this he wished he'd prepared some things to take before running away, but he was caught up in the moment and had to just leave. He had, after all, stabbed a guard while there were others there that could've killed him on the spot or sent him to the dungeons. Better to be an outlaw with no clean clothes than a prisoner being tortured every minute of the day.

Suddenly he wasn't quite so alone. Through the leaves of the bush, he could see another person. It was a woman with messy, sandy blonde hair. She was carrying a bow and arrow, so Todd presumed she was hunting, or practicing her aim. He stood watching her for a while. She seemed to be listening out for something, probably an animal of some sort, he thought. Todd's leg started to go numb, so he moved slightly to get in a more comfortable position. The woman's head snapped round to his direction. Todd ducked so that she didn't see him. To his surprise, she raised her bow at him.

The arrow flew straight into his leg. "OW!" She sure had good aim. He looked down to where the arrow was embedded in his leg. He could see the head sticking out round the back. The pain was unbearable. Balancing on one leg and standing in a bush with an arrow through the other leg proved too difficult for him. He tumbled out of the bush and landed flat on his back, temporarily winding him. When he looked up behind him, he could still see the woman.

[Regina Apple]

Yep. This was hilarious. She'd shot some poor kid in the leg. And now he was tumbling out of a bush! Before she knew it, Gina was laughing at the lad. And not a small laugh, her cackle when she found something really funny. The guys were going to love this! The dark haired kid was lying flat on his back looking up at her. He looked like a right mess - twigs sticking out of him and all sorts.

She stood over him, and grinned at the poor buggar. "In a spot of bother?" She teased. The kid looked like a run away - smelt like one too. Gina prided herself on staying fresh, even though she lived in a forest with a bunch of stinking men. Just from him lying there she knew the kid was a peasant - and the fact that his trousers showed more leg than covered also suggested as much. Seriously... these peasants did keep some of that money Hood gave them! Yes the Greensleeves took some, but they couldn't take it all they didn't have enough hands.

Gina crouched down by the boy's side and poked the arrow. "This hurt?" She knew it did, he had an arrow in his leg. And she'd just poked it! Oh this was brilliant. Gina loved having no morals, it just meant she had more fun. "You know, you might have to have it amputated." Probably not, it was only just in his leg. Well... possibly quite deep - it was almost point blank range. Now she couldn't do anything about it, but Josh possibly could. Not that she was going to take him back to camp.

[Alfie Todd]

Todd couldn't believe this. There he was, lying on the floor with an arrow through his leg, and there she was, laughing at him. He felt like a right idiot, and probably looked like one too. She seemed to find it really hilarious as she was cackling about it. Things that are only a little bit funny didn't usually get cackled at, just a little chortle.

When she came over to him, Todd could feel himself going redder and redder. Surprisingly this time, not with anger at the teasing remark, but with embaressment. Usually when someone laughed at or teased him, he didn't have time to be embaressed, because in seconds he would be flying at the guy with his fists punching the living daylights out of him. But this time was different, probably because he couldn't hit a woman, and his leg was in no state to do some flying.

To make things worse, she poked his leg where the arrow was! While refraining himself from screaming his head off, he began to realise he was starting to hate this woman. Especially when she told him he might need his leg amputated. He couldn't tell if she was joking or not. Hopefully she was, he wouldn't last long in the forest with only one leg. He doubted she would look after him. Then again, she did shoot him with an arrow, so she sort of owed him a favour. He highly doubted he could make her do whatever he wanted, but if he could just get her to take him in, it would be a start.

"Are you going to help me or what?

[Regina Apple]

This kid was priceless. He was actually going red with embarressment. Oh Gina was going to have some fun with this. It'd been a long time since someone like this had landed in her lap. And to be honest she thought him utterly adorable because she could take advantage of this situation. Anything she said would be believed (though that wasn't at all strange to her). Regina could take this anywhere, the possibilities were endless.

For now she was content with poking the arrow - the squirmish look on his face made her chuckle again. She laughed louder at his reaction to the aputation. At some point, Regina was going to have to thank Tristan for her extended vocabulary. Somehow she thought that telling the young lad that he might have to have his leg lopped off wouldn't have had the same effect. Amputated sounded far deadlier.

