Chapter 31: Faces Painted Red with Fury

There was no sound. Not the wind rustling the green leaves in the trees or the birds cawing from high up above as they dove and glided in the blue sky. Only the thundering deafness of silence. The quiet, where your thoughts become lost and your instincts take over, moving and guiding you along as though God or The Great Spirit themself was pushing you further by the tip of their sublime finger. For that is where they were right now, trapped in the quiet.


All Nathaniel could hear was the pounding of his own heart roaring in his ears. The thump, thump, thump growing louder the closer his feet took him to the cabin. His pulse had quickened and he could feel the salty sting of his sweat dripping off his lashes into his eyes with each hurried blink. As his feet lightly pounded against the ground, Nathaniel fought desperately to keep his head focused. His mind is a blurred mix of emotion. He was terrified for his sister and nephews, left utterly alone on the farm to contend with the possibility of a brutal attack. Pru, he knew, would not go quietly. She would fight with everything she had inside her. Unless…NO! He would not even think about it. Instead, he let his mind ruminate on his disbelief that that girl would have led them here. Led them to his precious family. His family. And then he realized the last time he ran like this Tanda had been beside him. His heart plummeted into his belly and he nearly growled from the pain of it. Not this time, this time would be different.

Even with the force of his running, Martin did his best to take slow deep breaths. Especially when his lungs begged for quick shallow ones, breaths he knew would lead him to hyperventilate and simultaneously derailing the focus he so desperately needed at that moment. It was essential he got to them, essential that he held them in his arms and laughed at his overreaction. He needed Pru to swat at his chest and tell him how silly he was for thinking their end was imminent. Because how could that be so? They had only just started their lives together. Only just began creating their family. They were going to be married soon. What kind of cruel god would take all that joy from him now, before he had truly had the chance to relish in it? He almost laughed to himself thinking how it could not possibly be so when a blast ricocheted through his ears. "Nooooooo!" Martin screamed as he burst through the cornfield, unable to contain the element of surprise any longer. His eyes widened as he watched an Indian chase Pru up the steps and kick her square in the back. The force of which propelled her forward into the unseen shadows of the cabin. Martin aimed his rifle preparing to fire before the Indian was able to follow her, though as he pulled at the trigger nothing happened. Nothing at all. And just like that the Indian disappeared from his sight.

Nathaniel ran out from behind the cornstalks and immediately dropped to his knees, narrowly missing the musket ball that was fired at him. One, two, three, four, five. There were five of them. Five, including the Indian that Martin was swiftly chasing after into the cabin. The pop of two separate shots penetrated the cabin's wooden exterior. He watched as Martin gripped his arm and stumbled slightly, colliding with the door frame before he too vanished. Nathaniel swung Killdeer into firing position and shot dead center the Indian that attempted to follow Martin, leaving three running wildly towards him and Killdeer, unloaded for another shot.

Uncas, having left later than his brothers, had chosen the more direct path. He knew by the time he got to the cabin that if something was going to happen it would already be underway and did not want to lose one more second than necessary. With each long stride he took, visions splattered with red filled his mind. He saw the burning hatred in Nathaniel's eyes as he took to the cornfield. He saw the apprehension in Martin's face as Aegel's words settled in his mind. He saw the sheer fright in Aegel's cracked and withered features. All of it was painted red. Uncas's eyes widened and he gasped as the shrill cry of his nephews pierced his ears. His feet propelled him further, faster than before. Uncas was almost to the cabin when varying shots rang out around him. His head whipping left then right as he took in the scene before him. Instantly he drew up his rifle and fired at the Indian closest to his brother. Then with no time to reload, tossed his rifle to the ground and quickly withdrew from his belt a knife and tomahawk. He had only just begun to throw himself into the mix when the bright flicker of orange caught his eye and he realized in horror that the cabin was about to be set on fire.

