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Escape From Manitou Island: Part 192 |
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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.)
MICHIBOU "WELL. IT LOOKS as if Kabeyun won't be taking up my challenge, after all." Charmian's mental net recoiled and she felt Winter Born clutch her arm, her fingers digging in. The blue waves flaring around Manabozho abruptly died down in intensity and he turned to look past them, his eyes still glowing blue, but not nearly as much as before. The voice had come from behind them, following a strange tremor in the cave; although she didn't want to, she knew she had to, so Charmian turned as well, dreading what she might see. Megissogwun was there, of course, but that was expected and wasn't what surprised her. What surprised her was that an entirely new cave had opened up where one hadn't been before--previously, behind them had been the wall of the cave they were in, as well as various tunnels leading back where they'd come from and to who knew where else in the mountain; yet the manitou was standing in an immense entryway which led into a well-lit cave somewhat different looking from the one they were in now. As if that wasn't startling enough, the sight of a pile of furs--upon which sat Turtle, as clear and as obvious as anything--made her mouth fall open in shock. Turtle saw them as well, her eyes popping open. "Papa!" "Turtle!" Manabozho blurted out in response, just as astonished. He took one darting step forward. Megissogwun raised his hand and waved it; instantly the cave behind him vanished and he was standing there in the original cave with the rest of them. Manabozho jerked to a halt and glanced around wildly but neither Turtle nor the strange second cave was anywhere to be seen. Charmian couldn't understand it. Turtle had been here the entire time? Then why? And how come she hadn't been able to sense her--? "I see this was all an immense waste of your time and effort, after all," Megissogwun said, as if none of the previous had just happened. Manabozho clenched his fists and flared blue. "Where is she?" "She is nearby, as healthy as you just saw her, but this is not the point. I thought I felt Kabeyun's medicine here, yet he appears to have gone." He lifted his head and looked a bit to the left and right, as if just to be polite. "Rather a pity...as much as I hate to admit it, he did give me a decent fight, just once. I suppose he has better things to do with his time, like consort about with humans." Charmian felt the charge growing in the air; even Kenu shivered at it. "I told you it would be a waste of time,"* Manabozho growled, "but you wanted us to waste it anyway! When just as good a fight is standing right before you and has been all along! But I guess since you were so certain he'd run away, it was easier to face that than a real challenge!" "I see," Megissogwun said, almost boredly. "You hope to insult me by calling me a coward for finding it a waste of my time to fight you? Well, recall the bargain that insignificant halfling had me engage in. I am here, you are here, yet your father is not. I suppose I'll just have to settle for the next-best thing...as paltry as that is." He held up a hand again and it started to glow. "You are ready now, or would you prefer to warm up? I haven't much time to stand around waiting, seeing as I have an Island to destroy." The blue surged around Manabozho and Charmian shrank back. "I hardly need to warm up! It sounds like YOU'RE the one stalling! But seeing as you're being so courteous and all I have one request and that's it." Megissogwun raised an eyebrow. Manabozho waved in Charmian's direction--it took her a moment to realize he wasn't waving at her, but at all of her group. "They have no part of this," Manabozho grated. "Yet you know how sentimental I am about humans." "It runs in the family, I've seen," Megissogwun said. "I take it you wish no harm to come to them during our fight, despite the fact that I plan to get rid of every one of you once you're defeated. In any case, I suppose delaying the inevitable won't hurt that much. If it helps you put on your best show." He waved again and Charmian flung up a hand to protect herself, only to find it unnecessary. Megissogwun hadn't attacked. She did notice that her view of him and Manabozho seemed somewhat hazier, however. She tentatively reached out and felt at the air. It seemed warmer just a foot or so from her face, and the density of it was thicker, almost like she was pushing her fingers through spiderwebs; when she tried to reach further, she found that she couldn't do it, and was reminded of the barrier she and Winter Born had confronted on Mishosha's island. Once this memory struck her, she realized what