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Escape From Manitou Island: Part 173 |
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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.)
MADE TO BE BROKEN MISHOSHA'S EYES POPPED open and he found himself staring at a seemingly endless expanse of snow. More of it was falling from the darkened sky. He didn't even puzzle over how he could see it, seeing as it was nighttime, he was so distracted by what he'd just felt. Then, the suddenness of the feeling faded a bit, and he started blinking in confusion. He turned his head--his neck was stiff from the way he'd been sleeping upright against a tree--and saw Makwaquae seated not too far away, her hand raised and a fireball hovering above it. She was shivering miserably in her robes and he could tell that she was trying to use the fire to heat herself, though it didn't seem to be working much. "Put that out," Mishosha ordered, startling her; she gave him a cross look--they hadn't spoken since their last argument--but obeyed, and the fireball dimmed and vanished. "Come sit over here instead," he said, and despite the scowl on her face she did so. She seated herself awkwardly in the little cleared patch beside him and stared sullenly at the desolate landscape for a moment before Mishosha sidled closer and threw his blanket over her shoulder. She tensed at this, but then relaxed, and after a short while was huddled against him as they looked at the snowy hills together. "How much longer is this going to take?" she muttered at last, apparently realizing that their argument was over. "I can't stand this place. Everything's the same. I want to go back to the island; this place just makes me want to break things. How can anything even live here?" "We were told the land gets like this not far from where Kabeyun is supposed to live," Mishosha answered. "So it can't be too far now. You're going to have to learn to be patient if you want this to work out." "Manitous don't have to be patient," Makwaquae grumbled, snuggling further into the blanket. "True, but we're not at that stage just yet. Don't worry about those worms. We have bigger things to think of." He looked skyward as if there was something there. "My Red Swan is talking with them again; I can feel it." Makwaquae's head popped up and she looked at him with wide eyes. "She is--?" She sat up a little when he said nothing. "Well--shouldn't we go after them then? What if she's telling them--" "She won't tell them anything they don't already know. She has no idea what she is; she could never even comprehend it. I doubt even you fully could, Makwa-dear." When she started to scowl again he poked out one hand to touch a finger to her nose. "Not to offend you, but there are some things I doubt you're patient enough to understand. And that's just fine. Even if those worms manage to free her, they won't know what to do with her, and any of them who might be left alive after we meet them will end up dead anyway." He looked at the hills. "I find it rather amusing, that that fire-haired girl they have with them is the one most likely to understand, but she's too thickheaded to bother trying..." "You know something about her, don't you?" The words came out barely sounding like a question, and Mishosha couldn't stop the slight flinch that passed over his face. Makwaquae might have been ignorant at times, but if there was anything she knew well, it was him, and he could tell that she could tell. "You do," she added, and her eyes darkened. "I knew there was something! You think I can't tell you talked with her?--or something? Well? What did she say? Would it help us at all?" Any other wife would have asked something like, "Why didn't you tell me?" but Makwaquae had never been that sort. For once, Mishosha was relieved that she wasn't. "She just revealed her ignorance," he replied. "Which is how I know it doesn't matter if she talks to the Red Swan. She has the answers right in front of her, right inside her, but is too stupid to see them. Like I said, don't worry about that." "As if that's all she said," Makwaquae retorted; and Mishosha felt a chill before she added, "With the way she blathers on and on! I doubt she could keep her mouth shut long enough to stop at just one idiotic comment." Mishosha let out his breath. "It's nothing we should worry about," he said, and for the first time in his life felt a pang of guilt that he was lying to her. The two of them might argue, and not tell everything, and fib now and then, but he'd never withheld something so big from her before. For some reason though, he couldn't find it in him to tell her everything this time. He was used to the sullen look on her face, but couldn't bear to keep seeing it at the moment, so placed his hand against her cheek; she blinked in surprise at the unexpected gesture but he merely forced a smirk. "Like you said," he said, "with the way she prattles on, why should anything she says matter?" And the look on his face must have been convincing enough, for she got the same expression, and he felt his tensed muscles relax somewhat. "Now stop using that fire like you want to roast a rabbit with it," he chided. "We have to conserve our power. I want to thrash that teacher's behind before I kill