Hello once again! Thank you too all that reviewed! This chapter and the following ones I will try to make longer. Thanks to SunRise19 for informing me about the separate Pocahontas category. Onward!
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Disney's Pocahontas.
I have just left my grandmother's house when a man comes running up from the beach. He is speaking so fast I can hardly understand him. He says he and his hunting group were out and saw a patch of very odd looking clouds hovering above a great canoe. It carries many strange men. Powhatan silences him.
"Let our council gather." He calls. The council of our tribe follows him into a longhouse. As the people look at each other tensely, I hover outside the door. I can hear almost everything, though I cannot see inside. A man comments on the pale skin of these men. Another says they have hair on their faces like wild animals. I can hear the fire's crackling from outside.
"My brothers! We must know more about these visitors! Kekata, what do you see?" Powhatan calls. I can hear Kekata chanting, and the fire blazes further.
"These are not men like us. They have bodies that shine like the sun, and weapons that spout fire." Weapons that spout fire? I furrow my brow. How can that be?
"They prowl the earth like ravenous wolves, consuming everything in their path." The people gasp. These men must be dangerous. What are they doing on our land?
"Great Powhatan," I recognize that strong, powerful voice. "Let me lead our warriors to the river and attack. We shall destroy these invaders, the way we destroyed the Massawomecks!" That's his solution to everything. War. The thought of another war takes over me. The children of our tribe will be at risk and so will our finest warriors. Powhatan cuts Kocoum off.
"Kocoum! In that battle we knew how to fight our enemy, but these pale visitors are strange to us. Let us hope they do not intend to stay." He dismisses his council and walks out of the longhouse.
"For now, everyone must stay in the village until Kocoum and his party return."
"Namontack! Ayowamat! Hainkinkee! You will come with me." Kocoum calls. They gather weapons and follow him to the shore. My grandmother and I walk back to her hut. I silently continue pounding the corn that I had left forgotten. Suddenly, a loud sound, louder than the loudest thunder, echoes through the trees. The people run to Powhatan, who tells them to be calm.
"Grandmother, what was that?" I ask. She only shakes her head.
"I don't know. I have never heard it in all my years. Perhaps it is from these strange newcomers." I nod. Suddenly, more of the noise crashes upon us. The children become frightened. Soon, the noise ceases. We are all relieved when we hear cries coming from our warriors who are returning. On Kocoum's shoulder is Namontack, and Ayowamat is telling Chief Powhatan of strange staffs that were fired and one hit Namontack in the leg, causing great pain.
"Kekata, tend to this wound." He says. Namontack is carried into the medicine man's hut. His wife follows him. I don't understand. What was this strange stick that did this to our warrior? It's then I realize that Pocahontas isn't here. She's always in on the action. It excites her. Oh well. It's better for her to be away from the white man, and knowing her she was probably far away, deep in the woods.
Soon after, another woman and myself look in. Kekata is rattling his shell full of herbs. Namontack lies on a bed with his wife at his head, groaning with pain. Chief Powhatan is at his side.
"These beasts invade our shores, and now this." He says.
"This wound is strange to me." Kekata says. I look a little farther and see a deep, red, dent in Namontack's skin. It is unlike anything I have ever seen. How could it have happened? A stick that spouted fire? Powhatan is a very calm man, and he never chooses to fight over peace, but he cannot tolerate it when one of our innocent people is hurt.
"We will fight this enemy, but we cannot do it alone. Kocoum, send messages to every village in our nation. We will call on our brothers to help us fight." I hear him moving, so I step away from the door.
"These white men are dangerous! No one is to go near them!" I stiffen. Another war? This is not what was planned. After the terror the previous war with the Massawomecks, all anyone wanted was to be able to sleep without fear and threat of attack. I sigh and since I'm so deep in thought, I do not notice how the daylight flies.
It's dusk and the drums are sounded to indicate trouble is approaching and all people should be in the village. I see out of the corner of my eye Pocahontas sprinting up to the village. I meet her.
"Where were you today?" I ask her. She faces me. I can see a strange look on her face, a look I've never seen before, that looked almost she was afraid, or confused.
"I was in the woods." She says.
"Well, did you hear the noise?" I ask. "The great canoes? Did you see them?"
"Yes, but I ran back into the woods." She says. I look at her. There is something off about her today. She hasn't looked like this since her mother died.
"Are you feeling okay?" I ask. She nods.