this was. A protective barrier! Megissogwun's protecting us? Of course, only temporarily--but he'd do this, just to get the best fight out of Manabozho--? Wait a minute--this is 'Bozho's idea! He's trying to protect us--so does that mean he thinks he's going to win, or that Megissogwun's going to win--? She tried to send a thought at Manabozho to ask him his plans--but something bizarre happened when she felt the thought rebound back at her. She blinked in surprise, then tried it again--and felt it again. It was a strange sensation, to feel her own thoughts bounce back into her head like echoes of her talking to herself; she turned to Winter Born and sent a thought at her and it worked just fine, for the girl looked up at her with furrowed brow. "You want me to try to talk to Manabozho? But--you know him so much better..." "Just try it," Charmian said, so Winter Born turned to look at him and got a look of concentration on her face. Then she too blinked and looked back up, putting a hand to her head. "It...I think it just came back and hit me! My own thought! What does that mean--?" "In case you're wondering why your friend isn't replying," Megissogwun said, and they looked toward him to see that he was staring back, "this is because I know of lesser manitous' tendency to communicate with each other when in doubt. If there is anything you wish to say, you can always speak out loud so all of us can hear it." Charmian felt her face grow hot. "I don't need any help from them anyway," Manabozho snapped. "Is this more of your dawdling? Because you're so good at it, it just seems second nature." Megissogwun's eyes flickered a little and he turned his head, opening his mouth--just as a horrific bolt of blue energy slammed into his jaw, spinning his head to the side and making him take a stumbling step back. Winter Born gasped and hopped, Charmian jerking as well; they hadn't even seen Manabozho doing anything, but she guessed that was because they'd been distracted, just as Megissogwun was. Apparently realizing this, Megissogwun rubbed at his jaw and turned again, slowly this time, a blue glint in his eyes. "So I take it you are ready, then," he said, looking to Manabozho. He lifted his hand. "In that case--" He didn't get to finish whatever he was going to say or do, as a wave of blue smashed into him this time, propelling him backwards. He managed to catch himself before he could fall or run into the cave wall; when the energy dissipated, Charmian saw how his eyes were glowing, and she shivered. Megissogwun wiped a tiny trickle of blood from his mouth, looking almost like he wanted to snarl. "You want to stand and talk?" Manabozho shouted. "Then go find Kabeyun and fight him!" "Interesting--" Megissogwun got to say, then remembered at the last moment to throw up his arm when Manabozho sent out another burst of power which jarred his shoulder but didn't knock him back. "You're more likable when you decide to finally get down to it," he said, and hurled a blast of energy right back, just as Manabozho did the same, so that they cancelled each other out. Still, the impact they made was enough to make the cave shake, and Charmian nearly lost her footing, seeing several of the others do the same. Her view of Manabozho and Megissogwun rippled like a heat mirage on a summer road, and she had to shake her head. The other two were already fighting--hurling great gusts and waves and blasts of medicine which made the barrier shimmer and wobble beneath their impact. Charmian didn't feel safe even behind this, and gestured at the others to move back a bit. Winter Born huddled beside her as she crouched near Moon Wolf and Thomas. "I would do something to contribute to the barrier," Moon Wolf said, "but I feel it would be unnecessary. We wouldn't be able to get out of this even if we tried all together." He peered upwards uneasily. "Don't think it matters much," Thomas said. "You really think he's got it in him at last to do this?" "I don't know," Charmian admitted. "His chances are as good as ever but I'd really prefer it if we could communicate with him--privately! I keep thinking of Niskigwun's trick earlier--maybe if we yelled something nasty about his mother..." "I doubt this would do much by now," Moon Wolf said, and nodded at them when she gave him a questioning look. "Almost every time I've seen him lose his temper, it's been quite childish, or for childish reasons. Do you see anything different about his medicine?" "Yeah. It's a lot stronger, for one thing..." "Anything else? Try looking past how strong it is, for something different. Even I could feel it, before this barrier went up." Charmian bit her lip, then focused on Manabozho. She couldn't feel his power anymore from behind the barrier, though she could still see it just