Chapter 4: A Flower in The Forest
"Right there Nathaniel." Chingachgook pointed to the spot to Pru's right. He watched as Nathaniel sauntered over, plopping himself down cross-legged in the spot he had been directed to. Then placing both of his palms on Uncas's shoulders, he guided him over to Pru's left. Gently he pushed down on his young son's body, in way of ushering him to sit. Uncas lowered himself to the ground, curling his body into a similar position as Nathaniel. Chingachgook stepped back, narrowing his eyes at the three of them, suddenly feeling the urge to make this moment as perfect as possible. He walked in a small slow circle behind them, peering around the forest as he went. The sun had set, leaving behind only a faint purplish hue to paint the sky and even that was being overtaken by the dark indigo of twilight. The late October air had turned cooler once more, its frosty sting jabbing against his lungs with each small breath he took. Chingachgook could see the dim misty coloring of his warm breath as it mingled in contrast with the brisk air around him, each smooth exhale appearing like a fading cloud set against the night sky.
He strode slowly around them, gently touching each child atop their head as he passed, briefly trailing his long fingers through each of their soft manes as he went. He looked towards the fire. A small circle of stones nestled the twitching embers within it, yellow and orange flickering hotly against the bundle of brown kindling that was piled high in the center of the twisting flames. Chingachgook grunted softly, satisfied with the ambiance that he had created and took his seat across the fire opposite Pru. After taking a deep breath, he turned away from the children and began sifting through his worn and nearly tattered travel bag and pulling from it the heavy blue woven blanket that his loving wife had sewn for him, his long and intricately carved wooden pipe, and a small fawn colored leather pouch. He began carefully placing all three items in a row between himself and Uncas. Once more satisfied, Chingachgook lifted his head, taking a moment to peer into each of his sons eyes before resting his steady gaze on Pru and softly saying, "It is time."
Chingachgook swallowed hard as a nervous anticipation coursed through his veins. While knowing he wanted this moment to be shared just with his family, he found himself having a slight pang of regret that Sampson and Martin were not there to bear witness to this important event. Especially as he understood exactly what type of impact they had both had on Prudence's life. It had been three days since they said farewell to their dear friends and he felt the weight of their absence in a way he never had before. Chingachgook allowed his eyes to fall shut for the smallest of moments and watched as heir last goodbye played silently against his eyelids...
Goodbyes between these two families had always been smooth, a simple handshake or hug being all that needed to transpire between the five males, though this time had proved different. Pru had unknowingly made it different. Chingachgook had watched as Pru having already said her thank yous and farewells, turned after walking halfway across the glade and went running back, right into Sampson's open arms. He watching as Sampson cradled her head, tangling his fingers in her dark brown hair and rubbing his thumbs in calming circles across her scalp. "Ah…sweet girl. We are always here for you, as this is now your home as well." Sampson had said, trying his best to calm her. Pru sniffled into Sampson's shirt, streaking the white linen with her fallen tears. Chingachgook watched her struggle, as she tried to take several deep breaths, forcing herself into a state of quiet. When her back finally stilled, she titled her head sideways, rolling her tear stained cheeks across Sampson's chest and peered into Martin's springtime eyes. Releasing her one arm around Sampson's waist, Pru reached out and gripped tightly to Martin's palm, her thin fingers squeezing his soft skin with all of her might and hoping that her small gesture would be understood for what it was, a silent declaration of I will miss you.
"Prudence?"
Pru turned her head to the sound of Chingachgook's soft voice in the glade, nodding slightly as she knew she must now really leave them.
Sampson gently pulled her away from his chest, cupping her cheeks in his hands and said, "We will be waiting for your return."
Pru smiled widely up at him, her blue eyes brilliant against her newly reddened eyelids and said, "Goodbye Vader." Sampson narrowed his eyes at her, curious what she had just referred to him as and smiling softly down at her, stepped aside so she might say one more goodbye to Martin.