"You going to help me or what?" Oh this kid had some nerve! Gina was tempted to just yank the arrow out and leave him. Or put another in the other leg. She wasn't sure which would hurt more. But taunting the boy first would be more enjoyable for her. "'Or what' I think." She grinned manically at him before pinching his cheeks. "Because you're just so adorable." Now she took on a motherly tone and asked him, "What do you need help with dearie?" Her aim was to confuse the hell out of him. Maybe then he'd make her go away, guilt free. Not that Regina felt at all guilty for shooting the poor buggar. He shouldn't have been in a bush looking like a deer. It was all his fault.

(ooc - you're posts are awesome Squidgey, stop fretting P:)

[Alfie Todd]

Todd didn't like the way this woman was playing with him. He especially didn't like that she kept poking him in the leg. If he wasn't in so much pain, he would've forgotten the fact that she was a woman and hit her anyway. But in his current state, he thought she probably would've beaten him anyway, so he thought it was best to just try and put up with her. After all, if he was going to get her to help him, then he would have to be nice.

Being nice is going to be hard, he thought to himself as she pinched his cheeks. "You're just so adorable." What was he, six? Todd hated it when people treated him as a child. He was eighteen, an adult. Not a child, not anymore. Todd liked to think that he grew up when he learned to fight. Everyone else thought that the fighting get him as a child though. They didn't understand. Children fought to play, Todd fought to defend himself, to keep on top. Definately not childs play.

Todd couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What do need help with dearie?"? She had shot him in the leg and was pretending like nothing happened. She was really starting to annoy him now. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe something to do with the arrow sticking out of my leg!" He didn't bother trying to get on her good side now. He just wanted that arrow out of his leg. That and to get away from this mad woman as quick as possible. Her laugh creeped him out.

[Regina Apple]

It seemed to Gina that this young lad was getting himself into a right pet. Why ever was he doing that? She was being nought but nice. Ok, so she was poking the arrow protruding from his leg and treating him like he was three; but she wasn't doing further damage! This was 'nice' for Gina. Ordinarily she would have walked off whilst she was still cackling. She had no obligation to stay. She was supposed to be hunting deer. This young man had got in her way, it was all his fault.

Gina had never had the trouble of proving she was ana adult. The one time someone tried to molly-cuddle her she put a knife to his neck - that had been a very good day. She did, however, understand fustration at people. No matter what she did, the guys still saw her as just a woman. Since the other night - when she beat up Gavin (unintentionally knocking his tooth out and all) - she felt she'd earned a little respect from him. Not that he woudl show it around the guys, that night was officially forgotten.

She grinned at the boy. He was funny. She found herself actually warming to him, even though he was yelling at her. "There's an arrow in your leg? How'd that get there?" Now she was just being annoying. Regina wanted to know how he'd react to this, she did love to push her luck. One of these days she was going to run out completely, but she would most certainly have her fun while it lasted. "Would you like me to yank it out? I'm telling you now, it's going to hurt like nothing you've ever felt before." She didn't know for herself, but she'd been told by people who had had arrows in various limbs yanked out. She wouldn't repreat the profanities which Hanton had said to the boy though, she didn't want to warp his fragile little mind.

Warp, that was a no no; but taunting was still on the menu. "So what you called then? Other than shish kebab?" In her mind she thought of all the other foods on sticks for future teasing. She didn't think the grouchy lad would ask her, so she supplied her name without prompt. "I'm Saffron." Still being the annoying outlaw she is, Gina stuck out a hand for him to shake - even though he still lay on the floor, no doubt in agony.

[Alfie Todd]

Looking up at the woman, Todd could see she was still finding this very funny. She was still smiling, and kept asking stupid questions. "There's an arrow in you leg? How did that get there?" That was just patronizing. He could tell she was doing it on purpose, just to annoy him. The grin gave it away. That's what annoyed Todd the most, the stupid grin as if she was better than him. If he hurt someone in a fight, h at least had the decency to gloat and annoy them after they could get up and fight again. That's what usually happened. They've just recovered from the last fight, and Todd gloats and starts off another fight.

When she offered to yank the arrow out, Todd considered it, but then thought it would be better to find someone who knew what they were doing. He was going to say that, but then she called him a shish kebab, so that thought was put quickly out of his mind and replaced by another, more angry one. When she told him her name was Saffron, and offered him her hand, a new idea popped into his head. If he couldn't ask her to help him, he would make her.

