Chapter 7: Journey to the Fort

Forest north of Albany and

Cameron's Farm between Saratoga Lake and the Hudson River, August 1757

Taking the lead as the group made their way north to Fort William Henry, Chingachgook left the George Road and led everyone back to where he and his sons had hidden their packs before entering the fight, then followed a course that would take them to their destination by way of the forest. He did not want to be involved in all of this. All he wanted to do was to leave this group of Yengeese behind and continue on with his sons to Can-tuck-ee, but he could not leave anyone stranded and defenseless in the wilderness after having been so viciously attacked the way they had been. To refuse to help someone in need went against everything he believed in.

While his eyes kept a close watch for any signs that the Huron might still be in the area, his thoughts kept drifting back to the way Uncas had looked at the younger of the two Yengeese women and, what was even worse, the way she had looked at him. Even though they had only stared at each other for a few seconds, it was long enough for Chingachgook to see the wonder in his son's eyes as he held the young woman, and although Uncas tried hard to look indifferent when he walked away, it was clear he did not want to let go of her. And as for the girl….she could not take her eyes off his son! Even now he knew that if he were to turn around, he would find her watching Uncas' every move.

That girl….she was going to be trouble, he just knew she was. It was time for him to have a long overdue and very serious talk with Uncas to remind him about his responsibility to continue the family bloodline and about who to continue that bloodline with! It would certainly not be with some spoiled and pampered little Yengeese girl who found his son attractive.

The more Chingachgook thought about it, the more his inner fears took a firm hold and got the better of him. Several times over the years he had seen what had happened to other warriors after they got themselves mixed up with white women. They had been good, strong, brave men who one way or another became infatuated with wealthy Yengeese ladies, just like Uncas was becoming. Each of those men had left their villages and families behind, giving up everything just so they could be around the woman they'd lost themselves to. And each time the result had been the same thing. The woman would tire of her latest secret plaything and would cast the warrior aside as though he never existed. And the warrior would then hang around the town or city in hopes that she would take him back, eventually taking to drinking the Yengeese liquor out of frustration and humiliation until they no longer resembled the men they once were.

He could not allow this to happen to Uncas! Not his only remaining blood son. He knew what that Yengeese girl was thinking. To her, Uncas was merely someone interesting to pass the time with until they reached the fort. Once they arrived there, she would return to her sophisticated lifestyle and throw him away as though he were nothing. By then Uncas would have fallen in love with her and her rejection would devastate him. Knowing how determined his son could be when he set his mind to do something and after the rebellious way he'd behaved in Schuylerville earlier that day, Chingachgook knew when that happened that Uncas would refuse to leave with him and Nathaniel for Can-tuck-ee, choosing instead to hang around the fort, waiting for any opportunity to beg her to come back to him. The soldiers would laugh at him….she would laugh at him….the Colonel in command of the fort would have him whipped or imprisoned for harassing her….and Uncas would eventually end up seeking comfort in the Yengeese whiskey, becoming a broken shell of a man just as those other warriors had.

He could not let this happen to his son! Somehow he had to get through to him before it was too late! But it was not going to be easy. Remembering the defiant look Uncas gave him back in Schuylerville, Chingachgook shuddered. It was something he had never seen before in his son's eyes and it scared him. Up until now Uncas had always listened to his father and did what was asked of him without question. But ever since his eighteenth birthday his son gradually began to change….and not in a good way.

'Uncas is precious to me…he has been since the day he was born. Doesn't he know how much I love him and that I am only trying to protect him? Doesn't he know how frightened I am of losing him too? Oh, if only Wolf had lived. He was a strong one! Even though he was so young, I could see the warrior in him. He would have grown to be fierce, someone people looked up to and respected. Uncas is strong too and every bit the warrior Wolf would have been, but in a quiet way….silent yet deadly. If his twin brother were here he would have listened to Wolf and the two of them together would have been a force to be reckoned with, men whose names would have been well known by all. Then Uncas would never have wandered down this dangerous path he has chosen. Both of my sons would have married good Lenape brides and raised many strong children.'

Suddenly a memory took over his thoughts and a smile lit up Chingachgook's face as he recalled an incident from long ago.