him, and of course, you're going to have to be in top form to slaughter the rest." "Except the girls," she said, but he could tell from the tone of her voice that she wasn't upset anymore. She snuggled against him again. "I do hope the Pearl Feather has some interesting ideas in mind for them..." Mishosha felt a start, and sat up so abruptly that Makwaquae let out a little cry and nearly fell over. "Husband--!" she exclaimed in irritation, but he was staring across the snow again, eyes wide. She furrowed her brow at him when his head slowly turned to look northward. When she saw his expression she apparently thought better of asking him anything at first, though she began to fidget the longer that he stayed silent. "What is it?" she blurted out at last. There was another long pause. "Megissogwun," Mishosha whispered at last, and Makwaquae sucked in a breath and leaned toward him, her own eyes growing. "You're sure--?" she hissed; when he said nothing she grabbed at his arm. "What's he doing out here--? He said nothing about coming this way! They aren't even at the west yet!" Mishosha gave no response--he had none to give--but started getting to his feet anyway. He picked up his few belongings and Makwaquae did the same, although not without protest. "He has no reason to show up here. We know the agreement as well as they do! Find Kabeyun, THEN he kills them!" "He's impatient," Mishosha hissed in response, securing his pouches and jerking a hand at her. "He might have changed his plans. Either way, if he's with them, then that's where we should be, too." They started walking at first, but as this took so long in the thick snow, it wasn't long before they'd changed into their bear form and were loping across the small hills and hollows, fireballs glowing over their heads. Any thoughts of conserving their energy fled them; now speed was the most important thing. If he's changed his mind on this, then what else--? Makwaquae exclaimed. I thought we had a plan! If he changes his mind then everything else can change, too! Don't speak of it, Mishosha ordered. Just do your part, and as soon as we're manitous, then we decide what to do about him. Though some tiny part of his mind niggled at him; Makwaquae was right; Megissogwun's plans seemed to be shifting all over the place lately. What could he be up to? Mishosha, Makwaquae thought at him, and his own thoughts fell silent; she rarely called him by name. He could tell that she was taking care to conceal her thoughts from anything else that might be listening. What if he's changed his mind? she asked, and he noticed the anxiety in her voice, for it was something he almost never heard from her. If we don't become manitous... She left the thought unfinished, and he again felt the uneasy niggling at the back of his mind. It was the same thing he'd been worrying about, and trying to conceal from her; even the fire-haired brat had mentioned it--what if the entire plan had changed...? Just do your part, he replied, and I'll do mine...we can rely on each other...and that's all that matters. Their eyes briefly met. Without another word they continued bounding through the snow, heading northward. Wind gusted around Charmian, and her dream of the Red Swan vanished when she awoke in the hollow in the ground. She glanced wildly to the side, noticing Winter Born just as wide awake beside her, and could tell from the looks on everyone else's faces that something was wrong. For one thing, the wind wasn't as icy as it should have been, if it had been Kabebonikka causing it-- She nearly started when she saw Manabozho leap atop the wall of the snow fort, fists clenched and a strange blue glow surrounding him, before he jumped outside and vanished from sight. She blinked. She could have sworn that his eyes had been glowing, too. "Charmian!" Winter Born exclaimed, grasping her arm. "Is he mad--?" Charmian didn't get to answer as she struggled to her feet--and a struggle it was, considering the force of the gale whipping around them. She shielded her eyes to look at the others again and saw the mixed looks of fear and confusion on their faces. Those who had guns got them ready, and several of the others were preparing themselves to fight--but Augwak quailed and huddled into the furthest corner of the fort that he could find, teeth bared in panic, and even though he was gripping his spear, Niskigwun looked little better. Charmian suddenly remembered what the two of them had in common, and the Red Swan's last words from her dream came rushing back to her. She shoved Winter Born--"Stay down!"