Dedication:

This story is dedicated to Mark Wildyr, whose AMAZING book, Cut Hand, was foremost among several books that gave me the inspiration to write this story. He also looked over the beginning and gave me some advice, as well as reviewed it! This is a really wonderful guy, and I can't thank him enough for taking time to bother with little me! THANK YOU SO MUCH, Mark! I LOVE YOU! *huggles him tight* :)

Historical Fact:

This particular tribe of Natives did not live in teepees, they lived in longhouses.

A friend of mine, and a very amazing Native woman and writer, Rose Christo, has also helped me with advice for this story. I love all her books, but I'm particularly fond of her Gives Light series, as well as her Suddenly Space Pirates series!

She suggested that I put that little bit of historical fact in just to be accurate, even though my story isn't. I could have taken the teepees out, and probably should have, but I really like teepees! So this is my compromise. I really respect Native tradition and their way of life, so I felt it was important to state the historical truth, even though this is fiction using characters from a flawed movie.

Thank you, Rose, for taking the time to look it over! Even though Pocahontas is definitely mostly an inaccurate representation of your noble people. I LOVE YOU! *huggles her tight* :)

~Sweet-Hearted SilverEars~

Prologue New World

John Smith stood on the deck of the ship Discovery, the slight breeze stirring the long strands of his blonde hair, bringing to his nose the distinct scent of wet salt as he gazed out over the wooden railing in front of him. He stared, blue eyes unblinking with his anticipation as the land they would soon be setting foot on after months at sea since leaving England behind them came closer while the water steadily moved their vessel. The land appeared dark and mysterious to him, but also strangely inviting, as though something was drawing him there. Reeling him in toward what felt like his destiny.

His friend, Thomas, stepped up behind him, and John's gaze flicked toward his fellow crewmember briefly, then back to gaze out over the smooth, glassy water around the ship. The sky above their heads was a brilliant blue, and soft-looking clouds of fluff drifted across it's vast expanse, the bright ball of the sun already heating their fair skin despite the fact that it was still early morning.

"Why did you sign on for this voyage, John?" Thomas asked him quietly as he also stepped up to the railing, placing both of his elbows against the solid wood near John's and staring into the surrounding dark forest as well. "What are you hoping to find here that you could not in England, or any of the other lands that you have been to?"

"The same things that I have been looking for my whole life. Adventure, of course."

"Of course."

"And a home."

"Really?" Thomas asked, blinking in clear surprise.

"Yes."

"Oh."

"And perhaps someone to share it with."

John and Thomas went ashore in the smaller boat with several others not long after their conversation when the ship's anchor was lowered. They and the men began setting up a sturdy, temporary camp next to the secluded cove that was lined by many trees.

The next morning broke clear and a bit cold. John rose at the touch of the sun on his cheek, purposefully avoiding his friend, Thomas, as he slipped away from the camp. He needed to be alone...

He began to explore this new world with bright, excited eyes, those same eyes widening as he noticed all the new and different species of trees and beautiful plants that existed here. John saw few animals, most of them bounding or scurrying away from his passage through their habitats, wishing that he had names to call them by in his mind. There was a large brown animal with big ears lined in white fur, and a funny, short twitching tail standing on slender, though muscular legs that ended in small hooves. He also saw fluffy little red-haired rodents that somewhat resembled the rats of England, but for the unexpected bushiness of the long tail that waved and flicked behind their small fleeing bodies.

The trees were strange in this place, some of them even appearing sinister, but John thought that he would get used to them quickly if he were really destined to stay here as his heart seemed to be telling him. The trees that seemed to call to him on some deeper level had tall, thick trunks and sturdy roots, and grew close to water, their appendages dipping far below the waterline and out of sight. The branches were more like long, slender ribbons that danced in the wind when it blew and held tiny, intricately shaped leaves along their vine-like lengths.

John smiled slightly, thinking to himself that children would love to play among these trees. He could almost see them. Playing and laughing, splashing each other with the nearby water. Quickly shushing each other with upraised fingers pressed to their small lips when their parents came searching for them.

He continued his wanderings, and around midday he knelt down by the edge of a large river, gazing for a few moments in wonder at the water falling down into the pool, turning it from clear to frothy white water, before dipping his warm hands into it, cupping them together, intending to wash his sweaty face clean. When he lifted his fair-haired head, however, his fingers went limp, his blue eyes going wide as he abruptly lost the cool, soothing water he had collected in his palms.

Standing across from him on a large, dark gray rock submerged deep into the muddy bed beneath the water, her dark-skinned form partially obscured by the misty spray of the waterfall, was a beautiful female with waist length brown hair dressed in some kind of strange clothing that bared more flesh then he had ever seen of a woman. Encircling her slender neck was a blue and white necklace, it's intricate beading drawing his gaze before his eyes lifted to hers, dark pools of mystery in her elegantly-boned face. She stared across the small expanse between them for a long, intense moment, and then she bounded away from him on her long and bare, clearly muscular legs, easily disappearing into the dark tree line on the opposite bank from where he had come as though she had never been there.