Chapter 10: An Old Soul

Nathaniel sat exhausted on the cold, hard ground. His back and head slumped weakly against the rough and sticky pine tree that currently acted as his makeshift chair. He shifted his weak and swollen eyes out through the maze of forest trees and underbrush to the cluster of people sitting and dancing around the high burning bonfire. It had been less of an occasion and more of a why not, when the village youths decided to congregate in the center of the village for a bit of celebration. Earlier that day a small hunting party had gone out to secure more winter meat, Nathaniel and Chaska amongst them, and they came upon a traveling family of Yengesse being attacked by a small raiding party and had quickly intervened, saving the entire family along with their wagon and many of their supplies. After which, seeing the shaken state of the entire family, they brought them back to their camp so they might rest for the night without fear of being attacked again and so had begun a night of enjoyment for all. Nathaniel watched from his cloaked position beneath the tree as Chaska and Uncas danced wildly around the fire, both moving in rhythmic unison as they stomped, jumped and swayed back and forth to the beat of the drum. Both shirtless with hair flowing loosely down their backs. He could not help but stare at his little brother. Almost twelve years old now and already more of a man than he felt at that moment. Nathaniel sniffled hard against the tingle in his nose, doing his best to force away the desire to weep once more and said a silent prayer the The Great Spirit for the distraction of the small celebration. As the music, raised voices and abundant laughter had diminished the painful sound of his and Tanda's cries as they had screamed fiercely at one another, only a few hundred feet away.

Nathaniel ran his still shaking left hand through his loose dark hair, pushing his unruly locks up and out of his face. He wrinkled his nose, in a weak attempt to free the frozen tears that stained his cheeks. How could it have gotten to this point, he wondered…how could he have let it get to this point? He felt a sudden movement against his abdomen and glanced down as Tanda's now completely limp body collapsed fully into his own. Sighing to himself, he stretched his right arm further around her chest, steadying her now sleeping form along him, insuring that she would glide no further towards the earth than she already had and stared down at her raven colored hair. Its dark hue tinted subtly with midnight blue streaks as the moonlight above filtered down through the pine needles casting its way across her hair. He peered down further into the side of her face, gently stroking her soft cheek with the back of his palm before running his fingers through her silken strands. Why had this just happened? Nathaniel closed his eyes and rested his cheek upon the top of her head, trying to decipher just how a night that had started out so spirited could have possibly ended in such disarray…

More than half of the village was out on this mild December night, meandering around in close knit groups about the bonfire. The moon was full in the onyx sky above them, its silvery glow filtering down and making their contrasting skin colors sparkle with a pearly sheen. Nathaniel sat upon a long log off to the left of the bonfire, legs outstretched with feet crossed at the ankles and flanked on either side by Pru and Uncas. While sporadically surrounding them were Tanda, Chaska, Tarlo and Pala, each comfortably sprawled along the ground in their own unique way.

"Look what I have!" Tarlo declared as he sneakingly pulled a large glass bottle filled to neck with an amber tinted liquid from the pack he had slung across his back. "You Yengeese call it whisky!"

At the sight of the bottle, Uncas's eyes popped out of their sockets, his head immediately dipped downward and he began ferociously massaging his forehead with his thumb and forefinger. An involuntary response to the memory of the last time he consumed the foul tasting liquid and the massive aftereffect that burned both his body and his soul. Uncas took an uneasy peak past his hand at Pru's weary face, quickly shifting his eyes downward when she caught him sheepishly looking over at her. Uncas's hasty actions eliciting an obnoxious laugh from Nathaniel, who promptly draped one arm around each sibling's shoulder and said, "Ahh, up for a little drink you two?" A mocking comment to which Pru gripped Nathaniel's dangling palm from over her shoulder and forcibly sent his arm flying into the air, while she used her right elbow to jab him in the ribs. His body effectively being forced into Uncas, who quickly shoved against Nathaniel's other side sending him reeling back towards Pru. "Ow!" He yelped, when Pru quickly dropped her body from the log they were sharing onto the ground and watched as Nathaniel lost his balance and went smacking against the logs rough wooden surface.

