An Unlikely Encounter

Just an idea I thought I would put down on paper

Kat burst through a thicket, not thinking or caring as thorns dug into her skin and ripped up her leggings. The undergrowth here was surprisingly dry but that didn’t help her at all; it would just make her a better target. Sure enough, her sharp senses urged her to jump - she listened. A moment later, Kat heard the woosh as an arrow sped past where her foot had been a moment ago.

  As it crashed into a tree, Kat giggled and a voice behind her cursed. Then a thought struck her: they weren’t trying to kill her. For a moment, Kat frowned as she puzzled over it, stumbling momentarily but unable to stop her running feet. They were trying to capture her and, suddenly, Kat understood why.

She had escaped from them �" she had been the first one ever to manage to get away �" when they had attacked her village. That had been a long time ago but even now, they always seemed to be around the corner, looking for her. What was worse was that Kat had killed one of them… and in turn, they had killed her mother in front of her eyes. It almost made her glad she'd shot an arrow through the man's heart.

  Kat wasn’t afraid. She was known, unfortunately, throughout the kingdom. As Kat (not Catherine-Ann, which was her real name) because it suited her. Her eyes were what gave her the name; they were cat’s eyes. Yellow-green, vertical slits in the sun, off putting to strangers. They set Kat apart, and made her an outcast. Other than the strange eyes though, �" and her senses which were also cat-like �" Kat was… normal. She had a woman's body, but she didn’t know her age, and straight brown hair that cascaded down past her shoulders and billowed behind her in the wind as she ran. Kat was slim from living in the forest and was a good shot too, keeping her bow and quiver of arrows near her everywhere she went. She wasn’t as good as him, though.

  Kat's bow was clutched in her hand as she jumped into the stream. She held it, and the quiver which had a protective seal, above her head as the water soaked her up to the waist.. As she wadded through, Kat sucked in her breath. The water was icy. Turning around, she saw three arrows trained on her, the archers masked by black cloaks. The first arrow was let loose and Kat dodged it, ducking further into the water. She managed to avoid the second and third arrows as they whizzed by her, before leaping out of the water onto the opposite bank.

  Using a new found reserve of strength, Kat sprinted from the stream into the trees again, her teeth chattering. Making sure the men following her didn't see, she swung the bow and quiver onto her back and jumped up into a pine tree. Kat grasped the branches above her, ignoring the needles digging into her palms and felt her foot jar against the tree trunk. She heaved herself up onto a branch and got out three arrows �" one for each of the archers. Breathing heavily, Kat knocked the first arrow, and waited.

  She didn’t have to wait long. Three figures stepped underneath her cautiously, their bows also strung with arrows. Kat heard the men muttering to each other as they crept by and silently drew her arm back, training her arrow at one of the cloaked figures. Her hair fell across her face, but the cat-eyed girl only blinked and ignored it. The men slowly passed underneath her and disappeared. Relaxing her arm, Kat let out a silent sigh. It was only then she realised she was shaking.

 

*

 

There was movement in the pine tree, and suddenly out slid a tall, slim woman who landed softly on the forest floor in a crouch. Kat had waited long enough in the tree and finally felt that it was safe to move on. She stretched �" being hunched over, sitting on a branch wasn’t exactly what the brown-haired girl had been hoping to do today. Kat huffed out a breath and looked around. Her clothes had dried and fallen back into place, Kat noted, as she brushed off any bark that clung to her. Straightening up, she shouldered her bow and quiver of arrows and began to walk. Kat was pretty, even though she didn’t realize it. She probably would have been wed already, to some farmer boy from her village - if she had stayed a law-abiding person. But she wasn’t law-abiding. She did her own thing. Kat smirked, but it didn't stay on her face for long.

  The yellow-eyed girl halted on the side of a dirt-path. Carts would be coming by every now and again if she stayed put. But that wasn’t what was making her skin prickle. Kat had walked straight…into a trap. She realised too late that no birds were chirping and there was no breeze stirring. A net flew over her head; Kat cried out and fell as it momentarily blinded her. Nothing made sense - everything was moving too fast. As she hit the ground, Kat felt hands grabbing her ankles and the taste of blood in her mouth. Roughly, she was turned over and suddenly could see the forest canopy above her. Kat lashed out with her foot and struggled as strong hands gripped her wrists and wound rope tightly around them… and then she was in a cage on the back of a cart, and knew she had been caught.

