''Thank you.'' Mariah whispered,her voice muffled by the sound of the waterfall.

Uncas, who was now sitting down with his back against the slippery rocks with Mariah in-between his legs, tightened his arms around her in response.

The act wasn't dirty in any way. It was an act of comfort and affection,yet it didn't make her worries go away.

''If we manage to escape this nightmare... What is going to happen to us?'' Mariah asked looking up at him.

Lowering his gaze he looked at her straight in the eye. ''What do you want to happen?''

Mariah was not expecting the question and her mouth opened and closed before she was able to form a coherent sentence.

''I...I don't know.'' She answered him honestly but immediately regreted it when she saw hurt flicker in his eyes.

Uncas let his arms drop to his sides.

''I see.'' He said and gently pushed her forward. Taking hold of his tomahawk he moved away and positioned himself a couple feet away from her.

Mariah reached up to stop him but he was too fast,making her grasp at thin air. She felt a pang of pain in her chest and a sickening feeling in her stomach.

''I didn't mean it like that. I want... I want to be with you but it will be challenging and we both know that. How can we be certain that we will manage? Regardless of where I grew up I'm still white and you are still an Indian. What will your father say?''

It was rare for Uncas to show any sign of anger so when he spoke,irritation evident in his voice,he shocked her once again.

''Is that what you think of me? That I spent all this time with you just to give you up because my father won't approve?''

''That is not what-'' She tried to reason with him but it was clear that her hesitation had hurt him.

''I respect my father and I value his opinion but if I wasn't going to follow the path I want but the path he wants for me then I would not be here right now.''

Mariah had many things she wanted to say but she did not dare speak them. She knew he was right. He wasn't playing tricks nor was he seeking to take advantage of her then leave.

''I want to be with you. It's not you that I doubt it's me. I am not good when it comes to matters of the heart.''

Uncas stared at her for a moment and was about to say something when sudden voices drew their attention.

Narrowing his eyes, he looked to his left and stiffened at the sight. Magua and his warriors had found them.

He sprang up to his feet, forcing Mariah to stand up as well.

''They are here.''

He knew he did not need to tell her twice in order to make her understand. Letting go of her completely he began climbing down the rocks with Mariah following swiftly behind.

The moment they were in sight of the others,they all rose from their sitting positions as father and sons exchanged knowing looks.

Chingachgook and Nathaniel spoke loudly in their native language but Cora stepped in,understanding what their conversation was about.

''Yes. Go ahead.'' She said grasping Nathaniel's arm.

Major Heyward's angry voice boomed at her words. ''What the bloody hell plan is that?''

''If we go there's a chance that there won't be a fight. There's no powder left, if we don't go then there's no chance,none! Do you understand?'' Nathaniel said to Cora. It was the only plan they had at the moment and yet he did not feel like it was the right thing to do.

''Coward!'' Duncan yelled and Cora had to use all her strength and grip Nathaniel's arm to prevent him from going anywhere near him. This was not the time for quarrels.

''You've done everything you could do save yourself! Even if only one of us survives then something of the other will too.''

''No, you stay alive! If they don't kill you they will take you to Huron land. You submit okay? You're strong. Stay alive no matter what! I will find you.''

The power Nathaniel words held made Cora tear up. It was a rare thing to find a love so strong among these kind of circumstances and she felt truly blessed to be one of the lucky ones.

Nathaniel moved away and gathered his belongings,glancing briefly behind him seeing the flame of the Huron's torches illuminating the dark cave.

Turning around he stopped and looked at Cora with determined eyes as if silently promising her that he will return.

Clenching his jaw he ran past her,following behind his father and brother and quickly jumping off the edge of the waterfall. Cora blinked away the tears in her eyes and turned around opening her arms for her sister who did not hesitate to approach her.

Mariah wrapped her arms around the wounded soldier helping him stand. Duncan placed himself protectively in front of them as the Hurons reached them.

Magua pushed past his warriors and towered over the two sisters giving them a look of pure disgust before backing away and yelling something in his native tongue. Several Indians stepped forward and surrounded the small group. Tying up the two sisters and Mariah,two of them grabbed Duncan as another one tied a rope around his neck.

''You can't just leave him behind.'' Mariah said as calmly as possibly to Magua who had left the injured soldier in the far back with obviously no intention of bringing him along.

Without even sparing her a glance he turned around and pulled his knife out of his belt. He forced the man to stand up before stabbing him in the same spot where his injury appeared to be.

Mariah bit her lip to keep herself from screaming.

God how much she hated him. Refusing to meet his eyes she looked down,letting her captors lead them away.


The moment they arrived at the Huron village Mariah felt her stomach drop. These people like all the Indians,had suffered so much in the hands of white men. There was no chance for them to be spared.

Cora was forced on her knees while Duncan and Mariah bowed their heads. Alice looked on in wonder as two women helped an elderly man come down and sit.

He looked tired both physically and emotionally and his eyes gave away years of painful experience with war.

The man and Magua talked in what Mariah thought must be the Huron language. Suddenly,Magua made Cora stand up and the name Munro was spoken making Alice and Duncan raise their heads in wonder.

They were all too preoccupied to notice Nathaniel who had arrived at the village and was walking with a crowd of villagers behind him. Several men ran up to him and one by one hit him and slashed at him with their knives but he did not fight back, instead he just kept moving forward until he reached the gathered Hurons and pushed his way in.

''Nathaniel..'' Cora whispered almost breathlessly when she saw him.

Mariah whipped her head to the side with eyes wide open.

She couldn't believe that he did it.

He actually found them.