fine--waves of blue washing over him like water, then shooting out from him like solar flares*. Even as she watched, he swung his hand and Megissogwun just barely deflected one--she saw the way his own medicine wavered, just slightly, when he warded it off, and her eyes widened in awe. "It...does look a little bit different, but I'm not sure what it means. It's not quite as...well, messy as before." Her brow furrowed. "Not that it was messy to start with, but...I don't know. I can't explain it. It's not really something I'm seeing but something I'm getting out of what I'm seeing. You know? How do I explain this?" "Is focused the word you're looking for?" Charmian sucked in a breath and straightened. "YES! His power was always all chaotic before but now it's controlled!" She whirled to look at them again. "It's like with Winter Born--he was throwing temper tantrums before but now he's really fighting!" But is it really enough? the annoying part of her brain asked just as there was a brief lull, Megissogwun and Manabozho both pausing to collect themselves. She saw that the big manitou seemed somewhat winded, and hoped that was a good sign--at least, his other fights* with Manabozho hadn't left him tired in the least. "Interesting," Megissogwun said again, panting slightly. "You do seem to have improved the smallest bit since the last time you bothered. I take it that failing to gain Kabeyun's assistance is wearing on you?" "I've always done just fine without him and I'll keep doing just fine," Manabozho said, and then all of a sudden, Megissogwun wasn't standing where he'd been standing anymore. Charmian and the others jumped a bit, looking around, and saw him at the other side of the cave, crumpled against the wall. He lifted his head and blinked. Remy, standing several paces to Charmian's right with his hands pressed up against the barrier, let out a yelp and fell forward into the cave. Charmian let out a sharp breath to suddenly sense the immense power in the cave again, and with a start realized that the barrier was completely gone. He knocked him down-- And made him lose his focus! Manabozho took a step forward and when Megissogwun glanced up at him, Charmian expected the two of them to start exchanging insults. Instead, Manabozho raised both his hands--the right going upward in a crook and the left facing Charmian's group, palm out--she didn't get to see what happened next, as there was a blinding flash which made them all cry out and rub their eyes, then the cave shook as it had when Megissogwun had first arrived. Charmian thought she heard rocks falling. "What just happened--?" she yelled, blinking furiously and looking up again. Where Megissogwun's barrier had been, another now stood, only she couldn't see through this one. It stood before them swirling opalescent white and gray; she started to reach out to touch it, but somebody grabbed her wrist and yanked her back. She glared at Mishosha though she was surprised that he was the one who had done it. "Not that I have any concerns about you losing your arm or your head," he said with an ugly look, "but, as much as I hate to admit it, you're necessary right now. If you value your limbs you won't go poking them through such medicine. I have no clue how, but that buffoon has created something truly formidable." Charmian stared at him a second, then looked back at the barrier. She tried sending a thought through it--then gasped and collapsed right where she stood, grabbing at her head. Not only had her thought bounced back at her, but something else bounced back with it, feeling like a brick slamming into her brain. She blinked her eyes open again, blearily this time, to see shimmers of blue fading from around her vision; when she lifted her head, the others were staring at her, wide eyed. "He just attacked you...?" Moon Wolf asked, looking bewildered. "You saw that--?" Charmian said back, then shook her head. "He didn't attack me--but his barrier did! I think it's even stronger than Megissogwun's was--" A hideous roar came from beyond it, and the barrier abruptly shook and then went transparent. Charmian could only tell it was still there from the way that it rippled as Megissogwun's had done. The roaring noise had apparently been Megissogwun's return attack; his arm was outthrust and horrible waves of energy were billowing from it, straight at Manabozho, who so far was managing to shield himself but as a result was unable to fight back. Even as she watched, however, Charmian saw Manabozho scuff one foot against the floor, his moccasin gouging into the stone and making it crack; an instant later, a cascade of boulders and hunks of rock broke loose from the cave ceiling and collapsed atop Megissogwun, cutting off his attack. He shoved and hurled them away before