"Serves you right brother," Pru spat out at him over her shoulder.

"Truly," Uncas concurred.

"What exactly did we miss?" Chaska asked, not trying at all to stifle his laugh at Nathaniel's current state on the log or between the unknown anger of his siblings.

"Nothing. Our brother thinks he's funny is all," Pru answered not wanting to discuss the entire morbid event of their first time drinking copious amounts of whisky.

"Alright then!" Tarlo said, uncorking the bottle and moving it up towards his lips. Though before he was able to take a swig, Chaska yanked the bottle from his grasp and tossed it as far into the forest as his strength would allow. A thin trail of brown liquid spilling from the bottle as it spiraled through the air.

"Why would you do that?" Tarlo angrily demanded of Chaska. Though his sharp tongue quickly receded from its pursuit when he saw the irate look twinkling in Chaska's dark eyes and quickly changed the subject. "What happened this afternoon anyhow?" He asked, shifting his eyes between Nathaniel and Chaska. Nathaniel having finally regained his posture, extended his arm palm up to Chaska , silently ushering him to tell the tale.

"There isn't much to tell. We were out hunting when we came upon a war party and tracked them. We found them just as they were about to attack a family traveling through the woods." Chaska paused, remembering the frightened faces the children as they coward together in the corner of the wagon they had been riding in and instinctively turned his head in the direction of the family, watching briefly as the father conversed in English with Chingachgook. He smiled to himself, happy that not only were he and Nathaniel among to the hunting party as they both spoke English, but also that Chingachgook was here and able to converse with them as well. Chaska shifted his gaze past them, to the children. All three of them cuddled up in their mother's warm embrace. Their young eyes peering around the camp in wonder at their interesting surroundings. He felt the corners of his lips turn up as the youngest girl clapped eyes with him and smiled so widely he thought his heart might stop dead in his chest. Then only a moment later, he felt his heart actually pause as the warm sensation of her touch spread its way up his forearm, through his shoulder and straight down into his chest. Pru had reached out and placed her soft palm on his skin, mostly likely trying to lull him out of his reverie. Though now he found himself momentarily trapped in an even deeper state of fantasy. His heart quickening in his chest and his palms suddenly glazing over with sweat. While Pru's touch was not foreign to him, his body's interesting reaction to it was. He let out the smallest sigh, barely recognizable over the roar of laughter and folly that was echoing all around them, though has he turned his head in her direction he knew that she had heard it. Not because she made a face when his eyes met hers but rather because she did not. All she did was slowly, subtly remove her palm from his arm carefully breaking their brief physical connection. In that moment, Chaska did not know what was worse, hoe he felt when she touched him or how he felt when she removed hand from his skin. He peered silently around at the different faces, taking a moment to collect himself and said, "We made it in time." It was all he could think to say after being jolted back to the conversation by her touch.

Pru diverted her eyes away from Chaska, instead letting the blazing orange and yellows of the bonfire hypnotize her thoughts. She watched as the flames flickered and jumped ferociously within the confines of the stone barrier. Their hot fingers grazing at the cracking wood inside. She had heard Chaska's soft gasp when she delicately touched his arm. An endearment that she had done many times before, though had never received the reaction she had this night. She had often reflected on exactly what her unique relationship to Chaska was. It was clear they had an undeniable connection. Both lost and lonely souls, both wandering the world alone in their younger years, lonely, scared and hiding in the shadows. They shared a kinship that no other person they had met could possibly understand and that kinship had been like a teether joining them together. There was a peacefulness in it, a calm, an ultimate understanding of one another. Though recently Pru found the more she acknowledged her feelings for Martin, the more she was forced to recognize those same type of feelings for her through Chaska's eyes and she would be dishonest with herself if she did not admit that she found Chaska's lingering glances and subtle movements around her somewhat unnerving. She worried at the thought of possibly being the object of his affections, especially if she did not have that same affection to give and what that would mean for their future friendship.

