OOC: I realized I forgot a crucial chapter. This should really have been posted several chapters ago. Here it is:


Goatman stirred. Which surprised him. In his last thoughts, falling screaming through air, he hadn't considered stirring again a possibility. But here he was. He painfully

opened his eyes and glanced around. His vison seemed full of strange, hazy, twisting lines and shapes. He reached his arms up, groaning with pain as he did so to brush them

away. His hands promptly ran into branches. For a moment his brain halted, then, as it began to pull itself together, he figured it out. he was deep inside some sort of bush,

and as he looked up and his sense of balance reasserted itself, he saw a path of destruction down through the branches. It was interesting he didn't remember it, he thought.

Perhaps he had passed out in midair. He remembered now that the waterless moat was full of bushes and undergrowth, though it had not occurred to him while falling. It was

only at this moment that the realization hat he had actually survived sunk in. He let out a woop of joy, then hushed himself. Well, it appeared he would save the day after all.

If he could get out of this shrubbery, that is. Goatman began pulling his way out, breaking branches and squeezing around others. His whole body ached, but he set his teeth

and went on. At last he broke out of the plants and pulled himself onto the rocks on the outside of the moat. A short scramble later, and he stood atop the edge of the moat,

the castle behind him, and a steep drop down to the plains before. It all still looked extremely peaceful.Clouds drifted over the moon, which sometimes cast it's light over the

dark fields and woods. The night was quiet, except for the insects, the wind and the distant groaning trees.  Away in the distance the mountains would briefly shine out, then

fade again. Smoke rose from the chimneys of distants farms and hamlets. Well, Goatman thought, looking back at the castle, It wasn't exactly the easiest of plans, but, in the

end, my worked after all. Now the fun begins. He looked back down, to the rocks slanting away below him. It was not overly steep, and certainly not sheer, but it wouldn't be

a walk through a garden, certainly. Taking a deep breath, he found a likely spot, and began moving down. It took a long time, to climb down,  gently lowering himself,

moving in zig zags, clambering over uncomfortable stone, and many moments of frustration, occasionally slips and tumbles with accompanying terror, and a great many

bruises, but at last the ground flattened out, the rocks dwindled into the earth, and reached the flat fields full of tall grass. He took deep breaths, and looked back again at the

castle, now far above. Lights shown from the highest windows. He had been out for far to long. A sense of urgency suddenly took hold of Goatman, and he turned and ran

across the fields towards the woods. Someone might be watching from above, but he had no other choice. At first he had to force his way through tough crops, but then he

found a path leading the right way, and was able to move swiftly through the shifting lights. He leaped a stone wall, clambered over a fence, and after a last furious run, he

made it under the protecting shadow of the trees. He paused again, resting his hand against a trunk, glancing around through the mottled light that found it's way down

through the dark branches above, listening to the sounds of the forest, the animals stirring in the undergrowth. At least, he thought, there were certainly no humans about. He

took a last look back at the distant castle, then turned around to find a path through the woods. And froze, as he saw the light reflecting off three arrowheads leveled in his

direction, aimed by amorphous humanoid shadows. "Now then, lad," A voice said cheerfully. "What may ye be doing out and about at this ungodly hour?" Goatman stared at

the blurry figures in silence for a moment, then it poured out of him. "You have to help me he said. My friends," he pointed back at the castle, "They've been taken captive.

Outlaws have taken control of the castle..." he paused as an obvious thought found it's way into his weary head. "Wait," he said, in a tired voice, "Please, tell me, your not

outlaws yourselves." The arrowheads lowered slightly,and the shapes shifted. "Oh, I'm sorry Lad," the cheerful voice said sorrowfully, "I cannae tell ye that. We're outlaws

sure enough. Through and Through." "Oh, wonderful," Goatman said, and fainted again.

8Legos did not know how much time had passed, though it seemed long. The light had almost completely faded outside, and the room was mainly lit by a sputtering torch that had been lit by the guard.

