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Escape From Manitou Island: Part 140 |
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(DISCLAIMER: This part, and all parts hereafter, are works in progress (WIPs) and have not been proofread or checked for plot inconsistencies. I've decided to present them "as is" for now, as there is a significant amount of unfinished material; yet this story has been on hiatus for a long while, I've forgotten certain details, and I have no plans to resume work on it any time soon. Please keep in mind while reading that details may change in the future. Should you spot an inconsistency, however, please feel free to point it out to me for possible correction.)
SEEKERS THE SUNLIGHT BARELY reached down through the dense dark greenery of the trees, dappling the ground here and there with tiny patches of yellow. The sound of springs trickling filled the air; even the birdsong here seemed muted, somehow. The springs were hard to find unless one was sure of foot and willing to look for one; and so this was where White Deer was precariously perched, seated at the very edge of one, her eyes shut as she stared across the invisible lake below. She'd been sitting this way for several hours so far, and showed no signs of stopping just yet. A soft breeze arose, making the boughs rustle. A strand of hair blew in her face and tickled her nose but she ignored it. A tiny frog hopped out of the spring, peeped, and hopped again to land on her ankle with a plop, peeped again, then hopped away; she ignored it. A cooing noise came from overhead, and something small and white splattered against her shoulder. White Deer's eyes popped open and her hands curled into fists, a beyond-irritated growl rising in her throat. "How does anybody manage to get any VISIONS around here!!" She started awkwardly pushing herself up to her feet, yelped, then fell with a splash in the spring. She sat there for a moment, her bottom submerged and her arms and legs sprawled out around her, before growling again and fighting her way up and out of the water. She kicked at a stone, yelped again when it stung, and began struggling her way back up the bluff. Her eyes stung but she refused to let any tears come. "Stupid spring. Stupid frog. Stupid bird," she muttered as she went. "Stupid Island!" She kicked a tree, yelped, and resumed climbing. "STUPID TREE!" "Of course the tree will kick back when you treat it that way." White Deer gasped and nearly went falling back down the slope. She grabbed onto another tree instead, blinking and glancing around. It took her a moment to make out a figure seated slightly north of her, also near a spring. It moved slightly and she blushed when Silver Eagle Feather's bright green eyes focused on hers, seeming vaguely amused. White Deer let out a frustrated sigh and began picking her way sideways now, until the other woman could reach out and grasp her hand and help her up. White Deer plopped down on the other side of the spring and glared ruefully at the trickling water. "Yours is better than mine," she grumbled. Silver Eagle Feather's mouth twitched. "If I'd been seated at the other one, you'd have said the same thing." She drew her leg up so that she sat upon them both. "What is it that troubles you so much? It's not like you to kick trees and curse the Island. In fact, it's not much like you to sit out here by yourself, either." "I was hoping maybe I would have a vision," White Deer said resentfully. "To maybe help Father and Charmian," she added, when that resulted in nothing but a puzzled look. "They've been gone so long! I worry about them. Black Elk Horn and Winter Born are gone also, how can you not worry--?" "I know Winter Born can take care of herself," Silver Eagle Feather replied. "And Elk, well, she can take care of him, too." She brushed back a stray hair. "I think they'll be fine. I know you can't stop yourself from worrying, but I wouldn't make myself ill over it." White Deer started gnawing on her lip. "I try not to," she said at last. "But at least before, they were here to help the Island! And now they're all gone." She paused. "I had a bad dream." Silver Eagle Feather blinked, then her head popped up. "Dream--?" she echoed. White Deer nodded, a bit hesitantly, and started twisting the fringe on the edge of her dress. "I know it probably means nothing...but..." "Please tell me," Silver Eagle Feather coaxed. White Deer twisted a little harder. "Well...every time I've had a dream that seemed important, it never came true." She paused again. "But this one just gives me a bad feeling. I dreamed I saw the