they could bury him, like a regular person would shrug off a coat or blanket, but the look on his face was livid. For all his talking about wanting a good fight, Charmian wondered just how well he'd taken his defeat by Kabeyun; it looked like he was getting fed up with this already. As soon as he batted the last boulder aside, he threw up his hand and hurled another blast of medicine which looked even more powerful than the last. Manabozho had already lifted his own hands and thrown them forward--a gale of wind swept the cavern, making the barrier tremble. Charmian quailed--it didn't look like nearly enough to stop Megissogwun's attack, but as soon as the two met, the blue glare of energy faltered in space, slowing to a stop, unable to withstand the onslaught. It quivered and flickered, then went soaring back the way it had come. Megissogwun's eyes went wide right before his own attack struck him and slammed him right back into the cave wall. It shattered open, taking another part of the ceiling with it; dust and rock particles billowed into the air, obscuring the view, and Charmian couldn't sense either of them no matter how hard she tried. "What's going on? What's going on?" she cried, hopping and dodging and trying futilely to see. She even tried throwing fire at the barrier, but of course it bounced back, and she hurried to deflect it before it could hit the others. "Did you see that?" she exclaimed, turning to look at them. "Kind of hard to miss!" Augwak snapped. He of course was wedged into the corner, as far away as he could get from the action. "He bounced Megissogwun's attack right back at him!" Charmian turned back to the barrier, craning her neck from side to side, but the dust still swirled thick. "He is more powerful! If he could do that..." She trailed off as the dust finally started settling, the image of the cave starting to come hazily at first, then more clearly. The entire left side had been blasted open and a huge mound of rubble lay upon the floor; the ceiling had been extended some ways upward as well. She couldn't see Megissogwun at first, but when she looked to see how Manabozho was holding up, her breath caught in her throat. She almost didn't recognize him. It was still him, of course--with the same clothes and adornments and face and everything. But something about him was fundamentally different. He glowed entirely in blue--it wasn't just around him, it was him, as if he were made of it now. The twin feathers flared back from his head, quivering like the ears of a rabbit--Charmian had long assumed that was what they were meant to represent, but now the resemblance was intensified--they looked far more like ears than like feathers, and even the way that Manabozho stood made her think of a rabbit poised to spring, all his muscles tensed and ready. His eyes, however, were what startled her the most. Whereas before they had glowed brilliant blue, like the eyes of manitous did when they were charged with power, now they were jet black--more than black--two bottomless, empty pits in the midst of all that glowing blue, as if Manabozho were nothing but a facade pasted over a void, an endless expanse of nothingness. "What..." Her voice nearly died in her throat. "What happened to him?" Nobody answered; they all seemed as stunned as she was. Manabozho turned his head to look at her and she shivered, feeling a wave of dizziness, as if she would fall into his eyes and keep falling forever--the feeling was so real she had to grasp Winter Born's arm for support. He turned away again before she could lose her balance, looking back to the pile of shattered rubble at the opposite side of the cave. Just as he did, boulders started tumbling and rolling back into the room, a few smaller ones at first, then the larger ones, with a growing clatter. Megissogwun at last appeared, pushing himself up, his feathers and necklaces askew, his hair and clothing mussed and dusty. He panted heavily, his blue eyes flashing at Manabozho. Charmian could already see bruises appearing on his arms, and a cut ran over his shoulder. He gritted his teeth and Charmian saw the power around him flare, then he too noticed Manabozho's new appearance and paused, uncertainty flickering across his face. "Michibou?" he said; Charmian furrowed her brow, but Megissogwun just shook his head before Manabozho could answer, if he even planned to. "No matter. I thought it a waste of energy to use all I have on you before, but if it will hasten my departure from here, then so be it." He swept the rest of the boulders aside, then like a flash hurled one of them toward Manabozho. Charmian knew he could easily deflect it--being part sandling and able to control such things--but he couldn't as easily deflect the attack that came right on its tail, and