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Escape From Manitou Island: Part 214 |
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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.)
DOUBT GEEZHIGO-QUAE'S EYES FLEW open and she hunched over with a startled gasp, one hand flying to her chest as a searing pain shot through her like a flaming arrow. Her wings fanned out and her eyes flared brilliant blue. "Stone Canoe!" The Stone Canoe blinked himself awake--not that stone slept in the same manner as humans, though it still needed to rest on occasion--and found himself staring at the familiar cave wall. He twisted around to look behind him. The Red Swan sat in her accustomed spot, but her eyes were wide open. It took him a second to realize this was the dream and not reality and he let out a breath, though he wasn't sure why. "What is it?" He clambered to his feet and hurried to her side. "Not me," she said when he tried to look her over. "The Sky Mother. She's awake! I can't feel her that well anymore. I thought she was seeking a vision. And trying to stay connected to me." Her brow furrowed in confusion. "It was so abrupt. Why would she be awake?" The Stone Canoe furrowed his own brow and shook his head. "I...I'm not certain. Maybe she's only resting." "If this were so, something tells me she wouldn't have done it so...suddenly." Her face screwed up a little. "Charmian told me once that it's dangerous to pull somebody out of a dream without warning.* This isn't the same, but--it feels kind of the same. It almost hurt when I came to back here!" She looked upwards at the cave ceiling as if perplexed to find herself there. "I don't think I've ever felt so close to anyone before, and now...it's like I've been cut off. I know she didn't do that to me intentionally. But why did she do it? Do you have any way of telling?" "I can't see very far away from here," the Stone Canoe said, feeling guilty that he couldn't be more useful. "Maybe the island can tell me something?" He shut his eyes and sensed all around the island's bedrock, not expecting much, and not finding much, but it was an absence of something which caught his attention. He frowned and felt out into the water surrounding the island. "Strange..." he murmured. "What is it?" the Red Swan asked. The Stone Canoe opened his eyes, giving her a confused look. "The Lynxes...they're nowhere to be found! I can't sense a one anywhere near the island. That's not right. They guard this place. Mishosha compels them. In all the time I've been here I've always felt them around, but now...none." He paused. "I feel they've been absent for a while now, I just never thought to take any notice." The Red Swan's look mirrored his own; an instant later, they were drifting upon the waters of the imaginary lake, he back in his canoe form, and she was busily scanning the surface as far as the eye could reach. She stuck her hand in the water, then brought it back out, dripping over the gunwale.* "You're right. I can't sense them either. They should be everywhere, especially at a time like this! Aside from the manitous we're...practically on our own, here." The thought seemed to unnerve her, and she shivered a little. The Stone Canoe waited a respectful second before shifting them back to the imaginary cave, and himself back to his human form. "Perhaps it's a good thing?" he suggested, though no part of him believed this. The Red Swan bit her lip. "I don't know. It--" She gasped and doubled over, hands going to her breast; alarmed, he reached out to grasp her arm, sensing at the cave walls again, but nobody was there. "The Sky Mother!" the Red Swan gasped again. "Something's not right. She's not hurt, but--something else is hurting--something connected--" What else is there--? the Stone Canoe thought, before remembering just what else was supposed to be connected to them, and his frightened grasp on the Red Swan's arm tightened, as if to keep her from pulling away. Cheengwun jerked upright, his viewing crystal nearly falling from his hands, and stared up into the leaves and branches of the Sky Tree as they suddenly lit up as brilliant as the stars. The brilliance was too bright, and he had to shield his eyes, then gasped and leapt off the branch he'd been sitting upon and hovered over it, wings buzzing; when he squinted he saw bands of light shooting or coursing along the trunk and branches like blood through veins, and rubbed his leg, which still stung from the violent vibration that had shaken the Tree. He peered into his viewing crystal but it showed him nothing useful; he at last dared to draw closer to the Tree and reached out to grab one of the smaller branches, biting down a cry of pain at the jolt that surged through him, opening himself up to whatever it was saying. He'd never been the sort to receive