--and stumbled toward the fort wall that Manabozho had just vacated. Moon Wolf came up behind her, the blue fire atop his hand whipping every which way as if struggling to pull itself loose, and Charmian glanced at him, disliking how pale his own face had gone. "What would he be doing here--?" she blurted out, before, just like that, the wind died down, and eerie silence rang in their ears. This didn't last long before a voice called out, "I hope someone is in the mood for speaking--?" Charmian felt the blood drain from her own face when she recognized Megissogwun's voice. So it wasn't a lie, or a trick, or a mistake--Chakenapok and the Red Swan had both sensed him, and he was actually there. She crept up the side of the snow fort and peered over. She saw Manabozho first, but only because he was still glowing furiously; he stood with fists clenched, but presented a rather pathetic figure compared to Megissogwun, who stood some distance away, arms crossed and a bored look, as usual, upon his face. He barely even seemed to notice Manabozho, despite the blue manitou-glow hovering all around him. Megissogwun spotted her peering over the wall and turned his head to look straight at her. Charmian quailed and nearly ducked back down when he said, "Seeing as you are for some inexplicable reason the token leader here, then I shall address you, albeit grudgingly." Charmian blinked. "Does that mean he's gonna talk to you--?" Marten, off to her other side, whispered, but she merely shoved him back into the fort and chewed on her lip. Moon Wolf--? I have no advice this time, Moon Wolf cut in. He might be tricking, he might not--I can't tell. It's up to you. Charmian hesitated only briefly--she remembered what Megissogwun had done to Niskigwun after accusing them of taking their time--before climbing over the wall. Manabozho looked back at her with a strange expression; he seemed partly angry or insulted that she was the one being spoken to, and partly confused as to why Megissogwun had even bothered. Charmian felt the same way. She had no idea why he would talk to her now, of all times, but for some reason he was still looking at her, so she halted not far from Manabozho, fighting hard not to fiddle her fingers. "Um...yeah?" she managed to say in a small voice. "As you seem to be the one everyone here looks to for their plans," Megissogwun said, "then I shall explain things to you. You are fully aware by now that it is in your best interests to reach the west as quickly as possible, if you wish to attempt saving your Island before I inevitably destroy it." Charmian was still so baffled to be spoken to that she didn't even feel angered by the comment. "We're already moving as fast as we can!" she exclaimed instead, visions of Niskigwun getting his wings torn out and his spear thrust through him racing through her head. "We're only human--most of us! I don't know about you but we need to rest now and then, but other than that, we're hustling as much as we can!" "I do not know what you mean by 'hustle,'" Megissogwun said, "but if by that you mean you are hurrying, then I am aware of this, as I've been watching your miserable excuse for progress." "Then what's this about?" Charmian demanded, feeling her old irritation returning at last. "If you think we can move any--" Megissogwun turned his head away from her, and she fumed that she'd lost his attention so quickly, when someone grabbed her wrist at the exact same moment that she felt something new in the air. Moon Wolf's hand was raised and the flames flared to life even brighter now that the wind was gone; but Charmian barely noticed, as she too looked southward, as Megissogwun was looking. They clearly saw the two large fireballs bobbing in the distance, before they could see the bears running through the snow underneath them. "Interesting," Megissogwun said, "that they should even bother to show up." He wasn't expecting them--? Charmian thought, confused again. Mishosha had made no comments, when they'd last spoken, about attempting to catch them before they reached the west. So why were they here...? Her voice failed her when the bears lumbered close to the little camp and shifted so that Mishosha and Makwaquae were back in their human form. She couldn't understand the looks on their faces. Makwaquae seemed as bewildered as she felt, and Mishosha's look, she couldn't have named it if she'd tried. "Great Pearl Feather--?" he blurted out, still gasping for breath. "We came as soon as we sensed you nearby--" "I did not come to speak to either of you," Megissogwun interrupted, and turned back to Charmian. She saw Mishosha blink, eyes growing, and Makwaquae's mouth fell open in obvious shock at the dismissal. Charmian could feel her own face doing the same thing. "As I was saying, I have been watching your progress," Megissogwun said, as if the wabanos weren't even there, "and despite Keewadin-Nodin's trivial efforts, there is a chance you might actually succeed in reaching Kabeyun. That having been said, I have no faith whatsoever that any of you will convince him to help you." "Then maybe you'll consider taking me up on my offer?" Manabozho cut in, the blue glow shifting around him. "Seeing as I hardly need him to fight my battles for me anyway?" "As a matter of fact," Megissogwun said, turning to him now, "this is the very reason why I came. That tiny halfling girl might talk too much for her own good, but she manages a decent idea once in a great while." "Turtle--?" Manabozho exclaimed, and the glow around him abruptly died. Charmian gawked that he would leave himself so defenseless, but the glow returned a split second later, even brighter and more violent than before, and his eyes flashed to match. "Where is she? If you even DARE hurting her--!" "I have no interest in this at the moment," Megissogwun said, his eyes darkening a little as if he found the insinuation insulting. "There will be plenty of time to kill her when I kill the rest