this time he slammed back into the wall, the stone cracking behind him. He grimaced and started pushing himself away, only to be met by a blast that sent him tunneling back into it some distance out of sight. Rock collapsed around the opening he'd left. Charmian thought that would be all, but Megissogwun apparently didn't wish to give him any chance to recover; he continued blasting at the pile of rubble, one after another after another, until the stone started to glow red, then orange, then white; the air rippled and the barrier shimmered and started fading until Charmian could feel waves of heat washing over them from the melting rock. She and the others cringed back as far as the cave wall would let them although Megissogwun showed no interest in attacking them; when he at last pulled his hand back, the hole that Manabozho had left in the wall was gone, and where the rubble had just been standing was now a rounded molten mass. He flicked a hand at it again and with a bursting, hissing noise that stung the ears, the melted stone solidified as if it had always been that way. Silence filled the cave, except for small hissing noises still coming from the cooling rock. Everyone stood staring at the smooth wall, but the fact that the barrier was gone made Charmian's insides twist. She'd seen what it had taken for Megissogwun's barrier to fall; so did that mean... Megissogwun turned to them, making most of them flinch back again. "I would say at least he tried," he said, "but the concept of trying, when one has utterly no chance to succeed, is a ridiculous one in my mind; so, I suggest that all of you make your peace now, while I return to that pathetic hunk of rock that you call an Island..." He trailed off, a strange look coming to his face. Now that the barrier was gone, Charmian could sense it too--a slight charge in the air. It felt almost like electricity, and she glanced at Kenu, but the look on his own face made it obvious that he felt it as well. She almost thought she could hear a low, subsonic* hum, but perhaps she imagined it. Winter Born huddled close to her side. "My...my skin feels like it's dancing!" she quavered. "Like there's a giant drum...!" "Ew! Ew!" Marten, perched securely now in Mani's antlers, grimaced and rubbed his face. "My fur feels like it's gonna fall out!" Thomas, to Charmian's left, cast her a strange look of his own. "I suppose it'd be in keeping with the situation to say it feels like my teeth are quivering in my skull, then, wouldn't it...?" It's not just me, Charmian thought, putting a hand to the back of her neck and feeling the hairs prickling there. Something's going on, but what is it? Where's it coming from? She gingerly cast out her net and could sense the power, but not where it was coming from, for it seemed to be coming from everywhere. Was it a whole horde of manitous, then? The mountain manitous, perhaps, coming to help them--? Megissogwun seemed to realize something the moment she thought this, for he looked up at the ceiling, and she could have sworn she saw the uncertainty in his eyes shift to unease. He suddenly jerked where he stood and with a startled noise collapsed onto one knee. He managed to catch himself from falling over, only to jerk again and this time tumble backwards. It was almost comical seeing him fall over like that, his feet flying in the air, but Charmian was too confused to laugh. She hadn't seen or sensed anything hitting him. It looked like he was just falling over for the fun of it. "Are the manitous invisible--?" Winter Born, apparently having reached the same hypothesis she had, asked. "I don't see any medicine around him but his own!" Charmian exclaimed. "What just hit him--?" "It doesn't really look like he was hit," Moon Wolf said. "It looks more like he tripped..." Megissogwun was already pushing himself back to his feet, a snarl on his face. As soon as he regained his balance, however, he just as quickly lost it again, this time falling forward with a thud that shook the cave. Charmian couldn't understand how he'd lost all coordination so suddenly, because no matter how hard she tried, she could see nothing hitting him; but her confusion over that dissipated in an instant when something else just as bewildering appeared. The floor of the cave lurched and then rose, a wave of stone shooting upward yet not breaking free--it seemed both solid and fluid at once as it soared over Megissogwun's head and then promptly collapsed atop him, pulling him under like a surfer getting wiped out. A second later, he was gone. Winter Born squealed and clapped her hands to her face. "The cave swallowed him!!" "I don't get it," Charmian protested. "Why would the mountain manitous be helping us now--?" She cut herself off, feeling her hair prickling again, but