Part 92: Random Act Of Kindness

Main story folder & table of contents: "Escape From Manitou Island" 
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PART NINETY-TWO:
Random Act Of Kindness

CUTFOOT GAVE CHARMIAN such a glare that she nearly shrank into her vest, and he clenched the little spell scroll in his hand. "THIS is likely the reason why they were killed in the FIRST place!"

Charmian, Mani, and Stick-In-The-Dirt all stared at him with wide eyes, uncomprehending. It was a moment or so before Charmian found her voice, and even then all that she could say was, "Huh...?"

Cutfoot waved the birchbark scroll. "A spell to help the Animiki--?" he barked, and thrust it toward her face so that she jumped. "Did you even notice what it says?"

Charmian blinked, then clenched her fists. "I--of course I did! I had to SAY it after all! 'Bring death among the Lynxes'! You just SAID I didn't get it wrong!"

"Bring death among the Lynxes," Cutfoot echoed her, his look growing ugly. "You don't even NOTICE?"

"Notice WHAT?" Charmian yelled so loudly that even Niskigwun, lying on the pallet on the other side of the fire, opened his eyes and tilted his head to the side slightly.

"You said you were told this scroll would help the Animiki," Cutfoot growled. "Help them how--?"

Charmian felt like flinging her hands around in the air. "Well--DUH! By killing the LYNXES!"

"But is that what it says--?"

"YES, DUH!!"

He thrust it in her face again, shaking it now. "READ IT AGAIN! Say what it REALLY says!"

Charmian ground her teeth and snatched the scroll from him, nearly crushing it. "BRING DEATH AMONG THE LYNXES!!" She glared at Cutfoot, fuming, but all that he did was give her the same peeved look as before...and then she blinked, the scowl slowly fading from her face. She lowered her eyes slightly as she pondered the real words she'd been given.

"'Bring death among the Lynxes,'" she said again, and her brow furrowed slightly. "Doesn't that mean, kill the Lynxes--?"

"If it meant that," Cutfoot replied icily, "don't you rather think that's what it would have said?"

She opened her mouth, then shut it. Then her face went so white that Stick-In-The-Dirt and Mani both started forward a step. Her eyes grew...and then the little birchbark fell from her hand, pattering against the floor. She took an unsteady step backwards, looking for all the world like she'd just seen a wigwam full of ghosts.

"Charmian--?" Stick-In-The-Dirt said, growing anxious.

Red Land One--? asked Mani.

"Death," Charmian said, making their brows furrow. "Bring death among the Lynxes...and it did." Her arms started shaking. "The Animiki's death!!"

Stick-In-The-Dirt's eyes grew and he grasped her wrist. "Charmian--! You're sure--?"

She stared straight at Cutfoot, but didn't even see him. After a moment she slowly turned to Stick-In-The-Dirt; he started fidgeting on seeing the odd look that she gave him, but managed to hold his place. "Little Wind," she said numbly. "He had an injury to his back--a bad injury. You said it looked like a wound." She started shivering. "When I was in the Iroquois land, we were attacked by an oki and Walks-On-The-Shore hit it in the back with an ax!"

Mani bristled and Stick-In-The-Dirt tensed, eyes going wide. "You mean--that fellow by the falls--he was some sort of Bearwalker--?" he cried.

"There were TWO wabanos following us over there!" Charmian cried. "One stronger, and one weaker! The stronger one was Mishosha--the weaker one--it was Little Wind!" Her face went even paler, if that were possible. "He said he was HUNTING! Hunting us! He must've been checking up on us the entire time!!" She whirled back to Cutfoot, but he spoke before she could get another word out.

"I assume he gave you this scroll without even asking for payment," he said dryly, and she swallowed and nodded, wincing. His eye twitched. "Now you see the danger in accepting such gifts under such circumstances...?"

"You mean that fellow had us kill the Animiki on purpose--?" Stick-In-The-Dirt exclaimed, still trying to figure it out.