of you. Rather, as I grew bored of watching Keewadin-Nodin make this far too easy for me, and realized just how bland this whole plan is, I decided to actually listen to her prattling for once. She seems to fully believe you will somehow save her. In fact, she won't shut up about it." Manabozho's glow faded a little. He sucked in a breath and Charmian saw tears enter his eyes, and she could tell that he was struggling just to keep focused enough to keep his power up. "That's because he will," she snapped, making him jump a little, and he glanced at her in surprise. Charmian stepped forward so Megissogwun looked at her again. "You yourself just admitted that Kabebonikka's no real challenge to us," she added, "well, why should you be? Even if Kabeyun doesn't show his face, we still have a lot going for us. Turtle's not as naive as you think." "Really," Megissogwun said, then looked again at Manabozho; Charmian realized that he must have grown tired of talking to her already, and fumed silently. "In any case, when I explained the futility of your situation, your little girl suggested that I take up your challenge after all. As galling as I find the idea of fighting a halfling...I wonder if there is not a tiny bit of truth in her claims about your power." Now Mishosha's mouth fell open. Charmian couldn't blame him. Manabozho looked most surprised of all, and even though his mouth moved, no sounds came out. Charmian struggled to find her own voice, and waved her hand to attract Megissogwun's attention. "Wait--wait a minute!" she stammered. "He already offered this and you turned it down straight out! Why are you changing your mind now--?" "Because I am bored," Megissogwun said, "and because this is a pathetic enough challenge as it is, taking on this fool can hardly make it any more of a waste of my time." "Ever consider taking up checkers or fishing or something...?" Marten called from the fort, before someone apparently covered his mouth and dragged him, mumbling, back out of sight. "This is not an offer I make lightly," Megissogwun added. "Recall that I have better things to do with my time, and had considered simply destroying all of you and this Island and being done with it." A look at Manabozho. "You are lucky, or perhaps unlucky, that your child was so annoying that I was forced to listen to her. If you do not wish to fight me after all, I can go ahead and end this mockery right now, or give you all the meaningless victory of heading west and ending up dead anyway, whichever you prefer." "No! Wait!" Charmian yelled, waving both arms now. She made a cutting gesture. "Time--time out!!" And raced to Manabozho, grabbing his arm. The glow died again and she would have slapped him had she thought of it. "'Bozho! This is our chance! This might be it!" she hissed at him. "This is what you wanted, right--?" Manabozho blinked. "You--are you crazy--?" he hissed right back. "You honestly think I can defeat him--?" Charmian's jaw fell. The blood rushed to her face but he grasped her wrist hard enough to hurt, silencing her. I can call up every bit of strength that I have, he thought, but you saw what he did to me. As I am right now, I can't do a thing to defeat him! For a second or two she could think of nothing to say. Manabozho admitting that he was practically powerless was something she definitely wasn't used to happening. But--you've been insisting on this all along, she protested. His grip tightened. And that's just it! All this walking has made me truly think about this. I really did think I could defeat him. Kabeyun did it, why can't I? But I'm not Kabeyun and I never will be. I'm only half manitou. That might be enough for a lot of things, but for this... A pained look flitted across his face. It isn't nearly enough, he said at last, and she knew that it hurt him through and through to say it. Then you're a really great bluffer, she thought back, when another idea suddenly struck her, and she grasped his wrist in return. Aren't you pissed off though--? That Kabeyun dragged you into his mess? Megissogoof here never would've even bothered with you or Turtle if he hadn't started it all! Before she was even finished thinking it, she had the result she'd desired. The glow around Manabozho returned, and though it wasn't as strong as it had been a moment before, it steadily grew brighter. His fingers around her wrist squeezed so much that she had to fight not to wince, and she turned to look at Megissogwun. "You want a decent fight--?" she called out; when the manitou raised one eyebrow as if in question she jerked her head in a nod. "Then you'll get one! But there's a condition." "Namely?" Megissogwun prompted. "You promised us the chance to ask Kabeyun to help us," she said. "Even if he ends up turning us down--you promised that. This is your game and what's the point if you have us come all this way and don't even bother giving us that chance--?" "As I said, I can simply end everything now and be done with it," Megissogwun said. "This entire situation is growing dull." "Yeah, but where would the victory be in that, huh?" Charmian retorted. "Some manitou you'd be for leading us through all this for nothing! I thought you were all about being big and impressive--" "Pearl Feather!" Makwaquae cut