Pru flew forward, her face connecting with a hard smack against the cabin's rough wooden floor. "Ahhhh…," she moaned on impact. The hit was so daunting she found herself unable to move beyond rolling her forehead along the floor in a half hearted attempt to get up. Black blotches filled her eyes, almost completely blurring the inside of the cabin from her vision when she suddenly felt her head jerk backwards. Her long, loose hair gripped tightly in someone's hands. She reached back with her left arm, trying in vain to swat at her aggressor. While desperately trying to gain some sort of balance with her right palm plastered flush against the floor. "No!" She screamed. When the glint of a blade caught her eye. He means to scalp me! She thought. "No!" She yelped even louder as she dug her nails into the back of the Indian's arm. Then the piercing screech of a war whop echoed throughout the cabin and she knew this was the moment that would be the end of everything for her.

Though instead of feeling the blade slice across her scalp, Pru fell forward again onto the floor. The weight of yet another person crushing her from above. She saw the blade, still gripped tightly in the Indian's hand, bang against the floor and quickly she reached up and grabbed at the Indian's wrist with both of her hands, fighting and clawing for possession of the blade.

Martin wrapped his arms around the Indian's throat and yanked him backwards. He plunged his blade into the Indian's side, twisting and thrusting multiple times until he felt the life drain out of him. "Pru?" Martin questioned as he tried to shove the lifeless body out from between them. "Pru?"

Pru crawled on her hands and knees out from beneath the dead Indian. The Indian's knife clutched tightly in her palm. She scampered to her feet, tripping on her dress and stumbling back to the floor before she was able to find a semblance of balance. She could hear Martin's voice distant and muffled in her head. The only thing more powerful than the sound of Martin's voice was the fear inducing cries of children.

Her chest tightened as she made her way closer to the bedroom. A sharp and twisted pain spread out from her heart, stretching down through all four of her limbs at once. She dragged her hand along the wooden wall, swallowing dry mouthfuls of anxiety as she went. Pru pushed the ajar door wide open, revealing a blissfully empty room. She pinched her eyes shut, shuffled forward and gripped onto one side of each of the cradles and peered in. Her breath hitched as she shifted her eyes between them. Both boys, perfectly plump and red faced, were wailing back up at her. Relief flooded her and she fell to her knees between them, weeping uncontrollably.

Martin disentangled himself from the Indian, shoving his lifeless body to the floor and quickly he popped up onto his feet and raced towards their bedroom where he saw Pru collapsed on the floor between their son's cradles. He crossed to her, spying uneasily into his children's cradles and sighing when he saw them unharmed. He dropped down behind Pru and scoped her into his lap. "Shhhhh….I'm here. I'm here. You're safe. Our boys are safe. I'm here," he repeated over and over again. All the while hoping to God that his words were true. He held steady to Pru's lean back, his knife still clutched within his fingers as even over the wails of his family he could still hear the chaos that ensued just outside the cabin's wide open door and knew that this moment of safety could be all too fleeting.

Outside Uncas barreled in the direction of the Indian wielding a torch. There were only two left and through the corner of his eye he could see Nathaniel smacking tomahawks with the other. Uncas ran as fast as he could, charging the Indian head on with his tomahawk clutched tightly in his left hand and his knife in his right. This was the first time he had ever engaged in hand to hand combat. He had shot his rifle, ending the life of another before. Though never with his bare hands. Never so close that he could feel the other person's energy engulf him. Feel their anxiety, their rage, their fear. It made Uncas's stomach churn and for the briefest of moments he thought he might throw up. Though that weakness disappeared the second he witnessed the warrior throw his torch up onto the porch, igniting a basket filled to the brim linens.

Uncas's eyes went crazed as he ripped from deep within him a war cry the power of which not even he knew he possessed. The Indian smiled tauntingly at Uncas as he took his fighting stance. Uncas's feet took on a life of their own as he hurled his body at the Indian. Though the Indian merely laughed and side stepped Uncas's efforts. Leaving Uncas, unable to stop his momentum, propelling into the cabin's outer wall. An occurrence the Indian took quick advantage of and thrusted his knife into Uncas's exposed back. "Ahhhhhhh!" He screamed as the blade cut easily into the soft flesh around his hip. His entire life he had managed to walk unharmed, always protected by his father or his brother. Though no longer. Now was the time for him to fight for himself and quickly he pushed off of the cabin wall and threw his head back, smacking it hard against the Indian's skull forcing him to retreat a few steps backwards. With his adrenaline pumping, Uncas spun on his heel and lunged his body at the Indian. The impact sent both men stumbling back into the grass with Uncas landing on top. He had lost his tomahawk in the fight but managed to hang onto his knife and without any hesitation plunged it deep into the Indian's neck. A crimson colored wave spurted out onto his arm and chest and Uncas watched as life left his enemies cold eyes.

