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Escape From Manitou Island: Part 156 |
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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.)
LIAR, LIAR DAYLIGHT CAME SLOWLY and drearily, heavy flakes of snow whipping around in the frigid air as the group made their meandering way out of the pine woods and continued on their sluggish trek west. Even a night spent in the woods, resting, hadn't managed to relieve them of their exhaustion and troubled thoughts, and Charmian sensed that it was only Megissogwun's ultimatum that got them moving so early at all. They'd all been outfitted with freshly made snowshoes, Mani and the okis whistling their thanks to the trees, but even these didn't seem to help them pick up their pace much. More than once Charmian glanced up at the sky but saw only an endless sea of gray flecked with white. The snow continued to pile up all around them. Her words with Moon Wolf the day before still echoed in her mind. "Geezhigo-Quae. Somehow, she and the Red Swan must be connected." "But--how? Geezhigo didn't even know who or what she is!" "This matters little. Recall how long you've gone without knowing how closely you are tied to certain others, such as Red Bird, and Ocryana...it's only in dreams that we finally realize such connections...and you yourself said the dream made you think of the Sky Mother. You've been hinting it all along. I know only a little of what you know. Think over everything you've learned so far, and see if it isn't so..." Chakenapok and Tal Natha sent me that dream after Chakenapok went to see Geezhigo-Quae. She told me she saw him there in the Tree. Niskigwun said she's holding something back--but that was just the story about Megissogwun, wasn't it...? Is there something more here? Even she admitted the Red Swan must look like her... Ishkode's story and Cutfoot's sound so much alike... Geezhigo said that story was about her...but Ishkode said it was about the Red Swan... Little Wind says she's one of the most powerful beings there is... Manabozho's told me how powerful Geezhigo-Quae is...it can't all be coincidence...but what could it be...? Why would Geezhigo and the Red Swan both deny they know anything about it? They can't both be lying...so do they both really not know...? Or is one of them tricking me? Which one...? She lifted her head to look at the others walking around her, peering at each in turn. Since Moon Wolf's pronouncement--which even he said she had thought of first, albeit unconsciously--she'd begun feeling a little more nervous than usual. Suddenly, Stands Somewhere's and Mudroot's advice to not trust anyone made more sense, and she fidgeted inside her heavy winter clothes, biting her lip uneasily. Chakenapok told me to figure out what the dream meant. He didn't say I had to figure out what the MEANING meant. If I tell him what it means--will he help me figure out what's going on here...? Should I even trust him to tell me the truth? I bet Tal Natha knows...but I can't reach him without the Red Swan... Her stare drifted toward Winter Born. The little girl was walking alongside Mani, her hand on his flank and her own stare apparently fixed on the ground. She'd become so dispirited since telling Charmian of what the Red Swan had told her, and if she actually believed anything she'd been told, then Charmian couldn't blame her. The Red Swan had, in effect, told her that her closest friend was holding her back and didn't trust her. If the Red Swan is connected to Geezhigo-Quae then why would she say such an awful thing? Geezhigo-Quae's one of the--goodest--people I know! She was even the one who TOLD me to teach Winter Born in the first place! Are they both in on something...? Her head was starting to hurt, and she made a face and rubbed at it. She heard someone shuffling closer, and opened her eyes to see Thomas fall into step at her side. He frowned when he saw the look on her face, and even put a hand to her forehead. It was still cold, but some of the yellow had faded from his eyes, and he no longer looked quite so threatening. "Are you feeling all right?" he asked. Charmian shrugged. "I think I'm getting a headache trying to figure this all out. Maybe, when this is all over, I'll try to explain," she promised when that just earned her a curious look. She sighed. "I want to cheer up Winter Born," she said, staring at Winter Born's back, "but I'd pretty much have to tell her the Red Swan's a lying bitch, and I don't think I'm ready to do that just yet." "Don't worry about her, you know how she perks right up as soon as something new and exciting comes along." "Yeah, but this is different. This is jamming a wedge between the whole group and I don't like it." Her stare darkened. "I have to get in touch with Tal Natha," she said suddenly. "He's the only one who might know something who I can really trust right now." "I thought you needed both Chakenapok and the Red Swan to get through to him, didn't you?" Charmian nodded. "And that's my problem. I don't think Chakenapok would help me clear this up because it could alert the Red Swan, but at least he'd help me through to Tal Natha. But the Red Swan isn't likely to help me through if she knows I'm digging up info on her." She grimaced. "Why did I have to get involved in all this!! I feel like I'm in a frigging tug-of-war!" "Well..." Thomas shrugged "...maybe you have to start thinking differently. Approach this from a different angle." When she gave him a perplexed look he shrugged again. "I rather get the feeling a lot of your headaches come from the fact that not everybody thinks about things