Robin Hood | The Stormwhite Between Them

Chapter 6 (Around the Camp Fire)

Song: cold weather by glass beach

A/N- this is another slightly longer chapter so enjoy this one as well :))

They cut and trimmed saplings from the forest to make wall and roof frames, then stretched the canvas tightly over the top to make a snug roof. The walls were low but the pitched roof gave them ample headroom inside. Mud-daubed, woven sidewalls did a reasonable job keeping out the worst of the weather, although invariably there were chinks that let in the keening wind when it hit full power. But a few drafts weren't enough to dampen their spirits.

Robin Hood had asked to sleep on the ship. With the others quartered in their tent, she would have plenty of room to herself. The others respected her desire for privacy from the crew of men.

Once their sleeping quarters were organized, the Skandian who was in charge of making meals for the crew of the WolfWind, approached Erak.

"We've got plenty of dried foods and provisions," he said. "But everyone could use fresh meat or fish."

Erak looked out at the forest, then out at the sun, they still had a few hours of daylight left in them.

"Hood!" He bellowed and saw her turn around from where she was assisting.

He beckoned her over with one swooping hand gesture.

"What's up Skip?" She asked when she joined him. 

"Can you get us some fresh meat?"

Now it was Robin's turn to look at the sun in the distance, measuring how much time she had left.

She still had his sheepskin vest, now it was under her grey cloak. "Need someone to go with you?"

"They'll just scare the game away. I'll be back in an hour."

She tramped into the woods, leaving her bundle in the cover of one of the crew's tent, taking only her, bow and quiver, knives, and a small length of rope to carry the carcases back to camp. Leaving her axe behind, the same axe that Jon had used in the battle against the Temujai. The axe she had avenged him with. 

She was following the tracks of a deer, when not long after she saw a rabbit. The rabbit looked up warily, the fat little animal's nose quivered as it tester the air. It's long ears swivelled back and forth, searching for any foreign sound. Robin had come upon it from a downwind direction. She waited until the animal satisfied itself that it was safe to continue grazing.

Quietly she drew her smallest throwing knife, and with one smooth motion drew it back and released it. The rabbit thumped onto the ground, the knife piercing its head, leaving the rest of its body for eating. She strode over to the carcass and used the rope to tie its feet together. The rabbit now slung over back, she cleaned the knife on her cloak and continued following the tracks of the unsuspecting deer.

Just like she had told Erak, she was back at the hour mark, a deer slung over her shoulders and two rabbits. Olaf lifted the deer from her, since she was clearly struggling from its weight, having dragged it back from where she killed it. And she dropped the two rabbits infront of the cook, next to the roaring fire.

Some of the men whistled at the game she caught, licking their lips in anticipation. Once ordered several got to the job of skinning them. 

Going down to where the sea met the sand, she crouched, properly cleaning her knives. Robin sat down in front of the fire with her bundle behind her. She had the whetsone in her hand, knife in the other and was carefully sharpening it. Across from her, Robin heard Thorn and Mikkel arguing in a joking manner, it was clear the two were best mates.

The deer had been skinned and cut into respective pieces and was now cooking in a stew. From what had started to be a conversation with two, turned into Robin Hood telling a large group a story of one of her adventures. Robin had captivated her audience in her thrilling tale, if it were anyone else they would have not believed her but it was the Robin Hood, who was in fact recounting an accurate event.

"How'd you get out with that much gold?"

"I went into the very dungeons themselves, because not even the royals know but it was rumoured that there are tunnels going out of the castle from two points."

"Are there?" Thorn asked curiously.

"That's how I got out."

"What's this?" Erak questioned as he saw the group who was listening to her tale.

"Robin was telling us how she once stole from the treasury in the Arualen castle." Olaf told his Oberjarl excitedly.

Erak raised his eyebrows at her, "from what I've heard more then once."

Robin mocked a two finger salute, "what can I say, my reputation proceeds me."

And as she said that the cook called everyone forward to get their meal. As Robin got to the front of the line, she asked the cook for half of what he had given everyone else.

"Is that all your going to eat?" Mikkel asked worriedly.

Robin smiled, "you do realise that this is a normal amount to eat, you guys are like giants and I'm tiny in comparison, so I eat less."

"Her ego makes up for that." Erak told him in a matter of fact way, failing to keep a straight face.

They ate their meal with plenty of loud chatter and friendly arguing which Robin was glad to be surround by again. Skandians were great company, especially these ones, and she had missed them, more than she cared to admit- especially the Oberjarl.