in, raising her hand so flames licked at her fingers and her own eyes flashed. "I can sear her impudent head off right now if you command it--!" "Hold a moment," Megissogwun said. "Despite her tongue, I'm bored enough to listen to what she has to say. You're accepting my offer, then--?" "No, he is," Charmian said, nudging Manabozho forward a step. The blood drained from his face but at least the glow didn't disappear this time. "You think Kabeyun gave you a hard fight? Then just wait until you get this one! But you'll have to let us reach Kabeyun first!" Megissogwun's mouth twitched, just a little. "I see," he said after a pause. "He hasn't the strength to fight me, at the moment. You have the pitiful hope that by the time you reach Kabeyun, he will have become more powerful somehow." Charmian fought not to express what she felt on her face. It was as if he'd just read their minds, even though she knew he didn't have to. "Funny," she managed to say without stammering, "I was thinking you were the one who needed to bulk up first." Makwaquae started letting out an awful sound, her fingers curling into fists. Mishosha just stared at Charmian with narrow eyes. Megissogwun didn't seem insulted in the least, however; although Charmian realized that this was probably because he felt no need to be insulted, he was so secure in his own power. She had a fleeting flash of wonder if there was anything out there that would make him lose some of that confidence--? "Whatever the case is," Megissogwun interrupted her thought, "you are not the one who makes the final decision." He looked at Manabozho. "Well, halfling--? My offer interests you?" Manabozho clenched his fists. "Your head must be made of wood! How many times does it need to be said--? Manabozho never turns down a challenge! Especially not one from a miserable wretch like yourself!" The glow around him intensified. "I'll do it easily! If she hadn't just convinced you to wait until later--" "He honestly thinks he can do this--?" Charmian suddenly heard Niskigwun, somewhere behind them, whisper to one of the others, and her spine stiffened just as Manabozho's did the same; even Megissogwun heard the comment. "He's only half manitou! His mother was a mere human--!" "WHAT?" Manabozho roared in a voice fit to rival Kenu's, and whirled around on one foot. Charmian got the chance to see Megissogwun tilt his head curiously before whirling around herself to see Manabozho storming toward the snow fort. Niskigwun stood at the edge of it, looking up at him; a second later the Michinimakinong was dangling in the air, yelping in surprise when Manabozho hauled him out by his necklaces. Everyone else was too stunned to bother helping him, if they'd even wanted to. "'Bozho--?" Charmian exclaimed. "What did you just say?" Manabozho yelled, then his face screwed up and blue tongues started shooting from him every which way. "Better to be her son than Kabeyun's! NOBODY SAYS THAT ABOUT HER!" And with a scream that was probably girlier than anything Charmian could get out, Niskigwun went sailing through the air, crashing into the snow on the other side of the fort. Everyone gawked at his crumpled form for a moment before Manabozho whirled back to Megissogwun, shaking his fist. This time there wasn't a trace of amusement or even boredom on the manitou's face. Charmian couldn't believe it. That was as interested as she'd ever seen him look. "I'll fight you!" Manabozho shouted. "And I'll win! And I'll do it properly so NO ONE ever has to bother doing it again! Which is what my so-called FATHER didn't bother doing!" And Charmian didn't know if he actually hoped to accomplish anything by it, but he swung his hands at the ground, and with a hideous shaking and shuddering and shrieking it burst open and a hail of glacial boulders shot up and then rained down again. Megissogwun simply raised his own arm over his head and they broke as they hit him, scattering into little pieces, but Charmian had to hand it to Manabozho, he actually looked impressed for once. "Interesting," he said as the rain of stone finally died down, "that you care so greatly for the one who contributed absolutely nothing to you but your weakness. No matter. Perhaps you will be happy to see her again when I'm done with you." He lowered his arm and crossed them. "Very well. This is our new agreement then. You may seek out Kabeyun, and then attempt to fight me, however meaningless this will be in the end. Then you will all die." "What?" a new voice suddenly cried, and Charmian glanced to the side to see that it was Mishosha who had spoken. His eyes looked ready to fall from his head; Charmian felt he couldn't have looked more shocked if the Red Swan herself had arrived and sat down to tea with Megissogwun. "P--Pearl Feather!" he exclaimed, and took a step forward. "We--we were supposed to face them in the west ourselves--!" "And you have been failing," Megissogwun replied. "I see already you have lost a third of your number." He looked at Charmian's group, his stare falling on Little Wind, who crouched down out of sight as soon as he was noticed. Makwaquae stepped forward now before Mishosha could speak. "He's meaningless, Pearl Feather!" she insisted. "It was a GOOD thing to lose him! Now we can focus on what truly