color blue, and I couldn't breathe." Silver Eagle Feather's brow furrowed. "This was all...?" A nod. "I told you it probably means nothing." Her stare drifted toward the water. "But it felt so real..." "Do you feel this dream had anything to say about Charmian and the others...?" White Deer shook her head. "No...at least it didn't feel like it. I didn't even think about them at all!" She clumsily got to her feet. "You think maybe this is bad news for them--?" Silver Eagle Feather quickly shook her head now and gestured at her to sit down again before she could fall. "No...I feel that if you didn't think of them, then the dream says nothing about them. Perhaps it's just your worries about the Island." "Maybe," White Deer said, as if unconvinced. She sighed. "I need to find a better spring...one with fewer distractions!" She made a face and grasped a tree to start pulling herself along the slope. "White Deer," Silver Eagle Feather called. The younger woman halted and peered back at her. "Has anyone else reported a strange dream to you?" Silver Eagle Feather asked. White Deer frowned in thought. "No," she said after a moment. "But then again...people don't really tell me much about their dreams." She waved. "Goodbye...I have to find a better spot to concentrate in. It's not as if I have much else to do." She let out a gusty sigh and went on her way. Silver Eagle Feather continued sitting in silence for a short while, listening to the distant birdsong and the trickling of the spring. After some time she carefully got to her feet and climbed up the rest of the slope to reach the bluff trail overhead. The day was hot and sunny, and the Fort Hill was steep, so she was somewhat tired by the time she'd reached Fort Holmes. She found it hard to believe that she felt irritated as she walked toward the bluff's edge--not only did walking and climbing usually not tire her much, but it never irritated her. She had to pause and think over this strange feeling for a few moments, but couldn't explain it; with a small sigh she stopped and peered down at the rocky ledge below. She could have whistled or called for assistance, but decided not to, and simply jumped. If she had been anyone else, one of the twin demons would have immediately flown out of the cave to catch her, but she landed on foot and knee with barely a wobble and looked up to see the two of them resting just beside the cave entrance, both peering at her curiously. Their noses twitched as if they expected her to not be who she looked to be, but she merely scratched their ears as she headed inside, and they left her alone. "Silver Eagle Feather--?" Red Bird exclaimed as soon as she saw her, and got to her feet, hurrying forward and throwing her arms around her. "Oh! You never visit! It's so nice to see you here!" Silver Eagle Feather hugged her back. "I wish I could say I came only for a visit," she admitted as they let each other go, and Red Bird's smile faded. "But something is bothering me, and I thought perhaps Tal Natha might help clear it up." "Tal Natha?" Red Bird bit her lip. "He isn't here right now...in fact, he said that something was bothering him and left a little while ago. I know it sounds strange...but it looked like he was heading west." West? Silver Eagle Feather suppressed a feeling of unease and forced a smile. "I guess I'll have to chase after him, then. If we miss each other, will you tell him I was here?" "Of course!" Red Bird nodded as Silver Eagle Feather turned to the entrance. "Was there anything in particular you wished to talk about--?" "It's just a matter of a dream I had, is all." "Oh. You had a strange dream too? That's kind of funny! It was after I told Tal Natha about my dream that he left..." Her voice trailed off when Silver Eagle Feather halted in the entryway. "You had one as well?" she asked, turning back to look at Red Bird in some confusion. Red Bird nodded. "I can't remember it whatsoever," she admitted a bit meekly. "In fact I only recall anything because Tal Natha woke me up. He said I was chewing on his wing and saying that I couldn't breathe." She shrugged. "Of course I couldn't breathe, with his wing in my mouth!" Silver Eagle Feather's smile came a bit easier this time. "Perhaps he merely went to stretch his wings," she suggested, and turned away as Red Bird started giggling. Dakh and Sikt sniffed at her again as she exited, though they barely batted an eye when a glow surrounded her, and a moment later she was flying back up and over Fort Holmes, her wings beating hard as she twisted about in her Ocryx form and started scanning the forest below. I can reach