"Uncas!" Chingachgook screamed as he rounded the house and saw the knife sticking out of his son's back. He and Sampson had heard the gunfire from their section of the field and immediately discarded their tools in favor of their weapons and ran towards the cabin. Both of their hearts bleeding over what could be transpiring at their home. When finally they rounded the side of the cabin, Sampson took quickly to the cabin's steps doing everything in his power to stop the spread of fire before it engulfed the cabin. While Chingachgook instantly assaulted at the sight of Uncas, fighting on top of another man with a blade ticking out from his lower back.

Uncas shifted to his left and collapsed forward into the grass. His eyes drifted over to Nathaniel, watching as his brother dispatched the last Indian with a deep strike to the warrior's abdomen, followed with several quick jabs to the Indian's side with his knife. Uncas sighed with relief when the Indian finally fell to the ground and watched Nathaniel run up the cabin's steps two at a time, passing Sampson in a fury as he attempted to put out the fire on the porch and disappear into the cabin. "Father…," he began. Though trailed off when his eyes peered over at the person he had just killed and promptly began throwing up into the grass.

"I am here son," Chingachgook said, gently gripping onto Uncas's shoulders has he vomited in the grass. His eyes scanned the surrounding area for any further sign of concern. Then satisfied that there was not directed his attention back to Uncas. "We will look after you. You will be alright son. I promise," he said, examining his son's wound. "Sampson!" He yelled over his shoulder. "Quickly!"

Nathaniel rushed past Sampson, stomping forcefully on the flaming basket filled with linens and through the cabin, paying no attention to the lifeless body on the floor as he made his way to the open bedroom door. He gripped the doorframe and peered inside to see Pru curled up in Martin's lap hysterically crying and Martin pointing a knife directly at him. "You're all right," Nathaniel stammered out, nearly out of breath as he stumbled backwards into the wall in the hallway. The sweet sound of Pru and his nephews cries ringing in his ears.

"Yea…we're alright. You?" Martin questioned, not willing to leave Pru or his sons right then to see what further damage they incurred.

"Yea…we…,"

"Nathaniel!"

Nathaniel whipped his head around to see his father helping Uncas lay down on his belly along the supper table. He pushed himself off of the wall and rushed to his brother's side, gripping his palm and squeezing it tightly. "Uncas…," his words trailed off when he saw the knife embedded in his brother's back. Uncas had never been hurt before and seeing his little brother in this way was alarming. "I'll get Pru."

"No Nathaniel," Chingachgook said, reaching out and holding him in place. His calm voice slightly edged. "She needs to be cared for herself right now. You will help me and Sampson."

Nathaniel nodded his head, "What should I do?"

"Get me some clean cloth, whisky and my medical bag," Sampson quickly directed, coming in from putting out the fire on the porch. He grabbed a whiskey bottle off the counter and splashed it on his hands. "Now let me get a look at you." And proceeded to poke and prod his fingers lightly around the knife.

"Ahhhhhh!" Uncas yelped, gritting his teeth and white knuckling the sides of the table. He pinched his eyes shut, doing his absolute best to remain still and calm.

"Well son," Sampson began., his voice still carrying its usual unfazed tone. "If you're going to get stabbed this certainly is a good spot. It's mostly fatty tissue around the hip. And the blade doesn't appear to have been twisted. This should come out nice and clean."

Uncas sighed with relief. He knew he was in the best possible hands. Sampson had cared for all of them at different times in their lives and with varying ailments. Everything from broken limbs and snakebites to babies being born. Uncas knew he would make a full recovery and they would all be alright after this massacre. They would all be alright. "Father…Aegel and her mother are still hiding in the cornfield. You need to get them. Bring them here," Uncas implored, wincing as he felt the slightest pressure of Sampson preparing to pull out the knife.

