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Escape From Manitou Island: Part 163 |
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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.)
CATALYST LONG CLAWLIKE FINGERNAILS clacked against each other, over and over, as the chilly ice-blue eyes stared at the image wavering in the wall of ice. Kabebonikka was watching the progress of the group heading west, which had been impeded by the wall of whirlwinds, and he'd found their frustration vaguely amusing...until the little winter-haired girl had stepped forward to try to make her way through. He watched all of her various attempts at doing so before she and the fire-haired girl seemed to converse for a few moments, then she stepped back. She held up her hands. A moment later, he saw the distinct flare of the brilliant colored lights around her, and leaned forward, his interest piqued anew. "That's it," he murmured to the ice wall. "Light up like the aurora, and see how well you can tear those whirlwinds down. You'll never get anywhere in life unless you can call up that immense power of yours at will. Let's see if you truly have it in you--or if I was wrong to think a mere human might." A moment or so passed, but nothing seemed to happen. Kabebonikka's interest faded into mild irritation, then vague disgust, and he sat back upon his seat of ice. He nearly waved the image away, telling himself that he was no longer interested in any of them, but he did have a promise to keep. He sighed; it had seemed like a good idea at the time, to believe that the girl might have some real medicine in her. Yet as he watched her fruitless and increasingly frustrated efforts to attack the wall of wind, that belief was rapidly fading. "The one time I place my faith in a human," he said to himself, "and look what happens." He made a sour face. "I even called forth some of the lesser windlings from that Island of yours, little winter girl, to play this part. I thought it might be amusing to see you try to fight some from your own home. Yet all you can do is glow like a pathetic firefly. Who knows; perhaps some firefly will be your patron." He lifted a hand to wave at the image, then froze in mid-wave. He'd just spotted something else in the distance, beyond the sight of the group by the wind wall. Frowning, he waved sideways so that the image passed by him like a panorama, and he got a better look at what was going on far to the south of the travelers. He arched an eyebrow. "So it's you two again," he murmured, spotting the two wabanos making their way through the snow. "I have to give it to you, you're nothing if not persistent. Why you bother so much when that Pearl Feather can have nothing good in mind for you, I have no idea." He raised his hand to wave the image away at last, thought for a moment, then swirled a finger through the air in a circle instead. "I have no stake in your quest, humans, but I would rather like to see my humans give it their best shot, before they give up. And I can hardly have you two interrupting." He watched the winds kick up around the wabanos, then waved the image back so that the group at the wind wall came within sight. He folded his hands together and sat back to watch them in comfort. "You are putting on a pretty poor show right now, little winter girl," he said, "but you've surprised everyone in the past. Surprise me now. Don't let Keewadin-Nodin down so easily." Mishosha halted stock still in the snow drifts and abruptly looked northward. It was a moment or two before Makwaquae noticed that she was no longer being followed, and she too stopped to look back at him. "Husband--?" she called out, and when he didn't move or acknowledge her she scowled a little and came tramping back. "What is it?" "She's trying to use her powers," Mishosha said in an odd, quiet voice. "She--? You mean that little winter girl?" Makwaquae shielded her eyes and looked north as well, then snorted and waved. "She doesn't even know how to use them! Let her try. Come on." She tugged on his arm. "We have to head them off at the great plain! This will be our last chance to destroy them before that Wintermaker gives them a hand. We can't get there in time if we keep stopping!" Mishosha still didn't budge. Makwaquae saw the preoccupied look on his face and stopped pulling on his arm. "What is it?" she asked at last. "Don't tell me you're worried about her. Like I said, she can't even control that medicine of hers. What good is it if she can't control it?" Mishosha continued staring north for a moment or two, then resumed walking--only now it was more of an angry wildcat stalk than a walk. Makwaquae blinked and then struggled to keep up with him. "That girl," he muttered, "is the most powerful human I've ever met! If she does somehow harness that power, it means trouble!" "Most powerful human--?" Makwaquae blinked again and jogged a bit to catch up. "What--what about you?" she gasped. Mishosha's face twisted into a scowl. "With luck...we will soon no longer BE human!" His hands curled into fists. "Would that that would happen BEFORE we run into them again!" Makwaquae fell silent but kept staring at him. It wasn't normal for him to be so preoccupied, especially with mere humans. She peered northward, even though nobody was visible from here. If that girl was worrying even Mishosha...then she must be powerful. She let out a halfhearted snort. "That plain