It took place during that same idyllic summer of the fishing trip, when the twins were four years old. The village chief was holding a council with the elder males of the tribe to discuss which settlement would be the best to trade their furs with. Usually such meetings would take place inside of the chief's lodge, but because the day was particularly hot, the elders decided to meet outside under the shade of a large oak tree where it was cooler. Ever curious about everything, Wolf and Uncas wanted to join the discussion, but each time they were good naturedly shooed away by the old men. Watching their little sons from where they sat in front of their lodge, Chingachgook and Lila smiled at the determination the twins had but did not interfere as the boys were not upsetting anyone and they were both curious to see how long it would be before their sons gave up. After several failed attempts to 'invite' themselves into the council meeting, the twins finally walked away and went inside the family lodge. As they went past their parents, Chingachgook could tell by the way Wolf was looking at Uncas that a plan of some kind was in the works. Several minutes later a large inverted storage basket, with two little pairs of feet sticking out from underneath it, came walking out of their lodge and made its way back over to the council meeting. Half way to the elders, the basket bumped into a pole on a drying rack and stumbled backward several steps before resuming its course for the meeting area. As the basket approached, the old chief's eyes grew wide with surprise as he fought to keep a smile off his face. Turning around to see what the chief was looking at, the other elders also smiled and chuckled at the persistence and cunning the little twins possessed, with several of them commenting on what great warriors the boys would grow up to be as the basket plopped itself down behind the group of men. Keeping a close eye on his sons, Chingachgook never heard a sound come from inside the basket nor did it move at any time, not even after the meeting broke up over an hour later. After the elders disbursed, with several of them smiling and patting the top of the basket as they walked past it, Chingachgook waited to see what the twins would do next. When several minutes had gone by and the basket still had not moved, he went over and carefully lifted it up, revealing two little boys curled up together and sound asleep.

Laughing softly to himself, Chingachgook's momentary happiness quickly dissipated into sadness after the bittersweet memory reminded him that his little Wolf was dead, and an aching loneliness for his firstborn son engulfed him as did the pain he felt over the current situation with Uncas.

'Why did Wolf have to die? He was only a small child. He never had a chance to become a warrior. I miss him so much…and so does Uncas. He and Wolf were inseparable and I think part of him died with his brother. Uncas my son, I love you more than my own life. Can't you see that? I just want you to be happy again, like you used to be when you were little. Please…..don't throw your life away like this.'

Remembering Uncas as always having been a happy and outgoing little boy until the deaths of his mother and twin brother, his youngest son had overnight become very quiet, never speaking much and never laughing. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more Chingachgook realized he had no idea what his son's laugh sounded like. The most he would do was smile and Chingachgook always attributed that to his missing his mother and Wolf. After he took his surviving sons away from that village of death, the three of them became an extremely tightknit family. But for quite some time now, he noticed Uncas was becoming more and more distant to his father and white brother and no longer showed any enthusiasm for hunting or trapping. As he contemplated this, Chingachgook suddenly recalled something Nathaniel had mention as they were leaving Schuylerville that morning.

'Perhaps Nathaniel was right when he said Uncas may be tired of wandering the forest and is finally ready to settle down and raise a family.' thought Chingachgook with a sudden feeling of hope. 'It explains everything! This is what troubles my son! He is behaving this way because he wants to make a life for himself with a good woman. And like Nathaniel also said, Uncas is not interested in Yengeese women, he's just curious about them. But that girl….she will use that curiosity to take advantage of his vulnerability.'

With his spirits raised, Chingachgook began to pay attention to the task at hand. Of getting this group of Yengeese to the fort as quickly as possible so that he and his sons could continue on their journey to the lands of their cousins, the Lenape….and of getting Uncas away from that young woman.


Following behind Chingachgook as he led the way through the forest, the rest of the group gradually became aware of the sound of rushing water. Up ahead through the trees a river could be seen, which at one point tumbled down a small cliff, forming a spectacular waterfall that drained onto a large rock ledge which extended out for some ways before dropping down to the next level and reforming once more as a river. Branching off the river was a stream which flowed through the forest and across the travelers' path.

At the point Chingachgook chose to cross the stream, several large and relatively flat moss covered rocks stuck out of the water forming a natural path to cross to the other side with. After having been advised that they would cross in single file, Duncan and his sisters waited with Uncas while first Chingachgook, then Nathaniel made the crossing. Following his father's steps, Nathaniel cautiously stepped directly into the water instead of using the path of stones to reach the other side. When it was their turn to cross, Duncan held out his hand to Cora in order to help her, telling Alice he would then come back and assist her. Keeping a watchful eye on the surrounding area from his position just behind the women, Uncas noticed that the officer was preparing to step off the bank onto the first of the stones.