"I will, son. But first you need to be taken care of," Chingachgook calmly said as he silently eyed Sampson. Then after giving a slight nod watched Sampson pull the knife from Uncas's back. The howl of pain that followed only briefly filled the air before Uncas went limp on the table from shock.

"Good he passed out. At least he won't feel anything else," Sampson said, his fingers working quickly to stitch Uncas's wound.

"I'll get started on a salve," Chingachgook said, gently rubbing Uncas's head.

"I think Martin was shot or grazed. He looks good though," Nathaniel said, after returning with the items Sampson requested. His eyes shifted to the body on the floor and a feeling of overwhelming hatred boiled up from deep within his belly. His brother had been stabbed. Martin had been shot. Pru attacked. His nephews nearly God knows what. The cabin almost set ablaze. And all because of the foolish girl currently cowering in the cornfield. Nathaniel shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, giving himself a moment so as not to unleash his fury. It was not the time nor the place for his anger. Things needed to be handled and the sooner the better. Then lifted his head and calmly said, "I'll get rid of the bodies."


Uncas could hear the soft raspy sound of his breath filling then exiting his lungs. He was alive. The last thing he remembered was the radiating pain of Sampson pulling the knife from his wound just before everything around him went black and still. He was laying on his stomach, the soft squishy feeling beneath him indicating that he was on a bed and slowly began to peel back his eyelids. The room was completely dark except for the single candle that flickered on the bedside table. The soft light is just enough to illuminate the features of Aegel's sleepy face in the darkness. He smiled and reached his arm across the sheets, wanting nothing more than to touch her and slowly began to raise himself from the bed. "Ahhh," he winced as pain shot through his back.

The sound of Uncas's voice broke through Aegel's dreams and started her awake. "No Uncas. Don't try and move…please," she begged, sliding from the rocking chair into her knees beside the bed and gently guided him back to the comfort of the bed.

"You're safe," he whispered as she adjusted his body back to a comfortable position.

"I'm safe. Me and my mother."

Uncas's face sagged into the pillow with relief. "You aren't hurt?" He asked, eyeing her through the darkness.

"No. Not at all," Aegel said, taking his hand in hers and rubbing her thumb along his skin. "Your father came and got us after you had been tended to."

"Who else was hurt? Pru? The boys?" Uncas began to stammer as he realized he never saw them after the attack.

"They are all safe. Martin was grazed by a bullet on his left arm and Pru has a large and rather painful looking bruise on her face but other than that everyone is fine."

"The boys?"

"Not a scratch."

"Nathaniel?"

"Same. You have the worst injury."

"And I thank The Great Spirit for it," Uncas said with conviction.

Aegel shook her head back and forth, unable to stop the smile that crept across her lips. Weeks had passed now since they first saw each other at the market. They kissed, laughed, chased each other around the forest and talked until sunrise. Though all of those moments had not made her feel the way she did right now. She took her free hand and gently moved his loose hair away from his face, better revealing his warm dark eyes. Honest eyes. Loyal eyes. Loving eyes. He was perfect and Aegel could feel her heart beat faster. Something was happening deep inside her. She could feel it in her worry, in her relief, in her desire. emCould it be love? /emShe leaned down and pressed her cheek against his own, gently nuzzling against his skin. "I could not have managed if something had happened to you," she softly whispered.

Uncas gripped tighter to her fingers and dipped his forehead against the side of her head. Today had been the scariest day of his life. His fifteen year old heart had experienced enough terror today to last a lifetime. His family was everything to him and the thought of losing any of them, well he simply did not think he could bear it. And now Aegel and all of these feelings she was creating inside him. Walking away from her earlier had been its own kind of torture. A torture he never even knew existed until today. He sighed as the thought ruminated in his mind and whispered, "Me neither." Then twisted his face further into hers, his lips desperately seeking out her own, when the door suddenly opened and a rapid thump of feet stormed in. Nathaniel.

"Supper is ready. You go ahead, I'll help my brother," Nathaniel gruffly stated at the sight of them with their heads snuggled up together.