can't be too far away," she said above the growing moan of the wind. "We won't even HAVE to be manitous before we reach it! Even if she does harness that power, she still has to learn how to control it. And I doubt she can learn that fast." She grasped Mishosha's sleeve and they slowed to a quick but regular shuffle. "Don't worry about a scrap like that! Once we're manitous, you'll laugh at how riled up you let that pathetic thing get you. Soon you'll be painting your face with her blood, and I'll be strangling Little Wind with those pretty braids of hers." She sniggered. Mishosha still apparently didn't share in her enthusiasm, but she didn't get to hear what he might say next. As soon as he opened his mouth, the already-increasing wind picked up until it was whistling through their clothes and whipping around them, sending harsh granules of icy snow into their faces. Makwaquae sputtered in annoyance, but Mishosha clenched his fists again and practically snarled, turning sharply to the north and looking up at the sky. "TRAITOR!" he bellowed, making Makwaquae flinch in surprise. "Assisting humans! And a LITTLE GIRL at that!" He shook his fist. "You'll regret when you crossed one who will soon be one of YOUR number! When I am finished here...I will reign in the north, east, south...AND the west!" And with this he spun around on his heel, jerking a hand at Makwaquae. "COME! The sooner I can paint my face with their blood...the sooner I can strangle the life from HIM!" Makwaquae stood for a moment watching him stalk away before following. She fiddled her fingers inside her sleeves. This was usually the point when she sneered in agreement...but for some reason, right now she didn't really feel like doing so. You might want to step back! Winter Born thought, and shut her eyes, held up her hands toward the whirlwinds, and appeared to concentrate. Thomas took Charmian's arm and pulled her back a little, the others following suit, and Charmian took in a breath to see the aura of colors around Winter Born flare to brilliant life. "That's exactly how she looked right before she threw every one of her fits," she whispered. "I thought that was exactly what we didn't want her doing," Thomas said nervously. "Well..." Charmian shrugged. "We need her to learn it sometime! You've seen how she gets. With a power like that, we might even stand a fighting chance against Megissogwun! You think...?" she said, her enthusiasm dimming when she saw Moon Wolf's frown. "Well...don't you?" "You get ahead of yourself," he replied. "In order to use it against the Pearl Feather, she has to learn to control it first." He nodded at the wall of whirlwinds. "Let's just see how she does here before planning ahead too far." Charmian's lip stuck out a bit, but she turned back to the whirlwinds to see how Winter Born was doing. The little girl was holding her hands up and out as if ready to blast the whirlwinds, and the glowing aurora around her, while not quite as bright as it had been during her attacks before, was still impressive. That must be a good sign. Charmian's fists tightened and she silently cheered her on, when Winter Born's eyes popped open, and with a loud yell she jerked her hands at the whirlwinds. "YAAAAH!!" Everybody jumped. Charmian let out a small squeal and grabbed onto Thomas, only to look up and see Marten firmly wrapped around his head and Peepaukawiss clinging to his other arm. She blinked and looked back at the whirlwinds, half expecting them to be gone, but they were still swirling away in a row, Winter Born still on the other side. She had a look of utter disbelief on her face. Her brow furrowed and she began jerking her hands again. "Yah! YAH!" She looked at her fingers, shook them, then tried a third time. "YAH! Come on, YAH!!" Manabozho gave Charmian a sour look. "This is what the Sky Mother told you to teach her? You hail from the school of 'yah'--?" Charmian let Thomas go. "Oh, shut up!" she snapped, and stalked toward the wall. "WINTER BORN!" she yelled. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Winter Born shrugged helplessly. "I'm trying to use my power!!" "YOU DON'T HAVE--" Charmian cut herself off with a wince, then started thinking instead. You don't have to yell "Yah!" to use it, you know! At least--you never yelled "Yah" any of the OTHER times... Then what do I do? Winter Born asked, confused. Charmian opened her mouth, then shut it. She paused for a few moments before letting out a weary sigh. All I can tell you is to use what you know, she said, and build up from that. You've already tried talking to the bugs. Geezhigo-Quae says that you talk to manitous all the time, and more times than not, they understand you. I believe you already know what you have to do--you just don't think you can do it yet! But I've tried already! Winter Born protested. How does this work? a new voice suddenly cut in, and both Charmian and Winter Born gasped and jumped. Charmian blinked a few times and started glancing around the crowd to see who had spoken, but Manabozho and Moon Wolf both gave her blank looks in return. Is ANYBODY hearing this? the voice snapped impatiently, and she suddenly realized that she recognized it. She turned and found herself staring at Black Elk Horn; when he noticed that he had her attention he scowled blackly. Well? Am I doing this right? Er...yeah, Charmian thought back, mystified. "How did you learn to do that so fast?" she