the way you do! And maybe that's the problem--?" "What, you mean put myself in someone else's shoes--?" She blinked, and Thomas shut his mouth without even speaking. "Moccasins." When he just frowned at her she glanced at Winter Born again. "Put myself in someone else's moccasins. I need the Red Swan, but she won't trust me." She whirled to Thomas with wide eyes. "Thanks!" And without another word she was shuffle-shuffle-shuffling off toward Winter Born. Thomas's brow furrowed and he gave a belated wave. "Um...you're welcome...?" Winter Born apparently didn't even hear Charmian coming, as she gasped and jumped when Charmian touched her arm and fell into step beside her. Mani cast them a curious look before pretending to lose attention. Charmian bent down so her head was close to Winter Born's. "Winter Born," she said in a low voice, "I need a really big favor only you can give." Winter Born blinked. "Me--? Are you sure?" When Charmian nodded she furrowed her brow a bit. "What is it?" "Come over here and let's talk." Charmian shuffled across the snow and waited until everyone else had moved on ahead before resuming moving, she and Winter Born keeping a slight way behind the rest. "I need you to get through to Tal Natha," she said, and this earned her a very perplexed look indeed. "Um..." Winter Born rubbed at her head. "But...I don't know how. He's really far away, isn't he...?" "Reaching him will be really easy," Charmian said. "It's actually being helped through that might be hard." She dropped her voice again. "Whenever I get through to Tal Natha, I have to go through both Chakenapok and the Red Swan," she whispered, Winter Born craning her neck to hear. "They're my link to Manitou Island. The thing is...I need to ask Tal Natha something that Chakenapok likely won't answer...and the Red Swan, well..." She trailed off, seeing by the look on Winter Born's face that she apparently understood. "I think you get it. I'm not exactly in her good graces right now." "I'm sure she didn't really mean anything by it," Winter Born said in a small voice, looking uncomfortable. Charmian waved, feigning a casualness she didn't really feel. "Don't worry about that right now. That's my problem to take care of, not yours. Just so you know that I don't really believe those things about you--okay?" When Winter Born bit her lip but reluctantly nodded she went on. "The important thing is--the Red Swan trusts you," she said. "And you've had dreams and visions of her too. If anything I bet your connection to her is even stronger than mine is because she likes you so much. Which is why I need you to let Chakenapok and her shuttle you through to Tal Natha." Winter Born frowned thoughtfully; Charmian wasn't used to seeing such a pensive look on such a young person's face. "I guess I could try it," she said at last, and Charmian relaxed a little and nodded. "You'll be learning to do something I've already been doing," she added, and Winter Born's face immediately lit up. "What do I do to start?" she asked. "Well...first you're going to have to get really relaxed, like for sleep--" "That's easy, I'll just ride on Mani's back a little. That should put me to sleep." "--And you'll have to seek out Chakenapok. Don't be afraid of him. He lost most of his power a long time ago. He looks creepy, but that's about it. Tell him you need him to shuttle you through to the Red Swan so you can go into Tal Natha's dream, because you need to speak to Tal Natha about something concerning our mission. Tell him it's important--make sure to stress that, and meet his eyes when you say it. He probably won't ask you too many questions if you do. Then he'll send you through to the Red Swan." "What do I tell her?" Winter Born asked. "Do I say you sent me and I need to talk to Tal Natha about--" "NO!" Charmian exclaimed so suddenly that Winter Born hopped a little. She took a breath to calm herself and shook her head. "No...I think it's best if you keep that to yourself for now." "But I think she'll want to know why I'm going to the Island," Winter Born protested. "You said Chakenapok won't ask questions, but I really feel like she might." "Well..." Charmian bit her lip helplessly. "Just tell her...you're going on your own, to see how Tal Natha and the others on the Island are doing, because you...aren't really sure if you believe me when I say they're doing okay. All right?" As she said it, the light slowly faded from Winter Born's eyes until she was frowning so hard that Charmian thought her face might start to hurt. "You want me to lie to her...?" she asked in disbelief. Charmian cringed a little. "Just this once!" "But...Mother and Father taught me..." Charmian put a hand on her shoulder. "Look...I realize it sounds really bad, but...things are different here." "You sound just like that red man," Winter Born said, her frown growing even more, and glanced toward Lieutenant Barrington. Charmian winced this time and removed her hand. "I know it's hard to believe--and you can take it up with Silver when you get back home. But sometimes you have to do things you don't really like to get a job done, if it's important enough." UGH I'm going to hate myself in the morning! "You remember what the Red Swan said to you about me?" she pressed. Winter Born shrank in on herself a bit. "I'm sure she was just trying to help..." "Well...that's the thing. Sometimes, people look like they're trying to help, when they're just trying to make things worse. Remember when Little Wind gave me that scroll?" "But he seems nice now." "Well--" Charmian struggled to think of a better comparison. "Remember when I went up into the mountains