Aegel quickly averted her eyes from Nathaniel's steely gaze and immediately recoiled a bit from Uncas, whose brows furrowed as he held right to her hand. Since Chingachgook brought her and her mother back to the cabin, Nathaniel had not uttered one single word to her beyond this moment right now. Not even so much as a grunt when she directly addressed him, instead he chose to ignore her entirely. Going about his business as if she was not even there. Her only consolation was that he remained polite to her mother, as his elder and old friend of his father. After all, her mother was not to blame for the attack on his family, she was and he knew it.

Aegel nibbled nervously on her lip and slowly rose to her feet. Her desire for him to kiss vanished with the sound of Nathaniel's voice. "I'll see you soon," she whispered, giving Uncas's hand a squeeze before releasing it and walking, head down, out of the room.

"What was that about?" Uncas painfully grumbled as Nathaniel helped him sit up.

"Here," Nathaniel said, ignoring his brother's question as he plopped down beside him and reached out his hand, passing Uncas a fistful of herbs. "Sampson said for you to take these. Bottoms up little brother."

Uncas shoved the handful in his mouth, blanching at the disgusting taste. He took the glass of water from Nathaniel's hand, swallowing down every last drop in the hopes of vanishing the bitterness from his mouth.

Nathaniel chuckled at his little brother's face. His tongue stuck out wide and his eyes pinched tightly shut. "You'd think that was worse than the knife you took to the back!"

"Ugh…it might have been," Uncas said, still cringing from the taste.

"You ready?"

"Yea. I'm ready."

Nathaniel eased Uncas's arm around his shoulder and slowly helped him up onto his feet. Uncas wobbled slightly, gripped tightly to his brother's shirt and let his weight sink into Nathaniel's sturdy body.

"All right?" Nathaniel questioned. "I can bring you supper here if it's too much?"

"No. I want to see our family."

"Then one step at a time." And the two brothers began slowly easing their way out of the bedroom.


Pru sat beside Martin on their bed gently slathering some medicinal paste across her husband's wounded arm. "You should let it air out for a while," she said, wiping the excess onto the large bruise on her face.

"That would require me going shirtless and as much as I know you love to see me naked, I'm not doing that at supper so long as we have house guests," Martin countered with a smirk as he handed her a small splotch of clean bandage.

Pru sighed, taking the bandages and lightly smacking him with them. He was right. It would be inappropriate for him to sit at the supper table bare chested while they had guests…refugees…invaders. Ugh! Pru thought to herself. Why did Nathaniel have to poison her thoughts to Aegel and her mother's presence in their home? He had come to check on them earlier and what started as a heartfelt inquiry into their health turned into a verbal attack against their newfound guests. Nathaniel was without a doubt a reasonable man, but when it came to the safety of his family his usual calm and cool head turned fiery.

"What's the matter?" Martin asked, gently tilting her chin up towards him. "Nathaniel?"

"Nathaniel," Pru echoed in answer.

"Hmmmm….we will definitely have to tread this line carefully," Martin mused as he caressed her chin with his thumb. "You even more so than me," he said with widened eyes.

Pru adjusted the bandage in her hand and began carefully wrapping it around his wound. "I'll figure something out," she said, tying a tiny knot in the fabric and climbing to her feet. "Let's get this shirt on you and out there for supper. I have a feeling Uncas will undoubtebly need us there with him," Pru finished and quickly helped Martin into his shirt. Undoubtedly.


The majority of the family had already begun to gather for supper when Nathaniel and Uncas appeared from the darkened hallway. The open windows reveal not the soft orange and pinks of their customary supper time but rather the utter blackness of night. The hearth was in its full blaze. Flames sizzled and cracked at the wood encased within it as it's warm glow flickered around the common room. Uncas smiled to himself as his eyes continued to roam the familiar scene. The supper table was adorned with several white candles of all shapes and sizes down its middle. White wax dripped down their sides, securing them to the table as their light burned brightly, illuminating the features of everyone's face. Sampson was seated at the head of the table, closest to the tightly closed and locked cabin door. While his father was seated at the opposite head with Kasa, Aegel's mother, on his right and her daughter beside her. "Nathaniel?" Uncas whispered, gripping onto his brother's shirt. "Seat me beside Aegel."

Nathaniel rolled his eyes and whispered back, "I'm only you putting you there so you can be near Sampson. Since the wound on your back is far more concerning to me than your potentially wounded heart."