Pru tugged on her shirt, Martin's shirt; everyone had thought it would be better for her to dress as boy. Pru ended up wearing one of Martin's perfectly tailored shirts, a pair of his old trousers and because Martin refused to give her his old worn boots, his newly purchased and polished black riding boots. Pru bunched the maroon fabric in her fists as she shifted closer towards him, inching slowly until she found herself directly in front of him. Having already released his hand, the two children stood silently, staring unblinkingly at one another, both unable to speak of the finality of goodbyes or farewells.
"Prudence?"
The sound of Chingachgook's voice filtered through her ears once more, though still she did not move. Until finally she heard the shuffling of moccasins along the grass. With the urgency of the moment pressing against her, Pru swiftly reached up, grabbed ahold of Martin's shoulders and planted a quick, yet soft kiss on his cheek. Then just as abruptly she turned around and half hopped, half stumbled down the porch steps and over to Chingachgook. He wrapped his long arm around her shoulder and with a whisper of a smile and a slight head nod towards Sampson, began slowly leading her away back towards Nathaniel and Uncas, both of whom waited patiently in the very spot they stood when Pru first left their sides. Nathaniel smiled reassuringly at Pru as she approached them, then turned to face the forest once more and began shepherding them out of the glade. Uncas waited until his father and Pru made their way next to him. Understanding this was difficult for her, Uncas reached out for her hand and gently laced his little fingers with her own. Pru paused a moment, stilling both herself and Uncas in their spot and feeling as though she might once more run back to Sampson and Martin. Then as she felt a light reassuring squeeze of her hand, smiled softly at Uncas and without looking back, began walking casually towards the tree line, their arms swinging lightly as they went.
"Close your eyes." Chingachgook said, to no one in particular and all of them at once, returning to the moment at hand.
He waited and watched as all three of them slowly began to flutter their eyes shut. Uncas was first, always trusting unconditionally; almost the moment the words left his mouth, Chingachgook watched as his blood born son immediately closed his eyes. Witnessing once again Uncas's unconditional faith, Chingachgook found himself wanting to reach out and caress his son's head. Uncas reminded him so much of his mother. The shape of his eyes, the width of his smile and the way he reached out and both physically and emotionally touched people. He thought of the way Uncas had consoled Pru in the forest. How he laid in silence beside her as she wept, knowing just the right moment to reach out and comfortingly caress her cheek. It was his wife he was seeing in that moment, for her empathy and kindheartedness ran through Uncas's veins just as his blood did. He could not have asked for a better gift than to see so much of his beloved wife in his son. Chingachgook sighed deeply, his features softening as the image of his wife lingered in his mind.
Reluctantly pulling his eyes away from his blood son, Chingachgook next looked towards Nathaniel and caught him as he quickly shut his eyes. Chingachgook stifled a laugh knowing his white son had kept them open until he saw his head begin to swivel his way. He shook his head back and forth at his son's usual push of the rules. It was inherently who he was. If he had told Nathaniel to go to sleep, Nathaniel would have used his fingers to pry his eyelids apart, no matter how exhausted he truly was. He was a quick witted, fast paced, limit pushing boy. A boy very much on the brink of becoming a man. A man, Chingachgook knew, who was destined to become a brave warrior, a loyal friend and above all, a beloved brother to his two younger siblings.
Lastly, his glance fell upon Prudence. She was staring directly at him, having made no move at all to close her eyes. Chingachgook took a deep breath and held her questioning gaze. It was hard for her, he knew, following his directions with absolute trust after having been alone for such a long time. Having only herself to rely upon had taken its toll on her. Chingachgook knew he would need to be patient with her. Knew she would need time. Time to adjust to being loved by a family. Time to understand these new feelings of being cherished as a sister and daughter. Saying the words, father or nooch was just that, words. Not a feeling, not a warmth that spreads through your body setting ones soul ablaze with love. Though he would show her; they all would show her. No matter how long it took, because now all they would have is time.