matters--helping you in your quest--" "As if I am unaware of your desire to become the strongest manitous," Megissogwun said, "when there is room only for one, and that is myself. You two are merely human yourself, and you aspire to far too much that is not yours." Pot and kettle--? Charmian thought, but they'd apparently forgotten her group was even there. "G--great Pearl Feather, you know this isn't true," Mishosha hastened to say. "Of course--of course we desire power! But you will always be the greatest! If we had such thoughts, you know they were out of foolishness. I promise we'll think no such things again. But we can accomplish the task you set out for us, surely--!" "I do not grow impatient just with these worms," Megissogwun said. "I grow impatient also with you. I had thought, perhaps, that your powers were impressive enough, for a human, to help me reach my ends. Now I see I was wrong. One should never rely upon humans to perform a manitou's duties, even if that human hopes to become a manitou someday. The two of you have outlived your purpose to me." Charmian felt a chill start seeping into her breast. Mishosha's words--You're expendable--echoed in her head, and the looks that Mishosha and Makwaquae got were the exact same as the look that Little Wind had gotten before-- She gasped and glanced at Megissogwun, the chill surging upward into panic, but Makwaquae was the one who reacted, hurrying toward Megissogwun and shaking both her fists. "How dare you!" she screamed, her voice making the others flinch. "You promised to make us manitous if we served you, and we DID! We did EVERYTHING you asked of us! Every humiliating trivial thing! Just so YOU could settle your meaningless squabble over what?--your wounded pride? You're nothing but a bratty little child and you think to call us unimportant--?" "Makwaquae!" Mishosha barked, his voice cracking with fear. "I think you'd best check yourself," Megissogwun said mildly. Makwaquae bared her teeth and started glowing just like Manabozho. "You'll NEVER speak to us like this! After everything we've done for your stupid cause! We did all the work and you did nothing! To think that we cowered and simpered and groveled before you for this--for nothing! You promised you'd make us manitous!" A slight blue glint entered Megissogwun's eyes. "And I have rethought this promise, and find it unnecessary now," he said. Mishosha took a step forward and held out one hand as if to beg Makwaquae to stand down when she raised her fists and let out an awful scream that echoed over the hills and back down from the clouds above. "YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A CRAWLING LYING WORM! A manitou always keeps his promise! WE'RE far more manitou than you'll EVER be--!!" Before anyone else could say or do anything, she drew her hand back and with an enraged shriek hurled it forward. A massive fireball flung itself out toward Megissogwun, and when Makwaquae braced herself and placed her hands together, it expanded and grew brighter in midair. Megissogwun lifted his hand to bat it aside--just as Makwaquae, now bear formed, launched herself at him with an awful bellow. She was nowhere near as big as he was, but Charmian could see that the attack caught him offguard, as he blinked and actually stumbled when her jaws clamped down on his forearm. From the corner of her eye Charmian saw Mishosha's face go almost white in disbelief as Makwaquae's teeth sank into Megissogwun's flesh and blood spattered against her muzzle. She wrenched his arm aside, and Megissogwun's eyes went wide--Charmian couldn't believe the surprise on his face--before he finally managed to yank his arm back and shake her loose. When he pulled away, he was bleeding from the gaping tears down his forearm, his fingers dripping red. He cast a stunned glance at his injury and Charmian wondered if he'd ever been hurt before in his life, he seemed so bewildered. Makwaquae regained her balance and stood up on her hind legs, her own teeth dripping with Megissogwun's blood. Megissogwun and Mishosha--and, Charmian was sure, pretty much everyone else--gave her the same look, their eyes goggling in disbelief. This is what happens, Makwaquae growled, muzzle wrinkling, when you cross TRUE MANITOUS! And she let out another bellow and launched herself at him again, jaws gaping wide, the fireball over her head zooming straight at him. Megissogwun blinked. Then his eyes flared blue and the look of surprise fled his face immediately, and Charmian sucked in a gasp and stumbled backward when the most immense blue glare she'd ever seen seemed to explode around him. She knew immediately what it must mean--she'd never seen such an awful manitou power--and Makwaquae's glow was nothing compared to it-- "Makwaquae!" she dimly heard Mishosha cry out, and the terrified tone of his voice was yet another thing that told her what must be coming. Makwaquae either didn't notice these things, or didn't care. Charmian couldn't tell which. She barrelled straight at the manitou, bellowing in fury, when Megissogwun lifted his uninjured arm and thrust it forward, and just like that, the Bearwalker was flung head over heels through the air, her roar breaking off in a panicked squeal before she slammed into the ground. |