such messages before--mining was pretty much all he knew, and aside from seeking his vision he'd never bothered much with medicine or such things--but the message reached him instantly, and he didn't question it, just let go of the branch and flew backwards out into open sky, turning himself about in midair to look out over the landscape. The sky itself was roiling and flashing in the most unnatural colors; he tried to ignore it. A quick glance around showed him small scattered groups of Michinimakinong here and there--most had retreated to their homes since this had started, but a few, mainly warriors, remained out, patrolling the fields and woods and hills in case of trouble. Cheengwun whistled to catch the attention of the nearest group, and flew close enough for them to see who he was; being the primary war chief of the region, Niskigwun was well known, so his relatives were as well. Rather than wait for them to get close enough to speak, he started making hand gestures, signing out what he wanted to tell them; they paused only briefly before turning and taking wing in the direction of another group some distance away. When they reached each other, they stopped to share their message, then the process was repeated and they flew off in another direction. Cheengwun watched them go, part of him wishing to go along, but knew he would serve them better here. He turned and went back to the Sky Tree, shielding his eyes against the glare and doing his best to ignore the sting it sent through him every time he touched it, hoping he would find the Sky Mother well. It makes no sense. She would never do something so foolish. None of this makes any sense. Tal Natha paced relentlessly back and forth, back and forth across the Dupries' lawn. He scowled at the ground as he did so, and his claws were starting to leave furrows in the otherwise pristine grass; Little Dove, standing on the porch, was gnawing on her lip and bouncing on her toes, making little noises every so often yet managing to refrain from yelling at him to stop. Justin sat near the door with his legs out before him and his arms crossed, a look much similar to Tal Natha's on his face; Lady* Dupries kept the children occupied by the porch swing, while Red Bird and Crooked Creek sat in the yard themselves, wrapped in blankets and looking pensive. Khiieta and Tiiku remained at the edge of the yard, the latter busily chasing butterflies. "So I wasn't just imagining things when I felt that thing go flying over the Island," Justin said. Red Bird shook her head. "But she's gone now. She was only here for a minute. The Thunderbird told me, they went back down into the earth, and Father says he can't sense her anymore." We should not have sensed her in the first place. Tal Natha halted and looked at her. What if the Animiki lies? Or, more likely, is simply ignorant. Their sort know nothing about us. Just because she went back down into the ground means little. She used to live there--it is her home. Even now, who is to say she's not planning something new--? Red Bird cast Justin a pleading look, but all he did was lift one shoulder. "I have to say I agree with him. I know full well Charmian has reasons for everything she does, but this goes beyond anything she's ever done before. He's right that it makes no sense. Maybe this Ishkode fellow saw things wrong? I fail to see why Charmian of all people would free Ocryana." "Oh!" Red Bird shook a fist at him. "Any other time the two of you would vouch for any ridiculous thing she does! Without any hesitation whatsoever! And you'd be the ones having to convince me that she's right. Now when I know she's doing the right thing, the two of YOU doubt her! I don't understand you sometimes!" She turned to Crooked Creek now, gesturing at Khiieta to include her in the conversation. "You know Monsieur Francois* and X'aaru would never go along with something so foolish seeming unless there was a perfectly valid reason, don't you?" "All I know of this demon is the stories I've been told," Crooked Creek said. "And Monsieur Francois* has always been adamant that she was nothing but trouble, and was best locked away. I know he thinks highly of the girl and I like her too, but..." She trailed off, then her eyes slowly squinched shut. "I just want my Francois and Remy home!" Her hands crept up to her face and she started weeping loudly. Justin rolled his eyes and his mother shot him a rebuking* look. "I needn't even repeat the horrid stories I've heard about her," Khiieta said. "She was so cruel even to poor Mother! Of course she was best locked away. I'm sure Charmian must have some reason, but..." She shrugged her wings. "I can't think of what it would be!" She gasped and sat up straight. "Oh! This means that awful creature will be near X'aaru now! What has she done--? I do wish