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starrikaTitle: Flutter
Fandom: Last of the Mohicans
Claim: None
Status: In Progress
Rating: PG-13 (may progress to R in later chapters)
Summary: A retelling of the movie from Alice's perspective
Warnings: Mild war violence.
It was near sunset when they reached the cluster of houses and farms. They had paused behind the trees, and Alice wondered as the men, save Duncan, examined the track marks on the ground. It was too quiet to be a homestead. She followed the men willingly, but Alice could not help the warning her instincts were giving her. They heard nothing but the birds.
Warily, she climbed over the split-rail fence, unable to see over the corn, but she could smell the char in the air. She had a foreboding sense that the war party they had encountered earlier had passed through the area.
She had heard stories in Albany about the war parties: savages pillaging their way through the homesteads, killing and capturing men, women, and children. She had to wonder why they lived so exposed to the whims of the savages. Why would anyone choose to live such a hard life so far from the rest of civilization?
She stayed far back into the field with Cora and Duncan as the men advanced with their rifles. Once Chingachgook signaled them forward, she followed; not wanting to see what she knew was there. Uncas had paused over the body of a woman, and for a moment, Alice thought she could see the raw emotion in his face. They had known these people.
He had moved on with Nathaniel, examining the house as she tried not to see the blood. She could smell it, as well as gunpowder and ashes, and it was all that she could do to not cry. Perhaps she was simple-minded, but Alice could not see reason for this savagery, for any fighting, really, especially when it gave results such as these.
Nathaniel and Uncas returned from the house with their faces set in stark lines. They did not speak, instead moving to study tracks in the ground with their father. Alice saw that Cora was looking at the homestead with the horror that she felt, and gripped her sister’s hand for support. Despite her strength, Cora was not unfeeling, and Alice knew her sister would be greatly troubled by what she had seen. Duncan, however, seemed unshaken; instead he studied the surrounding area, as if to ascertain the threat was truly gone. Alice could not help but wonder at his behavior.
She said a silent prayer for the people who had lived in the house as the men conferred. Duncan made move to bury the bodies, and Alice could not suppress a shudder. She wanted to move, to find herself as far away as she could from blood and bone, and to breathe air that did not smell like gunpowder and ruin. As unchristian as it was, she would leave the bodies as they lay.
It was a surprise when Chingachgook said to leave the bodies, though Alice desperately wanted to move on. She was further surprised when Cora questioned this, declaring that they were entitled to a Christian burial, even if they were strangers. Her sister had never been devout, always shirking her catechism or forgetting her prayer-book. She had never found comfort in prayer the way Alice had, and Alice wondered if the scene had so shaken her to inspire such change of faith.
She wondered, however, that Cora had missed the looks their guides had shared when entering the homestead, the tension that was more than just impending danger. These people were not strangers, and Alice could hardly believe the rudeness in accusing them of cruel indifference. Casting her eyes to the ground, she did not look towards the men, hoping that they would excuse her sister. She was far too used to Cora’s blunt outspokenness to be offended any longer, though was always shocked at its occurrence.
Her sister seemed cowed by Nathaniel’s harsh words, and Alice went to her in support. But as Cora looked back toward the homestead and its bodies, Alice looked forward toward Uncas and the woods. Placing an arm around her waist, Alice urged her sister forward and away from ruin. Every step lead them closer to Father and away from this savagery, and Alice hoped they would reach their destination soon. She did not think that they could handle more of this.
Fandom: Last of the Mohicans
Claim: None
Status: In Progress
Rating: PG-13 (may progress to R in later chapters)
Summary: A retelling of the movie from Alice's perspective
Warnings: Mild war violence.
It was near sunset when they reached the cluster of houses and farms. They had paused behind the trees, and Alice wondered as the men, save Duncan, examined the track marks on the ground. It was too quiet to be a homestead. She followed the men willingly, but Alice could not help the warning her instincts were giving her. They heard nothing but the birds.
Warily, she climbed over the split-rail fence, unable to see over the corn, but she could smell the char in the air. She had a foreboding sense that the war party they had encountered earlier had passed through the area.
She had heard stories in Albany about the war parties: savages pillaging their way through the homesteads, killing and capturing men, women, and children. She had to wonder why they lived so exposed to the whims of the savages. Why would anyone choose to live such a hard life so far from the rest of civilization?
She stayed far back into the field with Cora and Duncan as the men advanced with their rifles. Once Chingachgook signaled them forward, she followed; not wanting to see what she knew was there. Uncas had paused over the body of a woman, and for a moment, Alice thought she could see the raw emotion in his face. They had known these people.
He had moved on with Nathaniel, examining the house as she tried not to see the blood. She could smell it, as well as gunpowder and ashes, and it was all that she could do to not cry. Perhaps she was simple-minded, but Alice could not see reason for this savagery, for any fighting, really, especially when it gave results such as these.
Nathaniel and Uncas returned from the house with their faces set in stark lines. They did not speak, instead moving to study tracks in the ground with their father. Alice saw that Cora was looking at the homestead with the horror that she felt, and gripped her sister’s hand for support. Despite her strength, Cora was not unfeeling, and Alice knew her sister would be greatly troubled by what she had seen. Duncan, however, seemed unshaken; instead he studied the surrounding area, as if to ascertain the threat was truly gone. Alice could not help but wonder at his behavior.
She said a silent prayer for the people who had lived in the house as the men conferred. Duncan made move to bury the bodies, and Alice could not suppress a shudder. She wanted to move, to find herself as far away as she could from blood and bone, and to breathe air that did not smell like gunpowder and ruin. As unchristian as it was, she would leave the bodies as they lay.
It was a surprise when Chingachgook said to leave the bodies, though Alice desperately wanted to move on. She was further surprised when Cora questioned this, declaring that they were entitled to a Christian burial, even if they were strangers. Her sister had never been devout, always shirking her catechism or forgetting her prayer-book. She had never found comfort in prayer the way Alice had, and Alice wondered if the scene had so shaken her to inspire such change of faith.
She wondered, however, that Cora had missed the looks their guides had shared when entering the homestead, the tension that was more than just impending danger. These people were not strangers, and Alice could hardly believe the rudeness in accusing them of cruel indifference. Casting her eyes to the ground, she did not look towards the men, hoping that they would excuse her sister. She was far too used to Cora’s blunt outspokenness to be offended any longer, though was always shocked at its occurrence.
Her sister seemed cowed by Nathaniel’s harsh words, and Alice went to her in support. But as Cora looked back toward the homestead and its bodies, Alice looked forward toward Uncas and the woods. Placing an arm around her waist, Alice urged her sister forward and away from ruin. Every step lead them closer to Father and away from this savagery, and Alice hoped they would reach their destination soon. She did not think that they could handle more of this.