Dead Girl Walking

Chingachgook watched in silence as Anna traced her fingers over the welts in her neck where the rope had rubbed her skin raw. They had walked about five miles until they reached the small creekbed; a rendezvous point he had chosen for Hawkeye and Uncas to meet him when the night was over. As Anna drank some water from the creek, Chingachgook went to hunt for some food and came back with a dead rabbit. Anna had stared at him numbly as he cut up the meat and held a raw piece out for her to take. He'd done so himself enough times to know a little wouldn't hurt and the protein would provide enough energy to get her back to the Delaware village. She gagged and choked down the first mouthful, then closed her eyes and ate everything he gave to her.

"Chingachgook..." Anna started as she raised her head to look at him. "Tell Uncas and Hawkeye that you found me in the woods, that I was lost...tell them anything but the truth. I want to forget...what those devils...did to me. I just want to forget it all. Promise me Chingachgook that you will never speak of what you saw."

"Anna, did they...did they force themselves on you?" Chingachgook struggled to contain his rage as the darkest thoughts of what she must have suffered at the hands of these men plagued his mind. Anna shook her head as he clasped a hand around the hilt of his dagger prepared to go back and slaughter each man.

"One of them tried.. but he didn't. The white man beat him" she murmured.

"Anna..." Chingachgook started but she met his gaze, eyes brimming with tears.

"Please don't tell them. I just want to pretend it never happened. I'm so sorry for running away Chingachgook. Please... just let me forget" Anna broke down and Chingachgook held her firm in his arms. "Just let me forget..."

"I'll be damned" Hawkeye said under his breath as Uncas took off at a run at the sight of Anna sitting on the ground with their father.

"Anna!" Uncas called out and her head jerked up, eyes wide as she looked to Chingachgook for reassurance as he stood.

"She is safe, my son" he called raising a hand for Uncas to stay back. "She is very weak and needs to rest. But know that she is here with us now."

"What the hell were you playin' at woman...runnin' off like that?" Hawkeye almost shouted as he approached and Anna turned her face away. "Me and Uncas jus' spent near a full day climbin' up and down rocks..almost breakin' our necks lookin' for you - "

"Leave her be" Chingachgook warned and Hawkeye hesitated, the muscles in his jaw twitching as he met his father's stare.

"Where did you find her?" Uncas asked, his gaze still fixed on Anna as she stared at the broken twigs on the ground.

"About six miles back west. She said she meant to head back towards the settlement we passed through a few miles from the river...but she got lost" Chingachgook lied and Anna felt a surge of relief wash over her as she closed her eyes for a moment.

"We thought someone had taken you or worse.. you were dead! Why'd you run off?"

"I'm sorry" Anna said cowed as she climbed onto her feet with trembling legs. "It was careless and dangerous... I realise that now."

"Damn right you should be sorry you empty-headed woman!" Hawkeye bit and Anna's face flushed red. "I knew you couldn't put aside your ignorance."

"I can't just change like you want me to Nathaniel!"

"Change? You're a damn hypocrite.. tellin' yourself you're angry for what happened to your folks and blamin' every Indian you meet for the injustices of one tribe when you'll gladly accept the help of my Pa when it suits you! We looked after you and you took off like we were a bunch of savages! My Pa is too good a man to speak his true mind an' my brother's blinded by what he wants... but I ain't them Anna. I should have let that fool on the road take you back to the Fort."

"My white son did not mean those words" Chingachgook murmured as he walked beside Anna.

"He hates me and he has every reason to" she said numbly. "I looked down on you all, called you dirty Indians. You should have just left me - "

"My white daughter will not become a martyr" Chingachgook stated as he forced her to halt for a moment. "You must be strong and put aside your old life. This is a new life Anna. One you will make with Uncas if you choose him."

Chingachgook watched as she met his gaze steadily and cast his mind back to the night Uncas had approached him with the subject of taking Anna for a wife. He had been shocked at first but it had not come a complete surprise for him for he noted the way his son had watched her. The year before they had stayed with the Delaware Indians and there had been a woman, Lomasi, they had become acquainted with. Uncas had grown fond of Lomasi as she was kind and comely, Chingachgook ached for grandchildren of his own and had hoped Uncas would settle with her but he had not shown any interest of doing so.

"I know she is not the wife you would have chosen for me father but Anna would bring me much happiness" Uncas said.

"And what of her happiness Uncas..she is not one of our women, she is not used to our ways" Chingachgook countered.

"But if she chooses me?"

"Then you will have my blessing... and I hope you will produce many children.. I have waited long enough to be a grandfather" Chingachgook laughed.

"You're forgettin' she's white. Any children you have will be half-breeds. That really what you want Uncas?" Hawkeye said bluntly.

"I don't care about that" Uncas said, his voice taking a sharp edge.

"Yeah well other people do. The whites wouldn't look upon this with kind eyes. An Indian and a white woman? Anna might be pleasant to look at but she ain't exactly reasonable. I say your gettin' yourself in a whole lot of bother for nothin'...they ain't much chance she'd agree anyways" Hawkeye stated.

"Uncas deserves better...he may not see it now but one day he will meet the woman he was meant to be with and when he does.. she will make him forget that he ever cared for me" Anna murmured and Chingachgook hesitated as he watched her walk on ahead alone. He could sense she had already given up. The fire that once burned in her was gone. Anna was damaged...fragile...changed. And he did not know if there was a way to bring her back from that.