asked aloud. He didn't answer, but instead stalked back toward the wall. Every time you have been instructed on how to seek your vision, Charmian heard him say, have you ever once said that you can't do it or you don't know how? Why is it now that you say this? This will be NOTHING compared to seeking your vision. If you can do that without crying, then surely you can do this. Stop saying you don't know how. You haven't even tried yet. Charmian bristled a little and tensed up, but Thomas took her wrist and squeezed it. Even through the distorting winds, she saw Winter Born's eyes well up, but after a moment the little girl took a breath and let it out, then reached up to rub the tears away. I'm sorry, she thought. Don't say you're sorry! Black Elk Horn snapped. Just do whatever it is that you do to get through these things, or else to fight them off! And stop crying about it! "Okay already," Charmian growled under her breath. "Don't be too hard on him," Thomas whispered back. "I think maybe his approach is working better than yours!" Winter Born took a step back and looked up at the whirlwinds while Black Elk Horn also retreated. She bit her lip a little, then shut her eyes again. Charmian saw the aura around her grow brighter a second time, though Winter Born didn't hold up her hands this time, and she didn't yell, "YAH!" Instead she got a look of concentration on her face, but this didn't last long at all before she took another breath and relaxed. Then her eyes opened and she looked at the whirlwinds almost curiously. Charmian's brow furrowed. "Well...isn't she ever going to try anything?" she whispered. "Hold on a moment," Thomas murmured. "I think maybe she's starting to get it." Charmian gave him a look. "Starting to get what?" "I think the phrase you'd use is Chinese finger trap," he whispered, earning an even stranger look. He shrugged. "Every time she tries too hard nothing happens! So maybe she has to do the reverse--?" "You mean not try--?" Charmian said. Moon Wolf shook his head. "He means not have to try. If this power is as strong as everyone says it is, she shouldn't have to force it to come. Maybe that's where we kept going wrong." Understanding came over Charmian, and she looked back through at Winter Born. Winter Born continued staring at the whirlwinds for a moment or two, then stepped toward them and placed her hand against the wall. Charmian could almost see the wind swirling around her fingers, and Winter Born stared at this for another moment. "Winds--?" she said aloud, and Charmian was surprised to realize that she could hear her clearly. Everyone looked up at the tops of the whirlwinds and only now noticed that their loud wailing and tittering had shushed to a dull murmuring and whistling as they moved, and they no longer had to yell over the tumult. Mani and the okis, the wolves, and Thomas and the two GeeBees seemed to relax somewhat at last, and Charmian leaned forward to see what else Winter Born would do. "Winds?" Winter Born asked again, and this time Charmian could have sworn that she heard the faintest sentient whistle in response. Winter Born nibbled on her lip a bit before taking a breath. "I have to get through," she said, staring at their spinning tops. "It's important. I don't have any tobacco...but I could get you some if you want it. But I really need to get through." Another lip-nibble. "Can you understand me...?" The whirlwinds continued their seemingly endless spinning for a moment or two, and Charmian saw Winter Born's spirits begin to sink a little. She felt her own doing the same. I thought for sure that might work, she thought, when another voice, unfamiliar to her, cut in, and she could tell that everyone else heard it as well. Your request is properly respectful, it said--Charmian realized that it was in fact many voices, all speaking at once, similar to the Nebanaubae, only breathy sounding rather than slurry--yet it is a request that will not be granted. Charmian blinked. "Holy crap," she said, and turned to Thomas and Moon Wolf. "That's the winds talking--?" "I can get some tobacco," Winter Born said dispiritedly. This is not the issue, the whirlwinds replied. While it is promising that you are learning to speak to manitous, this was not the reason for our being called here. Keewadin-Nodin called us from your Island so that he might test your powers. Simply put, we were placed here to impede you--and the only way you will be allowed through is by force. "They're from the Island...?" Charmian murmured, brow furrowing again. She looked at the others. "But...why would Kabebonikka do that?" Moon Wolf shrugged and shook his head, looking just as lost. "Maybe he figures it would be easier for her to defeat something she already knows," Manabozho suggested tentatively. Then he shrugged as well. "Then again...maybe he figures it might be more difficult!" "I don't want to hurt any of you!" Winter Born exclaimed. "Well, I think we've just figured out which it is," Thomas whispered. "Winter Born," Charmian and Black Elk Horn both said at once, and she felt her ears grow hot when he gave her a foul look. "Remember what your dad said?" she called out, and the ogimah's look changed to one of perplexity. "This isn't the time to say you can't do something or you don't know how. They just said you won't get through unless you fight. That's exactly what Kabebonikka wants. Don't feel sorry for them--just do