this time for a completely different reason. She felt power--but only one power. If there were numerous manitous around them, she should have felt them all, separate and distinct. But she couldn't. She focused on the energy surrounding them--it wasn't familiar, but then again, what else wasn't familiar? That look Manabozho just got... Alarm lit up in her and she reached out to grab Winter Born's hand. "The cave!" she cried. "We have to get out of--" With a sharp ringing noise, the barrier shot back up--as if it had just retracted into the floor--and with a start Charmian realized that it completely surrounded them now, blocking access to the tunnels. Even Little Wind had somehow ended up inside it with them. He looked as if he wanted to try to batter his way out, then, apparently remembering Mishosha's warning, he backed away, clasping his fireball to his chest. "What's happening?" Winter Born asked fearfully. Charmian glanced around at the glowing barrier, feeling the same anxiety, but after a moment she began to understand what she was seeing. "It's okay," she said, drawing some looks. She let out a breath. "Don't worry. We'll be safe here." "Safe from what--?" Thomas asked, then the floor erupted and Megissogwun came crashing out, massive hunks of rock slamming into the barrier and bouncing back off. The smaller ones were evaporated as soon as they struck. "WHERE ARE YOU?" Megissogwun bellowed, even his voice making the barrier tremble. "YOU INSIGNIFICANT NOT-MANITOU!" All around you, Charmian thought, and just as she did so, the cave walls, floor, and ceiling--everything beyond the barrier--glowed and came swooping inward. Several of those within the barrier quailed when the tunnels behind them disappeared, solid stone replacing them on all sides; Charmian heard Megissogwun let out an awful scream as the cave vanished, leaving nothing but the little space Charmian's group stood within. "What happened?!" Augwak screamed shrilly. Charmian waved a hand and winced when the others started yammering at once, demanding answers. "It's okay! It's Manabozho!" "That?" Moon Wolf exclaimed, jerking a hand at the ceiling and making a face as if he expected it to fall. Charmian shrugged. "I can't explain it! His medicine feels completely different but it must be him because there's nobody else around. Somehow he's manipulating the cave--maybe even the entire mountain! He put this bubble around us to protect us. He knows what he's doing. If the floor isn't enough to keep Megissogwun down, then maybe a mountain will be." "The entire mountain...?" Stick-In-The-Dirt peered upward, mouth falling open slowly, grasping his turtle-shell rattle. "He convinced all the manitous here to assist, then?" Moon Wolf asked. Charmian shook her head. "It's not their medicine. He didn't ask them anything. It's like..." She too peered upward. "It's like he became the mountain's manitou." "He's all around us," Winter Born said faintly, staring at the solid stone that encased them. "He never seemed half so powerful before," Niskigwun said, eyeing the walls. "Not even when he fixed that cave the Animiki was in*! I would understand him manipulating the power here, but becoming it--? How did such a thing happen?" "You saw what he looked like," Charmian said. "Even Megissogwun was confused! I swear I saw him look scared for a minute there!" "Michibou," Stick-In-The-Dirt said; she looked at him, remembering the word and still wondering what it meant. "This is what the Pearl Feather called him. It means Great Rabbit." Charmian's brow furrowed. "I thought that was what he's called anyway!" "Yes, but...I cannot explain it. The word Michibou is more literal and is filled with much more power. It's like...the name he would be called, if he normally did things like..." His stare shifted upwards and he bit his lip. "This." Hard concept, Red Land One, Mani said to her, tilting an antler. Show you. She touched him and perused the images that he sent into her head, frowning a little, but at least the idea was coming more clearly now. "It's almost like there's more than one Manabozho," she said at last, hesitantly. "Like, the regular Manabozho I know, and now...this guy. Michibou. Manabozho is the goof-off and Michibou is the scary-powerful one, right?" "I had always thought it just a nickname and meaningless until now," Stick-In-The-Dirt replied. "Well...apparently not!" All chatter ceased when the stone around them began to glow again; then, with several startled cries, a few of the group fell when the space they were in seemed to lurch, throwing them off balance. Charmian was one of the unlucky ones; she toppled forward and reached out to stop her fall, forgetting what Mishosha had said as her hands hit the wall before her and Winter Born let out a little squeal. All