Hello again! Sooo Sorry for the eternally long time it took me to update. I was really busy lately. Thanks for staying with me!
Disclaimer: I own no part of Disney's Pocahontas.
I wander back to the village, my head spinning. Who was that man? What could happen to Pocahontas? She seemed to trust him. Powhatan said to stay inside the village. One thing about Pocahontas that I've never understood is her inability to obey direct orders. Once when we were kids, she convinced me to sneak out of the village to pick berries and I was terrified we'd be caught the whole time. She wasn't worried at all, probably because she's become de-sensitized to it by now. I am walking into the village when I hear Powhatan conversing with Kocoum.
"Warriors…arrive at sunset." Was all I could make out. I walked slowly back to my grandmother's hut, once again pounding the corn. It then occurred to me that in my daze after seeing Pocahontas run off with that strange man I had forgotten the corn we had picked. I was beginning to pound when another village woman, Meoquanee, came up behind me. Pocahontas and I both knew she had one of those mouths you couldn't keep shut. I was startled, as I was deep in thought.
"Where have you been today?" She asked. She looked at me with narrowed eyes. "What's wrong?" She must have noticed my averted gaze.
"Me? Oh, I'm fine." I laugh nervously, worried that my lips will betray me. "I was in the corn field."
"That's good. The warriors will need strength to fight those beasts off." Meoquanee says scornfully. " I was talking to Ayowamat after the battle at the shore, and he says the men have hair on their faces and strange coloured eyes and hair." I pretend to look surprised.
"Really? What colour?" I ask
"He says one had hair that was red like the soil and eyes like the leaves on a tree." She says. "I haven't seen any myself, but I know they're dangerous from what I have heard". Then she hears her mother calling for her to husk some corn.
"Ah-nah, Nakoma." She calls over her shoulder. I force a smile until she's no longer looking, then sigh of relief. Part of me was screaming to tell her what had happened to Pocahontas, but knowing her, it would be around the tribe before the sun set. Still, just to tell one person would take the burden of my shoulders. No, I know I have to be a good friend and keep it secret. I promised I would, but I can't shake the fear that Pocahontas will be hurt. It occurs to me to talk to my grandmother, but then I think of the guilt I feel for not keeping my word. Besides, she hasn't been hurt, right? So many conflicting emotions.
Such thoughts keep plaguing my mind. I cannot keep my mind on corn, so I walk around the village near the riverbeds, looking at my reflections.
Soon after, I hear a man call.
"Look! The warriors are here!" The warriors? Already? Only a few suns have passed since these men have arrived, and already we are preparing for war? Powhatan greets the newly arrived chief. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Pocahontas running up to the village. As soon as Pocahontas reaches me I speak.
"Pocahontas, are you crazy? What were you doing with one of…" I can't finish as Kocoum interrupts me.
"There you are!" He says to her. Pocahontas seems less than happy to see him. She tenses as soon as he approaches.
"Kocoum!" Kocoum looks admiringly at the arriving canoes.
"Look at them." He says proudly. "Now we have enough men to destroy these white demons!" Powhatan is leading the Chief into a longhouse. Without another word, Pocahontas runs after him. Kocoum and I just stand there, baffled. We exchange a glance of complete confusion.
I cannot hear what she says to Powhatan, but she seems to be pleading with him. She looks dejected after he leaves, and walks off. I was about to follow when I hear my grandmothers' voice.
"Nakoma!" she says, "come help me husk the corn for the warriors." I thought of arguing, but decided arguing with someone like my grandmother was fairly pointless. I reluctantly followed her to her hut, glancing one last time at Pocahontas who was walking by the river with her raccoon. She looked so very upset. I knew it had to do with the new man, for her expression was a new one to me.
I spent husked corn until the sun faded, then stepped outside to enjoy the night air. My grandmother had gone to bed by then, and I would have gone to find Pocahontas, but I had to finish my husking. As I stood there, I noticed a figure run through the edge of the village. I knew instantly that it was Pocahontas, for no other woman in the tribe can run as fast as her. I knew that she must be running off to see the man, for why else would she disobey a direct order from her father, especially now that she knew I knew? I couldn't let my friend do this. These men are out to harm us, and she was putting herself in danger, as well as the people of our tribe. What if this man she knows is only using her to attack our people? No one but me had seen her run off. I knew I could not stand by and watch while my best friend since childhood put herself in jeopardy. I then left my hut and ran to where I saw Pocahontas. She was heading for the cornfield. I called out to her.
"Pocahontas." She turned around, startled to realize that anyone had seen her leave the village.
"Nakoma!" she cried.
"Don't go out there. I lied for you once. Don't ask me to do it again!"
"I have to do this." She says and turns to walk off. I run forward and grab her arm.
"He's one of them!"
"You don't know him!" I step in her way to block her path.
"If you go out there, you'll be turning your back on your own people." I say.
"I'm trying to help my people." She tells me with desperation in her voice. Help us? How can dishonouring our tribe help our people? My expression of anger softens.
"Pocahontas, please. You're my best friend. I don't want you to get hurt." I take her hand, but she gives it back to me and turns again.
"I won't. I know what I'm doing." She says, and before I can protest, she is running through the cornfield.
"Pocahontas, no!" I call. She pays me no heed. I stand there for a moment in the moonlight, playing what happened over and over. I know what I must do to protect my friend. I turn to the village. She has put me in an impossible position. Though I have kept many of her secrets in the past, I know I cannot keep this one. I approach a hut in the middle of the village.
"Kocoum." He turns to me.
"What is it?" I hesitate for a moment.
"It's Pocahontas."
"What's wrong? Is she all right?" Once more, I hesitate.
"I think she's in trouble." Forgive me, Pocahontas.