there faster this way. Things can't be right if he goes west...this is just like the GeeBee coming east. She descended while she was still some distance from the little lake, landing in the woods and shifting back into her human form. She began jogging along, keeping her ears alert for any strange sounds; the laughter and gibbering of GeeBees still sounded in the distance, but this barely caught her attention. She thought she sensed several great powers ahead, and that concerned her. Crackling noises in the underbrush made her gasp and halt abruptly, but she saw that it was merely a red GeeBee staring back at her, crouching on all fours on the ground. As soon as he noticed her attention he grinned so that all of his teeth showed; she wrinkled her nose and jerked her hand westward. "You'd best be heading back where you belong," she warned. "When your ogimah returns, he won't be happy to see how all of you have been acting." The GeeBee made a pfft noise. "And who's to say he will be back...?" he challenged, but turned and ambled away, evaporating in a puff of wind which whipped the tree branches into a frenzy as he flew off. Silver Eagle Feather frowned but went on her way, deciding to forget the odd exchange. She slowed her step when she at last heard voices speaking ahead, one of them out loud, two of them in thought. She recognized them immediately and felt even more perplexed and concerned. As she stepped out of the woods and crossed the small grassy clearing toward the lakeshore, they turned to look at her. Ocryx was in the water, partly submerged as it softly roiled around him; Tal Natha stood a safe distance away, and to his right, also facing the lake, stood Justin Dupries. They seemed just as surprised to see her as she was to see them, and she tried not to look too confounded as she made her way to them. Ocryx's muzzle wrinkled. "Another one?" he snapped aloud. Sister? Tal Natha asked, brow furrowing. What draws you here? "Likely the same thing that brought all of you," Silver Eagle Feather said, furrowing her own brow. She halted between Tal Natha and Justin and turned to look at Ocryx. "What goes on here?" The demon's muzzle wrinkled again. I am hardly the one who called a meeting. What am I to do when everybody decides to come visit me in my lake? I have always said that dreams are annoying business best not even dealt with! "So you have had the dreams too?" Silver Eagle Feather asked, glancing at the other two in turn. Justin frowned. "What do you mean, 'too'--? Is there some sort of epidemic going on--?" Perhaps you'd best explain, Sister, Tal Natha said. "Someone told me of a dream they had wherein they could not breathe," Silver Eagle Feather replied, seeing the way that the other three's expressions changed. "I do not recall any such dreams myself, but I did wake up with difficulty breathing, which took a while to go away." Red Bird did the same thing, Tal Natha said in a mildly distressed voice. She was upset and accused me of sending her a bad dream. The truth is, unless I look into them for myself, I have no idea what anyone dreams--and for the most part, I choose not to look. "Little Dove said that I awoke saying something about 'drowning,'" Justin said. "I thought it only a nightmare, until she said that she dreamt the sky was falling upon her, and she couldn't breathe either." He looked at Ocryx. "Why don't you describe what you experienced--?" The demon scowled. This is no one else's concern! She went to speak with Khiieta, Tal Natha said, but Shadow Water described a similar thing, before she left. For some reason, it seems that many of us here are having the same dream. "This is even possible?" Justin asked. "And if so, then why is it happening now?" Tal Natha shook his head, his frown growing. I admit I do not know. I have heard of people sharing dreams...but they were usually in dire danger at the time. And only two or so people, never an entire Island full of them. "Do you think that Chakenapok person has anything to do with it?" Justin asked. "As I recall he was stealing dreams his last time here, wasn't he?" "I do not get this feeling," Silver Eagle Feather replied, earning their attention. "I traveled to the cave of the spiders, on the northeast bluff. There is a lost spirit there who knew Chakenapok. He says that he has nothing to do with this...and truthfully, this doesn't feel quite the same." She looked at Tal Natha. "You haven't accidentally sensed any recurring dream patterns...?" He shook his head. No...and this is strangest! After Red Bird told me of this, I did take a small look at the dreams I was spinning at