Old Man Mishosha
CHARMIAN WHIRLED AROUND, and found herself confronted by a bear even bigger than the one she'd just seen. Its eyes glittered malevolent blue--and then its great mouth opened and showed its dripping teeth in a ghastly smile.
A scream arose in her throat--then she felt Winter Born's fingers digging into her wrist, and like that, the bear began glowing, and she couldn't see it anymore.
She took a step back, keeping Winter Born close, and watched as the glow filled the room, yet began to shrink as well--vague memories started coming back to her, and she waited until it had faded, and there was no more bear. Instead, a human stood there, but his eyes were exactly the same as the bear's had been; they glittered blue and cold like those of a mitchi manitou, and she had to force herself not to shiver at the odd color. Aside from that, she was rather surprised by what she saw.
The person looking at her couldn't have been much older than his forties--he certainly wasn't the wizened figure she'd been expecting. Even his hair--what little there was of it--hadn't gone white yet; most of it was shaved, and he wore a porcupine-hair roach which stuck up from his head almost like Niskigwun's feathers. Baubles adorned his ears and even his nose, and she found herself staring at a bone ring protruding from his nostrils, her eyes wide.
His own eye twitched. "Something distracts you--?" he said, his voice grating but nowhere near as booming and ominous as she'd thought it would be.
She blinked. "Nosering," she said--then, shaking her head furiously, "Nothing!!" She took a breath and met his eyes, forcing herself not to shiver at the coldness there. Despite his odd attire, he didn't seem remarkably impressive, and she wondered if she should dare feel disappointment before wanting to slap herself for such a stupid thought.
"So...you're Mishosha...?" she said instead, frowning a little.
His eye twitched again, but he crossed his arms and seemed more amused than anything. "Who else would live upon Mishosha's island?" He tilted his head to the side and looked her up and down. "And so you are the one I've heard so much about...though I must say..." and he started stepping around to her side "...you're not quite as impressive as I had thought..."
"Ditto," Charmian said; he looked up at her and she could tell that he didn't know what the word meant. She bit her tongue and turned to face him, keeping Winter Born behind herself. "I--I said I would come here to see you, and here I am."
"That you are," Mishosha said. "Might I ask why you request an audience--?"
Charmian's anger flared. "I know you've been following us! You can hardly bother denying it! I saw you back in the camp. You and that other wabano. I know that was you. You said we'd meet again--well, here I am. Just like you wanted! I'm not like anyone else you can just scare off so easily."
Mishosha's mouth twitched now. "I can rather see that. So my Lynxes haven't frightened you off just yet...I say give it a while. Either you are very brave...or very stupid..." He started stepping around her again and she began turning to keep facing him. "Or both?" He halted and leaned to the side, at last spotting Winter Born. "Ah," he said with great curiosity. "I was wondering what you were hiding...exactly who I did want to see today. You know," he said to Winter Born, and she slowly shrank back, "you've been a very bad girl, causing so much trouble for us."
"H...huh...?" Winter Born just barely managed to get out, before Charmian pushed her back behind her so Mishosha couldn't see her anymore. He lifted his eyes to meet hers and she scowled at him.
"If you think I'm here to kiss your ass and say please and megwetch," she said, "then you've got another thing coming."
Mishosha crossed his arms again. "And so you step into my home and propose to insult me--? You do realize who you're dealing with--?"
"Megissogwun's toady," Charmian snapped. She felt Winter Born squeeze her hand again but ignored it; Moon Wolf's advice fled her head, as every thought of sucking up to the wabano filled her with immediate disgust. "That is your job, isn't it? Doing his dirty work? You're hardly the lead guy around here, so I'm hardly going to go ACTING like you are."
Something cold brushed against her ear and she froze, muscles tensing. You are an IMPUDENT little brat, the Bearwalker growled softly, and she could almost feel her hair turning white. Perhaps a child like you should be taught a lesson...
Mishosha smiled at her. "No...I rather think I like her," he said, and after a moment the bear withdrew with a snort; Charmian heard her paws patting against the ground as she stepped back, and let out a shaky breath. The wabano's cold blue eyes stayed fixed on hers. "She has spirit in her...and doesn't come in with false flattery, like all those others who the Canoe never had to bother carrying away." He came toward her and halted, smirking; she tried to force her frozen muscles to work again, so that she wouldn't start shaking in front of him. "You don't like to follow advice, do you?" Mishosha said. "Like everyone else does...that sort of thing chafes you, doesn't it? Having to bite your tongue, say yes please, thank you Grandfather? You must have been quite an irritant to your teacher...that one now waiting outside the wall, tossing those fireballs of his." Charmian's eyes went wide and her head popped up with a gasp which she couldn't quite suppress; Mishosha just lifted an eyebrow. "Yes, he's the one...a wabano himself...though not an impressive one. Feel lucky, girl, for disobeying his advice today. It might be the real reason why I let you live."