"Pru?"

"Hmm?" Pru hummed, turning her head away from the bonfire.

"I said…Tanda wants to know when we were born!" Nathaniel said with a chuckle, knowing perfectly well that neither one of them had any idea when they were born or truly how old they were, or at least how old he was.

"Ha! Well Uncas was born in the summer, July I believe," Pru said, turning away from the fire and smiling widely at her little brother. Who returned her smile and nodded his head in agreement.

"I know when Uncas was born! I meant you and Nathaniel!" Tanda exclaimed.

"Honestly, we have no idea," Pru said, looking up at Nathaniel for conformation.

"It's true. Nooch has always judged my age by the season he found me and that was in the spring and the Dutch woman who raised Pru always guessed that she was at least a few months old when she came to her, most likely making Pru a snow child like Chaska," He finished by bonking Pru on the nose with his pointer finger. To witch she crinkled up her nose and swatted his long finger playfully away.

"When I have children of my own, I plan to make their birthday's a glorious affair, showering them with treats and presents! And not just mine, but yours as well!" Pru declared looking from Uncas to Nathaniel, then unconsciously to Tanda. Who immediately diverted her eyes down to the ground. Pru cringed slightly as she felt her cheeks flush pink at her inadvertent way of acknowledging Nathaniel and Tanda's relationship.

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips when he saw Tanda's sheepish reaction to Pru's words and quickly decided to put an end to the rumors, to the uncertainty. Nathaniel slid down from log, dropping into a squat in front of Tanda and took her face between his palms gently pulling her towards him. Tanda slowly drifted her eyes upwards. Her careful glance gliding up from the dirt, to Nathaniel's light brown moccasins and slowly skimming their way along the tiny tassels that adorned the side of his buckskin leggings all the way up to his dark blue shirt and the smooth skin that peeked out from beneath the deep V collar of his untucked linen shirt. She dragged her eye along his chin, his lips, his cheek, following the slight curve of his lean nose. Until finally she met his bright blues with her own and gasped softly at the look she saw in them. It was unlike any expression she had ever seen splayed across his face before. A fabulous combination of desire, respect and love, all layered perfectly upon his milky white features.

Nathaniel smiled, the side of his upper lip curling up more and more as the excitement and resolution of the moment coursed rapidly throughout his veins. He shimmied his feet closer to her and before she had a moment to think about what he was about to do, kissed her passionately and for all to see around him. His bold public gesture silently telling the entire village who his heart belonged too. As his mouth pressed gently against her own, his eyes wide open stared into hers, knocking all of the sense from her head. Tanda could not help the growing smile that spread its way across her lips. When Tanda felt like like she might melt right there in the dirt, Nathaniel hesitantly broke away from her and rested his forehead gently against her own. He lightly gripped her elbows, smoothly rose from the ground, bringing her up with him.

"Let's go for a walk," He softly murmured into her ear, promptly taking her right hand in his left and began guiding them away from the festivities and into the woods.

"Where are we going Hawkeye? To The Blanket?"

"No," Nathaniel said, shaking his head for good measure as they walked further and further away from the village. The villages merriment growing smaller, until all that could be seen was the orange glow of the bonfire.

"Then where?" Tanda questioned, gripping onto his forearm with her other hand as she tried to halt him in his tracks.

Nathaniel stopped abruptly and turned his body to face her. He took two quick steps into her space, pressing his body flush against hers. He could feel his heart racing in anticipation, each thunderous beat threatening to break his heart free of his chest. Gently gripping both of her wrists, he began slowly caressing her skin as his fingers made their way up her arms and resting his calloused palms atop both of her shoulders.

"Hawkeye?" Tanda whispered.

