Uncas wasted no more time upon hearing the desperate, fearful cry. Leaping to his feet at once, he pulled Alice to her feet, and, taking her hand firmly in his, they both ran back to the group at once.
"What's going on?" Uncas demanded urgently.
"It's the Hurons!" Cora gasped, her face already paling as she spoke. "They've somehow tracked us down, I don't know how!"
"What now, then?" Duncan snapped. "Are you men going to run like frightened deer, like spineless cowards? Or are you going to stay and fight like men?"
Chingachgook turned and spoke urgently to Hawk-eye in the Mohican tongue, swiftly and anxiously. Hawk-eye paled at once upon hearing this, though his expression hardly changed.
"Yes, you go!" Cora urged him, understanding, or at least rightly guessing the topic of their conversation. "Go save yourselves!"
"Cowards!" Duncan roared, in a rage.
"Go!" Cora shouted again, trying to push Hawk-eye towards the opening of the cave. "Go! You've done so much for us already! The least you can do is to save yourselves! If anything should happen…"
"No!" Hawk-eye cried out sharply. "You stay alive! You hear me? Be strong! Stay alive, no matter what happens! I will find you, no matter how long it takes, no matter how far. Stay alive!"
Torchlights flickered outside, illuminating the darkness slightly. Panic seized Alice, she clutched onto Uncas's arms tightly, wondering how she could possibly let him go. His heart racing with horror, Uncas tightened his grip on her shoulders.
"Goodbye, Cora." Hawk-eye reached out and grasped her hand firmly, storing up memories of her beautiful, strong face in his tortured mind. "I will find you somehow! Remember that!"
Mutely, Cora watched as her lover forced himself to turn away from the woman he loved, before jumping from the opening, soon lost to sight amongst the raging waters.
Urgently, Chingachgook turned to his Mohican son, letting out a stream of anxious words in their own tongue, his hands gesturing with fierce worry. Uncas turned pale, but nodded silently.
"Uncas! Must you go, and leave us?" Alice cried.
"There is no other way. We can certainly face no success in this if we stay and fight. If we men escape, we can at least track you down later. Trust me, Alice! We will not abandon you!"
"Uncas!" Chingachgook was starting to panic now. "Go!"
"Goodbye, Alice, my love, my life." Uncas turned her towards him, and, locking her in a final, quick embrace, gave her a final passionate, desperate kiss. Alice clung onto his neck tightly, never wanting this moment to go. She wanted to cry out to him not to leave her; his moment of leaving would be far crueler than being captured by the Hurons. But she kept her silence; it was the only way she and her sister could be freed later.
"I will find you, Alice!" Uncas cried with fervent determination, his arms tightening still on her. "I swear, beloved, I will never rest until you are safe with me again! Hold on, Alice, just hold on! Remember me!"
He pulled his arms away from her with extreme reluctance, touched his hand to her face tenderly, and, with that, he and his father were gone.
Goodbye, my love.
Cora looked expectantly at Duncan, who stood as still as a statue in his rather fixed position.
"I'm not going," he grunted sourly. "If you think I had such intentions in my mind, you're badly mistaken, Miss Cora."
Trying to swallow away her fear and panic, Alice leaned into her sister's embrace, and the two of them clung tightly to each other, their breathing coming faster and faster as the Hurons approached the cave at last. Torches gleamed in their hands, illuminating the cave with fitful light; the sight of the fearsome warriors would have scared even the bravest fighter.
"So, the seed of Munro is mine at last," he said slowly, word for word, reaching out a rough hand to feel Cora's dark locks of hair. "Take them."
"No!" Cora shouted sharply. "Don't you dare touch my sister! Leave her alone!"
Her words merely fell on deaf years; Magua simply raised a commanding hand, and then two warriors stepped forth, ropes in hand. Alice trembled violently, and could not stop herself from flinching back, struggling to push the warrior away.
Magua uttered a short command in the Huron tongue; the warrior opposite Alice smiled maliciously. A hand, calloused and strong, was raised.
"No!" Cora shouted furiously. "Don't you dare…"
Her words trailed away as a blow to her temple robbed her of her consciousness. The last thing she was her sister falling limply into the Huron's arms, and then Cora simply surrendered to the dark.
Hey guys!!! Please, please, please do REVIEW and tell me how you like it! I had only ONE review for the previous
chappie, and that was certainly disappointing. (thanks to graciousplum for reviewing!!!) I'd seriously like to get at least 3 reviews before I update again, thanks.
And yes, I know this isn't really what happens in the movie, but I've decided to change the plot a little, so I don't have to write chapter after chapter; this is meant to be a rather short fic.