Todd quickly grabbed her hand, and pulled her towards him with all of his strength. Pinning her down, he took out his dagger, and held it up to her throat. "If you don't find a way to remove this arrow from my leg as quickly and with the east pain possible, I will have this knife find its way into your throat" he whispered harshly into her ear. "By the way, the name's Todd. Alfie Todd."

[Regina Apple]

Gina did believe that she was better than this boy, even without knowing he was thinking that she thought as much. Gina was better than most people as far as she was concerned. And she was an outlaw - a real one, not some poncey Merry Man - of course she was going to kick someone whilst they were down. Well, in this case poke an arrow whilst it's still lodged in someone's leg. What could she say? She had very few morals.

She put her hands round the arrow, ready to yank it out, like she'd offered. But her shish kebab comment caused an angry look from the boy. "Rather be corn on the cob? You ain't veggie are ya?" Regina was actually taken by surprise when he pulled her closer and felt a surge of respect when she felt the cold metal of a dagger pressed against her neck. She subconsciously tried to move away from the blade, like anyone would, but didn't exactly fear for her life. This boy needed her alive. And he only held her down by her hand. Had she really wanted to, she possibly could have broken free. But she didn't want to - she was still out for pushing her luck.

"Easy lad! I'm only messing with you. That's what I do." And still was really, Saffron was almost afraid - Gina weren't. Apple loved to make up characters in her head. She decided Saffron was stupid - very much so - and slightly forgetful. But most of all, patronisingly motherly - sort of. "Aww, Toddy." She was grinning again. "If you let go of my neck I might be able to help." Well, she wouldn't. Gina was considering saying that she would go find her friend and just not come back.

But part of her actually thought this kid was not half bad. He had the right sort of out look on life. A knife to the neck was a good means of getting your own way. She did it often enough. And he was all grouchy - he may get on well with Gavin. What was she thinking? Gavin got on with no one! And that thought suggested she was considering taking him back. He'd be a good addition, he was cut-throat enough for her.

[Alfie Todd]

Todd knew full well that Saffron could easily pull away, his grip wasn't very strong as he was only using one arm and his strength was draining away with the blood from his leg. But she seemed to be surprised at his sudden aggressiveness, so he figured that was why she hadn't escaped his pathetic grip. Still, he felt her flinch away from the blade of his dagger when he pressed it into her neck, so maybe she was a bit scared as well.

Todd would never actually kill her though. He needed someone to help him. She was the first person he'd seen in three days, and who knew when another one was going to come across him. He didn't know how long he'd last with the arrow in his leg. If he didn't die of starvation, or blood loss, then some kind of animal would surely smell the blood and think it a tasty snack. Todd liked animals, but not enough to be comfortable with one eating him, or be able to train it to get some help for him. He didn't think anyone would.

He remembered one time, when he was only little, a guy came to Merton Square with the 'cleverest animal ever'. It was just a bird that came back to him when he whistled, but Todd found it amazing. He was only about five. Ever since he could remember, Todd loved animals, and always tried to train them. A chicken, a rat (that bit him so he didn't try that again) and any other stray animal he came across. For some reason though, he never could get them to do as he wanted.

Lying on the floor, Todd began to feel desperate. His hair was sticking to his face with sweat. His leg was in agony, and he had a patronizing woman who was reluctant to help him. He desperately needed to remove the arrow from his leg and get away from this crazy woman. Unfortunately, the only person around to remove the arrow was the crazy woman.

His leg was beginning to twitch, and every time it did, the arrow shifted slightly. "AGHHH" he roared with pain. He couldn't help it, it just came out of his mouth. Well at least it might make Saffron feel guilty.

[Regina Apple]

It took a lot for Regina to not just bat this child away and walk off; but the Saffron inside her actually wanted to help this kid. She reasoned with herself that he would be a good addition to the gang - better than some of the pansys the rest had brought in. And first impressions could make Gavin jealous - always a bonus by Gina's books. Todd shoving his knife closer to her neck was promising anyway. Maybe for once she should be nice and give someone a chance. Only little worry in her mind was that Gavin could disown her for going 'soft'. Though she was more than willing to show that she wasn't. She could remind him how he lost his tooth - not that he'd remember or believe her.