As Chingachgook continued to hold Prudence's questioning gaze, the small fire between them sizzled and cracked, its yellowish orange flames kneading their hot fingers against the neatly placed timber. Another loud snap from the fire echoed through the forest. The ear splitting sound of wood cracking further against the silence of their surroundings forced both Nathaniel and Uncas' eyes wide open. The two quickly realized they had unknowing entered into some type of voiceless conversation and began silently shifting their stare between their father and Pru.
"Are you ready to begin, Prudence?" Chingachgook asked, his voice soft and steady while keeping his eyes fixed on Prudence.
Pru fiddled nervously with the hem of Martin's shirt. She held Chingachgook's warm eyes in her stare, desperately using them as an anchor to the present as she felt her mind slowly wander elsewhere. Pru bit down lightly on her lower lip, a physical reaction to to drifting thoughts. Sitting there on the brink of joining a new family had her thinking of one long forgotten, and without shifting her gaze, Pru sighed and said, "I need to know."
Chingachgook furrowed his brows at her, somehow knowing exactly to what she was referring. Other than to tell his wife and Sampson, Chingachgook had remained silent on that fateful day thirteen years ago. Not even Nathaniel knew the details of how he was found those many years ago. Grunting lightly to himself Chingachgook thought that perhaps it was time and breathed deeply in through his nose, the brisk air clearing a way for his memories. Then still holding her unwavering stare he began, "It was a pleasant spring day thirteen years ago…
…I was trapping through the forest near the south end of the valley, when a thick cloud of black smoke began billowing above the tree line, polluting the blue sky with ash and soot. It looked like the delicate arm of a woman as she stretched her fingers upwards towards the sun." Chingachgook paused, as the memories began flooding his mind like a ruptured dam. "I had smelled smoke in the air well before the sight of it became apparent and was already making my way down the ridge in its direction. As I approached the clearing where the smoke was emanating from, I heard loud voices arguing in a foreign tongue. I know now that that language was French. There were two men just past the tree line, both of them motioning towards a specific spot to my left. I tried following their eyes, but was not able to see anything through the forest's underbrush. So I crept, low to the ground, in the direction that they were motioning. It took me several moments but then I saw him. A little boy waddling in small circles, only a few feet into the forest. He was wearing a long white linen nightshirt, the bottom hem and back of which was covered in a slate grey residue. His face was a blotchy red from what I can only assume was hours of wailing. His cheeks were stained with ash, leaving only a few thin lines from where his tears had fallen to show the white of his skin. I purposely stepped on a twig, snapping it half, hoping he would hear me, and he did. His little body turned instantly towards me, and I thought for a moment he might cry or run from me, though he did not. He stood staring up at me with his brilliant blue eyes. Eyes a color like I had never seen before. An almost unimaginable blue, unlike any river or sky I had ever known." Chingachgook paused and for the first time since he held Prudence's stare, shifted his eyes towards Nathaniel. The troubled expression on his face made Chingachgook's heart collapse in his chest, especially knowing it was his words causing it. He wanted go to Nathaniel, to take him in his arms and erase the sorrow that had painted its way across his young features. Then just when he thought he might, Pru's voice cut through the silence.
"Please...please continue."
Her soft plea forced Chingachgook's face away from Nathaniel's and back towards hers. "I softened my features, not wanting him to fear me. Then all of a sudden, he barreled towards me, his little feet catching on his nightshirt, and tumbled into to my arms. I cradled him to my chest and he wrapped both his little legs and chubby arms around me." Chingachgook paused, turning his head to face Nathaniel and continued, "I was stunned that he would choose me, an Indian over the two white men who now stood silently a mere twenty feet away from us. I remember peering over his shoulder, making eye contact with one of the men. Both of them shied away from my glance, until one pointed towards Nathaniel and simply said, 'Yours'. I had no idea what they had said, but quickly realized what they could have meant when they turned on her heal and began to wander off and away from us, happy to be rid of the possible burden that they now found themselves relieved of." Chingachgook let his eyes briefly shut to the memory, before opening them once more and continuing, "I watched them walk off, making certain that they were well away from us, then rose to my feet. I placed Nathaniel on my hip and made my way into the clearing. Deciding to circle the property first, I cautiously began walking around the cabin and was instantly stilled when I saw…" Chingachgook suddenly trailed off, knowing what happened next in his recollection. He calmly sucked in his breath, shifting his eyes between Nathaniel and Pru and reluctantly continued, "When I saw, who I assume to have been your mother. She lay still on her belly, her entire back from her head to halfway down her legs was scorched from the flames that had once engulfed her body. Her head was tilted out with her chin slightly raised. Her eyes were still open, peering out at some unknown element off in the distance. I buried Nathaniel's face in my chest, doing my best to shield him from any further sight of his now deceased family and continued on my path."