Charmian tried to swallow past the painful lump that formed in her throat. "That means that Nigankwam--that IS my fault! Kenu--he's alone because of ME!" Her eyes stung and welled up.

Cutfoot stooped to retrieve the scroll; he turned toward the fire and tossed it in it, where it cracked and popped, making Niskigwun flinch. He started digging in his robes and pulled out another scroll which looked just like the first, and held it out to her. She stared at it stupidly; he jiggled it, looking impatient.

"I assume you're going to have this Mishosha on your tail now, seeing as you're on dry land!" he said. "And this Little Wind, and those manitous and other nasty fellows who wrecked my camp! I rather think you're going to need all the help you can get!"

"But--" Charmian's brow furrowed, voice cracking. "But you just said never to accept such a thing--"

The Mide rolled his eyes and let out a gusty sigh, forcing the scroll into her hand. "I said I take CREDIT! Besides," he muttered, when she unrolled the scroll to peer at it, as if afraid that it would blind her, "I find myself rather insulted by the fact that this fellow thinks to pass out Mide-level scrolls as if he's an eighth level himself!" He snapped his fingers at Charmian and she gasped and let the scroll roll back shut; the figures upon it were nearly as incomprehensible as those upon Little Wind's scroll had been. "Put it away for now! You'll know when to use it. Don't use it until then."

"But what does it say?" Charmian asked.

"Change," Cutfoot said.

She blinked. "Change what--?"

He gave her a dirty look. "Change." When her confusion didn't clear he started steaming. "That's what it says!! Think you can remember it--?"

"That's it--?" She pulled the scroll out and glanced at it again. "It looks like there's half of Gone With The Wind written down here..."

He made a shooing gesture. "And that's rather where you SHOULD be going, don't you think--?" The other three took a collective step back and he turned to walk back toward Niskigwun. "Go on! I said I'll look after him. Meanwhile YOU fellows will have to look after yourselves a lot better if you expect to make it even halfway to Kabebonikka!"

Charmian felt like retorting, then bit her lip instead. "Let's go," she said again to the other two, and they went once more for the entryway. She couldn't help but glance back once more in Niskigwun's direction as they went, but the fire was too bright, and she couldn't see him. She did see Cutfoot start shaking a rattle, and suppressed a sigh. She'd never wished for surgical implements more. She turned around and nudged the blanket aside, stepping out with the others.

"Don't worry," Stick-In-The-Dirt murmured to her, touching her arm. She peered up at him and he gave her his most encouraging look. "If there is anything you can trust, it is an eighth-level Mide!" He paused, then frowned a little. "Especially considering that I honestly thought they went only up to fourth..."

Will be fine, Red Land One, Mani promised. Best to look out for ourselves--better to be in one piece when we come back for him!

"You're right," Charmian said, and steeled herself, determined that things would brighten once they returned to their camp.

* * * * *

A small commotion arose as soon as they arrived, several of those already present getting to their feet and casting them hopeful looks; Charmian hung her head, and hated how they started doing the same, sitting back down and sighing as they stared at the fire. Thomas and Winter Born were the lone exceptions, making their way toward her when she selected a spot a bit further from the fire and sat down.

"No tunnel...?" Thomas asked; she shook her head and he sighed. "Think maybe that Wabun fellow was spinning yarns...?"

"Maybe it just doesn't exist anymore," Winter Born suggested. "He didn't have to be lying..."

"I guess we'll have to find another way there," Charmian sighed. She started looking around for Kenu, only to notice that he'd fallen asleep on the other side of the fire, Marten curled up next to him like a teddy bear; she decided that he could wait until tomorrow. The thunder grumbled a little and she realized that it was already moving on without them. She lifted her head. "We have to leave tomorrow at the latest, though. Something's come up." She felt a weight in her pocket and patted at it, then, remembering what it was, got up again. "Excuse me a minute," she said, picking her way through the camp. The other two watched her go, frowning a little, but didn't object or follow.