Nathaniel took a deep calming breath, gulping down the bout of nerves that had risen within him with each step he had taken to this very spot. He traced the bare skin around her collar bone with his thumb in small circles over and over again as he took a moment to collect his thoughts. He had known for days now what his intentions would be, all that was left was to speak with her about those intentions and with a clear mind and heart after several long moments said, "I want you to be my family. I want you walk beside me, wherever our feet take us. To be beside me through anything that this world might sling at me. Tanda…I want you to be my wife. Now until forever."

Tanda sucked in a deep breath, trying her best to center herself after hearing his words. Words that had encompassed her daydreams each time she stole a sneaky glance at him from across the village. Words that invaded her slumber, making her awaken sweaty and restless and much to her great sadness, alone. Words that should have made her feel elated and somehow in this moment, did not. Tanda suddenly felt a wave of nausea overtake her and she pushed past him, falling to her knees and began painfully coughing.

"Tanda!" Nathaniel yelped as he fell to his knees beside her, quickly grabbing her hair up off her back as he ran his free hand rhythmically up and down her spine. "Are you alright? Is it something you ate?"

At the sound of his concerned voice Tanda broke down in wild tears and forcibly pushed herself off the ground and away from him as she began running at a full sprint back towards the village. She was fast, though not nearly as fast as Nathaniel, who quickly overtook her and gently gripping onto her arm, spun her around to face him. "What was that!" He demanded. His honeyed tone of only a few moments ago now replaced with a pained sadness unlike anything Tanda had ever heard in his voice.

She tried to shake out of his delicate touch, though quickly realized that her efforts were futile as Nathaniel had no intention of letting her go before she answered him. I can't Hawkeye. I can't marry you."

"Why?" Nathaniel demanded.

"You know why!" Tanda hollered back at him.

"No…I don't! Why?" Nathaniel spat out at her, his words laced with a raw anger completely foreign to him.

Tanda pinched her eyes shut at his enraged tone, trying her best to hide from his need to know, to understand her painful reasoning. She could feel the warm glaze of her tears, now flowing freely from her eyes and staining her cheeks in despair. She took a steadying breath, nibbling on her bottom lip as she forced her eyes up towards his, forced herself to look at him. It was what he deserved, the brutal honesty in her voice and eyes. To both see and hear her words straight on. "Hawkeye…I can't ask you to give up a life you love for me…I can't."

"You didn't ask. I want to be with you, not sneak around with you, hiding beneath bushes and surrounded by the cover night.…I love you and I want everyone to know it."

Tanda reached up and caressed his cheek, softly stroking the course skin around his chin and silently thinking to herself that he needed to be shaved again. "It will ruin your life if you join yourself with me."

"No!"

"Hawkeye…you know you will have to move into my family's wigwam. A wigwam I share with my sisters and my mother." Tanda dropped her head down against his chin in resignation and continued, "You will no longer be able to go off and do as you please. Not with your father, Uncas or Pru. You will be shackled to me and my family and that light that I love so dearly in you will diminish…until you no longer see or feel the love we have now between us." Tanda could feel the bitter taste of her sobs as she had unknowingly begun to cry even louder, her mournfulness overwhelming her senses as she leaned completely against his body for support. "And I simply can not bear to see it. To watch helplessly as all the things I love and cherish about you dwindle away until you are no longer you. No…I will not do that. I will not willingly put you through that! I love you too much Hawkeye."

Nathaniel wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulling her fully into his embrace held her tightly to him. One arm supporting her lower back while the other cradled her head in his palm as he gingerly rested it along his shoulder. Nathaniel lifted his eyes towards the stars, watching as lone star shot bravely across the darkness. Was that meant to be a sign? We're the heavens desperately trying to communicate with him? And if so to what end? He breathed in deeply, trying his best to settle himself to this new heartache. In and out, slowly he inhaled the pine tingled midnight air and began lowering both his and Tanda's body down to the ground below. He shifted his weight slightly, allowing himself the small comfort of a nearby pine tree and for the first time since Tanda confessed her thoughts to him, began to openly weep. Their sobs mingling together, just as their souls had.