Charmian took a breath and let it out, mentally screaming at herself to shape up. "Like that's in your plans anyway!" she retorted. "I know what Megissogwun has lined up for all of us! So you can cut the crap--I'm not lying to you--you can hardly go lying to me!"
Mishosha tilted his head. "Actually, girl, I was not told to kill anyone." Charmian blinked and the breath whooshed out of her in surprise. "As a matter of fact...it was made pretty clear that I let one of you live." And he looked down at Winter Born again when she peered out.
"Huh--?" Charmian glanced at the girl, then back up at him. "Her--? What does she have to do with this?"
He lifted an eyebrow again, seeming genuinely surprised. "You haven't figured it out yet?" His smirk returned. "Then I think it should be very amusing to see you try. You seem like a smart girl; I'll let you figure it out for yourself. In any case, rest easy, as it's in no one's plans to kill any of you...though I would be remiss if I didn't say that, one or two of you might accidentally meet your ends..."
Charmian clenched her fist. "Just like I thought! I'll have you know that there's a whole bunch of us, and if you or that other wabano try a thing, you'll be facing a world of pain!"
His eyes turned ceilingward. "I take it that's a valid threat where you come from..." He uncrossed his arms. "The girl won't be touched by me. And honestly, I'm not as interested in you as you might think, either." Charmian deflated a little, feeling insulted. "Though that teacher of yours might be an interesting diversion," he said. "I'll definitely be keeping watch on you, just to see how you all end up..."
"I have better things to do than stand around watching you flap your gums!" Charmian snapped.
Mishosha's eyes glittered a bit and she bit her tongue; maybe Moon Wolf's advice hadn't been so bad after all. He took a step toward her and crossed his arms again, his eyes darker than before, and tilted his head forward.
"Name what it is that you're so interested in, girl, before I reconsider calling back my Canoe for you."
"I can always swim back myself," Charmian said, before taking a step away from the Bearwalker when she growled threateningly. "We're on our way north," she said. "To speak with Kabebonikka! We're making our way across the lake. If you try anything, then you've got a fight to put up, because we're hardly backing down on account of some dinky Lynxes."
Mishosha raised both eyebrows a little. "The Wintermaker...?" he mused aloud. "This is your point in coming here and pestering me?" He paused thoughtfully, then the corner of his mouth started to twist up. "That's where you're going?"
Charmian scowled. "What business is it of yours? I just said if you try anything..."
She has a mouth that should be smacked off her face, the Makwamosa growled, making her tense again. Perhaps the scalp should be torn from her head as well.
Mishosha shook his head. "No...why not?" he said, making her blink in confusion. His mouth twisted into a nasty smile and his eyes glittered. "Why not let her go and face the Wintermaker? Perhaps he will kill her himself...and save everyone else the trouble." His eyes fixed on hers again. "You think yourself up to this, girl?"
Charmian had to search for her voice. "Why not?" another voice said, and her eyes goggled; it was Winter Born. She peered out from behind Charmian and gave Mishosha her most challenging glare. "We've ALREADY been to see TWO of the Winds!" she retorted. "We can handle a third!"
The wabano's smile faded, and Charmian tensed, getting her fingers ready to light up again; then his eyes narrowed a little and his smile returned. He turned to look at Charmian.
"Very well," he said. "Go on and meet this manitou. I'll hardly challenge you."
Charmian's muscles relaxed--but not out of relief. "Huh--?" she blurted out. "What--what do you mean, you won't challenge us?" She clenched her fists again. "What sort of bull is that--?"
Mishosha waved absently at the air. "Go right ahead and cross this lake. I won't try to stop any of you. In fact, I believe it's in my best interests if you try to reach the Wintermaker. Like I said...he might save us all the trouble. And even if he doesn't...there's always the way back."
Charmian ground her teeth. "Like you're going to just let us pass! What about those Lynxes of yours--? Or those manitous, huh?"
Mishosha shrugged as if quickly growing bored with their conversation. "If I tell them, they will not attack you on the way across, either...though I cannot say what they might do, once you reach the shore."
"See? Figures!" Charmian shot back.
"But your way across Gitchi-Gami is guaranteed. I'll even have Asini-Jiimaan take you if you need a lift."
All that Charmian could do was stare at him in disbelief. Everything that Moon Wolf and everyone else had led her to expect told her that this couldn't be right--yet here he was, offering her clear passage across the lake. It has to be a trick, she thought, and then blinked, understanding striking her. She glared at him again.
"There's some sort of PRICE attached!" she said. "With wabanos there's ALWAYS a price!"
"No price," Mishosha said.