"Wait!" he said as he stepped forward. "Walk in the water, not on the rocks. If you step on the rocks, your boots will leave marks behind that anyone who might be following us could see. Walking in the water won't leave any sign because the stones that cover the bottom are worn smooth. As long as you're careful not to move them, no one will know that we crossed here."

Appreciating the advice, Duncan and Cora each stepped into the water, which rose halfway up to their knees and carefully made their way across to the other side. Wanting to impress Uncas by showing him she was not a helpless female and could make the crossing by herself, Alice stepped into the water a few steps behind her brother and sister. Walking slowly and carefully on the loose stones in the bottom, she held her arms out on either side like wings in order to keep her balance against the rushing water. Feeling her warrior's eyes on her back, she decided at that moment to take every opportunity she could on this trip to show him she would make him as capable a wife as any Indian woman would, and she made a mental note to try and remember all of the skills she'd learned from her late mother that a Mohawk woman needed to know so that she could practice them at the fort. Even though these skills were Mohawk and not Mohican, she hoped they'd be similar enough for him to appreciate her abilities.

'He'll see what a good wife I will be to him!' she thought to herself. 'Wait a minute! He has no idea that I am to be his wife! Well….he seems to like me anyway, so that's a start. I will just look for opportunities to talk to him so that we can get to know each other and I'll impress him any way I can so that I can show him I am not a helpless, prissy aristocrat. Since the vision said we will marry, it means that in time he will come to love me too and then he will see that I am ready, willing and able to live with him in his world. Oh I cannot wait for that to happen! I want us to begin our lives together now!'

Lost in thought and hoping her warrior was still watching her, Alice was half way across the stream when a large dragonfly buzzed within an inch of her nose. Startled, she instinctively swung both hands in front of her face to swat it away and promptly lost her balance, falling flat on her back in the water with a huge splash while her feet went straight up into the air. Feeling her face turning a deep crimson, she sputtered water out of her mouth as she struggled to sit up, all the while trying hard not to disturb the rocks in the streambed below her. Suddenly two brown hands came into her immediate view and she looked up to find a laughing Uncas standing in front of her.

Accepting his offer of assistance, she reached up and took hold of his forearms as he took hold of hers, and she was surprised at how effortlessly he pulled her back up to her feet. After regaining her balance, she released her hold on him in order to gather up her sopping skirt, which she stuffed into one hand. Intending to offer him her free hand so that he could further assist her, she felt his arm slide around her waist and before she knew it, she found herself pressed snugly up against his side. Without a moment's hesitation, she slid her arm around him and as the two of them finished crossing the stream together, Alice couldn't help but notice how natural it felt to be so close to him and she wished they could travel the rest of the way to the fort like this. Once they reached the bank on the opposite side, she reluctantly let go of him after he released her and took a step back.

"Are you alright?" he asked while still snickering at the sight of her standing there sopping wet and dripping with water on the grassy bank.

Feeling totally humiliated, she was annoyed when she saw he was still laughing at her instead of feeling captivated like she was by the close physical contact they had just shared.

"Yes, I am quite fine. Thank you for helping me, sir." she replied in an attempt to sound dignified.

"My pleasure, Miss." said Uncas with the sound of laughter still in his voice as he fought a losing battle to keep a straight face.

Noticing that Duncan and Cora were also trying to stifle their laughter as well, Alice looked down at her soggy clothes while tendrils of hair dripped water past her face and, realizing the picture she must be presenting, she burst out laughing herself.

Knowing they needed to get moving again, the merry foursome brought themselves under control and worked together to wring the water out of Alice's skirt. While she was bent over, Alice found her face was very near to her warrior's as he also bent over to twist and squeeze the fabric and she took note of every little detail of his features. Sensing her watching him, he raised his head slightly to meet her gaze and gave her a warm smile. Losing herself in his dark brown eyes and smile, it took all the strength she had to not lean over and kiss him, and she instead tried to think of something to ask him so that she could hear his deep, rich voice again.

When it occurred to her that she did not know her warrior's name, she was just about to ask him what it was when the white frontiersman broke the spell of the moment by calling to them from just inside the edge of the woods where he and the older man were waiting for them. As her warrior glanced up at the two men, Alice saw his warm smile evaporate and he met and held the older man's disapproving glare with a look of his own that seemed to her to be confrontational. After several moments passed, the older man turned and stepped into the clearing, taking the lead once again as he began to walk across a dry area near the edge of the large rock ledge.

