Life during the American Revolution was difficult. You were forced to choose between freedom and tyranny, serving no one or serving the king, being a Patriot or being a Loyalist. If you wanted to stay out of the fight, you were levied with high taxes because the Great King George spent all his countries money on his military during the Seven Years War with the French, or you would be compelled to quarter British troops in your own home. It was not safe for anyone in Boston or New York.
But behind this revolutionary war, those that are neither with the King or the Patriots try as hard as they can to live a new life in the Colonies, one that is fair and without fear.
Katarina Thatcher was one of these people. A huntress in the Frontier, living in Lexington with her father Aaron. Her mother died during childbirth and her father was left with a newborn babe with no knowledge on how to look after her. Aaron was a farmer and the Redcoats that wanted the produce he grew constantly harassed him.
As Katarina got older her father tried to teach her how to be a lady, but it was difficult as she didn't have any female role models and she always showed an interest in hunting. Her father gave up trying to tech her how to be a lady and decided to teach her how to hunt and use a musket and bow.
It was a crisp spring morning when Katarina left to hunt. Her father was asleep still and she made sure to not wake him. She preferred to go out early to avoid most of the soldiers, as they changed shifts during dusk and dawn. She hung her quiver over her shoulder and took her bow from its rack on her wall. Katarina preferred using the bow to the musket, it was silent and caused less damage to the pelts than an iron ball would.
She walked out the front door of the house and breathed in the fresh air. She could see the suns rays peaking up over the mountains in the East and hear the sounds of small forest birds chirping in the trees. Deciding which way to go, Katarina headed north toward the Diamond Basin hunting region. She was hoping to get a large buck, as it would finally top what they needed for the coming winter and she would only be able to catch the odd hare or fox during the cold months.
As she crossed the border between Lexington and Diamond Basin she readied her bait and snares, a back up in case she was unable to catch a buck. She walked two hundred meters when she spotted something on the ground near the lake. A small animal, most probably a beaver, had eaten a small patch of yellow flowers. To the left of the patch was a small tree. Katarina walked over to the tree, being sure to leave the least possible impact on the ground so as to not startle any animals. She took out some of her snares and set them up around the tree, she then took out a small amount of bait and laid it around the traps.
Confident the traps would be successful, Katarina moved north around the lake, hoping to find some sign of deer in the area. Katarina was in luck; one hundred meters ahead there was a patch of disturbed dirt, taking estimates of the size of the area and judging that the deer that laid here was one of decent size. Katarina looked around the area finding tracks leading to the north, toward the Kanién:keh hunting region. Katarina would normally stay within the Diamond Basin, Great Piece Hills, Scotch Plains and Concord hunting regions, not wandering too far from Lexington, but her father and herself needed the meat and the pelt could be sold for things they desperately need for the coming winter.
Throwing caution to the wind, Katarina followed the tracks toward the Kanién:keh region. The surroundings became less forested and more plain-like as Katarina moved closer to Kanién:keh, there were less trees and a large grassy hill ahead. On top of that hill was a small family of deer, moving north, further into Kanién:keh. Katarina was becoming nervous, her instincts telling her to go back and find other deer, but she ignored them, pressing forward.
Kanién:keh was the home of the Mohawk Valley tribe, they were known to be protective of their land and the hunters were known to warn off colonists and follow them to the edge of the hunting region, watching to be sure the invaders were not poaching from their lands. The region was also know for the aggressive cougars in the hills, many hunters have fallen victim to their razor sharp claws and dagger like teeth.
Katarina didn't want the deer to know she was following them, so she took a large easterly curve toward a group of rocky outcroppings, while staying within the tree line. As she got further up the hill there were less and less trees and to the east the hill turned into a sheer cliff. She stepped up onto the rock that started the beginnings of the cliff and climbed the small hill into the outcroppings. She was now in Kanien'kehå:ka territory. Her nerves were beginning to get the better of her, but all she needed was one deer, and she wasn't about to go find another herd.
On top of the outcropping, she was able to see the top of the hill clearly and the herd of deer. It was a small family of about five deer, possibly a small group that broke off of the main herd further into the Kanien'kehå:ka territory. Katarina scanned the deer, trying to find the largest one, and there at the head of the family was a large buck. It was large enough that the meat on it would defiantly last the winter and if she was able to get the deer just right with the arrow, she would be able to sell the pelt for some money, so her father could buy the new farming equipment he needed.
Grabbing her bow from her back, Katarina moved into a good position that was close but not too close to the buck. She unsheathed an arrow from her quiver and notched it up on the bowstring. Pulling back on the bowstring, she aimed the arrow above and to the left of the buck, taking into account the distance and the slight breeze blowing to the south. The feathered fletching of the arrow tickled her cheek as she held it there. She held her breath for a second and slowly let it out. Just as the last bit of air left her lungs, she released the arrow and let it fly. The arrow flew straight and true, impaling the buck in the side of its large head, killing it instantly.
Joy flooded Katarina as she watched the buck fall to the ground, she and her father could eat like kings this winter. Katarina lowered her bow arm and placed her bow around over her shoulder again. Then there was a growling noise behind her. Katarina tensed knowing there was a cougar behind her. Remembering what her father had told her about cougars she looked around for a tree she could climb. She found one, just fifty meters ahead and further into Mohawk territory, but Katarina would rather face an angry Mohawk hunter than try to outrun a cougar.