this were all over with! I'm staying with Father and Mother until then!" She picked up Tiiku by the scruff, ignoring his protests as she slunk off into the trees. "And that awful creature is near my Francois and Remy," Crooked Creek wept. Worst of it all, she is near Charmian, Tal Natha said. Each of us knows what the two of them mean to each other. Even if Charmian has a plan--and I have no way of knowing this--who can say how well she can handle such a charge? She was the first to admit she could never have defeated Ocryana on her own. Now, she frees her on her own. That creature has a way of bringing out the worst in people. She scared Charmian nearly to death many times over. The mainlander has more than enough troubles to deal with right now--how can she handle this addition? And why take that on herself? "Oh, the both of you!" Red Bird jumped to her feet and shook a fist at both of them now. "How long and hard did you have to try to convince me that I was strong enough to face such things?" she snapped at the demon, who drew back a step. "You and Charmian were the only reason I could go through what I did. Both of you believed in me when I certainly didn't. And I know that Charmian's believed in both of you--" pointing at both him and Justin now "--when neither of you did. So many times I thought maybe you should be easier on her but both of you knew she could take it, and she did! And now? I agree this is the most foolish-looking thing she could have possibly ever done. That's how I know she needed to do it. And when she could use the two of you the most, all you can do is wonder what's gotten into her. You two! I finally decide to believe her without question, and you two falter and back down. I'm just glad she's not here to see it. She wouldn't show it but it would crush her, I know it would. Shame on both of you!" "Oh STOP tearing up the yard!!" Little Dove at last lost her composure and scurried down the steps and toward Tal Natha, but she lost her balance as well, tripping over the hem of her ornate dress and collapsing in a billowy puff. Everyone blinked. She fought to push herself back upright and push her skirts back down, shaking a fist at the demon and then trying to smooth out the furrows he'd left in the grass. "She's right, you know! Charmian's always had a reason for doing everything. It's like the sun coming up in the morning, you don't even question it. Just because there might be clouds in front of it doesn't mean it's not there. So she did something incredibly stupid. It's always worked out before, hasn't it?" Justin looked like he wanted to say something, but wisely decided not to when his mother shot him another look. Instead he crossed his arms and sat back, letting out a huffing sound. "If it makes so much sense then why hasn't she filled any of us in yet? It's not like her to keep anyone in the dark, if she can help it." "That's just it, 'if she can help it.'" Little Dove waved at the sky. "Don't you think all of them would be back here in a heartbeat if they could help it? Father's off with them too, you know, so I'm not speaking from some position of security like you are." "What!" Justin sat up now. "As if I don't care what happens to any of them--?" Little Dove whirled back--nearly falling over again--and repeated the fist-shaking gesture. "I don't see you sympathizing too much! What if it was Sky or Flower out there somewhere, then would you understand it--?" Red Bird pulled on her own hair when they started arguing, and turned back to Tal Natha, ready to defend her position again, but the look on the demon's face had changed. She wouldn't be able to help it, he said, seeming pensive. If she had any way to let us know what she's doing, she would have told us. Meaning she did not, or else hadn't the time. If she refused to take the time to explain this to us, it means she wished Ocryana away from us as quickly as possible. Red Bird clapped her hands together. "Oh! That surely must be it, isn't it? So you believe me now?" Charmian isn't stupid, but she can be shortsighted sometimes. You know this, he added when her face started to darken in a scowl. Recall when she tried to fix my spirit stone!