"Come on, we need to keep moving. We've got a lot of ground to cover before we make camp for the night." Uncas told his companions. Seeing the concerned look on his woman's face, he flashed her a warm, reassuring smile before resuming his position behind them as rear guard.

Falling in behind the frontiersman, who waited for them to catch up, Duncan, Cora and Alice walked single file past the flowing water at the base of the falls after they too stepped into the clearing. Glancing over her shoulder, Alice saw her warrior following behind them as he constantly looked in all directions, alert for any signs of possible danger. Facing forward again, her eyes ventured to the back of the older warrior who was walking a short distance ahead.

'I wonder who that man is?' she thought to herself. 'My warrior looks a little bit like him, I wonder if they are related in some way? Whoever he is, he certainly seemed to be upset with my man, and he in turn seemed ready to fight the older one. I hope it was not because my man was helping me wring out my skirt. I certainly do not want to be the cause of trouble between them.'

Maintaining his position as rear guard, Uncas kept a vigilant watch on the surrounding area for any signs, sounds or movement that could indicate they were being followed. Whenever he brought his eyes forward however, he took every opportunity to look at the pretty woman who was to be his wife. Thinking back to when she fell in the stream and how she looked after she climbed out, his face lit up with a smile as he quietly laughed to himself.

Crossing the ledge in front of the falls, Chingachgook led the little band of travelers over to a section of the cliff that bordered the right side of the cascading waterfall. With the rock face of the cliff forming a natural set of steps, he chose that particular spot to climb to the top of the cliff. Behind him, Nathaniel was the next to climb to the top, followed by Duncan and Cora. While Alice waited her turn at the base of the small cliff, she was so mesmerized by the raw beauty of the raging falls just to her left that she was unaware of Uncas watching her from where he stood nearby.

'She's so beautiful! She's even more beautiful in person than she was in the dream, if that's even possible.' he thought to himself. 'Oh Pretty One…do you have any idea how I feel about you?'

After waiting until Alice had reached the top of the cliff, Uncas took his turn and climbed up the steps on the rock face. Once everyone had reached the top, Chingachgook again took the lead, walking upstream along the stone bank of the river, which rushed past them in a series of rapids. As he trailed along behind the group, Uncas again focused his attention on their surroundings while his thoughts drifted back to Alice.

'I wonder what her name is. Whatever it is, I'll bet it's just as pretty as she is. I can't wait to make her my wife! Wait…She doesn't even know that she's going to be my wife! What if she doesn't want to marry me? I know Grandfather said she would but…She's a wealthy, well-bred English woman….and I'm just an Indian. Why would she want to marry someone like me? She seems to like me, though. I mean, she didn't mind whenever I held her. In fact, it seemed like she didn't want me to let go of her. Well…it's gonna take us nearly two days to reach the fort….that's plenty of time for her and I to get to know each other. I'll just take advantage of every chance I get to talk to her…And I won't let Father stop me, either!'


Catching up to Nathaniel as they walked alongside the river, Duncan came up just behind him. Assuming that Nathaniel was a scout working for the British and that Chingachgook and Uncas were also scouts serving under him, he intended to offer his thanks for coming to the aid of he and his sisters.

"Scout, I'd like to thank you for your help. How much further is it?" he asked.

"Night and a bit." was the curt reply.

"It appears we're well away from them." Duncan stated.

"Maybe." replied Nathaniel. "Maybe they 'ain't alone. That Huron captain back there…"

"The guide? He's a Mohawk." said Duncan, unintentionally cutting Nathanial off in mid sentence.

"He's no Mohawk, he's Huron. What reason did he have to murder the girl?"

"What?" replied a stunned Duncan.

"The dark haired one." said Nathanial.

"Miss Cora Munro? Murder her? He never set eyes on her before today. She's only been here a week."

"A blood vengeance? A reproach or insult?"

"Of course not!" Duncan replied, wondering why the frontiersman was being so cold toward him. In an effort to make light conversation, he decided to ask a question he'd been curious about ever since the rescuers arrived on the scene.

"How is it you were so nearby?"

"Came across the war party. Tracked 'em." replied Nathanial, who wasn't in the mood for talking and was becoming irritated with the Yengeese officer for persisting in speaking to him and bothering him with questions that he felt were none of the man's business.

"Then your assigned to Fort William Henry?" inquired Duncan.

"Nope."

"Fort Edward, then?"

"Headin' west to Can-tuck-ee."

"There is a war on. How is it you are heading west?" Duncan asked, confused that this scout seemed so disinterested in the war and also appeared to be planning to walk away from it.