Katarina steeled herself as she took of in a sprint toward the tree, she had moved just in time as the cougar had lunged at the spot she had just been standing. Her legs pumped and her breathing became heavy as she got to half way there, she kept running. Just as she was ten meters from the tree, she felt a horrible sharp pain in her left leg, she let out an agonizing scream as she fell to the ground.
Katarina quickly rolled over onto her back and put her arms in front of her face as the cougar jumped on top of her. It sunk its dagger like teeth into her arms as it tried to rip out her throat. She managed to get her legs underneath the feline and push it off her body, but she was already weak from blood loss and her vision was slowly fading. She saw the cougar get back up from being knocked over but she couldn't remember what had knocked it over.
She saw it tense up ready to lunge at her again and she thought this would be the end; that she would be another hunter killed by these aggressive cougars. She closed her eyes and waited for the pain, but it never came. She heard the cougar roar in pain and opened her eyes to find a man standing over the dead feline.
The man was wearing an odd assortment of clothing, a white coat with long tails, trimmed with blue. On his back he had a quiver of arrows and a bow with intricate designs etched into the wood and around his waist he held an assortment of dangerous weapons, most notably a gleaming tomahawk with a strange design, held in his right hand. He was tall, standing nearly six feet with a large build, muscles bulging from his arms. This man was dangerous.
He turned around and Katarina saw he had red war paint on his face, flowing down from his eyes like tear trails of blood. Katarina was intimidated by the man, but grateful beyond measure for saving her life. He slowly walked up to her and beyond her better judgment she tried to get up and move away from the intimidating man. Her leg flared with fresh pain and she let out a piercing scream.
The man quickly put down the tomahawk he was holding in his right hand and crouched down beside her.
"Do not move."
Katarina jumped at his voice. It was deep and smooth. Commanding yet soothing. She looked up, her vision getting blurry from blood loss, and was captured by his golden eyes. They had an intense eagle like stare that froze her entire being.
"Who are you?" Katarina was shaking, both from adrenalin and fear.
"My name is Connor." He pulled out a long strip of pelt, from what seemed like nowhere, and tightly wrapped it around her leg to try and stop the blood flow.
Katarina winced as Connor pulled tightly on the strip of pelt, putting more pressure on the deep wound. "Why are you helping me?"
Connor tied off the piece of pelt and slowly reached for her arm, taking out another strip of pelt. "It is the way of my people to help those in need."
He wrapped the strip around her arm, stopping the blood from escaping from the deep bite wound on her arm. He tied off the end and got up off the ground, offering a hand of help to Katarina.
Katarina cautiously took his hand, still fearful of the large man. Carefully he pulled her up onto her feet, then tightened his grip on her hand when she began to fall. Katarina winced as she put weight on her left leg.
The native gave a sigh before he walked over to her and helped her up off the ground. "Where is your village?"
"Oh no please you don't have to do this." Katarina tried to reason with Connor. "I can get myself home."
"You will only cause yourself more harm if you return without help." Katarina leaned against a tree next to her as Connor picked up her bow and quiver from the ground.
Katarina frowned. "You're right. I live on a small farm on the outskirts of Lexington with my father." Connor returned to Katarina with her bow and quiver. "Are you alright with travelling that far?"
The native had a contemplating look on his face, thinking about the distance and the time it would take in getting back to Davenport. If he went through with this he wouldn't get back until the next day at least, but he would be able to explain everything to Achilles. "There is no problem with the distance."
Nodding Katarina accepted the natives help and together they trekked through the wilderness. Leaving Kanién:keh and entering Diamond basin Katarina told the man to slow down, as she had snares set up in the area. Looking around they found that three of her five snares had caught something. One had caught a beaver while the other two had caught rabbits. Leaving Katarina next to the tree, Connor got the animals out of the snares and gave them to Katarina to carry on the way back.
It was an hour at the pace they were moving to finally get to the farm, Katarina's father, Aaron, was out in the field when he saw them. Aaron dropped his tools and ran to meet them at the step to the house.
"Katarina what happened?" Aaron quickly took the catches from Katarina and lifted her other shoulder over his. "Are you alright?"
"Father I am fine."She sat down on the step to the house when they reached it taking the weight off her leg and releasing both men. "This young man saved me from becoming a cougars next meal."
Aaron looked over at the native man next to him curious. "Thank you for saving my daughter. She is the only family I have left." Aaron gave the man a smile. "If there is anything we could ever do to repay your kindness, please let us know."
"No thanks is needed. I am sure your daughter would have done the same thing, should the roles be reversed." Connor looked to the sky judging the position of the sun. "I must return to my village. I wish we could have met under better circumstances." The native turned on his heel and began walking down the path.
"Wait." Katarina tried to get up and leaned against the house. She had taken one of the rabbits she had caught and wobbled over to the man. "Please take this, I would feel awful if I didn't give something in thanks." She handed Connor the rabbit, her father close behind her to support her.
Connor gave Katarina a nod. "Niá:wen. Though it was not necessary."
Katarina smiled leaned against her father. "Goodbye. I hope we can meet again."
The native gave a small smile back. "Ó:nen ki' wáhi." He turned around and left headed home.
"Come lets get you inside." Katarina allowed her father to take her inside. She hoped to meet the native man again.
Well this is my new project. This chapter I had actually written as a short story for English, I just used Connor's native name and didn't mention Achilles or Davenport.
I have quite a few ideas for this but many of them will clash with the story line so I'll need to think on these. I am also thinking of doing an extra copy and having it as a reader insert, and if anyone wants to read the original leave me a message and I may put it up as a oneshot, but I didn't change that much anyway.
Read and review. A happy writer updates faster.
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