the moment...and none of them quite matched any of this. They were normal dreams...perfectly normal. "But...how could that be...?" Justin asked, and turned to face him. "You mean to say that whatever these dreams are, you didn't spin them?" The demon lifted a wing, looking confused. It does not seem that I did! He straightened. Hold! When the Flint spoke with me, he mentioned another Dreamspinner... He trailed off, then his head lowered. But no...that would make no sense either. I would be able to sense other dreams, making their way in. He started gnawing on his lip. This is an incredible waste of time and energy, Ocryx muttered. The one time EVERYONE decides to clutter around my lake, and it's to talk about dreams that may as well not even be dreams, for what they're worth! Now they all looked at him again. "What does that mean?" they asked in unison, and Silver Eagle Feather glanced at Justin and Tal Natha to see them blush. Ocryx blinked, then started to scowl again. His tail lashed at the water. Just as I said! I had to cough a few times myself when I woke up! What sort of dream CHOKES someone? Certainly none I've ever had! And even Shadow Water insisted it didn't feel like any other dream SHE'S ever had, either! Silence. Everyone stared at him for a moment, then turned to peer at each other. "Mine did not feel like any dream I've had before," Silver Eagle Feather said quietly. Red Bird said the same. She remembered no dream, Tal Natha added. "Then..." Justin's look of confusion grew. "If these aren't dreams...then what are they...?" Whatever they are--could you three not go ELSEWHERE to figure it out--? Ocryx snapped, glaring at them all. And let me go back in peace? Before they could answer, he turned and descended into the water, splashing Justin and Tal Natha, who both ducked their heads. Justin scowled but all that Tal Natha did was shake himself off like a dog. He turned to Silver Eagle Feather. You spoke with this lost spirit in the cave and it was safe to do so--? She nodded, then frowned. "Why? You wished to speak with him yourself--?" Perhaps he knows something, if he knows of the Flint, Tal Natha said. I will go and speak with him. I am the only Dreamspinner on this Island...Dakh and Sikt and the Flint are the only ones who have been able to manipulate dreams in such a way, until now. If these are not dreams, that leaves me even more worried. Perhaps he will know. "Be careful," Justin said as the demon turned away; Tal Natha cast him a curious look before nodding and spreading his wings. Justin and Silver Eagle Feather shielded their eyes as he flapped them and arose, turning to head northeast. The treetops rustled for a moment, then he was gone, and they were the only ones left standing near the rippling lake. They looked at each other. "For once I have the feeling that you don't know more than I do," Justin said, "and that doesn't comfort me." Silver Eagle Feather gave a small sigh. "At least the others are away at the moment," she said, "and do not have to worry about whatever this is. Though I do wonder what they do worry about, right now." Justin sighed now and turned; they started walking back toward the woods. "The hundredth time that girl came to me with a bruise or a burn or a cut or a broken limb or whatever, I told myself to just stop worrying so much," he said. "She could be dead, and she would still be trying to set things right." The comment had been meant to be a positive one, but he flinched just the same, and Silver Eagle Feather had to pretend that she hadn't noticed. They remained silent until parting ways to head back to their respective homes, their thoughts no less preoccupied. Tal Natha soared down to land atop the bluff at the northeast corner of the Island, slipping silently into the trees and sniffing along until he picked up Silver Eagle Feather's faint scent. He followed it as it meandered through the woods and further down the bluff until it made its way to a low cave opening beneath a large rock. He'd never entered the Weavers' cave, and had never had any desire to. He didn't much care for lost spirits, either. He was used to the Island as it was, and had been, before all of these other things had started happening; and so to learn of so many strange things taking place in the location that he'd thought he'd known so well was unsettling, to say the least. He squeezed into the cave and followed the scent as it went through various tunnels, at last leading into a room with a flat stone wall to the right. The clicking noises of the occasional Weaver passing by outside made him nervous, but at least they