She was right and he knew it, making her confession all the more raw for him. He would not be happy living with her family, living with her mother. A woman he detested. He thought of Uncas and how he would miss spending day in and day out with him, helping to shape him into the man Nathaniel knew he was already becoming. He thought of his father and how this marriage would effect him. He could not even think of a time when his father was not a constant figure in his memory. Always there, teaching and guiding him, helping him to become the free thinker he was today. And then there was Pru. Was he really ready to separate himself from her, and after only a couple of years? No. He was not. He had thought this would be so simple, get married, have children and just live. Though after hearing Tanda's words, the beautiful life he had envisioned for them both seemed to vanish almost before his eyes.

Nathaniel turned his head away from the ruckus of the festivities once more and peered down at her dark raven hair and whispered to her now sleeping form, "None of what you said changes the the fact that I love you. I love you now, as I will love you always. No matter what happens in our futures, I will always love you Tanda...always."


The following morning's dawn saw not just a pair of grief-stricken lovers but also the farewell of the Yengesse from the Delaware camp. After the conclusion of the evenings lighthearted amusement, everyone had dispersed to their individual wigwams. Chaska having given his own to the needy family, opting instead to sleep in Chingachgook's wigwam as the night had turned frigid. The icy chill even too much for his hot bloodedness to comfortably withstand. They had all gone to sleep late and woken early, just after the sun snuck her first peeks through the evenings twilight, beckoning them all to a new day. Chingachgook had ushered them all up, except Nathaniel. Who having wandered into the wigwam only a few hours before dawn, had wearily gone to lay down on a hide had accidentally plopped himself done on top of his father, waking Chingachgook instantly. Though one look at his son's disheveled appearance told him that whatever had kept him, had not been enjoyable and merely shifted himself over, allowing space for Nathaniel to collapse in. After dozing in and out of sleep for the next couple hours, Chingachgook finally seeing the light peek its way through the hole at the top of the wigwam began quietly waking everyone, so not to disturb Nathaniel, and ushering them all outside to begin helping the Yengeese family with their impending departure.

Uncas had finished securing the last of the supplies the village had given them to help complete their journey east and flung himself effortlessly from of the wagon, easily landing upon both of his feet like an agile cat. Much to the excitement of one of the little Yengesse girls, who looked to be about five or six years old. Uncas smiled widely when the little girl vigorously clapped for his simple action and began walking over towards her.

"Hello little girl. What is your name?" Uncas sweetly asked as he dropped to his knees before her.

The little girl stood a bit straighter and proudly said, "Emily."

"Emily...that's a lovely name. My name is Uncas."

"I know your name, Fox."

Uncas sat back on his heels and wiggled his eyebrows at her. He found it very unlikely that she would know his name, much less its meaning. He had not been with the hunting party that had saved them and was almost certain that no one would have pointed him out to her. Though taking the moment in stride playfully inquired, "Oh you do. How is it you know my name, Emily?"

Emily took a small step towards him, closing the gap between them and gently cupping his chin in her palm. She dipped her head forward almost touching her forehead to his own and stared deep into his onyx eyes. Her emerald green eyes twinkling as she whispered into his face,"If you hesitate...you will lose her forever."

Uncas instantly drew himself back, not knowing what the little girl meant or what had prompted her to say such a strange thing to him. He turned his head to the right, feeling a soft touch upon his shoulder and gazed up dumbfounded at Pru.

"Are you alright brother?"

"Umm..." Was all Uncas could muster after hearing the young girls words. Were they words, he wondered or more of an ominous warning left to linger within his ears.

It was clear to Pru that something was amiss as she looked from Uncas's bewildered expression to the little girl standing serenely in front of him and mirroring her brothers position, dropped down to her knees as well. "Hello sweet girl," Pru said, taking a light hold on the little girls hands and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Are you excited to continue your journey home?"