 

*

Kat swore and spat blood on the cart floor, before turning as she heard a tutting sound behind her.

“Miss Catherine-Ann, where are your manners?” their Leader smirked, gazing at her through the bars of Kat's prison. She just glared back, scowling. The man in front of her was wearing a black leather jacket, grey tunic, black leggings and riding boots. His hair was quite long, hanging past his ears in soft curls and for a moment, Kat found herself wondering how someone as attractive as him could be so evil.

“So, the silent type, are you?” he asked, making conversation. Kat didn’t buy it and said nothing, just glaring into his green eyes.

“I apologize for this,” the man sighed, gesturing at the cage Kat was trapped inside and then curling a hand around one of the bars. Kat noticed the gold signet ring on his index finger, and its crest. 

“But we really have no other choice. Sheriff's orders…” the Leader was tutting, “You really should have paid your taxes!”
Cat was filled with a fury she didn't know she possessed, and lasted out with her foot; it landed on the man's fingers, crushing them against the bar of the cage. The man let out an ungraceful yelp and jumped back, clutching his injured hand to his chest. He narrowed his eyes at Kat, breathing shallowly, and she met his eye with a wicked smile.

“On!” the Leader barked to the driver, walking away from Kat towards his horse… and with a rattle, the cart began to move.

   Kat stood, hands curled around two bars of the cage for support as the cart swayed from side to side, staring backwards at the retreating forest forlornly. No one was riding behind the cart, or guarding it from a rear attack which, as it happened, was a small miracle. Only Kat was witness to the man's sudden appearance; she gasped as he materialised out of the forest and stepped onto the road, turning his head to stare at her. Kat knew instantly who the man was, though the bow in his hand and quiver slug over his shoulder helped. She'd heard all the stories about him; his dirty blonde hair that fell over forehead, his bright blue eyes, and serious face that knew the blinding difference between right and wrong. Kat sucked in a breath as she felt her heart do a somersault in her chest. 

“Help me!” she mouthed, locking eyes with him and feeling her pulse quicken with the thought of rescue. Kat thought she saw the man nod in reply, but then the cart turned a corner and he disappeared from view.

Blinking with amazement and disbelief, Kat sunk to the floor of the cart and let out a ragged sigh. She kept her eyes fixed on the point where the man had vanished. She couldn't believe it.

Kat had just had her first encounter... with Robin Hood.

Author's Note

Please let me know what you think :)

Reviews

[patricia]

Your story begins superbly, straight into action introducing a female rebel hero, in a rugged realistic setting. The descriptions of being in the cart are exceptionally good as are the introduction of the lincoln green hero. As the chapter went on it gathered force and i was well and truly hooked by the end.
Quality work in the kind of topics I love. A talented write Storm, look forward to reading more.

[Storm K.]

Thanks so much, it means a lot! :)

[teardrop]

I really enjoyed your story, full of imagery and detail. quite the story teller. Like this write bunches : )

[Storm K.]

thank you! :)

[Silvario]

Yes! Robbin Hood is back! Love it :)
The first paragraph had me thinking.. hmm, a Hunger Games excerpt? Then, with your clearly talented description and character/scene development, it became clear we were in a more classic fantasy setting.
The imagery is excellent and I find your diction and pace and over-all writing style a pleasure to read.
Love the ending. Hope you continue with this.

Also, GREAT to see one of your age resurrecting the legendary Robin Hood :D
Brilliant!

[Storm K.]

:D Thank you very much! I hadn't actually thought about continuing this, but it might be nice to explore where it could go. Thanks again for the review! :)

[Silvario]

You are very welcome. You could take this anywhere really and I'd love to read it :)

[Dark Rider]

Amazing! I loved every second I was reading it. You did a nice job putting your own twist on a classic story hero. Very nicely done. :)

[Storm K.]

:D thanks!

[Dark Rider]

Your welcome!