didn't accost him, just glancing at him briefly with their tiny eyes and then moving on. Tal Natha stood in the empty cave and frowned. There wasn't anybody here... His hackles bristled and his nose started twitching when he sensed, rather than felt, some sort of coldness moving through the room. I am sorry, a voice said, making him jump a little. I was not expecting anyone else to come. Something began to glow, and the demon stood and watched as a man dressed in white faded into view near the flat wall. Tal Natha could see a vague resemblance to Manabozho, and relaxed just slightly, lowering his tensed wings. "You are the Dreamspinner!" the man exclaimed in awe. Tal Natha nodded. And you are...Chibi...Chibiabos? he asked, a bit flustered; when the man nodded he let out a breath. The Flint came to speak with you earlier...? "Yes, he did." Chibiabos's brow furrowed. "Has something happened?" This concerns when my sister, Silver Eagle Feather, came to see you not that long ago, Tal Natha replied, and Chibiabos nodded again. She mentioned her exact reason for asking you what she did...? "She was not very clear," Chibiabos said. "I have the feeling she did not wish to impart certain information to me...which is understandable, considering that she was asking about Chakenapok, too." He frowned. "Has he done something? I thought that he was doing well..." We do not think he is doing anything... Tal Natha trailed off at the ghost's perplexed look. It is confusing, he went on. But it seems someone may be sending dreams to the people here, and it is not me. "I have managed to sense a few of Chakenapok's thoughts here and there," Chibiabos said. "I thought there was another Dreamspinner...?" Yes, but I do not think she is involved. These dreams feel...different, somehow. His tail flicked. Many of us are having them. We remember very little, except that we cannot breathe, that we are choking or drowning. I do not sense this in the dreams that I am spinning. Others say they do not feel like dreams at all. You assisted the Flint earlier when he wished to ask for information. Is there anything you can tell me about where these images are coming from? I thought perhaps they have something to do with the Spirit Land, seeing as they seem to have no relation to anything living here. "I can try looking," Chibiabos offered, and sat down before the wall. "This might take me a moment. I am not certain where exactly I should ask." Anything you can do would be much appreciated, Tal Natha encouraged him, and Chibiabos shut his eyes to concentrate. "I can feel the people's dreams," he said after a moment had passed. "And there is nothing like what you have described...strange." Another pause. "I have felt at the visions of the dead in the Spirit Land...and there is nothing like this there, either." His brow furrowed. "But...this is strange as well. I think perhaps I can sense whatever this is..." He fell silent for a moment, then bit his lip. "Like a great, heavy weight upon me...my breast and lungs hurt...and I feel cold, somehow." He shifted uneasily. "I have not felt cold since I died. But I feel very cold right now." Where does this feeling come from? Tal Natha asked, confused. If this is not a dream--then what is it? And who sends it? "I feel...almost...as if it is not a dream but...perhaps a vision," Chibiabos said softly, fingering the fringe on his leggings. "A vision," he said again, more clearly, "or else a fear. Of something to come." He flinched suddenly, and gasped, jerking forward a bit. Tal Natha's ears pricked and he took a quick step forward. What is it--? Are you all right--? "Not...not me..." Chibiabos gasped, his fingers now digging against the cave floor. He grimaced. "The one who...sends these visions to everyone..." Tal Natha blinked, then his eyes grew. You mean--you can sense them? he asked in surprise. You know who it is--? Chibiabos managed to nod, panting for breath. "But...it is not a who," he said, and this earned him a very perplexed look indeed. Tal Natha's tail twitched from side to side and he let out a frustrated snort. Well--WHAT then? What could be sending these visions--? Silence filled the little cave for a moment, Chibiabos's labored breathing the only sound. The lost spirit slowly opened his eyes and stared off into space; Tal Natha wanted to fidget, yet fought against it, waiting impatiently for his answer. Chibiabos at last slowly lifted his head to look at him, and Tal Natha took pause when he saw just how pale his face had gone, as if he were in pain himself. "The Island," Chibiabos whispered. "The Island is sending these visions." |