with Stands Somewhere? He turned out not being helpful after all." Winter Born's eyes grew wide. "You think the Red Swan is like that--?" she gasped. Charmian quickly shook her head. "No! Not like that--it's just--I think maybe her ideas aren't in our best interests right now, is all. I think...maybe she's preoccupied with something. You already know I don't really think about you the way she says." Winter Born averted her eyes. "I'm thinking maybe she isn't lying to you, but again, maybe she doesn't exactly know what's going on. And she can't make a good judgement if she's not thinking right." "So you want me to lie to her so she'll let me through," Winter Born said a bit sullenly. Charmian nodded, letting out a breath. "She trusts you. So she'll be inclined to believe what you say." "I tell her I just want to talk to Tal Natha to see how Mother and Khiieta and such are doing?" "That's it exactly," Charmian encouraged, nodding even more. "What do I tell Tal Natha when I get there?" "I want you to ask him about this dream that I had," Charmian said. "A dream about a fountain, and a red tree, and a black spirit stone. I want you to ask him if he knows anything about the Red Swan's spirit. Can you remember that?" "A dream about a fountain, a red tree, and a black spirit stone, and anything about the Red Swan's spirit." "That's it. And all you have to do is remember what he tells you, and make sure the Red Swan doesn't find it out on your way back. If she asks you questions..." she shrugged "...just tell her what you said before." "You mean lie," Winter Born said. Charmian made a face. "Okay, okay, lie. If it helps, you really can ask Tal Natha how everybody's doing! Then it's not so much of a lie." "It's still a lie," Winter Born said, and gave her a frank look. "You do know that after I do this, the Red Swan won't trust me anymore, don't you?" Charmian just stared at her. Winter Born turned and shuffled off after Mani, who had slowed down a little as if in anticipation of being needed. Moon Wolf had also stopped and was staring back at them; Charmian shuffled along to catch up with him, and they both picked up their pace to keep up with the others. "She's too smart for her own good," Charmian mumbled. "And this is exactly why the Sky Mother chose you to teach her," Moon Wolf said. "Your spirit stones may be different, but in spirit, you're both the same." The blood drained from Charmian's face, then went rushing back up. "We are not!!" she hissed, but he gave her such a look that all that she could do was growl and go stomping off after the others, trying not to trip over her own snowshoes. "Remember who it is who taught you," he called out after her; she glanced back at him and he smiled at her, an odd sort of smirking smile that she was completely unused to seeing on his face. She ground her teeth hard enough to hurt and made a rude gesture at him before going on her way, nearly bowling over Thomas when he slowed down to greet her. He knew enough to keep out of her way, but did grasp her wrist before she could fall over, and she looked toward Mani and Winter Born only to see that the girl was already curled up upon the manitou's back, apparently asleep. Winter Born had already been training for her vision, and preparing herself by seeking powerful dreams, so falling asleep when it was absolutely necessary wasn't too much of a stretch. The fact that they'd been walking around so much lately didn't hurt either. She surreptitiously stretched her sore toes, grateful to get the chance to remove her cumbersome snowshoes, which were now looped over Mani's antler. Despite all his insistence on self-reliance, Kenu had curled up in the cradle of Mani's antlers and was already fast asleep when Mani knelt down to let Winter Born scramble up, so she patted at his fur and arranged it in the most comfortable manner before curling up herself, burrowing her face into the hollow between his shoulderblades. He smelled like wood and water, and she found that a comforting smell as she shut her eyes. Think about home, she told herself, and imagined that she was sleeping on her pallet in the wigwam she shared with her mother and father. It was nighttime, and Black Elk Horn was fixing his bow, and Silver Eagle Feather was quilling a new pair of moccasins; when she opened one eye to peer at them, her mother smiled slightly, and her father gave her a look that told her to close her eyes and go back to sleep. She knew that outside in the camp, everything was as it should be--no strange red man, no wounded GeeBee, no evil manitous or kidnapped girls or cruel wabanos. She could even hear the wind high in the trees as she lapsed back into a doze, and she dug her fingers into Mani's fur, imagining that it was the pelts of rabbits which kept her warm at night. Weeks of seeking a good dream helped her recognize the faint trail of one when it approached, and she carefully latched onto it and drew it closer. She found herself walking along in shallow, warm water, feeling sand and pebbles between her splayed toes, and she bent forward to peer at her reflection. Another reflection was wavering beside hers. "You're good at this," a voice said, and she looked up and saw that the lake she was in was located in a large dark cave. She couldn't help but peer around herself curiously before turning her attention back to Chakenapok, who stood before her, his own feet in the water. He gestured at the lake when her attention wandered again. "This is where I live. Or at least, what it looks like. I'm surprised you did that so easily." "Mother and Tal Natha taught me that if you try to grab onto a dream