"What do you think she was looking at?" Nathaniel questioned, not being able to let the moment pass without knowing.
Chingachgook parted his lips to speak, though before he was able, Pru's delicate voice rang out. "She was looking at you, Nathaniel." Pru turned her head away from Chingachgiook, focusing her eyes on her blood brother who, at the sound of her voice, had already swiveled his head in her direction.
"Why would you say that?"
"She wasn't there when the cabin caught fire. Maybe she was collecting berries to make a pie or simply taking a moment to see to her personal needs. But she wasn't there for the beginning of our family's end. She saw it from a distance...the cabin on fire... and immediately ran charging into it. She must have been so frightened, seeing her family like that." Pru's eyes shifted aimlessly towards the ground as she pictured her mother heroically running into their burning cabin to save her family. She steadied her breath and tried blinking away the burn that that had begun creeping up into her eyes. She swallowed shakily as she lifted her eyes back to Nathaniel's. Brother and sister were locked in a space and time where they were the only two who seemed to exist. "She heard our cries. The wails of her only two surviving children. By this point the cabin was engulfed in flames and she needed to make a choice. Her infant daughter or her two year old son." At this Nathaniel and Pru both reached out their arms towards one another, gripping tightly to one another's fingers. "She chose you. Her son. Her blue eyed boy." Squeezing Nathaniel's hand tighter and through a croaked voice continued, "I would have chosen you too. You were two years old. Old enough to understand pain and fear. I was an infant. Too young to know what was happening." Gulping back tears she continued, "She grabbed you swiftly, accidentally turning her body into a flame engulfed part of the cabin, setting her dress ablaze and ran as fast as she could into the clearing around her now destroyed home. She fell to her knees, placing you carefully on the grass and after kissing your head and swatting your bottom, she sent you off away from the cabin. No longer able to take the pain of the flames, she lowered herself into the grass and watching as her son brambled off into the distance. Holding you in stare until the very moment of her death." Pru finished breathlessly as the concocted images she played with in her mind fluttered away into nothingness.
Nathaniel blinked his eyes rapidly at her striking descriptions and began sliding his entire body over towards her, until they were hip to hip. With his left hand still clutched tightly to her right, he lifted his other palm to her cheek and pulled their foreheads together, whispering, "Her mind was racing as she tried to push herself off of the grass. Fighting against the pain with every small twitch of her muscles. She tried with all her might so she could run back into her burning cabin and save her infant daughter. But the pain was just too great and realizing she could no longer help either of her children she let her body fall helplessly into the grass. The realization that this was her end forced her eyes open and she watched me from her hallow grave in the grass while the sound of her daughter's cries echoed through her ears one last time." Pru curled herself further into his body, his words ricocheting through her mind as she felt both his arms wrap tightly around her body. Brother and sister had no way of knowing what could have happened, only that the end result of that fateful day had been the same. Nathaniel had gone on to live with Chingachgook and Pru had vanished, leaving them separated from one another until a mere few weeks ago when their worlds had finally collided once again.
