Pocahontas

PART IV : If I Never Knew You

Chapter 16

POCAHONTAS

I'm unprepared for what awaits me when I break through the cornstalks and into the village. The warriors weren't expected to arrive for a couple more days, but here thay are! stepping right out of their canoes! I run up to the shore and move along the edge of the crowd until I bump into Nakoma.

"Pocahontas are you crazy?" she whispers," What were you doing with one of them?"

"There you are!"

The loud shout startles us both.

"Kocoum," I say.

He puts his arm around me as if I'm already his wife, which I hope not to be.

"Look at them," he says," Now we have enough warriors to destroy those white demons!

I hear my father shout something in audible but I follow his voice to the front of the main gathering wigwam.

"Father, I need to speak with you," I whisper. I don't want to draw too much attention, given what I'm about to say.

"Not now my daughter," he says in his gruff voice,"The council is gathering,"

he turns but I'm not finished. I will not put the lives of innocent people at stake, white or copper skinned.

"We don't have to fight them," I say, "There must be a better way!"

"Sometimes our paths are chosen for us,"

"But maybe we should try talking to them,"

"They do not want to talk,"

"but if one of them did want to talk, you would listen to him wouldn't you?"

"Pocahontas,"

"Wouldn't you?!"

"Of course I would, but it is not that simple, nothing is simple anymore,"

With that he walks into the tent. At least I have confirmation that he would speak with a white man. Now I must wait until nightfall. I have to see John Smith.

* * *

I run along the edge of the cronfield until I find the spot I enterd earlier. To my surprise Nakoma apears to have been waiting there for a little while.

"I thought you'd try going back," She says. "I lied for you once, don't ask me to do it again,"

"I have to do this," I say.

"Pocahontas, he's one of them!"

"you don't know him,"

"If you go out there, you'll be turning your back on your own people,"

"I'm trying to help my people,"

"Pocahontas please, you're my best friend, I don't want you to get hurt,"

"I won't, I know what I'm doing!"

I shove past her and take off through the rows of corn. I can hear her shout before I've even left her sight.

"Pocahontas, no!"

I run at top speed through the woods, cross the branch across the river, slide down the steep slope and arive at the edge of the pond beside where Grandmother willow sits.

"The earth is trembling child!" says Grandmother Willow,"What's happened?"

"The warriors are here," I reply.