really fast, it flies away," Winter Born said, shuffling a foot so that the water rippled. "You're Chakenapok?" He nodded. She couldn't help staring at the flames tattooed upon his face, and at his strange yellow eyes. "I take it you have a reason for seeking me out, instead of the mainlander," he said. Winter Born bit her lip. "I wanted to talk to the Red Swan so I can go visit with Tal Natha for a bit." "You can already connect to the Red Swan easily on your own; there was a reason why you decided to seek me out first?" Winter Born fidgeted a bit more. "It's important," she said at last, meeting his eyes as hard as she could. Chakenapok frowned, his eyes narrowing a bit. After a moment, however, he appeared to let out a somewhat skeptical sigh, and held up a hand, waving at her vaguely. He made a motion of shutting his eyes and Winter Born followed suit. "If I didn't already know that she would never make it through," he said as she did so, "then I would tell the mainlander to do her own work..." But Winter Born sensed some sort of change in the air around herself, even if she couldn't quite describe it, and another moment later she had the distinct feeling that he was no longer there. "Winter Born--?" a surprised-sounding voice asked. She cracked one eye open and peered ahead. The Red Swan was coming toward her; she was still standing in shallow water, but it ended several paces ahead of her, and she stepped out as the woman in red came to a stop. "You came here?" she asked, still seeming surprised. "All on your own...?" Winter Born nodded. "I...had to have Chakenapok help me through a little," she admitted. The Red Swan furrowed her brow. "Are you all right? Did you say anything to him?" "Just that I want to visit with Tal Natha, is all. I don't know if I like him much; he's kind of scary looking." She blinked when she realized that she wasn't lying so far. For some reason, her words seemed to placate the Red Swan somewhat, and she let out a breath and nodded. "If it were possible, I would take you straight through to the Dreamspinner myself; I'm sorry you have to put yourself in his hands so. Why did you want to speak with the Dreamspinner? Is something wrong--?" "Oh--um--not really. Not yet, anyway," Winter Born said, shaking her head a little hard. The Red Swan frowned a little and tilted her own head and Winter Born's face scrunched up in an odd fashion before she blurted out the first things that came to mind. "Actually I was thinking of what you said about how you think Chakenapok has some kind of hold over Charmian, and I was worried, because she's leading us around and I was thinking what if she's leading us the wrong way or something?--so I decided to go through and talk with Tal Natha because I think he's trustworthy and he's never really liked Chakenapok much and I wanted to see how the Island is doing because Charm keeps saying it's doing fine but I don't know if I can trust what she says because you told me not to--that's all." She let out the scant remainder of her breath and then sucked in another one and let it out too. When she opened her eyes the Red Swan was staring at her, her own eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. "I really miss home," Winter Born added a bit desperately, having to fight to keep herself from shifting from foot to foot as if she had to go. "Can you help me through?" On a whim she said at last, "Charmian doesn't know I'm here so I can't be gone long, she might wake me up!" She felt like biting her own tongue for saying such awful things--but just as Charmian had hinted, they seemed to have the same effect on the Red Swan that her earlier words had had, and she again relaxed, her tensed wings sinking. "Of course," she sighed. "Of course I'll help you through! I'm so sorry you're worried about the Island. As it turns out, I don't think anything is terribly amiss yet, but I can't be sure because I can't see what's going on at the moment. But of course I'll help you through. You really do believe this Dreamspinner is trustworthy...?" she asked as she gestured at Winter Born like Chakenapok had done, and Winter Born shut her eyes as she nodded. "Just imagine you're going to sleep again, or seeking a vision," the Red Swan said, and Winter Born thought that fireflies must be sparkling around her head. "Keep your eyes closed," the Red Swan said, and a moment later a soft hissing noise came, and Winter Born took in a startled breath when she felt herself seemingly zooming through space faster than a flying bird. She'd ridden on her mother's back when Silver Eagle Feather had turned herself into an Ocryx, but the sensation was still strange, and she fought down a whimper as the hissing noise grew even louder ahead of her. She imagined a giant snake sliding along and bit her lip. I recognize where to find him, the Red Swan's voice said, so I'll let you off here, and keep hold of your dream so you can return safely. Good luck and be careful. Megwetch, Winter Born thought, and felt herself slowing down, and the hissing snake noise grew softer. She began to sink slowly and put her hands out to catch herself, feeling her toes touch water again, and she puzzled over this for a bit, wondering what Tal Natha could be dreaming about. Too curious to stand it anymore, she opened her eyes just a sliver. She got to see the color blue before she felt the ground go out from underneath her, and plunged down into icy coldness. She sucked in a startled breath--but nothing but water filled her lungs, and her eyes went wide as she started flailing her arms in a panic, bubbles bursting from her mouth when she tried to scream. |