Gina remembered the man with the 'cleverest animal'; Hanton and Forrest took her to see it (after much demanding) when she was about ten. It was safe to say that Regina had been unimpressed and convinced a member that wasn't around anymore to help her take the man out - with the promise that they could steal all his gold. The man had loads! More than he deserved. The bird was tasty too. After that meal was the first time Regina had ever felt full - not because she needed to eat loads, but because they never had any food. Except bloody apples, they must have had a serial scrumper then too. Just the thought of it was making Gina frown.

But the frown was soon turned upsidedown into a smirk when Alfie's leg started to twitch. Twitchy limbs were funny, Gina had very good technics for making Hanton's eye twitch. But all humour was lost when he roared in pain. Her ears were still ringing when he'd finished. It at least made up her mind for her. He was coming back to the camp, arrow still in his leg. If Gina took it out now, she'd kill the poor little buggar. "C'mon," She tapped his arm and took herself out of his grasp. "Get up. I'm taking you back to camp."

She helped him to get up, all the while thinking of how much the guys were going to kill her when she got back. Maybe she should blind fold him. Now that was an idea. Knowing that she was leading the way - even if he wasn't injured - Gina stopped, therefore making Todd stop. She pulled a rag from out of her back pocket and put herself before the young man. "Now this is for the safety of my camp. You have to trust that I am leading you somewhere. I just can't let you see where." She tied it round his eyes, regardless of any protests he may have. She was helping him, was she not, he'd just have to put up with it.

((ooc: sorry if that's a little godmoddy. I can change it if you want.))

[Alfie Todd]

Between roaring with pain, and various leg twitches, Todd could see Saffron smirking again. Typical, he is in pain and the weird woman, who happens to be the only person around is finding it funny. At least she was helping him out now. Todd heard her say something about going to camp, so he thought, finally to himself.

It was a struggle getting up. And even more of one trying to walk. He couldn't put any weight on the injured leg, so he practically had to hop. Each time he hopped it jolted the arrow. He tried not to scream out. He thought yelling down someone's ear was a sure fire way for them not to help. So he bit his lip and merely winced with every movement. After a while, Saffron stopped, pulling a rag from her pocket, and tying it around his eyes.

"You have to trust that I am leading you somewhere." That is what she had said to him. Todd did trust her, in a weird way. Even though she shot him, and found it funny, there was something about her that he liked. Anyway, she was the only person who could help him, so he had to trust her. So he just nodded and continued to hop along beside her. It was harder now that he was blindfolded, but he kept at it, hoping the journey would soon end.

Alfie was beginning to go light headed. He had never fainted before. He had been knocked out a couple of times, but never fainted. "How much further do we have to go? he asked, swaying slightly.

[Regina Apple]

This kid must have been in some pain, Gina could see that he just wanted to screech. She supposed she would if some crazy person had shot her and then forced her to walk. Maybe she should be a human crutch for him. Would that be considered too nice? She was supposed to be a horrible human being after all. She would help Gavin, but was she allowed to extend a hand of kindness to a stranger? The guys were going to think that she was getting all maternal at this rate. Shaking her head and muttering to herelf, Regina could not believe she was about to do this.

"Arm round Toddy." She tucked herself under his arm and was letting him lean against her whilst he walked. Oh this was so bad. She was in no way obliged to do this, she didn't have to be helping him. This is what worried her. Was this just the start of a downward spiral for her? Was she going to start doing all sorts of random acts of kindness now? No. She couldn't. It would go against her fundamental make up. Maybe she could beat him up after. That sounded like a plan. Then the world would have its balance again.

She could feel the young man swaying under her grip. That would not be fun, having him faint on her! She didn't feel like carrying the rest of the way. If he did faint, that was it. She was leaving him to rot and die and get eaten by rabbits. "Not too far." Providing she remembered where the camp was. It changed so often that it really was luck that they ever found it again. Thankfully luck was on her side and she found it rather quickly.

It was a tip, as usual. And empty. Except Josh. Which was odd. He'd taken to hanging out in barns with villagers lately. Gina stumbled into the camp and practically dropped Todd onto her rock which she slept upon. "Archibold! I need your help." She called over whilst removing the blindfold. She was pretty sure Todd wouldn't be able to find the camp so there was no harm in him seeing their delightful home. "I shot someone by accident." She stood up and pointed to Todd. "I'm so stupid. Stupid Saffron!" She hit her forehead as she gave Josh her code name. She didn't want this kid to know her real name. Hence calling Josh Archibold. (But that was also because it was very funny.)