Emily smiled widely at Pru and gently wiggled her hand free from her grasp. She lifted both palms to Pru's face, softly caressing her cheeks. "You're so beautiful," she said, little tears pricking her eyes as she rolled them around Pru's sun kissed skin features. "I always knew you'd be beautiful, dochter."

Pru's mouth hung agape at the little girls words, as she struggled to comprehend what was happening and stammered out, "What did you just say?"

Emily smiled widely and suddenly leaned forward, her mouth lingering beside Pru's left as she whispered, "Follow the music...it will lead you out of the darkness and back to the light." Emily pulled back from the side of Pru's face, wanting to be certain that she was hearing what she said and very seriously looked into her eyes, "Promise me you will follow the music..."

Pru's breath caught in her throat, not knowing exactly what was happening. She stared stunned at the little girl as she reached out, placing both of her palms on the girl's shoulders and whispered so softly it was almost inaudible. "Anaya?" The little girl merely smiled and rubbed her thumb across Pru's left eyebrow. Though before she was able to answer, the sing song voice of her mother rang through their ears calling her young daughter over to her. To which Emily quickly leaned down, smiling softly at Pru and placed a small kiss on her cheek before turning on her heel and skipping happily away. Leaving a perplexed Uncas and forlorn Pru in her wake.

"What does all of that mean? Who is Anaya?" Uncas asked shifting his body to face Pru.

Pru felt as though she was spinning, her insides shifting in all different directions and she lowered herself completely to the ground as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. She shook her head rapidly back and forth, as though she could not believe what she was about to say. "Anaya is the name of the Dutch woman who raised me," Pru breathed as though she had just been hit in the gut and still staring after the girl finished with, "Uncas, I truly do not know what any of this means brother."


Nathaniel having woke up late, rushed to put himself together so he too could be of assistance to the family as they made ready to leave the village for their home by the ocean. He had just finished checking a wheel that he had noticed on the way to village the day before that had seemed to be having some issues, when the father strode up to him. A long rifle resting awkwardly between both of his arms.

"Excuse me son," he began. " I wanted to thank you again for helping us yesterday. I am certain what the outcome would have been had your group not been there."

Nathaniel smiled shyly, side stepping his feet. He knew the family would have been most likely killed or taken as captives by the raiding party. Which in its own way could have been a fate even worse than death. And while Nathaniel wanted to let the man say his thanks, he also found these types of interactions uncomfortable. He did not or seek them out as he simply truly believed it was his duty to assist those in need. Especially where women and children were concerned. He reached up, gripping the man's right shoulder and said, "You are very welcome, sir. We were all glad to be of assistance to you and your family."

The man nodded his head in appreciation of Nathaniel's words and extended out his arms, showing more clearly the long rifle he cradled in his there. "I want you to have this," he stated.

Nathaniel's eyes widened at the man's gesture and quickly raised a palm saying, "Oh, no sir that's not necessary. It was my honor to help you. I don't need to be rewarded in any way for doing what was right."

The man's smile widened even more as he responded with, "I'm not sure how to say this to you son, but my daughter says that this weapon belongs to you." The man chuckled nervously to himself as he met Nathaniel's eyes and continued with, "Though it has not fired, not once since it has been in my family's possession and despite my having examined it over and over again. Emily insists that it is meant for you and while I know you don't understand this, my family has gotten used to Emily's strange pledges and so Killdeer is now yours." He said placing the weapon in Nathaniel's arms.

"Killdeer?"

"It is inscribed on the handle."

Nathaniel began tracing his fingers along the long smooth black barrel, his eyes rolling over several intricately designed silver stars that adorned the dark metal there. Just like the twinkling stars in the midnight sky. He grazed his fingers further down until he balanced only the curly maple handle in his palms, feeling its weight in his grasp. Then slowly he dragged his thumbs along the perfectly smoothed wooden surface until he felt a slightly sunken pattern carved into a section of the wood and promptly flipped the rifle over and stared at the word that had been meticulously etched into the handle, KILLDEER. Nathaniel lifted his eyes up meeting the man's intent gaze and said, " Truly I can't keep this. It's a hand made piece. You should sell it, even if it doesn't fire...you'll still get a good price for it."