Chingachgook diverted his eyes away from Nathaniel and Pru as they embraced, feeling somehow that this was their private moment, their moment of deliverance, and so drifted his stare towards the flickering flames of the small fire. Its brightness engulfed the black of his eyes as the rest of the memory filtered through his mind. He felt his whole body go still and found that he could not move or even breath in that moment. He remembered scouring the cabin, rustling through everything he could. Anything that was moveable he moved, and still he never saw her. Never heard her. Because she was not there. He remembered kicking a large piece of fallen timber away from the corner that it blocked, determined to examine every inch that he could and finding a partially broken cradle. Its wooden body had been knocked onto its side, slightly crippled by the impact of the roof collapse just beside it. He remembered shifting Nathaniel higher on his hip, assuming that it had been his cradle, and continued in his search for survivors. Chingachgook sighed, as he ran his hand across the top of head. He face falling once more as he thought of the devastating life that Pru had lived.
"It's alright. Don't be sad." Pru swallowed hard, letting her tears fall freely for the first time in her life. Still curling further into Nathaniel's embrace, she peeked over his shoulder into Chingachgook's soft brown eyes. "You were never meant to find me in our family's burnt out cabin. You were always meant to find me that night in the forest. You came upon me when I needed you the most. When I needed you desperately." Pru took a deep breath, the delicate features of her face glistening in the firelight and finished with, "That was the moment that was always intended for us."
Chingachgook lifted his eyes away from the fire and back to Pru's, watching as Nathaniel cradled her in his arms. Watching as Pru shifted her body slightly, extending her hand out to Uncas, who silently scurried into their shared embrace. Chingachgook looked on them, rolling his eyes between each of their youthful faces. This is as it should be, he thought. This is as The Great Spirit had always meant for it to be. Then as he took in their young faces once more said, "Let us begin."
Reluctantly all three children separated from each other, both boys moving back into their original positions, legs crossed, each with a small leather pouch in their lap. Chingachgook began chanting softly in Mohican as he rose from the forest floor and slowly walked over towards Prudence. Opening wide his blue woolen blanket, he draped it gently around her shoulders. "This blanket represents my love and warmth. I envelop you in it. Pru glanced up at him with wide blue eyes, gently pulling the blanket further around her. He gave her shoulders a slight squeeze and made his way back to his original spot. He next picked up his pipe, putting it to his lips and leaning into the small fire. He sucked in deeply, as thin grey wisps of smoke began to slowly filter out. He rolled back into a seated position and said, "This pipe is a conduit for the joining of our family. All four of our lips to taste the pipe. All four of our lungs to breath in its vapor." He took a deep inhale, holding it tightly in his lungs before he blew it out in a wild swirl of pearly grey. He next took his hand and wafted the mist overtop his face and head, allowing the smoke to fully encompass all of his senses. He then passed the pipe towards Nathaniel and oldest to youngest, each child did similarly until the pipe was once more in the hands of Chingachgook, who placed it neatly beside him. "Finally…" He said and taking the small leather pouch into his hands as he rose to his feet. "We each have a small gift to give to you. A welcoming into our family." He walked around the fire, dropping into a squat beside her and gently taking her hand in his. Chingachook stared into her eyes as he pulled from the pouch a small gold bangle bracelet with a tiny amethyst stone set into the middle. He pushed the sleeve of her shirt up and placed the bracelet upon her wrist. "This belonged to my wife. It was a gift I had given to her on the day of our marriage. She used to twist it endlessly around her wrist, always saying how one day it would grace the wrist of our beloved daughter." With one hand still holding Pru's wrist, Chingachgook cupped the side of her face, bringing his lips to her forehead and said, "And now it has."
Pru swiveled her body around, embracing him with all of her might. Chingachgook gently wrapped his arms around her back, resting his chin atop her head and said, "Uncas." After gingerly releasing his new daughter, Chingachgook stepped slightly back making room for his youngest son.