Uncas ignored him, happy that he was getting his way regardless. They made their way behind Sampson and carefully Nathaniel lowered him onto the bench. Almost instantly Uncas leaned forward, relaxing as much of his weight from his left, uninjured, side as possible onto the table. He was uncomfortable sitting upright like this. The pain in his back shooting up into his right arm just as it did radiate down his right leg. And quickly he clenched his teeth to keep from wincing as he tried in vain to make himself more comfortable. He rolled his eyes back into his head, silently praying that the herbs would start working so he would not have to excuse himself back to the bedroom before supper had even really begun.

"Are you alright?" Sampson asked, whispering into Uncas's ear.

Uncas casually nodded his head for fear if he spoke his voice would reveal his actual level of pain.

"Don't worry. The herbs will work soon. Get some food in your belly then it's back to bed for you," Sampson said, sliding him a warm plate. "And no arguing. You are going back to bed just as soon as you've eaten. So enjoy your time." He added a wink and a slight head nod in Aegel's direction.

This time Uncas forced his jaw loose and said with a smile, "Yes sir." Then turned his head towards the shuffle of feet heading in their direction. "Pru?" Uncas' chin dropped to the table at the sight of her swollen and bruised face. All around her right eye was a blended mix of blue, purple and black, like the sky just before true darkness takes over. His jaw wiggled as though to speak but no words would come out, all he could do was gape helplessly back at her. Somehow all the wounds he'd ever seen in his life did not look as bad as Pru's face did right now.

"I'm just fine little brother. It's only so startling because it's the first thing you see. Now close your trap before something disgusting wanders into it," she said, giving him a wink with her good eye and taking a seat on Nathaniel's left side, across from Uncas. While Martin, cradling Ash, sat on Nathaniel's right. Pru tried to settle herself in her seat but Elijah's squirming body made it nearly impossible as his chubby fingers reached for fistfuls of Nathaniel's shirt. She shifted to her right and placed the toddler in her brother's lap, shrugging as she said, "Clearly he wants to be with you, so with you he shall be."

Nathaniel chuckled and gripped onto the fidgeting toddler, who as soon as he was against Nathaniel's chest, wrapped his arms around his neck and snuggled his head against his skin. "We sure have come a long way…haven't we?" He cooed into his nephew's ear.

"He loves you," Aegel sweetly said as she admired them from across the table. Though her smile faded when she realized that she had Nathaniel's full attention. His piercing blue eyes were staring across the table at her, penetrating icicles straight to her heart. Aegel could feel her body tremble under the accusatory look in his eyes. She took a deep steadying breath, knowing that if she did not smooth this out with him now it would most definitely put a strain on her relationship with Uncas and said, "I'm sorry Nathaniel. I never meant to cause anyone here harm. I just escaped to where I thought we'd be safe. I wasn't thinking…,"

"No, you weren't thinking," Nathaniel interjected.

"I…,"

"Actually you were thinking. Just about you and your family."

"Nathaniel," Uncas said, trying to intervene.

Though was ignored as Nathaniel continued, "You knew what you were doing. Which direction to run in. Who would be there when you arrived. You just simply didn't care for the safety of MY family," his calm voice edged with the same chill in his eyes.

"Nathaniel," Sampson said, sliding his hand across the table as a means of getting his attention.

Still, Nathaniel did not falter. He kept his eyes and thoughts locked on Aegel. "You knew they were following you. You knew my sister was here with her sons. Alone. Because I have no doubt that Uncas told of everyone's daily dealings during his nightly visits. You knew and you didn't care."

"You're being irrational," Aegel's mother piped up in defense of her daughter. Though was quickly silenced by a stern look from Chingachgook.

Chingachgook knew his son well. Had borne witness to Nathaniel's fury on more than one occasion. And while this moment did not showcase his son's growing maturity, Chingachgook knew that at this point it was better to let him fully unleash then postpone the inevitable. And as much as he did not want to admit it, there was a small part of him that shamefully felt the same. The utter and complete panic of what if. While he would never voice it, somewhere deep inside him it pleased him that Nathaniel would.