"Emily said it's yours and so it is," the man reiterated and squeezed Nathaniel's shoulder. "Good luck son, " Were his last words to Nathaniel before he turned quickly away to join his family by the wagon and leaving yet another Mohican in a state of unresolved puzzlement.


Nathaniel stood alone deep in the forest. Hours had past since the family left the Delaware camp and he had finally found a free moment to break away from the noise and motion of his day. He was still grappling with what had occurred the night before with Tanda and now this morning with the man and so found himself craving the solitude of the forest. The sky had clouded over and the temperature had dropped considerably, sending an icy chill down his spine. The air was still and he knew that at any moment the sky would open and fluffy white snowflakes would begin to drift down upon him. He had spent only a few minutes after he received the rifle examining it for possible flaws or issues, only to find that nothing appeared to be wrong with the weapon. The strangeness of this causing him to further dwell on why it had never fired. He ran his hands gingerly along the the barrel first, then slowly moved to the elegantly crafted handle, caressing it as if he was cradling his beloved Tanda beneath his palms. Taking acute notice, that it had not even the smallest scratch or dent. Nathaniel shook his head mystified and then rather suddenly swung Killdeer up against his body in firing position, aimed and snapped at the trigger.

The lead ball discharged effortlessly from Killdeer, sending batch of smoke and orange sparks bursting from the rifle as it soared through the air, embedding itself in a barren Oak tree about 30 yards away. Nathaniel lowered the weapon, resting its handle atop a fallen log and stepped out from the cloud of grey smoke that briefly encompassed him. He narrowed his eyes at his target, clearly seeing where the lead ball impacted the tree and allowed the strange sensation that had been creeping up on him finally settle in. His mind suddenly overwhelmed with the man's words from when he first handed the rifle to him and began repeating it over and over again in his mind, "Emily insists it is meant for you..." Nathaniel lifted the weapon up from the ground, once more cradling it in his arms and gazing down at rifle whispered, "Killdeer..."


Author's Note: The title An Old Soul is meant to represent both Tanda and Emily.

In the last chapter, Nathaniel does some very mature inward thinking and comes to the conclusion that he his not a wild child anymore. Not a boy chasing different types of tail, to see what suits his fancy. He is a man in love and decides to make Tanda his bride. And while his intentions are pure and Tanda's love is true, she refuses him because she does not want to see his life change from a life that he loves to one that she is certain will kill his spirit, and certainly at the young age of almost seventeen. ( Since He won't turn seventeen until the spring...maybe cause we just don't know!) While it may appear that they will not marry...they are both very much in love...so you'll have to wait and see were that ends up going!

I threw in a little Chaska and Pru moment...setting the stage for the future. And yes while Martin embraced his feeling for Pru right away...so is it time for Pru to acknowledge her feeling for him as what they truly are...love.

I happen to be a huge fan of all things supernatural...so I threw in this little nugget! Uncas running up the mountain to save Alice never made any sense to me...especially since MM never gave them the story they deserved, so I threw in that little cherry...it is what goes through his mind when he sees Alice being dragged away...and he remembers Emily's words...forcing him to make a very dangerous decision. And off he goes! I'll leave Pru's unexplained...though if you read The Ties That Bind...her ominous warning was about the chapter entitled Serenade.

And finally Nathaniel! I really wanted him to be included in that theme...though instead of a prophecy...he acquired Killdeer. A weapon that was always meant to be his...so much so it never fired until it came into his possession.

A huge thank you to everyone who viewed/reviewed, BlueSaffire, AsterLaurel, BrynnaRaven, ELY72, Evermore22, Hazel222, MohawkWoman, your support is truly what keeps me moving along. Thank you a thousand times!

Thanks for reading ;)