Coming to a stop, Nathanial turned around to face Duncan and answered his question with a slight smile.

"Well, we kinda face to the north and, real sudden like, turn left."

Having had enough of this impertinent man, Duncan's patience reached its limit. He had approached the frontiersman in the spirit of goodwill to sincerely thank him for his help and in return, had received nothing but rudeness and sarcasm.

"I thought all our colonial scouts were in the militia? The militia is fighting the French in the north."

Standing behind Duncan, Cora and Alice fearfully observed the exchange of words between the men, who looked like they could each lose their tempers at any moment. Still trying to keep a watchful eye on the nearby forest, Uncas could not help but listen to the exchange of words between the Yengeese soldier and Nathaniel and, knowing his brother as well as he did, he hoped Nathaniel wasn't going to do anything stupid that would get him into trouble.

"I ain't your scout and we sure ain't in no damn militia. Clear it up any?" Nathanial stated while barely keeping his anger in check. Staring Duncan straight in the eye for several seconds, he turned and walked away, trying to put as much distance between him and the annoying Yengeese officer as he could.

Bewildered by what had just happened, Duncan remained still as he watched Nathaniel storm away from him. Also stunned by the scene they had just witnessed, Alice and Cora shared a look with each other before stepping forward to their brother's side. Letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in, Duncan gave his sisters a small reassuring smile, then placed a hand on the small of each woman's back as he guided them forward, following once more behind Nathaniel and Chingachgook, who by now was some distance ahead.

Casting a brief glance over his shoulder, Chingachgook could see even at this distance, the anger in his white son's face. Having heard the confrontation that occurred between him and the Yengeese officer, he chose to ignore it, knowing full well Nathaniel could take care of himself. Allowing his eyes to briefly settle on Uncas, he was glad to see his other son was alert and paying attention to their surroundings instead of stumbling along in the rear while gawking at the Yengeese girl in the pink dress as he feared he might be doing. Having witnessed the scene at the stream while he waited for everyone to get across it, he had seen the way Uncas and the girl held onto each other and the looks that had passed between them, and he fought hard to control the anger he felt growing within him. He did not like it. He did not like it one bit.

From his place in the rear, Uncas could not help but feel embarrassed at what had just occurred and although he knew Nathaniel disliked the British military as a general rule, the officer was just trying to be polite. He was only trying to thank them for their help and he felt his brother's attitude was inexcusable. Hoping to smooth over any ill feelings the altercation might have cause, Uncas sprinted forward to Duncan's side.

"I want to apologize for my brother's behavior, he didn't mean anything by it. He can be a bit irritating at times. I just ignore him when he gets that way." Uncas explained as he held his hand out to Duncan in an offer of friendship. "My name is Uncas. My brother's name is Nathaniel and our father is Chingachgook."

Studying the young warrior at his side for a moment, Duncan could see the sincerity in his face and he accepted his proffered hand with a smile.

"No harm done. I suppose my military manners can sound a bit brusk sometimes, even though I don't intend to come across that way. I'm Major Duncan Heyward and these are my sisters, Cora and Alice Munro." he replied, indicating each of the two women accordingly as he introduced them. "I've been assigned to Fort William Henry where our father, Colonel Ian Munro, is in command. My sisters are accompanying me to the fort for a visit."

'Alice!' Uncas thought to himself, settling his eyes on her as she walked just ahead of him with her sister. 'Her name is Alice. I knew her name would be a pretty as she is!' When she turned to look at him, he gave her a little smile which she returned with a shy one of her own. Realizing Duncan was asking him a question, he brought his attention back to him with some difficulty.

"Are you Mohawk?" Duncan asked.

"What? Oh…ah no, I'm Mohican."

"Mohican? I don't think I've heard of that tribe."

"I'm not surprised." replied Uncas. "Warfare and disease pretty much wiped out our people. There're still some left but….my father stays away because there are missionaries living with them now and they don't live the way they used to in the old days that he remembers. It would hurt him too much to see the change and he already hurts enough from the happy memories he has from when we did live with them."

"How old were you when you left?" asked Duncan.

"I was four. There was a sickness in our village that winter and many people died. My father took me and my brother away from there before we got sick and died too. We've lived out here in the wilderness, hunting and trapping ever since. I can barely remember having a real home." Uncas replied.