of you are safe? Charmian let out a cry of her own and fell back, eyes goggling. Manabozho's voice had come from everywhere, like she was sitting in his head listening to his thoughts up close and personal, and as soon as she thought that, she realized it wasn't too far from reality. "Mana...Manabozho...?" she said faintly, though it seemed a rather stupid thing to say. I can still feel him moving under the stone, Manabozho's voice said; it wasn't loud, but the way it came from everywhere still made her rub at her ears, the others doing likewise as they looked around in confusion. I'm going to move all of you so I can go after him one last time. I'll kill him, the way my father failed to do. Charmian blinked in surprise--she was so used to hearing bitterness in his voice whenever he mentioned Kabeyun, that the utter lack of any such right now stunned her. "What are you going to do?" she asked, but he didn't answer, and she again felt the strange motion; she couldn't figure it out at first, since she couldn't see anything changing. "If he's going to move us," she asked aloud, "then how? Through all this rock?" "I think we're already moving," Little Wind said, still clasping his fireball close. He looked around himself, then down. "Downward. Can't you feel it? My feet seem lighter. Kind of sideways, and down." Everyone looked at the ground. "But it's just solid rock," Thomas protested. "How--" The bottom promptly vanished from underneath them, just as a black void appeared; Charmian let out a shrill scream, hearing everyone else doing the same, when she found herself plummeting downward. Someone grasped her wrist but before her fall could be broken, she felt an icy chill all around her, and water flooded her mouth. She clamped it shut and swung her arms and legs but everything had gone pitch black and she had no clue which way was up or down. She spun herself in a circle and started paddling blindly, hoping it was the right way. Only to feel a rushing sensation as she seemed to pass into something, perhaps a cavern, and then her hands met something soft and smushy. She blurted out a few bubbles--then with a rushing noise, the water around her drained away and she fell onto yet another soft smushy surface, coughing up a gout of water and then screaming again. Other coughing noises from just behind her made her cut herself off; she held up her hand to call up fire, but there was a roar and then she was up to her neck in water again. And then it drained away. She sputtered and coughed--"Fire!!"--and swept the wet hair from her eyes, glancing around. She saw oddly smooth white stalactites and stalagmites-- The wave of water returned, then receded, then she heard Winter Born sputtering next to her. "Wh--what happened?" A few squishing noises. "What am I sitting on? Ew!" "I--" A horrific rumbling, blasting noise came from the opposite direction of the water, and a hot gust reeking of fish pummeled them where they sat; they started gagging at the stench. Excuse me, a meek voice came in Charmian's head. Charmian tried to stop retching, shakily lifting her hand to call up her fire again. The stalagmites and stalactites were teeth. "M...Mishu?" she coughed, looking up at the roof of his mouth. I heard all the awful noise up above, the Lynx said. And then I heard Manabozho's voice--oh!--it was all around me! He said he was going to move you all, and then you just popped down here, I knew I had to fish you out before the water swept you away...hold on a moment... The rushing noise came, and this time Charmian knew to suck in a breath and hold it; as soon as the water swept past and disappeared, she called up her fire once more and found Stick-In-The-Dirt seated beside her, a ghastly look on his face. Swallowing all this water is making my stomach lurch! Mishupishu moaned. I do hope I have most of you by now... Charmian did a shaky head count. "Two missing!" she called, when a final gush of water swept over them, leaving Kwemoo and Maang straggling on Mishupishu's tongue, looking rather more waterlogged than loons should look. "Everyone accounted for. Are we under the mountain, Mishu?" Yes, the Lynx said. The Animiki were so thoughtful, they found me a place to stay in until your business should be done--speaking of--is it done yet? Have you really done in the Pearl Feather--? A rumble, then another, smaller gust of fish-stink wafted over them. Oh, do please excuse me!! "Not just yet," Charmian said, waving the smell away. "But Manabozho did just say he was about to--" Yet another rumbling noise came, but she could tell it wasn't a Lynx belch this time; it was much further away, but even at this distance she could feel Mishupishu's insides vibrating. Mishupishu jerked, making them fall sideways, and she heard him let out a pained