what you have to." Winter Born stared at her for a moment, then looked back at the whirlwinds. "What if I end up destroying them...?" We cannot be killed, the whirlwinds said, only temporarily dispersed. This is our nature as wind manitous. We are watched over by Keewadin-Nodin that we might not be permanently destroyed--yet if we cannot be overcome by force, you will not be allowed to reach the west. They let out a loud whir as they moved back and forth. Our sole purpose here is to impede you. If you refuse to use force...then you will remain in the north, even if your friends somehow do manage to locate Kabeyun on their own. "Like hell!" Charmian snapped suddenly, making Thomas and Manabozho jump. She stomped toward the whirlwinds. "WINTER BORN! Kick their heads--or--whatevers--in! They just said you can't kill them, right? So show Kabebonikka what a--um--" she thought for a moment, then her face screwed up "--what a PANSY he is!" she yelled, and it was only Manabozho and Niskigwun, both blanching horribly, who prevented her from launching herself at the whirlwinds by dragging her back. "I get the feeling it's not a good thing to be called a 'pansy' where mainlanders come from," Stick-In-The-Dirt said pensively. "And I always thought pansies were so nice and pretty!" Peepaukawiss agreed, much troubled. "O...okay," Winter Born said in a small voice, her own brow furrowing. She peered at the whirlwinds as they moved back and forth. "You're sure I have to fight you...?" If you stop to ask every obstacle you meet what its intentions are, the whirlwinds said, then you will never save your Island. The wailing and tittering began to grow louder again, making the GeeBees and wolves shake their heads. The decision is yours, whether you want to ever go home or not. We are just here to block your way. Charmian's vision of Winter Born was obscured when the winds picked up in intensity, blowing gusts of snow around as well as they spun. She had to step back to avoid getting swept back into them, and shielded her eyes to see what Winter Born might choose to do. She saw the troubled look on her face, but apparently the whirlwinds' threat had gotten through; for she stepped back and took a steadying breath, shutting her eyes and beginning to glow again. I don't feel angry! Charmian heard her think. Aren't I supposed to feel angry if I have to use that power--? Think about the Island! Charmian exclaimed, then cupped her hands to her mouth. "THINK ABOUT IT BEING DESTROYED!" "Now I just feel WORRIED!" Winter Born yelled back. Manabozho stepped forward and cupped his hands to his mouth. "THINK ABOUT YOUR CAMP BEING FLOODED!" "THINK ABOUT LOSING YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY!" Niskigwun shouted. "THINK ABOUT ME PUSHING YOU IN THE MUD!" Remy yelled. Marten waved his arms. "THINK ABOUT THE GLUT OF REALITY SHOW PROGRAMMING!!" When everyone gave him very strange looks he blinked. "What? That's what Glooskap's always getting mad about." Winter Born's face screwed up and she pulled on her braids. "I'm thinking of all that and I STILL don't feel mad!!" Then, oddly, she began screaming and kicking up gouts of snow, stomping in circles as if she were a Wendigo smashing a tiny camp. Everyone stared at her, mystified, as she went on her mini-rampage on the other side of the whirlwinds, and Charmian rubbed at her head. "Did she just...have an aneurysm or something...?" she asked. "I think maybe she's trying to get 'in the mood,'" Thomas said with a frown. "Oh." Charmian's face lit up. "What a great idea! I should've thought of that." "Does it seem to be working at all?" Moon Wolf asked. "Well..." Charmian squinted, then frowned. "Her glow doesn't seem much brighter than before," she admitted reluctantly. She rubbed at her head. "What is it going to take? She's tried everything she has. The problem is she just isn't a violent person!" She paused with a blink, then a strange look came to her face. Without a word she started walking straight at the whirlwinds. "Hey--!" Thomas exclaimed, and he and several of the others hurried forward to stop her. "What are you doing?" Moon Wolf demanded. Charmian turned to them. "She's not a violent person," she said, "and that's the problem! Remember what crap Chakenapok had to pull before he could get us to fight with everything we had?" She looked at Moon Wolf and Manabozho in particular when she asked this. "Basically he had to piss the hell out of us to get one hundred percent. Well..." She shrugged. "I'm going to get Winter Born to give her one hundred percent." "But she has to do this on her own!" Moon Wolf protested. "And she will," Charmian called back, staring at the winds. "Thomas was right--she only gets mad enough when I'm in trouble. I'm just the catalyst--the thing that starts it all. Everything she does after that is up to her." She cupped her hands to her mouth. "WINTER BORN!" Winter Born stopped her screaming and turned to look at her. "For this to work," Charmian said more quietly over her shoulder, "she has to believe it." Then, to Winter Born--"We're never going to get west this way. Hold on! I'm going to come through for you!" "Huh--?" Winter Born exclaimed, at the same time that Manabozho and Thomas said the same. Winter Born started hopping up and down and waving her arms in protest, but Charmian didn't offer another word before she got a running start and plunged right into the spinning winds. |