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Escape From Manitou Island: Part 66 |
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Going Under CHARMIAN HELD UP her hands and bared her teeth at the charging manitou, Winter Born cowering behind her. "Just TRY it, jackass!!" The manitou's eyes fixed on hers and they glittered. Its nostrils flared and it lowered its head. Soon you'll be as dead as that ISLAND of yours will be, "little girl"--! Charmian's mind went blank. Every thought of hurling a fireball fled her thoughts, as the manitou's eyes narrowed and its antlers came straight her way. "CHARMIAN!" The manitou started to sweep its head to the side to knock her off her feet. Then, it was gone--crashing sideways through the woods and slamming into a tree. Charmian blinked again, confused--and then saw the two okis, snorting and whistling. They jumped down into the woods and went toward the manitou, but Charmian didn't get to see what might happen next, as Singing Cedars grabbed her hand and Winter Born's and bolted back toward the stream. "Are you COMPLETELY stupid?!" he yelled, his voice shrill. She didn't even have the sense of mind to snap back at him, and tripped over her own feet more than once as they ran. The sluggish stream came back into sight, as well as the others gathered around the fallen tree; they were all staring right at them, eyes wide. The tree was so long that they must not have seen anything that had just happened, though she bet they'd heard at least part of it. "Charmian--?" Stick-In-The-Dirt managed to get out, his voice bewildered. Moon Wolf and Niskigwun didn't even bother thinking; the former held up his hands and fire appeared, and Niskigwun raised his spear, both of them darting glances into the woods behind the others as they approached. The four of them plunged into the stagnant water, also without thinking, and a great blaring whistle came from further back in the woods. Two smaller whistles followed it and Charmian whirled around, her foot sinking in muck; she shoved Winter Born behind herself, Singing Cedars whistling and she throwing up her hand. Moon Wolf threw a fireball. From the corner of her eye, Charmian saw Manabozho fling his hand forward, and a whip of soil flung out toward the trees; a gust of icy wind sailed past them as well, and she started chattering. She didn't even get to throw her own fireball; the three struck the manitou head on as it came, and it immediately collapsed to its knees, letting out a pained whistle. It lifted its head, glanced toward Charmian, then staggered up to its feet again. Stick-In-The-Dirt whirled around with a yelp and dashed into the water, nearly falling on his face. Moon Wolf threw another fireball, and Niskigwun's spear just missed hitting the manitou in the forehead; it ponderously turned itself about and crashed off into the trees, shooting a glare over its shoulder as it went. Everyone stood frozen in the water and on the bank, staring into the trees so hard that their eyes began to hurt; when rustling noises came, they readied themselves again, but blinked and let out their breath when the two okis approached, whistling tentatively. Singing Cedars's shoulders relaxed and he glanced at the others, brow furrowing. "They say...he went running off...and disappeared into thin air. Wherever he's going...there's no more trace of him." "How do we know that for SURE?" Stick-In-The-Dirt shrilled, ducking down behind the fallen tree. He pulled out his rattle and started shaking it, as if just in case. Charmian let out her breath and threw out a mental net. "I can't sense him!" she said. "Though he could be shielding himself, if he's as powerful as I'm starting to think." She looked over her shoulder at Winter Born, then back at the okis. "Are they okay--?" Singing Cedars stepped up to them to look them over; they whistled and started pacing in circles. "I think so," he murmured. "But they're saying that this manitou is such that even they can't hope to fight him off, if he comes back." Manabozho stepped out of the water. "Shouldn't we be going, then--?" "We started looking at a tunnel," Charmian said, "but didn't get very far--" "I can use my medicine again," Winter Born offered. "I didn't get to before, but..." "I think we should just dig and take our chances," Charmian interrupted, and they glanced at her, frowning slightly; she bit the inside of her mouth and took a step toward the bank. "Like he said--if that thing comes back, the okis can't fight him. And I don't want Mani to try." Manabozho