Manabozho sat at the edge of the camp nearest the stream that Mishupishu dozed within; she thought that perhaps he was sulking, judging by his hunched-over posture, but his eyes flicked up as soon as he saw her approaching and he frowned a little, then craned his neck to peer into the camp. She came to a stop before him and held out her hand, which he looked at with another frown.

"Here," she said. "The gift I got you. Niskigwun went back for it after I lost it."

His brow furrowed a little but he held out his hand and she dropped it in his palm. He brought it toward himself and stared at it for a few moments, seeming perplexed. He held it up between thumb and forefinger. It was a small polished stone engraved with a rabbit-eared image.

"What is it?" he asked, puzzled.

"That's how they picture you where I come from," Charmian explained. "They hold a powwow not far from where I live sometimes, and I went there and bought this."

He blinked, then looked at it again. "Me?" A pause. "You mean they know about me where you come from--?"

"I figured you knew," Charmian said, now frowning a little herself. "You talk about bicycles and tennis so I just figured..."

"A little," Manabozho said. "But not too much." He tilted the rock back and forth. "They got my feathers wrong."

Charmian's mouth twitched. "I think those are supposed to be your ears."

Manabozho's jaw fell. "My ears don't look like THAT!" He started fuming. "How can they possibly think I have such horrendous EARS?" He blinked and his head popped up. "Wait--if they know about me--do they tell stories about me, too--?"

Charmian nodded. "I never heard any...but they've got them in books. I read about you in the library." She pursed her lips. "Some of the stories are kind of accurate...but other ones are way off..."

Manabozho's eyes slowly lit up. "They do tell stories...?" When she nodded he held the stone up and his chest puffed out a little. "Well...maybe it's not so bad where you come from, after all!" He started getting to his feet. "You're going to have to tell me one of those stories! See if they mussed it up like they did my ears. That Michinimakinong's lucky he got it back or I would knock his head in."

Charmian's already faint smile faded and she turned to walk back into the camp.

"Huh--?" She heard a rustle, then Manabozho was beside her, craning his neck forward to peer into her face. He frowned. "What is it?" he asked. "What'd I say?" When she didn't reply he looked into the camp again, then back at her. "You came back only with the nanandawi and the manitou! Where's Niskigwun?"

"He was attacked trying to get that gift back," Charmian murmured, and started walking. He blinked and hurried to keep pace. "Megissogwun got him."

"Megissogwun--? ATTACKED him--?" Manabozho let out a huffing noise and then jumped in front of her so that she had to stop. "What happened?" he exclaimed. "Where is he? Is he hurt very much? Why didn't you bring him back--?"

Charmian gave him an odd look. "I thought you didn't like him," she said.

He blinked, then his mouth fell open and he seemed offended. "I DON'T like him!" he retorted. "That doesn't mean I want him HURT or anything!" He stuck his face close to hers. "So where is he--? Does he need any sort of help--? Is it bad at all--?"

Charmian put her hands up to her ears and made a face. "He's getting help right now! Cripes! No more questions already!" She resumed walking and he followed, hopping alongside. "Megissogwun basically told him to stop wasting time. Which is why we have to get out of here first thing tomorrow. We have to find another way to Kabebonikka. But I'm also going to have to speak with Geezhigo-Quae."

Manabozho slowed down a little. "Geezhigo-Quae...?" he echoed, but she left him behind as she made her way back toward Thomas and Winter Born.

"Geezhigo-Quae?" Thomas said a third time, frowning. "Why do you have to see her again?"

"Something Megissogwun said doesn't make sense," Charmian replied, sitting down; Manabozho scowled a little but turned and stalked off with his rock. "I have to see if Chakenapok can get me through." She shut her eyes, then remembered the strange dream with the red tree, and opened them again. She started gnawing on her lip. "Then again...I don't think he can."

"Why not?" Winter Born asked. "He's seemed useful before."