[Alfie Todd]

Todd was relieved when Saffron offered to be his human crutch. It made things slightly easier. He didn't have to put so much weight on his leg for one thing. But it still hurt everytime he hopped. He just tried to grin and bear it, minus the grinning. He thought that it would waste what little energy he had if he was screaming his head off. That and the fact Saffron might drop and leave him if he was noisy down her ear.

Todd was starting to feel really faint. His head felt light and started spinning. He didn't think he could walk for much further, but he got reassurance when Saffron said "Not too far." Unfortunately for Todd, it felt like forever before they got to their destination, wherever that was.

Todd felt Saffron put him down onto a rock. Well, she actually nearly dropped him to the floor, he could feel the result on his back, but his leg hurt too much to care. He could hear her calling for someone called Archibold, which he thought was an odd name, but thought nothing of it. His hearing was starting to go. He could pick out the odd sentence, but the rest was a blur. When Saffron took off the blindfold, he could barely see anything. His eyes were starting to go too.

Not long after, he passed out, but not before screaming with pain one last time.

[Joshua Rayne]

Josh had decided to remain in the camp today instead of going into Nottingham to relieve unsuspecting peasants of their purses. It wasn't like he'd really been asked, Gavin had stomped off without a backwards glance and Simon had given him a sort of surly look before following, which was about as inviting as the two of them got. He wasn't all that keen to go pick-pocketing with the two of them anyway, with both Gavin and Simon present it increased the likelihood of somebody getting stabbed tenfold. Besides, it was probably better that they limited their numbers in public, people were bound to notice they were being robbed more quickly with more of them about.

He wasn't sure when Tristan had wandered off, but he didn't worry about it too much, he was probably trying to patch things up with the noble girl he had his eye on. He'd heard Simon had a hand in causing the trouble in the first place, which didn't really surprise him. Gina had left the camp not long after, hunting bow slung over her shoulder and so Josh had started to make good use of a rare moment alone in the camp. Gavin had discovered his stash of coins not long ago and so he needed a new place to hide it, he didn't want the money to go to waste on booze and he knew the thief had no qualms about taking it.

The Greensleeves camp really had limited hiding places, everything was rather temporary as they might have to move on at any moment. Josh was scrabbling round at the large root of a tree, trying to dig out the earth beneath it when Gina trampled back into the camp a rather woozy looking stranger hanging off her arm. He stood quickly, shoving the small purse of coins into his pocket and cursing silently as Gina yelled at him to help her. At least he assumed she was yelling at him, she was saying Archibold, but he was the only one in the camp. He scowled at the terrible codename, with friends like Gina who needed tormentors?

She honestly sounded far too cheerful as she explained she'd shot the poor boy and if Josh had any doubts about her story they were wiped away as he caught sight of the arrow sticking out of the lad's leg. He winced and hurried over, all thoughts of snapping at Gina for bringing a stranger to the camp bypassed by his concern about the injury. "It looks like you shot him at close range, Saffron." He accused, crouching to get a closer look at the way the arrow went straight through to the other side of his leg.

Josh was getting a horrible sense of deja vous about the whole thing, but if he'd expected anybody to bring somebody back to camp out of pity it wouldn't have been Gina. At least he had some experience with arrow wounds, what with the way he'd been forced to look after Simon when he first joined them. "What are you going to tell G-." He cut himself off before the name could slip past his lips. "The others? I don't think they'll be thrilled to see him." The boy was almost unconscious now, and Josh could see a sheen of sweat on his forehead, he was just amazed that he'd stayed awake this long.

"I'm going to have to snap the arrowhead off to pull the arrow out." He explained more loudly, trying to sound soothing about something he knew was going to hurt like hell. He glared at Gina again before he wrapped his hand around the arrow and bent the shaft as hard as he could in order to snap it off in a clean break. The guy cried out in pain and then his eyes rolled back in his head as he slumped over. "I hope you're pleased with yourself." Josh grumbled at his fellow outlaw, at least it would be easier to get him patched up now that he'd passed out.