snorted and splashed out of the water and into the grass. "I'll find this tunnel. If that stupid beast even shows his face again, he'll have to look for it on the GROUND!" He pushed his way past Niskigwun, who stumbled aside. He gave Charmian a hurt look, then furrowed his brow when she didn't protest; instead she grasped onto Marten's leg to make certain he wouldn't fall, and took Winter Born's hand in her other hand, and started sloshing forward. Thomas approached her from the bank, still dry, a puzzled expression on his own face; a glance upstream showed her the others, slowly drifting their way and looking equally curious. "Charmian?" he asked. "Are you all right? What was all that?" "I think it was one of Megissogwun's spies," Charmian sighed, rubbing at her head; Marten hopped upon Peepaukawiss as he walked by. She looked up at him. "Was that you throwing that wind at the manitou--?" "Huh?" Thomas frowned. "I just got here. We heard a bunch of noises. You're saying you ran into a manitou--?" She frowned, confused, then glanced over her shoulder to see who else might have done it. The others were gathering around the tree, a few of them talking under their breath and looking around, seemingly perplexed. She looked at Puka but he was so busy squishing Marten and exclaiming over his frazzled state that she could tell he couldn't have been there. Pakwa was still upstream, ambling their way and sniffing at the air. She couldn't understand it. Who was that, then...? She turned to Thomas again. "That manitou," she blurted out, as Stick-In-The-Dirt and Moon Wolf came her way. "He knew who I am!" Moon Wolf frowned. "Knew you--?" "How could you tell?" Stick-In-The-Dirt asked. She glanced at them both. "He knew I came here from the Island. And he called me 'little girl' like he was insulting me with it! Either somebody's feeding him info, or he knows me already!" She gave them all a confused look. "How could he KNOW me--?" "Megissogwun probably has spies on the Island as well," Moon Wolf said. "Do you think he would step into this unprepared? He probably found out all about you ahead of time." "But--when he first met me, he didn't even know who I was--I had to TELL him!" Charmian protested. "If Megissogwun's not the one telling these people about me, then who is--?" "What was it looking for?" Stick-In-The-Dirt asked, trying to catch her attention again. "Maybe this could help figure out what it knows--?" "It was attacking her, obviously!" Singing Cedars exclaimed from the bank. Charmian found herself shaking her head, and said, "It wasn't after me--it was after--" She cut herself off, blinked, then her eyes slowly widened. She peered behind herself at Winter Born, who stared back up at her anxiously. Everyone turned to look at her, and she started squirming, and crept back behind Charmian. "Wh...why are you all LOOKING at me...?" she cried. "That manitou," Charmian said. "He wasn't after me. He only attacked...when you tried using your medicine." Winter Born's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "M...me?" she said in a small voice. Stick-In-The-Dirt looked perplexed. "But...why would that manitou even care if she uses her medicine! She's just a small girl." "All I wanted to do was talk to the bugs," Winter Born insisted, fiddling her fingers. Charmian bit the inside of her mouth, hard. Suddenly everything that Chakenapok and Nigankwam had said didn't seem so farfetched anymore. "Let's just get to this tunnel and see if it works," she said. "Wait a minute!!" They glanced upstream. Kenu was running along the bank, waving his arms. He fell down on his face with a thud, making them wince, then leapt up to his feet and promptly came running again. He slowed to a stop before them, gasping for breath. "Waitaminutewaitaminutewaitaminute!" he exclaimed, and started hopping up and down and pointing upstream. "What about Mishu?" Charmian blinked. "Crap! That's right!" She started jogging toward the river. "He can't swim in this little stream--and he can't crawl through a tunnel!" "Maybe we can find another tunnel underwater?" Manabozho shouted as she ran off. She shook her head. "Not a Weaver tunnel! They don't tunnel through the water!" She ran until she reached where the streamlet merged with the river itself; X'aaru and the two loons were still here, as well as Mishupishu, who floated further out in the water. As soon as he saw her he swam closer to shore, ears drooping. "You're going to go by land...aren't you?" he asked meekly, in a tone that was barely a question. Charmian bit