"I'm just kind of afraid of it being an unsecured line," Charmian said; when that earned her an odd look, she struggled to think of some decent comparison. "Um...I don't want to get my lines crossed. Oh cripes, never mind," she sighed gustily when all that they did was frown at her. "So now we have to find another route to Kabebonikka, AND I have to find a way to get back in touch with Geezhigo-Quae--in person! How the heck am I supposed to do either of those?"

"Maybe if we look really hard, and find that tunnel, it can take you back to the Sky Tree while we go north--?" Winter Born said hopefully.

"Perhaps all we have to do is find some Weavers," Thomas said. "They've been pretty helpful."

Charmian rubbed her head, feeling it starting to throb again. "I really doubt that, Winter Born...and Thomas, if there were any Weavers nearby, don't you think Mani or Marten or somebody would've found them by now...?" She balled her hands against her mouth and stared pensively at the fire. "I wish I'd come up with some sort of backup plan...like finding one of those weird floating doorways, or something..."

As they spoke, she noticed Lieutenant Barrington, sitting at the opposite end of the camp from Manabozho, peering in their direction, then getting up and coming their way. She decided to ignore him, at least until he halted right in front of them and they lifted their heads to look up at him. Thomas gave him such a foul look that Charmian seriously wondered what had happened during their search; Winter Born just looked puzzled. Charmian guessed that her expression was somewhere between the two.

"Yeah...?" she said, frowning.

"I heard you saying you can't find one of those tunnels and you have to get back to that strange blue Tree," he said, looking rather peeved himself for some reason; she wondered if it was just a British thing, then blushed when she remembered that Thomas was British too.

"So?" she said in response, and her frown grew. "We wouldn't have LEFT there so abruptly and without any backup plan if it hadn't been for YOU!"

His peeved look started to turn into a scowl; he jammed a hand into his pocket and she was certain that he was about to whirl around and storm off, when he pulled it back out and thrust something in her face. Thomas jumped to his feet and held up a hand as if to blast him, and Charmian felt Winter Born tense beside her--but all that she could do was blink when she saw the wispy glittering mass in front of her.

Her brow furrowed again. "W...Weaver webs...?" she said softly, not quite sure what she was seeing.

"I pulled them out of that FIRST strange tunnel we went through," Barrington said. "Beneath that cave with those blasted MONSTERS in it!"

"X'aaru's and Khiieta's cave--?" Charmian poked at the webs; they were broken and mashed together, but still glittered and glowed faintly. "Why did you bring these?"

He gave her another peevish look. "I figured I would plan ahead."

Charmian opened her mouth, but all that he did was press the mass of webs into her hand, turn, and walk away again. The three of them silently watched him go, then Thomas and Winter Born both turned to look down at the webs. Thomas furrowed his brow.

"Huh," he said, sounding genuinely surprised. "An hour ago he would've blasted my head off...now he's offering solutions?"

"What do you think you can do with it, Charmian?" Winter Born asked.

"I'm not sure," Charmian said, poking at the sticky webs again. Her eyes began to light up. "Wait a minute! This is the same stuff used to travel between places--faraway places!" She lifted her head, growing excited. "Maybe this can help us get where we need to go!"

"But there isn't very much of it," Thomas said doubtfully.

"Well...maybe all I need is a little!" She got to her feet, glanced around the camp, then headed toward Kenu and Marten. "We could probably use this both to get to Kabebonikka, AND to Geezhigo-Quae!"

She stooped beside the dozing pair and shook the little Mikumwesu's shoulder. He grumbled a bit in protest but finally sat up, rubbing at his eyes. He peered up at her and frowned a little. "Charmian...?" He gave a huge yawn. "What is it? I was dreaming about marshmallows."

"You know all about shortcuts!" Charmian exclaimed--quietly though, so as not to wake up Kenu. "And Weaver medicine is what works shortcuts! Right--?"

"Huh...?" He pursed his lips and continued rubbing at his eyes. "Well, sometimes. Sometimes just stuff LIKE it! But Glooskap's the only one who makes dis-stink-shuns about things like that." He lowered his hand, looking curious. "Why?"