* Yes, she's always found ways to fix the problems she's created, but this could be mere luck. I'm wondering if we could have cleared this up a lot sooner without all this headache. He tilted his head back and shut his eyes. We've already spoken with that lost spirit who seems to know so much of what she's doing. "Oh!" Red Bird's hands went to her mouth. "The Flint! I forgot about him! You know how to speak to him--?" Not precisely, but he seems to know when to find us when we're looking for him. One of his ears canted a little. Though I'm never quite certain how to address him properly... You always seemed to be fine with just "Lost Spirit" in the past. Red Bird and Tal Natha both jumped a little. The others all looked upwards as if to find something there and the voice, sounding weary, added, And why do you always think I'm going to be hovering over you like some sort of ghost? I've never understood living beings. Flint...? Tal Natha said; the voice said nothing but there seemed to be a sort of affirmative, so he went on, I'm not certain how much you know... I know that the lot of you seem to be arguing over how much sense the mainlander has, Chakenapok said, and while she has some good reasoning, I agree that you're all being quite sensible in thinking she's gone crazy. "Not you, too!" Red Bird exclaimed at the air. Relax. I said she has a reason, just that this "reason" is a lot like yanking Sugar Loaf Rock from the ground and using it to break down Arch Rock. Sometimes, a foolish plan is the only plan that might work. She knows the full import of what she's done and she knows what she's doing. I think she gets it from being around you people so much, pulling crazy stunts just to save this Island. She believes Ocryana could be useful in defeating this other manitou? Tal Natha asked doubtfully. Apparently so, though it remains to be seen. In case you were worried about her pulling anything, Ocryana is no longer on the Island, so it's in no danger from her. What--? Tal Natha's eyes went wide. What do you mean, no longer on the Island--? Such a thing is impossible! Apparently not. At least, they haven't come back yet. Last I knew, all three of them--Winter Born included--were back in the west, countless days' walk from here, preparing to face down that Pearl Feather, hopefully once and for all. And Ocryana was still alive and standing. But... Tal Natha's ears flicked and he wrinkled his muzzle in confusion. But this is impossible. None of the fullblooded Ocryxes may leave the Island. This is the way it's always been. I've tried it myself, several times, and it cannot be done. Did something change in her, down in the Crack? he asked, looking upwards again. I realize you would not be lying, but it makes no sense. Did being trapped for so long change her somehow? Is she even still Ocryx anymore? From what I can tell she's still every bit the Ocryx she's always been, Chakenapok replied, but I couldn't say she hasn't changed. Who knows. All I know is Charmian deemed her necessary to her plans. Her ideas about what to do with her once this is all over are admittedly a bit vaguer...but as the woman in the silly dress just said, her ideas have always worked out before. Little Dove looked down at herself. "My dress isn't silly! Is it...?" "I told you she knows what she's doing," Red Bird said reproachfully. "Maybe from now on you should start believing what you yourself say! Wouldn't that--" She gasped and tottered, nearly falling over. The ground seemed to vibrate, just slightly, and as it did there was a low, distant rumble, almost below perception, though Tal Natha seemed to hear it better than the others as he shot to his feet and started looking around at the grass, ears and tail flicking. The others had already gotten to their feet, Crooked Creek chattering in her blanket and Justin leaning over the porch railing. "You felt that too? Whatever it was, I just heard something fall and break back in the house." "Earth tremors?" This from Lady Dupries*; she sent the children back into the house and looked down into the yard herself with a perplexed frown. "The Island never gets these, does it?" Ocryana went down into the earth, Tal Natha said. Do you think... The sky flashed and Crooked Creek, Little Dove, and Red Bird all let out little cries and jumped. Tal Natha's stare flicked up to see the clouds roiling low overhead; they let out an answering rumble, louder than that from below the ground, and Chakenapok said, Dreamspinner, something's happening along the East Bluff. I'm not sure what it is. I am on my way, Tal Natha said, then glanced at the others. He turned to Justin, who merely nodded and made a shooing motion. "They'll all stay here. I'll make certain they're cared for. Go figure out what's going on before the Island caves in or something!" Tal Natha bit his lip but said nothing in response to this--it was obvious the comment struck him as more possible than intended--nodding curtly and turning away again. He spread his wings and crouched, pushing off and flapping awkwardly up past the treetops. Little Dove fretted about the gouge he'd left in the earth, but Justin gathered the women and herded them into the house, casting one last glance at the darkening sky before shutting the door. The Fairy Arch. This is where whatever it is seems to be concentrated, Chakenapok said. Tal Natha surveyed the Island below him as he flew; the flashes of lightning and booms of thunder made