her lip. "Well...there's kind of this shortcut, and..." The Lynx's lip began to quiver and she hurried to wave her hands. "No, no, not like that! We're not ditching you or anything...it's just..." She glanced over her shoulder and let out a flustered sigh. "It's just, we really need to take this shortcut to save time, and you can't swim down there." "It's all right," Mishupishu murmured. "I can find my way back to the lake..." Kenu came running up behind Charmian and halted, still panting. "Humaaaaaaan!" he cried. "We can't just leave him!!" Charmian blinked at him. "What--you mean you want him along now--?" When Kenu bobbed his head she furrowed her brow. "I thought your people didn't like Underwater Lynxes." Kenu's lip stuck out. "Well--this one's DIFFERENT, of course!" He ran over to Mishupishu and hopped atop his head, grasping hold of his horns. "I don't wanna leave him behind!" His own lip quivered, then, as if remembering who he was, he raised himself up and said, "I, Kenu, REFUSE to leave a comrade behind for mere matters of inconvenience!" Charmian's first instinct was to retort and possibly cuff his ear; then she saw the way the Lynx's eyes watered up, and let out her breath. "Okay--hold on!" she exclaimed, and stepped toward him; he lowered his head and Kenu jumped off onto the bank. "There's got to be some way we can get you there too," Charmian said. "We just need to figure out what it is!" She chewed her lip. "Wabun mentioned flooded tunnels. He said a Mishupishu could use a Weaver tunnel if it's submerged." She looked up at him. "Do you know where you could find a Weaver tunnel--?" Mishupishu furrowed his brow. "What's a 'Weaver'--?" Charmian stared at him for a moment, then let out a huge sigh. X'aaru took a step forward, tail wagging tentatively. "Maybe--maybe I can help him find one," he suggested. Charmian frowned a little. "How...?" "Well..." He glanced up at the Lynx, then back at Charmian, and lowered his head a little. "I don't know...maybe look for a tunnel...? I can go under the water for a long time..." "But what if there aren't any? How would you know where to look?" "You were just looking for one, weren't you?" Kenu pleaded. "Wouldn't there be a bunch of them?" "I don't know..." Charmian stared at the rippling water for a moment, then lifted her hand thoughtfully. "Well...wait a minute. We were looking for an active Weaver tunnel. Maybe if we find it...we could pass word to them. If they know somebody's looking for an underwater tunnel...maybe..." She chewed her lip a little. "But I really don't know how they would take to hearing that an Underwater Lynx wants to use one of their tunnels!" "I could go with him and help explain," X'aaru offered again, still wagging his tail. "O-ho! The great wolf demon requests leave to assist the mighty Lynx!" Kwemoo--or Maang--exclaimed. "Request this he does! O-ho!" said the other loon, and then both--"O-HO!" "Please, Charmian?" X'aaru said. Charmian couldn't refuse him with that look on his face, though she really wanted to. "Okay...okay," she sighed, and his eyes lit up. "But be careful! The two of you go down under the water and wait near the bank, okay? We'll try to find the Weavers, and if it all works out, I'll send you a message and tell you where to go. If it doesn't work out...well...we'll figure something else out, all right?" The two of them nodded vigorously. "Come on then," Charmian said, taking Kenu's hand and waving at the loons. "We need to get back to the others before they leave us behind!" She gasped when Kenu yanked his hand free and sprinted several paces ahead. He whirled around and clenched his fists. "DON'T HOLD MY HAND! THE MIGHTY KENU DOESN'T NEED HIS HAND HELD BY A HUMAN!!" Charmian and the others blinked. Kenu turned back around and went racing off along the stream. "Cripes...sorry already," Charmian said. She cast a quick glance back at X'aaru. "You're sure you'll be okay...?" The demon nodded. "We'll wait on the bottom!" He turned and plunged into the water, Mishupishu disappearing after him. Charmian sighed and started trudging back, the two loons flapping awkwardly up into the air. Everyone was waiting near the tree now, canoes in tow; she was grateful now that they were so small, after all. They all looked at her as if expecting advice and she blushed, then waved at the tree. "Come on...I think Manabozho said he was going to deal with this!" "Is that always good news...?" Thomas murmured, but everybody started trailing along, following the long trunk into the woods. The two okis kept