Driven from their ancestral homeland, outlaw Rhi Bran and his band have made their home in the forest of the March, and are feared by all for their unrivalled skill with the longbow. But they cannot hide forever. Bold action is required, and they are willing to die in order to win peace for the people of Elfael.

Bran's companions include the mighty champion Iwan, skilled forester Will Scarlet, rough-and-ready priest Friar Tuck and, new to the band, vagabond minstrel Alan a'Dale. Together they have constructed a desperate plan to rid themselves of the barbarous Ffreinc, led by the malevolent Abbot Hugo and Guy of Gysburne. Severely outnumbered, the band must rely on their wits, their intimate knowledge of the forest, and all their fighting prowess if they are to prevail.