Nathaniel laughed. "We sit here having supper. Passing plates. Breaking bread. But this day could have had a completely different outcome. We made it to the cabin with literally no time to spare. Martin and I watched as that Indian kicked Pru square in her back. Even a second later and she would be dead. My nephews would be dead. Slaughtered! Our home burnt down around their bodies!" Nathaniel could feel his arms begin to tremble and so squeezed Elijah a little tighter in the hopes that his nephew would keep him from completely losing control. "Our farm could have bled red today and it would have been your fault!"

"Nathaniel!" Uncas nearly hollered at him. His eyes shifted desperately between his family members in search of more support. Sampson's head had fallen, his eyes focused intently on the half eaten plate of food in front of him. Martin held Ash closer to his chest. His little nephew looked so small wrapped in his father's protective arms. Uncas felt a pang in his heart as he could only imagine the thoughts running through Martin's mind right now. He shifted his eyes to his father. They were sullen, clouded with images of what could have been but thankfully were not. He looked to Pru next. Her face is devoid of any emotion. He remembered that same face from long ago. When he was still a little boy and she was still a little girl. And suddenly his panic rose. "Nathaniel…please stop this."

"You could have killed my sister. Or my little brother. You could have killed them all!" Nathaniel spat out at Aegel.

"Enough Nathaniel! Pru…please!" Uncas implored, somehow knowing that right now in this moment she would be the only one he would listen to.

Pru had sat silent throughout the entire verbal lashing. She knew that Nathaniel needed it, needed to speak his mind before he could even begin to let his anger go. It was what was best for him. But with Uncas's pain stricken voice in her ears she finally broke her silence. "Perhaps brother," she said, resting her palm on his shoulder. Nathaniel immediately turned his head towards her. "Perhaps…Aegel led them to us. Brought on the attack. But what if she hadn't…led them to us. Her seeking out Uncas essentially is what saved us. What if she had escaped the other way. Towards town. And they still attacked the farm. Without her warning…you all would have returned home to a very different outcome, just as you said." Her eyes inadvertently shifted towards the faded red stain on the floor. She blinked, a long drawn out sweep of her lashes before returning to Nathaniel's steady gaze. "Perhaps…it was really a gift from The Great Spirit instead. And as we both know…safety on the frontier is only ever a sweet illusion at best."

Nathaniel bit down on the inside of his cheek, forcing himself not to argue any further. His family had let his anger run its course and Pru was now treading the subject on Uncas's behalf. "Alright," he said, his voice still edged with adrenaline. "I need some air." And he climbed from the table, Elijah still snuggled up against him and began to make his way from the room.

"Natty?" Pru said, spinning in her seat and gripping tightly to his hand.

Nathaniel's lip curled ever so slightly up, content in the knowledge that she understood him and gently squeezed her hand back. "I'm taking my talisman with me," he said, lifting Elijah higher in his arms.

Pru winked and watched him disappear out the doorway. Then turned back to the table and hunched over her plate, running her fingers through her hair. Martin slid beside her and wrapped his wounded arm around her waist, comfortingly pulling her body into his. "Some supper huh? Thank goodness we didn't break out the whiskey," Pru said as she relaxed against Martin's side.

"Thank you. I knew you were the only one he would listen to right then. Because…well because…," he trailed off, unable to form the words.

Pru reached her arm across the table and took a hold of Uncas's palm. "There is nothing I wouldn't do for either of you."

"He won't forgive me…will he," Aegel stammered between soft sobs. Sobs she had bravely kept at bay until Nathaniel left the cabin.

"He will," Uncas said with conviction, releasing Pru's hand and wrapping his arm around Aegel's shoulders. Though even as the words left his lips, his heart hung heavy with unvoiced worry as his eyes flickered towards Pru. Won't he?


Pru rubbed her sleepy eyes open, blinking several times as her pupils adjusted to the blackness that filled the room. Ash had begun to hungrily whimper in his cradle, forcing her tired body to attention. She carefully swung her feet over the bed, so as not to disturb Martin and lifted Ash from his cradle. "Shhhhh sweet boy," she whispered, patting his bottom. "Why don't we go outside to feed you."

"Pru?" Martin grogily questioned.