him nervous, but nothing struck him. And is this the same thing the Animiki are responding to? I'm afraid not...but I think the two are related. That Thunderbird we spoke with earlier* isn't too far overhead, in case you wanted to ask him. Tal Natha peered up at the clouds. I do not wish to bother him if he's busy. I'm guessing another Underwater Lynx has appeared, if they are all riled up like this. Chakenapok said nothing this time, which bothered him. He descended into the trees, flying along over one of the human-made trails so his wings stood less chance of getting clipped, though it was still hard going. He saw nothing untoward in the woods, so rose above them again and sailed down toward the east shore where the Fairy Arch stood. A brisk wind had made the waves pick up, but other than that everything seemed as it should be. What was it you were speaking of? Tal Natha asked, confused. I sensed a great deal of activity right around here. Seeing as there's usually nobody around... I see what you mean. It makes me uneasy since that guardian has gone; what is to stop anyone from-- The space under the Arch seemed to flash and Tal Natha blinked, jerking to a halt and nearly crashing--only his wings continuing to flap saved him from plummeting to the ground, and he bobbed back upwards, awkwardly landing on an outcropping of limestone and ducking low just as something appeared from the Arch and rolled down the slope a little way. It stopped before reaching the shore and popped upright; the demon furrowed his brow to see an unfamiliar person with a bow go scurrying up the bluff and out of sight. A moment later, two more shapes popped out of the Arch, rolled downhill a bit, then hurried up into the trees, these ones armed with spears. He waited, and sure enough, more came through, singly and in pairs, all heading up the bluff in the same direction and vanishing from sight. ...Coming through...? he finished, watching as more and more arrived. Are they more people like those Eera-koy? he asked at last. You mean you can't tell what they are? Chakenapok seemed surprised. Take a look what they're wearing. Just normal clothing, Tal Natha said, feeling a twinge of irritation, then he looked more closely. Wait...they all have some sort of quiver on their backs, even those without a bow. No, not a quiver...a case? His ears pricked. Michinimakinong? He craned his neck to get a better look and his eyes grew. There are so many of them! There are many more than this, but judging by the looks of things they seem to be sending through just their best warriors. Take a look, they're all armed and preparing for something. I decided to keep my distance until calling you as I'm not sure what sort of powers they possess, if they can sense me or not. Why would the Turtle Spirits be gathering here? Tal Natha frowned as they kept coming through. They make a point to stay separate from our people. Unless... He trailed off, then spread his wings and pushed off again, soaring down for the Arch. He sensed a startled question from Chakenapok but brushed it off, landing atop the brecciated formation and ducking low so his head was right over the opening. He felt the air quiver, and one Michinimakinong, then another, came through the Arch, curled up tightly to avoid striking anything on the other side; they both rolled a little bit before straightening out and halting themselves, then proceeding to clamber up the bluff. Tal Natha rose a little and fanned out his wings; the two of them stumbled to a halt, nearly falling back down to the shore, and gaped up at him with wide eyes. They immediately drew their weapons but seemed more frightened than anything. You have some reason to antagonize the Guardian of the Island? Tal Natha snapped at them. The two Michinimakinong blinked, then one--seeming a bit older than the other--grasped his companion's arm and whispered something sharply. They both ducked their heads close to the ground in a hasty gesture of respect. "Great Dreamspinner! You must realize we've only ever heard of you in stories, so had no idea what you look like. We came as soon as we heard. We don't know how much we can help, but even if it's just a little..." What are you talking about? Tal Natha cut in, growing frustrated. They both lifted their heads to look at him, then shared a perplexed glance. "Well...that," the older one said, pointing back toward the lake. Tal Natha looked. He saw just the water, dark and choppy now, but at just that moment a bolt of lightning shot down and plunged into it and for a split second the entire lake, at least as far as he could see, was illuminated as if from beneath. His fur prickled, and not just from the charge in the air--rather, what set him on edge was the sight of the scores of long, black shapes wriggling their way toward the shore. |