Uncas moved towards her, positioning himself to her left and taking the same wrist that now had a gold bangle dangling from it, turned her hand palm up and laid it in his lap. He fiddled with the pouch, carefully puling the strings apart, until he was able to easily pull a small white feather out from within in. Uncas turned his head to face her and said, "This was given to me by our grandfather on the day of my birth. The color white is meant to remind us that all of our emotions are valid and that it is natural to feel them all. I hope that you wear it and always know that your family is here to share in them with you." Uncas reached up, separating a small section of Pru's hair and began making a thin braid, his small fingers swiftly making their way down her hair. Finally, tying off the end of the braid with a thin leather strip, of which the white feather dangled gracefully from.
When Uncas was finished, Pru reached up, running her thumb and forefinger along her hair and all the way down until she gently fingered the small white feather at the end. A soft small smile played across her lips and she breathed, "Thank you Uncas." Uncas leaned forward, kissing her on her cheek before releasing her to a patiently waiting Nathaniel.
Pru watched as his body slid across the ground, until he was directly next to her. Gently he placed his hands on her knees and began turning her whole body to face him. When they were finally eye to eye, knee to knee, he too drew forth his own leather pouch. Though instead of him opening it and showing her, Nathaniel took her right palm in his and placed the leather pouch into her hand, curling her fingers around it. Pru could hear a strange noise coming from the pouch as it moved gingerly within her grasp. Almost like two little rocks being banged softly together. "Open it," he said.
Pru forced her eyes away from Nathaniel and began unknotting the leather strip. When it was loose enough to fit her fingers in, Pru wiggled them into the pouch, feeling something smooth and cool to the touch. She gripped onto a small handle and carefully tugged the object from the pouch. Her mouth fell agape and her eyes began to prickle with new tears. She held in her hand a silver infant rattle. It was small, no bigger than her palm and when she shock it, the soft sound of its innards collided, echoing throughout their ears. "Turn it around," Nathaniel said, and Pru did as directed. The motion revealed a beautifully engraved letter P inscribed in Old English style lettering. Pru instantly lifted her eyes to Nathaniel's. "I was holding it when Nooch found me." He reached over, tracing the P with his forefinger. "Could that P mean Poe…it could." Nathaniel opened his palm placing it outstretched on top of Pru's, the rattle resting between their skin. "It could also mean Prudence." He finished and leaned his forehead against her own.
Pru nuzzled her head against his, the tips of their noses touching. This was no longer a dream. A dream that she might one day awake from. A dream she would one day, when alone once more, regret having ever had. This was her reality, her life…her family. And in this moment, she felt whole.
Author's Note: This chapter was a little heavy...but it needed to happen so we can move forward. The sections where Pru and Nathaniel speak about what their mother did at the cabin...of course neither of them know what could have happened. Pru got lost in her own thoughts when she started describing the scene. It was the way she would have handled it should she ever be faced with such an impossible choice. Nathaniel's conclusion to her story was his way of making her know that though their mother might have saved him...Pru was still in her thoughts as she died.
I could not let this chapter pass without a little taste of Sampson and Martin. What Pru refers to Sampson...well anyone that ever watched Star Wars might know what it means! She does speak Dutch after all...and Vader is the Dutch word for #$%^* Her using that word, speaks to just how much she already adores him.
I wanted there to be some type of adoption of Pru. Something formal so when they reach the Delaware camp, there is absolutely no disputing, not only her relationship to Nathaniel but to Chingachgook as well. And the gifts they each give her...I wanted them to represent something deeply personal for each giver. So I hope they all come across like that ;)
Also...if you are looking for a visual on Pru, this one took me a loooooong time to come up with and though she is not a perfect match for Nathaniel, I see Pru looking like a young Jennifer Connolly...with bright blue eyes ;)
A HUGE thank you to AsterLaurel, BlueSaffire, MohawkWoman, ELY72, BrynnaRaven for your support and your general amazingness! It is what keeps me moving! Each one of you has been an absolutely incredible force in my writing! Especially when I want to rip my hair out from writer's block...Thank you friends!
As always, reviews are welcome ;)
Up next ... the Delaware camp!
Thanks for reading ;)