Having taken an instant liking to Uncas, Duncan was enjoying his company and conversation. Never having made any real friends, something he always longed to have, he attributed it to his always feeling the need to be the one in control. But with Uncas it was different. For the first time in his life, he did not feel that need for control. Instead, he felt relaxed and comfortable being an equal to him, something he never expected would happen with anyone, let alone between him and an Indian, and he wanted to get to know his new found friend better

"How is Nathaniel your brother? Begging your pardon, he doesn't look like an Indian." Duncan asked, a bit confused as to how Nathaniel fit into the picture.

"He's not. He's my adopted brother. Before I was born my father came across some French trappers traveling with a young Indian woman and a Yengeese baby…."

"I'm sorry." interrupted Duncan, "Yengeese?"

"It means 'white people'." Uncas explained. "The trappers found my brother in a burned out settler's cabin. He was the only survivor. They didn't want him or the woman anymore because they were both too much trouble, so they gave them to my father in exchange for some trade goods. He married the woman and they adopted the boy as their son and named him Nathaniel. Five years later I was born."

Listening the conversation taking place behind her, Alice gave a quiet little giggle when she thought about how cute Uncas must have been when he was a baby.

"Is your mother Mohican?" Duncan asked.

"No, she's not. Her people are the Apache. They live in a land of desert many months travel to the southwest."

"I've never heard of the Apache either. I would like to meet her. Does she travel with the three of you or is she home in….where did your brother say you were going? Can-tuck-ee?" Duncan innocently asked.

"No." Uncas replied sadly. "My mother left this life. She's not here anymore."

"I'm so sorry. I truly am. It's not an easy thing to lose one's mother. Mine died soon after I was born." Duncan said softly, placing a sympathetic hand on Uncas' shoulder. "I don't know which is harder, having known your mother and losing her, or never having known her at all."

At that moment a bond formed between the two men and they talked for a while longer until Chingachgook led the group away from the banks of the river and returned to the cover of the forest.


After they reentered the forest, Duncan once again took up a position in front of his sisters while Uncas remained in the rear. Although they had been travelling through the woods all this time, with the exception of their brief walk alongside the river, there was something about this section of the forest that was particularly dark and foreboding, a feeling that every member of the group sensed. With that unsettled feeling putting everyone on edge, no one needed to be told to remain silent.

Walking just behind Cora on the narrow deer trail that Chingachgook was following, Alice was grateful that their three rescuers were at the ready to protect them. Although she knew Duncan would willingly give his life for his sisters, she also knew he was as inexperienced in this wilderness as she and Cora were and it was reassuring to know that the other three men were not. This land was their home and they knew how to find their way through it and read every sign that it had to offer. What was an even greater comfort to her was the fact that her warrior was behind her at all times and she instinctively knew that he would also do everything in his power to keep her safe.

Thinking back to the conversation that had taken place between him and Duncan, Alice recalled hearing the pain in her man's voice when he spoke of his deceased mother and it had taken everything she had not to rush to his side to comfort him. Just the very thought of him hurting hurt her deeply as well and she vowed to do everything she could to make his life a happy one, never wanting him to be sad or feel pain ever again. All she wanted was for him to be happy, to hear him laugh and to see his beautiful smile. Her warrior. Her warrior who now had a name!

'Uncas! His name is Uncas!' she repeated over and over again to herself. 'I wonder if the name is Mohican or Apache. I will ask him about that when we have a chance to talk and get to know each other better. There is so much about him I want to know. Does he like music? Does he know what music is? Of course he does, you silly girl! Everyone plays some sort of music. And what are his favorite pastimes and what kind of food does he like? Food! Oh, why didn't I spend more time in the kitchen with Mama and our cook! I know a little bit about cooking…oh, but he probably does not eat that kind of food anyway! What does he eat, I wonder? Game, I'm sure…and fish probably. I know how to cook fish! I can even catch it! Oh, but he'll want to be the one to do that. The husband always provides for his wife. Does he like vegetables? I'm sure he must, at least some of them anyway. Well…..I will just have to learn what his favorite foods are and how to prepare them! I will make him a good wife and bring everything into his life that he has been missing!'

"Uncas. My beautiful Uncas." Alice whispered softly in order to say his name out loud. Suddenly afraid he might have heard her, she quickly glanced over her shoulder at him and was relieved to discover he had not.


Studying the forest closely as they walked along the deer trail, Uncas scrutinized every tree trunk, every bush, every inch of the woods for as far as his eye could see. He also listened intently for any sound that his keen ears might detect. Wishing that he could keep his eyes on his woman as she walked in front of him and not on the woods that surrounded them, he knew her life and that of his brother's future wife, depended on him remaining alert for any possible danger, and that knowledge was all he needed to keep himself focused on ensuring their safety.

