I do not own The Last of the Mohicans.
But I will go hide in a cave with them at this point.
Into The Wild
Shoshin
Alice Munroe, in her red gentlemen's undershirt and her exposed petticoat, her Mohican-made moccasins, and her loosely flowing hair, stands just inside the mouth of the cave in which they have taken refuge.
There is no sun to be seen, the blazing orb still completely obscured by heavy cloud cover.
And the smell of rain hangs heavy in the glooming of the day.
She breathes deep and appreciative.
She loves the smell so.
She has taken leave of the men, feeling confident and adventurous of her own accord.
Picked her careful path from their camp up again to the surface, torch in hand.
Marveling along the way at the formations of rock she had not taken observation of during their initial foray into the womb-like underdark.
The walls and floor and low ceiling surrounding her seem to glow a soft honey-gold in the aloft torchlight.
So beautiful and enchanting and mesmerizing it is, it is almost a disappointment to break the surface of the world again.
But up here there is beauty as well.
The forest beyond the cave lush and green with dripping leaves.
The smell of rich soil, the rain.
And so she stands, torch propped and angled upon a rock so that the light may not sputter out.
And she, as she is ready, may find her way, once more, to her Mohicans.
But for now . . .
Ahhh. . .
. . . she is content.
And then it gets dark, so dark she can barely breathe.
The storm gathers and jagged lightening tears streaks above the treeline.
Thunder rolls ominously throughout the heavens above her, shudders the ground below her feet.
Wind whistling through the forest, the trees, her hollow in the rock.
And then the rain comes pouring down.
Thick, heavy curtains of it.
She feels safe here and so she stands and watches.
So rapt is she and so quiet is he, that when he touches her shoulder, she squelches a surprised yelp only by sheer force of will.
Biting it down into a muffled gasp as she turns and sees him.
Him who has stepped back, quite possibly in anticipation of her swing on the turn.
"Uncas."
And she feels relief, joy and delight at his presence here with her now.
Lightening flashes, abstractly illuminating his handsomely chiseled face.
Thunder crashes close in her deafened ears.
And she is compelled to turn back, behold the display of uncivilized, uncontrolled nature.
One hand stretching out behind her in welcome invitation.
Come to me. Abide with me.
He takes her offered hand and she pulls it around her so he is close.
Slipping strong, warm arms around her waist.
Hers settling atop his.
His front pressed to her back, she can feel his warmth everso much more through the thinner fabric of her loose cotton shirt.
His lower jaw, the side of his mouth and chin a firm welcome press to her temple, the side of her head.
And they watch the power of nature in all her savage glory for a time.
As the storms wears itself down and out, leaving only the persistent torrent of rain, Alice finds herself in a not entirely unpleasant remembrance.
"Do you remember the storm on the journey to the Wall homestead?"
His low rumble an affirmation in her ear and she smiles.
"I was behind you in a hollow. With my sister. You and your father and your brother were protecting us."
She blushes only a bit, not even conscious of doing so.
"I was terrified. But I also became . . . distracted."
Her trust in him so absolute.
"Your hair. I wanted to touch your hair."
As if it has always been.
"I had never seen hair like it before, man or woman. It was so entrancing."
She suspects it will always be.
"I started to reach out. But a lightening strike startled me and I missed."
His arms tighten imperceptibly around her.
"Mmm, so it was you that poked me in the back."
She grins, blush spreading.
"Did you wonder at the time?"
She can feel the slight shake of his head.
"No."
And she only a touch taken aback.
"No?"
The lightest of teases.
"No."
And senses a returning smile.
"I was readying to take hold of you and run if the forest caught fire."
She melts in his embrace then.
Turns her head to the left, tilts it up to his.
Meeting his lips with hers, warm and loving and wanting and right.
Feeling his left hand lift, reach around.
Cup the right side of her face, fingertips grazing, tracing her ear.
Lifting her own hand to caress his strong jawline.
Wanting to kiss him and kiss him.
And continue kissing him.
And she does.
And teases him no more.
Uncas . . .
It does stop raining, on the third day.
The forest world brightens as the chlorophyll of the leaves catch the sun once more.
Beyond that a now cloudless blue sky. Dark thunderheads dissipated in the night.
The storm has past, the danger is gone.
And deep within their rocky hiding place, it is not quite so dark as she had first surmised.
High above their heads, so high it may seem almost a dream of heaven, she sees light.
Filtering down through stalactites, formations dripping, nearly of a melted nature, down into points.
This place, this strange, rocky Eden. The Smoke Hole Caverns of West Virginia, it will one day be known.
Smoke curling up from within, out through those openings in the mountain.
And Alice . . .
"Must we move on already? May we not stay a little longer?"
. . . regrets to travel again quite so soon.
Chingachgook seems to understand the comfort and safety of their new cavern home, the pull of it.
Wanderlust temporarily slaked.
And with only the most practical of concessions . . .
"If we may find game here, we may stay awhile."
. . . he grants her request.
And they do find game.
They trap and they hunt.
Squirrels and rabbit.
Fish from the river.
Forage. Berries and mushrooms. Dandelion and milkweed fruits.
Plantain and sheep sorrel.
And they abide.
Days and nights.
Alice and her Mohican men.
Warm and dry and hidden and snug.
A day or two more.
In their cozy little cave home.
Shoshin-the practice of seeing life with wonder.
Yeah, I thought about going full lightening and thunder passionate sex scene here. It was certainly an enticing thought.
Buuut, I'm not sure if Uncas is really a rough and tumble kind of lover.
Especially not with Daddy so close around. ;)
And that's okay. There will be more time.
Thanks to Nanicherie, AsterLaurel, BryannaRaven (*eases some more scotch over as a reward for so much supportive reading and reviewing, wow*), and DinahRay for previously reviewing, even after all those flying hormones.
Scott Air Pac Guest, ah, now I understand what you meant. It would be great, like Alien or something. Just hopefully working a little better. ;) Thankfully though, our badass superintendent shut down the schools for the children and we will be starting online until, and I quote, "The principals and teachers feel safe enough to open the schools up". (Seriously, wow. I can't even. So grateful to have a superintendent so dedicated to the safety of the teachers and staff and children and the children's families.)
Anyway, see you again soon! (There's something else we've haven't quite addressed yet. Well, lots. But we'll get there.)
:D