"It's alright. Go back to sleep Martin," she murmured before leaving their bedroom. Then soundlessly shuffled through the common room and out the cabin door where she saw Aegel, rocking quietly in the pre morning darkness. "Good morning," Pru said, taking a seat in the rocking chair next to her and began pulling down her shift to better feed Ash.

"Good morning," Aegel softly replied, turning towards Pru. "This is the first time I think I've heard that baby cry."

Pru giggled. "He doesn't cry often. Though when he does, I always bring him outside. The fresh air soothes him."

Aegel reached over to touch the baby's foot when a soft clatter from inside the cabin started her. "Who else is up?"

"Martin," Pru sighed. "If I am up, he is up. Despite my urging him to go back to sleep, he never will. Says he's not comfortable in bed if I'm not beside him," she said with a smile.

"That's sweet."

"It is," Pru said, nodding her head. Then watched as Aegel turned away from her and stared absently into the open air. "What's on your mind?" she asked, cutting straight to it.

"Nothing."

"Hmmm," Pru said, ignoring her. "Uncas or Nathaniel?"

Aegel dropped her face into her palms. "He hates me. He hates me and there is nothing I can do about it. And worse…I know this will only hurt what Uncas and I are just beginning to share between us."

"Well...Nathaniel has a fiery spirit. He always has and he probably always will. And what brings out that spirit more than anything is his family. He will always fight the hardest for us just as he will fight the hardest with us," Pru said, chuckling to herself. She reached out her left palm and comfortingly squeezed Aegel's shoulder. "He needs to know that he can trust you. At our home and with Uncas. When he feels that and as time passes, his temper will cool. And then you'll see the beauty that is Nathaniel. Since we both know you've already seen the beauty of our sweet Uncas." Pru finished with a wink.

"Uncas…," Aegel started. "He is everything. Everywhere." She shifted her rocking chair to face Pru and excitedly continued, "I have never felt anything like this before. I'm warm all the time, like my blood has been tainted by fire and I swear I can smell him on my skin even hours after he's left me. Sometimes the thought of him makes me dizzy even though I'm not even moving. Am I making sense? Do you…do you feel like that about Martin?"

Pru merely smiled, knowing full well exactly what Aegel meant.

"Breakfast is ready," Martin said as he appeared from the doorway and passed a steaming cup of tea to Pru.

"Thank you daring," Pru said, trailing her fingertips down Martin's arm, leaving a path of goosebumps in their wake before taking the tea from his grasp. Martin cupped Ash's little head, rubbing his large thumb along his son's cheek and leaned down to kiss Pru on the lips. It was a gentle kiss, slow as their lips delicately touched. Eyes wide open and staring back at the other with unspoken words. Their love on full display for anyone to see.

Aegel sat mesmerized. Watching and absorbing every detail of their interaction. So natural. So pure. To be blessed with that type of love was a true gift. A gift that Pru and Martin had seized. A gift that she could only hope and pray would one day be hers. Hers and Uncas.


Author's Note: Soooo, before I could go on with Uncas's story certain land mines needed to be put in place. But rest assured that everything is set perfectly now for me to continue on.

This is the first time in the history of the farm that there has ever been an attack on it. And it clearly leaves not just Nathaniel but all of them, especially Chingachgook, shaken. Who begrudgingly admits to himself that he is happy that Nathaniel freaked out. I really wanted Chingachgook and Sampson to play a larger roll but this was really a moment for the boys. Pru narrowly misses being scalped and Uncas has his first bitter taste of battle. And for the first time Nathaniel actually walks away unscathed. I try to keep all of their scars consistent with the film, which is why Uncas took a knife to the back since we never really see his back and have no way of knowing what is or isn't there.

Obviously...Nathaniel is less than happy with Aegel. Should be interesting to see where that goes...and whether or not it ends up effecting her and Uncas's relationship! Time will tell!

Uncas is truly ready for his time in the spotlight as we edge closer to canon and it will happen in 3, 2, 1...

Thank you to everyone who viewed/reviewed! I truly appreciate all of your support of this story! Especially, BlueSaffire, ELY72, Hazel222, AsterLaurel, BrynnaRaven, MohawkWoman!

Thanks for reading :)