In response she picked him up and carried him back toward their seat on the log, plopping him down. "I've got a handful of Weaver webs here," she said, showing them to him. "I have to make them last. We have to find a way to Kabebonikka's mountain--which is supposed to be north of here but through a magic tunnel--I have no clue how far--and I really need to go back to see Geezhigo-Quae, too. You think there's enough here to do that?"

Marten pursed his lips again and leaned over to sniff at the webs. "Hmmmmm..." He poked at them with one little finger, looked at the strand which clung to him, then wiped it off on the rest. "Well...I used some webs in my shortcuts..." He started pointing at them excitedly. "This stuff REALLY lasts! You can spread it out and out and out as thin as anything but it doesn't wear out and just stays there and EVERYTHING! I bet archaeozmagists will be digging it up BILLIONS of years from now!"

"But how much do you think we have?" Charmian insisted. "How many times do you think we could use it?"

"Oh." Marten gave the webs an intense stare. "Maybe like two or three trips," he said at last.

Charmian wilted a little. "That's it...? You're sure?"

He nodded, then tilted his head. "Well...maybe four...but only if this Kabonny-icky guy doesn't live TOO far away!"

Charmian chewed on her lip and stared at the webs. "I guess it's a chance I have to take, then," she murmured. "I was hoping there was a BIT more...just in case...but it is important." She fell silent for a moment, then grimaced. "I just know I'm going to hate asking this...but Marten...do you think maybe that you could dig a couple of shortcuts for us? One to get to Geezhigo-Quae, and one to Kabebonikka--?"

Marten hopped up even before she was done speaking, and waved his arms. "SPEAK NO MORE!" he yelled. "I'll make the PERFECT shortcuts! All I need is five months."

Charmian's, Thomas's, and Winter Born's jaws dropped. "FIVE MONTHS?!" they all exclaimed.

Marten flinched. He started fiddling his fingers meekly. "Well...yeah!" he said. "To dig the shortcut and put in the webs, then to find some nice shells and pieces of bark and pretty rocks and stuff, and to figure out where best to put them all, then to smooth the way out a bit, then to decorate the walls, then to make the outside all nice, then to cover it in really bright things so it's a real hidden shortcut, then to think up a new password, then to tell all my friends--"

Charmian had to force herself not to grab him up and start shaking him. "MARTEN! How much time for just the digging and the webbing?!"

"Oh." The Mikumwesu scratched his chin. "Maybe a few hours or so."

Charmian stopped just short of raking her own fingernails down her face. "Think maybe you can handle just that for now--?"

"Well...okay," Marten said doubtfully, and hopped down from the log, heading away. "But you're really going to miss the seashells and colored glass and stuff! They're what MAKE a shortcut, after all...!"

Charmian let out a very odd strained sound which made Thomas and Winter Born peer at her uneasily. She took in a deep breath and then let it out. "We'll MANAGE." She started tucking the webs into her pocket, just in case she should misplace them, and sighed. "Meanwhile I'll keep this here...and try to simmer down...and REALLY hope that this idea works out!"

"Maybe we should cross our eyes!" Winter Born exclaimed.

The other two gave her an odd look. "Why...?" Charmian asked, perplexed.

Winter Born blinked, then started shrinking in on herself. "Well...I thought that's what your people always did when they want things to go well," she said in a small voice.

There was a moment of silence. Then Thomas turned to Charmian. "You think perhaps she means fingers--?"

"I hope she does," Charmian said. "Otherwise I think we'll keep running into things." She took in another breath and let out a big sigh, rubbing at her throbbing head. "All right then," she said, her face setting. "As soon as Marten finishes that thing, I'll head back to Geezhigo-Quae. Then--Kabebonikka. With no more delays--just like he asked." She got a dark look, and turned her head to look north. The others followed suit. The trees were too thick for them to see much, though the distant thunder did boom once more as if in agreement.

Continue:

Part 93: Tunnel To The Tree  (13+) Charmian's return to the Fairy Realm just adds to the confusion... #1671551 by Tehuti, Lord Of The Eight

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