Hearing every sound the forest made, including even the faintest ones, Uncas was surprised to hear his name being spoken and for a split second he thought either his grandfather or Wolf had 'called out' to him, until he recognized the voice was Alice's. From the corner of his eye, he saw her begin to turn around to look at him and he purposely kept his own head turned toward the right as he scanned the trees and undergrowth.

It was only when he saw her face forward again through his peripheral vision that he allowed himself to look at her and, catching a glimpse of the flush of pink on her cheeks and remembering what she had said, a warm smile spread over his face.


Trudging along the deer trail, Cora kept her eyes on the ground in front of her as she followed behind her brother. Having eavesdropped on the earlier conversation between Duncan and Uncas, she had listened closely for any mention of Uncas having a twin brother, but the only brother he had spoken of was the white frontiersman. While she was grateful to Nathaniel for his assistance, she was in no way attracted to him and, although he was Uncas' brother, he definitely was not his identical twin, which both her dream and her mother said he would be. Wanting nothing more than to drop down by the side of the trail and cry, Cora gave a deep sigh and tried to fight off the feeling of despair that threatened to engulf her at the thought that her man did not exist. Unable to help herself, she cast a glance over her shoulder as she looked longingly at Uncas, the despair replaced by guilt when she found herself wishing he was her man instead of Alice's.

'Why does life have to be so cruel?' she thought to herself. 'Alice has found her man, just like her dream and Mama predicted. But where is my warrior? Is he even real? It doesn't seem like there is any way he can be. I so wish he were real, though.' she thought as she turned around to look at Uncas once more.

'I wish he were him!'


Something wasn't right.

Stopping in his tracks, Uncas tilted his head slightly toward one shoulder, listening closely for any sound at all and hearing none. Being very familiar with this particular area of the forest, he knew what sounds he should be hearing but there was nothing. The woods were completely silent. Slowly moving forward with his brow slightly furrowed, he looked to the head of the line for his father and brother but, due to the dense underbrush, he could not see them.

It wasn't until he had moved forward a few feet that a slight breeze carried with it a scent that should not have been present. Coming to a halt, Uncas' body tensed as he sniffed the air and he immediately sprinted past the sisters to where Duncan was walking. Placing his hand on Duncan's arm to stop him, he held a finger against his lips with the other hand in a signal to remain silent. Receiving a nod of confirmation from the officer, Uncas once again looked up the trail for Nathaniel and Chingachgook, but still could not see them. Knowing they also must have smelled what he had and left the path to investigate, Uncas once again placed his finger to his lips and gestured with his other hand for his three companions to follow him.

Cautiously making his way to a place where the forest bordered a clearing, he carefully peered through the leaves of the bush he was crouching behind to make sure it was safe to reveal themselves out in the open. Once he felt confident it was safe, he motioned for Duncan and the sisters to follow him. With a lone blue jay and a distant crow finally breaking the silence, he stepped out into the clearing to a sight that made his blood run cold.

It was the Cameron's cabin….or what was left of it. Reduced to a pile of smoldering rubble with only parts of the outer walls still standing, he stared in shock at the remains of what had once been his sanctuary. Jumping at a sound to his right, he whipped his body around with his musket raised and ready, only to lower it again when he saw Nathaniel and Chingachgook coming over to join him. Sharing the same look of dread with each other, the three men cautiously stepped out into the open, climbing over the split rail fence that bordered the clearing before spreading out as they slowly made their way to the cabin with their muskets held ready, alert for any sudden danger that might still be present.

Entering the clearing as well, Duncan assisted Cora and Alice over the fence as they followed behind the three men. Having also smelled the smoke as they approached the field, they did not recognize it for what it was and were unprepared for the sight that awaited them. Bringing up his musket, Duncan also scanned the surrounding area as he led the two women closer to the scene of the slaughter.

With short breaths escaping her parted lips as she took in the meaning of the smoking cabin, Alice's eyes sought out Uncas for comfort. Seeing him walking toward something white that was lying in the grass, she watched as he knelt down next to what she'd thought was a dead sheep. As she drew closer however, she clamped her hand over her mouth when she discovered to her horror that the 'sheep' was actually the body of a woman wearing a light colored dress. Lying face down with her head turned to the left, a large stain of blood was visible on her collar near the base of her neck, while another darker stain of blood marred the center of her back.