"I'm just exhausted from running through the woods and being on the river all day. Nothing serious. Really. Hey, I'm hungry. I think I'll go eat." She walks toward the baskets of food and begins to eat. I follow her, confused. Oh well. She must be tired. Maybe she feared that the new men would endanger her father. I sit next to Pocahontas by the fire.
"Are you sure you're okay? You seem quiet today." I ask
"I'm just a little confused." she says.
"Why?" She sighs.
"My father wants me to marry Kocoum." Pocahontas says. I gasp
"Kocoum? You should be flattered beyond belief!" I cry. Kocoum has been the heartthrob of about every woman in the tribe at one point or another.
"I know." She says." But I'm not sure if he's the right one for me. He's so serious."
"I guess." I say. That never occurred to me. Life for Pocahontas as Kocoum's wife would definitely be safe, but maybe to her standards, a little boring.
"He would want a traditional wife." She goes on. "That would mean no more canoeing alone down the river, no more runs in the woods."
"I see what you mean." I say. I guess it would be different if Pocahontas was a more traditional woman. I couldn't help but think that there was more to why Pocahontas was feeling down. That couldn't be enough for her to be so quiet. I am about to inquire fi\urther when her father interrupts.
"My people! I wish for all of you to retire to your homes. Let Kocoum and his scouting party stand watch, should anything happen." Powhatan instructs. The people scatter and go into their huts. Then Powhatan comes to Pocahontas.
"Daughter, I'd like you to stay close to the village. These men are dangerous. Do you understand?" He asks.
"Of course, father." Pocahontas says. Her father smiles.
"Good." He says. Pocahontas and I say goodnight and arrange to go and pick corn the next day.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
The moon fades and the sun rises overhead. Pocahontas and I walk out to the cornfield. We have been out for a while when I notice how quiet she has been. Her basket has few cobs in it, while mine is full. I am about to speak to her when her father comes toward us.
"Pocahontas. You should be inside the village." He says to her.
"We'll be all right." She says.
"We're gathering food for when the warriors arrive." I explain, knowing that her father had briefly informed her that warriors were coming, though I'm not sure she knew the details of why.
"Don't go far. Now is not the time to be running off." He gives her a knowing smile.
"Yes, father." Powhatan looks proudly at his daughter.
"When I see you wear that necklace, you look just like your mother." He says. Pocahontas fingers the new shell necklace she wears.
"I miss her." She says. Though it has been many months since her mother's death, I know Pocahontas's heart has been left saddened. So much of her mother shines through Pocahontas. Her spirit, her untamable hair.
"But she is still with us." Powhatan says. "Whenever the wind blows through the trees, I feel her presence. Our people look to her for wisdom and strength. Someday, they will look to you as well." He places a hand on her shoulder.
"I would be honoured by that." Pocahontas says.
"You shouldn't be out here alone. I'll send for Kocoum." Her father says and then disappears through the corn stalks. Pocahontas looks away. Now I know something is wrong. She's just not herself, and usually with something on her mind, if she talks to me she lets it go.
"All right, what is it?" I demand.
"What?"
"You're hiding something."
"I'm not hiding anything!" Why won't she tell me? Doesn't she trust me?
"Pocahontas, you can tell me. I promise I won't tell anyone…" I then see one of the most terrifying sights I have ever witnessed. Our of the cornfield steps a white man with the most peculiar colour of hair and eyes I have ever see. He stands behind Pocahontas, who doesn't notice.
"Pocahontas, look!" I cry in a panic. "It's one of them! I'm going to get-" I can't finish because she claps a hand over my mouth.
"What are you doing here?" she whispers anxiously.
"I had to see you again." He says. Again? She's met him before! That's where she was! In my mind I am terrified, but I can make no sound except groans. Then she looks afraid as we hear Kocoum calling for her. She turns to me, removing her hand.
"Nakoma, please don't say anything." She bags. I am in a state of shock. She takes the strange man's hand. "Quick, this way!" and they run through the field, out of sight.
"But…" Just then Kocoum appears.
"Nakoma, where is Pocahontas?" he asks. Think fast, Nakoma.
"I..I haven't see her." I cover for my friend. I know that if Kocoum finds out where Pocahontas has gone, he'll send the whole tribe out after her. He sighs, exasperated.
"Pocahontas can't keep running off; it's dangerous out there." He says. "Tell her that. She listens to you." He then turns and walks back to the village. I stare at the corn in my hand.
"Huh. Sure she does."
Thanks for reading! Chapter 3 up soon.