pace off to both sides, glancing around themselves, but there was no more noise aside from that they made on their own; when they reached the root system, Manabozho stood there already, arms crossed and a dark look on his face. He jerked a hand at the pit that Winter Born had occupied earlier. "You mean down there?" he demanded; he glanced into the woods, then snorted. "The piddling little thing won't even show its face again! Good riddance!" He jumped into the pit and started gouging out handfuls of soil. "If there's a tunnel, I'll just DIG the thing out myself!" "Mmmhfffff!!" Puka whined, jamming his fingers in his mouth and shifting from foot to foot. "I wish I could stick one of those little wigglies down his neck right now...!!" Everyone gathered around the pit to watch as Manabozho dug; after a few moments, when he started to slow down a bit, Marten hopped in and began digging as well, shooting soil out between his legs like a dog. After another moment Niskigwun rolled his eyes and sighed, and poked Puka in the arm; Puka's eyes goggled and he shook his head in horror, but Niskigwun merely dragged him down with him. A moment later Manabozho was scowling as they helped him dig, Puka doing more grimacing and squealing and squirming than actual digging. At last Manabozho sputtered when some of the soil caved in, and Marten disappeared from sight with a small cry; the others picked up their pace and pulled him out, so Winter Born took him and dusted him off as he spat out a mouthful of dirt. He patted at his red cap and made a face. "Ick!! I always wanted to try a mudpie but that was just GROSS!" "Is it an opening--?" Winter Born asked, ducking her head to peer into the pit. Manabozho took a reluctant step back as Niskigwun poked more loose soil away with his spear, which he'd retrieved earlier. "It looks to be one," the Michinimakinong said hesitantly, peering inside. "But as for how far it goes or how deep it is..." "Out of the way!" Manabozho huffed, shoving him aside so that he fell over against the side of the pit, taking Puka with him. Niskigwun sputtered and tried pushing himself away; Puka shrieked and flailed his arms when one of the Michinimakinong's wings hit his arm. "EEEWWW!! SOMETHING'S ON MY ARM!! AN ANT! A WORM!! EEEWWWWW!!" He reached out and tore Niskigwun's wing off so abruptly that Niskigwun could only blink and then gawk in disbelief; Winter Born's jaw dropped, but Charmian clamped a hand over her mouth before she could yell. She still managed to squeal around Charmian's fingers, and pointed at Niskigwun wildly. "Eeewwww!!" Kenu cried now, hopping from foot to foot at the edge of the pit. "ATROCIOUS!!" Niskigwun glanced up at them--Charmian hated how red his face went--then he started scowling, teeth bared, and whirled around toward Puka, yanking his torn wing back. He commenced smacking Puka over the head with it; Manabozho, meanwhile, turned away from the now-yawning opening and gestured in a superior manner. "I do believe the way is now open," he said loftily. "No offense to you, Monsieur," Francois said, "but have you any idea whether that dirt will hold...?" Manabozho blinked, then his feathers bristled; Francois blinked, and Stick-In-The-Dirt edged back behind him. "OF COURSE IT'LL HOLD!" Manabozho bellowed, making everybody jump. "You doubt me?! Then just see!" He turned and stomped into the tunnel, turning back briefly to make a face at them. And then he vanished from sight when a gout of earth collapsed atop him. Niskigwun ceased beating Puka and both of them burst into laughter. Winter Born wriggled even more in Charmian's grip, now pointing at the vanished tunnel; after a moment a hand poked out, then the soil was tossed and kicked aside, and Manabozho reappeared, his teeth showing and his eyes glowing blue. Niskigwun and Puka both immediately tried to stifle their laughter, though it was nearly impossible; Manabozho gave everyone the evil eye, then jerked a hand at the newly opened tunnel. "FOL--" He winced and ducked his head, his voice dropping from a bellow to a whisper. "Follow!" He turned and vanished into the tunnel. Charmian let go of Winter Born, who let out a whoosh of breath and whispered loudly, "Do you REALLY think it'll hold--?" "Guess it's time to find out," Charmian said. She glanced back at the others. "X'aaru's going down under the river with Mishupishu to see if they can find an alternate route. If we find any Weavers down here, we might have to ask for a favor." She paused, then furrowed her brow. "Any idea what spiders like...?" Everybody