His head was sunk down in his hands, his bind a battle of hope against sorrow and despair Hope still fought on his his mind, but it was fading. All three of his friends here might be inactive, and aside from

attacking the guard with his bare hands, no plans came to mind. Even so, he was determined to hold onto hope. He dimly heard footsteps ascending the stairs, then the door being unlocked and thrown

open. "All you lot!" A hoarse voice said. "Moving time! Get to your feet!" "Where are we going?" someone began to ask, before being cut off and shouted at to be silent. "Get up!" The voice repeated again,

followed by sounds of people stumbling to their feet. 8Legos wearily raised his head and looked around, then lowered his head again. "I said get up!" one of the ruffians said, grabbing 8Legos and hauling

him to his feet, before giving him a violent shove that sent him back to the ground. The thug laughed evilly. A laugh that was abruptly cut off by a gasp. A few more gasps escaped him, then he fell to the

ground face first, and lay motionless. 8Legos, leaning on an arm, saw the arrow that had ended his laughter. Everyone in the room looked on astounded, the outlaws included and as they did so, a man

swung down through the window into the room, nocking an arrow to a longbow he held as he did so, so that as he landed the point already came to rest on the ruffians. The bowman was dressed from head

to toe in cloth of fine lincoln green, upon his head was a curious triangular cap, also of green, adorned with a red feather. He had a neatly trimmed goatee and curled mustache, and eyes full of mirth and

wit, which were staring down the arrow shaft at the outlaws. "I would tell you my name," he said, "But I believe you already know it. So you know that if anyone is going to be doing any thievery, or

robbery, or general outlawery in these parts, it's going to be me, not your band of thugs. So, please, surrender quietly, or I will be forced to adorn your unseemly throats with goosefeathers." This was

apparently to much for the outlaws, who simply stared at him silently, jaws agape. Which did not in the end matter much, for as they stood there in silence a very large man, also wearing green, emerged

noiselessly into the room through the door behind them, and swiftly and surely took one of their heads in each hand, and bashed them together. They collapsed to the floor without a sound. "Excellent." The

forestman said, lowering his bow. "Bind them and make sure they don't cry out." The big man nodded and picked up both outlaws, as still more green-clad people, and one man in scarlet, entered the room,

some of them bearing ropes, which they used to swiftly tie up the former captors. "I trust you are all well?" The forestman said, addressing the room." "Who are you?" One of the other ex-captives said.

The forestman looked at him quizzically. "I thought my name was known across all civilized lands." "Young people these days spend too little time listening to tales of heroes." The large man said. "Aye,

you're right." The forestman said, shaking his head sadly. At this moment Goatman walked into the room behind them. 8Legos stared at him in disbelief. "8Legos!" Goatman said joyfully, rushing over and

taking him by the shoulders. "See? I was right after all." "How did you survive?" 8Legos said. "There were branches that broke my fall." Goatman said. "Ah," 8Legos said,"I suppose that makes some sense,

actually." He clasped Goatman's hand tightly. "It's incredibly good to see you active. So, I see you brought help." The head forestman raised his cap. "At your service." "Thank you very much sir, for your

help." 8Legos said, nodding. "how did you pull this off? And how did you get in here" "Well, young Goatman here told us about this, and we figured we ought to come and help. We used to have a hideout

here, as you know, and there's a secret entrance at the bottom of this tower we used to gain entrance. As we were on our way up here, however, we heard a couple ruffians behind us. Thus, we thought it

best to go up to top of the tower and lie in wait. "Then why swing down through the window?" 8Legos asked. "It took them by surprise. Also, it was a better fit for my....what's the word?" "Idiom, sir?" One

of the forestmen said. "Yes, that's it, idiom." The lead Forestman said. "It was a better fit for my particular idiom of action." "Okay," 8Legos said, looking at the window, "But, how did you shoot an arrow

through the window? If you were up above there's no possible way you could have shot an arrow through the window." "I have been blessed with marvelous gifts." the forestman said. "And now, while

you're a very keen lad, we have no time for questions. It is now time to save the day. Let us begin."