Stopping a few feet away from him, Alice could tell by the pain that was clearly visible on Uncas' face and by the gentle way he felt her neck and squeezed her arm that he knew her. Before she could make a move to go over to him, Uncas stood up and cautiously walked toward the back of the cabin, entering it through a charred doorway.

Joining her sister and brother as they went around to the front of the building, Alice stood next to Cora and watched through an opening in the wall where the logs had collapsed as Uncas slowly wandered through what had once been rooms inside the cabin. Stepping over fallen debris he stopped, and with his arms hanging at his sides, he stared down at something lying on the floor in front of him. Following his line of vision, Alice let out a small cry when she saw the body of a little girl, her tiny soot covered hand still clutching the singed remains of what appeared to have been a rag doll. Nearby, the pant-clad leg of a man stuck out from under a pile of charred logs, and Alice could only assume it was the father. Not far from the man was another small body, only this time it was that of a little boy who was also partially covered by fallen logs.

Turning her attention back to Uncas, Alice saw him swallowing hard as he stepped out of the cabin and joined his father and brother who were kneeling down in front of the ruins while studying something in the dirt. Moving a little closer, she could just make out what they were saying.

"Ottawa, two Francais." said Chingachgook as he traced his finger around a moccasin print on the ground.

"What did you say?" asked Duncan, not quite able to hear what was being said from where he stood.

"Mirrors….tools….the clothes. Everything was inside. They didn't take anything." Uncas stated, leaning on his musket like a crutch to support himself.

"They're movin' fast. They're a war party." Nathanial added as Uncas looked away and rubbed his forehead on the hand holding the barrel of his musket.

Knowing how much his brother loved the Cameron family and how devastated he must be, Nathaniel placed a hand on the back of Uncas' head and held it there for a moment before rising to follow Chingachgook, who had also stood up and started to walk back toward the forest.

"Let us look after them." said Duncan, intending to offer his assistance in burying the dead.

"Leave them!" Chingachgook replied sharply without looking back.

"Whoever they are, though there're strangers, they're at least entitled to a Christian burial. They cannot be left behind." said Cora, shocked that they were expected to leave the bodies of these poor people behind without giving them a proper burial.

"Let us go, Miss." said Nathaniel.

"I will not! I've seen the face of war before, sir, but I've not seen war made upon women and children. Nor most as cruel as your indifference."

Upon hearing her last statement, Nathaniel stopped and turned around, striding back to her with an angry expression on his face. Taken by surprise at his reaction, Cora took several steps backward until he stopped just in front of her.

"Miss Munro, they're not strangers…..and they stay as they lay." Turning his back to her, Nathanial once again began following Chingachgook who was nearing the edge of the clearing.

Coming to Cora's side, Alice watched the two men walk away and realized Uncas had not yet made a move. Looking back, she saw he was still kneeling near the footprint with his head resting on his musket. Wiping away the tears that ran down his cheeks, he slowly made two attempts to rise before finally managing the strength to stand. As he walked past
her she reached out, intending to touch his arm as she started to go to him, but Cora held her back.

"Leave him be, Alice. He knew these people. I know you want to go to him but let him be alone with his grief for a while."

With his eyes straight ahead and his jaw set, Uncas raised his musket and rested it on top of his shoulder as he crossed the field and headed back to the woods. Glancing one more time over their shoulders as they followed the three men, Duncan, Alice and Cora each said a silent prayer to themselves for the dead family they were leaving behind.


Author's Note: In the original version of "Second Chances", I felt there was very little character development and I wanted to take advantage of this rewrite to correct that. One of the characters I particularly wanted to focus on was Chingachgook. While it was obvious in the original story that he did not like Alice one bit and was very upset that Uncas was involved with her, I never explained why. Hopefully this chapter will shed some light on what is going on inside of Chingachgook's head. Quite simply, he is a father who loves his son deeply and is frightened that Uncas is beginning to head down a path of destruction, one that he has seen other men do. Having always had hopes and dreams for his son, it also scares him that Uncas does not seem to want to follow the life path his father always imagined he would. I also wanted to show a little more about who my version of Duncan Heyward is and to also reveal more about what Alice and Cora are thinking.

The next chapter is going to be a very important one to the storyline and I really want to make sure I get it exactly the way I want it.

Once again, I would like to thank everyone who took the time to write a review. It's not easy to write these stories and it is so important to us authors to know how our stories are being received. Thank you, my friends! I am ready to begin working on Chapter 8 and will hopefully have it ready soon. Thanks again everyone! MohawkWoman :)