It did not take long for Alice's irreverent mood to pass. As the adrenaline of the ambush wore away, she soon found that the reality of being in the wilderness was not as liberating as she imagined. The rest of the group moved quite freely, even Cora, as she had always been wonderful at games and sports. She seemed full of energy and enthusiasm as she ambled beside Nathaniel and asked him endless questions about his life.

Alice, meanwhile, struggled near the rear in exhaustion. They were all on foot. Hours prior, she couldn't believe it when Uncas had set about the woods releasing all the horses. Out of her head, she ran up and grabbed his arms, shouting "But we need them!"

He had looked down at her impassively. His arms felt hard and immovable in her arms, but just as she was about to shrink away, she felt him relax and move just an imperceptible step closer to her. He smelled like pine and sweat and something else, something metallic. Blood, she realized, and she then stepped back in horror.

His eyes flashed with what seemed like pain for a second, and Alice had a strange sense of guilt—as if she had hurt him in some way. "I'm…I'm sorry…" she murmured. "Forgive me for laying my hands on you."

His dark eyes creased at the edges. "There is nothing to forgive."

Then, stepping just a hair closer again, he said, in a low voice as if trying not to spook her, "The horses will be too easy to track. Their hooves can be heard from miles away."

Alice felt very stupid. How could she not have realized that? "I…I am so-sorry," she said, stumbling over her words, alarmed that her childhood stutter was coming back to her in this embarrassing moment. He must think her a fool!

But when she glanced up from under her lashes, he seemed only a bit confused. She turned away to rejoin her sister when she felt the smallest graze of a finger on her hand. Then she thought she must have imagined it, for when she turned, he was already walking away.

That had been hours ago. Now, although she understood why the horses had been sacrificed, she still rued their loss. Her feet ached painfully, as though she was walking on glass, and she couldn't catch a deep breath due to how tight her stays were. Her hair had long since escaped its intricate pins, and now it hung in long loose waves down her back. But more than the exhaustion and the heat, she felt ashamed. She knew that she was holding the group up, that her frail physical state was putting them at greater risk with each passing moment. And, even more so, she knew it was her fault that Cora was her in this wilderness to begin with. Had it not been for Alice and what happened in London, then none of this would have happened. The thought was devastating to Alice, and it distracted her so that she didn't mark the large rock directly in front of her. Her foot grazed its sharp edge, and blood gushed immediately forth before Alice could cry out.

She was about to collapse on the ground, when she felt two strong arms gently setting her down. Even before she looked up, she knew it was Uncas. With alarm, she realized he was sitting beside her and reaching out for her foot. The idea was earth-shaking. A Indian touching her bare foot as she sat on the ground beside him? Her lower belly clenched in a way she never felt before.

"Oh!" she moaned. "I am sorry. Please go on, I will catch up in a moment."

He turned away from her and let out a whistle. She was about to speak again but he held up his hand. A low whistle came from the distance.

"What's that?" she asked.

"I let them know we are going to be a little delayed," he said, reaching for her foot again.

She pulled away sharply, nearly cutting her palms on the rocky floor as she did so. He clucked his tongue, misunderstanding her frenzied state, he said, "Don't worry. Your sister will be safe with my brother."

"You – you can't touch my foot," she said, as he yet again made another reach for her wounded foot. "It's improper!"

He laughed outright at that, and Alice's cheeks burned in shame.

"You are no gentleman to laugh in a lady's face!" she said, pulling herself upright and using the nearby tree to stand on her feet. The pressure on her injured heel caused a gasp of pain to emit from her lips. Uncas' face darkened and he stopped laughing.

"And you are a fool if you think false manners are worth more than your life," he said, "I must clean and bandage your foot or you could get an infection."

Alice whimpered in pain and defeat. Nor did she want to hold the group up anymore. She nodded slightly, and sank back down on the ground, ignoring his proffered hand. She crossed her arms and refused to meet his eyes as he started rooting in his pack for his supplies.

He seemed to find what he was looking for. He looked up at her face, hoping for a sign of permission or acknowledgment, but she only stared stonily out at the forest. From behind her hooded eyes, she could see a note of what appeared to be anger growing on his face. She fairly gasped when she felt his strong warm hands collect her small foot.

"I'm only going to touch your foot," he said gently, his voice proving he was not angry as she supposed. "I won't harm your honor. Though I do be a savage."

"I never called you that," she said quietly, and though he made no reply, she knew her words impacted him, because for a moment, she felt his firm hand flutter slightly.

"This might sting," he said gruffly. "It's medicine to clean the wound."

She twisted back a little involuntarily when the painful stinging assaulted her, but he held onto her foot with a gentle grasp and whispered something soothing in a language she didn't understand. Though she knew not the meaning of what he said, the intention behind them was clear, and she immediately relaxed. Her eyes were half shut, but she could tell he looked up in some surprise at her sudden surrender.

"Finished," he said, releasing her foot carefully to rest on a soft place on the ground.

"What do the words mean?" she asked, feeling emboldened by having survived such an unbelievable experience.

He seemed embarrassed, and began to pack up his supplies quickly. "Nothing. Just the language of my people."

"It sounded…beautiful," she said, and then she felt ashamed. "I am sorry for what I said earlier. I was being foolish. I have already slowed everyone down so much."

He shook his head powerfully. "No, miss, you have been very resilient. You're doing quite well."

She huffed in annoyance. "No, I am weak! I hate myself for being so slow and stupid. Would that I was more like Cora…"

She was going to continue when she felt his presence very close to her. His scent surrounded her. He was kneeling just a few feet from her face, arms outstretched to help her stand up. She took his hands gratefully and gingerly stood on her now bandaged foot. To her surprise, he did not let her go. She stood trembling, from both exertion and embarrassment, as he ran his thumbs firmly up and down her arms.

"The words…" He murmured. "I said, 'Hold still, little mouse.'"

"Mouse?" She said, frowning a little to find the endearment was not as romantic as she might have hoped.

He understood and smiled slightly, revealing a row of impossibly white teeth.

"In our culture, the mouse is honored for its quiet and whole-hearted spirit. The children hear stories of how the mouse is able to defeat even the most deadly of predators thanks to her courage and clever nature," he explained, his voice mesmerizing and still. "She is humble yet fierce…and her unassuming demeanor allows her to outsmart her enemies who do not credit her with any strength."

Alice smiled and blushed again, looking down at her feet. "Thank you," she whispered.

He let her go. She couldn't help but feel a chill go through her bones as he took his hands away.

"Come," he said, his tone no longer hushed. "This is no place to dawdle. We must find the others."

She nodded. Though tired and hurt and completely confused by the feelings invading her usually numb body, she felt stronger thanks to his words. She could go on. She could continue a while longer. She could prove people wrong. She could…prove Uncas right. She said his name again aloud in her head, repeating it over and over like a rosary. Good Lord, what was happening to her?