sound. Ouch! he thought. Something just hit my side! I think the tunnel might be collapsing! She felt him pick up speed. Don't worry though, I know the way out--I'll have you all out of here in just a jiff-- The rumbling noises grew ever louder and more resonant, and Winter Born clung to Marten, shivering and shaking. Charmian kept hold of one of Mishupishu's teeth, keeping her fire lit and a neutral look on her face; she was as scared as anything, but judging by the looks of the others, somebody had to keep a level head. The confidence in Mishupishu's voice had seemed genuine, so she hoped he knew what he was doing. As I said, the Animiki were so very thoughtful, Mishupishu continued, they even took into account how I should need to get back out of here. It turns out they're friendly with the little people who live in the earth, both the ones back home and the strange ones around here. Those Animiki do get around! There are old tunnels in the soil and rock--not Mishupishu tunnels, oddly, just natural ones--and once the Animiki found me some water to stay in under the mountains, they asked the little people to try to connect this underground stream with some of the old tunnels... He wiggled from side to side. I admit I'm not sure what to expect, though. Charmian tried not to grimace and only half succeeded. Here's one now! Mishupishu exclaimed cheerily, and she felt him turn upwards somewhat so that everyone had to cling to his teeth and tongue. Aha--aham--that tickles!! he cried, and made a gagging noise, buffeting them with fish-reek again. Charmian signaled* the others to grasp his teeth instead, wrapping her arm around one herself. "Where are we going, Mishu?" Kenu made the Animiki promise to provide a way to the surface should I need it, the Lynx replied. Nothing very big, since Thunderbirds can hardly go carving out rivers, but just enough to surface if absolutely necessary. I'm so glad he thought of such a thing! I never figured I would actually need to use it-- The rumbling came again, growing louder, then all of a sudden Mishupishu swung sharply to the left and everyone swung with him, crashing into his teeth and rolling back toward his gullet. His forward motion abruptly slowed and Charmian could sense his confusion; his thoughts turned from words into vague images like those a manitou might send, and they grew hazy. She dug her fingers into his tongue to pinch him, and felt his thoughts start to clear again. "Mishu! Shake it off. What happened? Are you all right?" Oh...I...I think so. Oh that hurt! I ran into the side, but I know I was swimming straight... "Something started shaking or rumbling right before you ran into it. It must've thrown you off. How far are we from the way up? Do you think you can make it?" I think so...it really wasn't that far, just up a ways more. Hold on... He resumed swimming upwards, a bit unsteadily at first, then faster. Nobody spoke as they clung to his teeth, grim looks on their faces. Charmian hadn't liked that violent jarring motion at all. What could have caused it? Was Megissogwun still putting up a fight...? Oh goodness! Mishupishu exclaimed. The top of the tunnel is blocked! Something must have caved it in...but don't worry, it's just mud, I can dig right through it... His easy swimming motion grew a bit more labored as she imagined him burrowing through the mud, and she bit her lip, praying this was the absolute last bit of bad news they'd get at this time. Ah! My whiskers are free! I smell air! Here we go! There were several more jarring motions as he shifted position a few times, then at last light--not from Charmian's fire--appeared ahead. Charmian scrambled down Mishupishu's tongue and made sure to peer out carefully before jumping; she saw sloshing muddy water down to her side, but the Lynx had placed his jaw upon solid ground, so she clambered out and commenced shuddering and shaking--no matter how polite he might be, she'd never get used to riding in his mouth. The others climbed out after her, obviously thinking the same thing; even Kenu made an awful face as he hopped out. "Excellent work, my good friend Lynx!" he said nonetheless, placing his hand on Mishupishu's muzzle when he shut his mouth. "I knew you wouldn't fail us!" "I'm just glad we all got out safely!" Mishupishu sighed. "It sounded like such a dreadful fight!" "Oh!" Charmian cried, whirling around. "All that noise--I wonder what Manabozho was doing...?" Her words trailed off as her eyes grew, her mouth slowly falling open. The others stared at her, then turned to look toward the mountains, where she was looking. Then, they got the same look themselves. They might have been looking toward where the mountains were supposed to be, but there was no longer much to see. For the mountains were gone. |