started hemming and hawing uncertainly. All that she could do was sigh and step into the tunnel, having to duck her head as it was so low. She winced uneasily whenever a clump of loose soil would fall on her head or shoulder, but had to keep inching along after Manabozho, who didn't seem to be liking it very much himself. More than once they had to halt as he poked around and dug away more loose soil, which always entailed even more dirt falling on their heads; they at last stopped fidgeting and mumbling and fell still and silent but for when they were moving, and cast nervous glances all around them. Charmian noticed that the canoes had to have been left behind, as there wasn't nearly enough room down here for them. She was glad for Mani's shapeshifting ability, and relieved now that X'aaru had gone the other way. More likely than not the demon would have ended up in a yelping pile of dirt himself. "How deep do spiders go?" Thomas whispered harshly, letting out a sputter when some dirt hit him in the face. Charmian was permanently grimacing now; her hair felt like it would never get clean. "Beats me!!" "Can I try?" Winter Born whispered, waving one hand. They glanced back at her. "I can talk to bugs, I said! If these Weavers are bugs then can't I talk to them too--?" Charmian opened her mouth to protest, but Thomas poked her in the arm. "That manitou's long gone by now!" he whispered. "I hardly think he's going to come galumphing down here right now!" "But how can you be sure--?" "I can be really quick about it!" Winter Born promised, and before they could say anything, she nudged her way around them, stepped up beside Manabozho, and sank her fingers into some loose soil. A centipede promptly landed on her arm and Puka started to let out a horrific shriek; Niskigwun and Pakwa clamped their hands over his mouth. "Sorry," Winter Born said, and picked the wriggling creature off, setting it on the ground where it scurried away. She shut her eyes and appeared to concentrate for a moment or two; then she opened them and looked back at the others with a bright smile. "I knew it! There's some kind of really big bugs ahead, but kind of off to the left! I told them we're coming and they're going to meet us because the tunnels are so dangerous, they don't even use these ones themselves!" Instantly a bunch of glaring eyes were focused on Manabozho. He blushed and shrank in on himself a bit. "As--as if you can trust anything a giant bug says!!" he protested, but everyone started pushing past him with barely a second glance, making their way further along the tunnel. It widened a bit at last and they slowed down here, keeping their ears open for the arrival of the Weavers; several moments passed in relative silence, then the faint clicking and popping noises of the spiders came within earshot, and Charmian let out a relieved breath. "Thank goodness spiders at least have manners and common sense," she said, peering ahead but unable to make anything out. Manabozho was muttering and dusting off his soiled feathers. "The more legs something has, if you ask me, the less reliable...how many legs can an honest person need to get around...?" The clicking noises grew louder, and a bit of earth began to crumble away from the lefthand wall. "They say to back away a little bit," Winter Born said. "So we don't get it piled all over us." Everyone shifted toward the other side of the tunnel. The wall began to slowly cave in on itself as long hairy legs protruded from the dirt, gently nudging it aside. They stood and watched the giant spiders clear an opening, their multiple eyes glittering in the dim light cast by their webs and by Moon Wolf's flames, their legs waving as if they were saying hello. They clacked and popped. Charmian smiled at the lead spider and waved in return. "Hi!" She took a step or two forward. "I'm sorry to bother you, but we were kind of wondering if..." She trailed off when Thomas took her arm and slowly but firmly drew her back. She glanced back at him with a puzzled frown; his eyes were wide and he was standing as stiff as a statue, his stare fixed on the spider. "What is it?" Charmian asked, perplexed. "Charmian," he whispered, then, in the tiniest hiss imaginable, "you are aware you're talking to a brown recluse, aren't you?" She tilted her head. "A brown what--?" He clenched his teeth. "Like a black widow!!" Charmian's and everyone else's eyes went as round as moons now. She turned slowly to look at the giant spiders, and then she and everyone took a collective step back. |