Charmian's fingers dug into her palms. "Yeah, right! If there's one thing I know about wabanos it's that nothing is free. You're obligated to tell me what the price is!"
"I'm charging you nothing," Mishosha said.
"Bullshit!"
He rolled his eyes again. "I hardly know what bullshit is but no, I won't charge you that, either." When she opened her mouth his eyes narrowed. "If you must know, girl, a price has already been paid. Your way is clear. And the way of your friends with you, all the way to Gitchi-Gami's northern shore," he added, when her eyes turned skeptical; she'd learned from Snow Bear that even the way a wabano phrased his speech could conceal some sort of catch. "After that, you're on your own. I have no control over what my manitous do once you are upon Kabebonikka's land. But I take it that you figured that much already."
"Who paid the price?" Charmian asked.
"You did," Mishosha replied.
Charmian's face screwed up. "WHAT SORT OF JOKE IS THIS? I haven't paid you a damn thing!"
"I can have you escorted back to Asini-Jiimaan if you don't wish to go," Mishosha said, lifting his hand. Charmian took a step back, then jumped when something came out of the opposite entryway. Her eyes grew when she saw the large mitchi manitou which had tried to attack them in the Pukwudjininees' forest, and again at the fallen tree near the stream; its own eyes, glaring blue, fixed on hers, and it snorted. It was even bigger than Mani, and she could tell immediately that it hated her.
She whirled to Mishosha. "HE'S from Manitou Island!" she cried, pointing at the manitou. "He was sworn to PROTECT it once!"
"Funny how things change," Mishosha said. "He will show you back to the Canoe if you refuse to go...because as it turns out, your audience is now over."
"Hold on!" Charmian took a step forward again, Winter Born grasping her elbow. "You're hardly going to just shoo me out!"
"You're trying my patience," Mishosha said, his smirk fading into an unpleasant look. "I have more important things to do than argue with children...such as looking after my Lynxes, for example. I believe they're growing impatient, right about now..." His stare shifted toward the ceiling again. "I guess Animiki don't make the best meals after all..."
The blood drained from Charmian's face and she barely felt Winter Born's fingers digging into her arm; the mitchi manitou's eyes glittered and he snorted, and she could tell that he was laughing. Before she knew what she was doing, she threw up her hand and hurled a tongue of flame at him. It struck him in the muzzle and snapped his head to the side; he snorted in pain and shook his head abruptly, eyes going wide. As soon as he'd recovered from his shock his lip curled back and he growled, taking a menacing step toward her.
Mishosha's hand shot out and stopped him immediately. He blinked and turned to look at the wabano, as if betrayed; Charmian did the same, confused. She nearly shivered at the ugly look there...then it faded into the same oily smile as before, and he lowered his hand, making a tsk tsk gesture at the manitou.
"Learn your place, for you are only a minor manitou, and as I told you already, these ones are my property."
"The hell we are," Charmian retorted.
"Be careful, girl," Mishosha said, his eyes narrowing and then glinting blue. "You should learn proper respect when talking to manitous."
"Huh--?" Charmian blinked, startled, when he again lifted his hand. "Manitous--? But--"
"Tell your teacher I look forward to meeting him," Mishosha said, and jerked his hand at the ground. Something flashed, disorienting her so that she stumbled--and then something flashed again, and she lifted her head to see it come flying straight at her. There was a whistling noise, and then the light veered to the side and went flying up into the air. She found herself staring Moon Wolf in the face, his eyes wide and his hands still outflung. Somewhere high overhead, the errant fireball smacked into a bough and evaporated in sparks and cinders; Charmian and Winter Born held their arms up over their heads to protect themselves, as Moon Wolf and Mani came running toward them.
Charmian was still blinking. "What the hell--?" she cried, before remembering that Snow Bear had pulled the exact same trick on her himself, once. She whirled around to face the woods. The trail was still there, but the Bearwalker was gone, as were Mishosha and the mitchi manitou. She clenched her fists, furious.
"COWARD!" she yelled, sending a few birds flapping up from the trees.
Something flickered in the woods, and she heard a snort. The four of them stared at a vague shape as it came ambling toward them, then Charmian's muscles tensed. She turned and grabbed Winter Born's hand, dragging the girl after her. Moon Wolf and Mani stared at her for a confused moment before following.
"What is it--?" Moon Wolf asked.
"I think we should get out of here," Charmian said, glancing over her shoulder; the manitou wasn't moving very fast, but she hadn't liked that look in his eyes. "Right now."
Moon Wolf just stared at her blankly, then an odd look came over his face. "You did not flatter him," he said, as if he'd been expecting it all along; she grimaced but jerked her hand at the air and picked up her pace.
"It didn't exactly pan out that way! Let's just see if that bitchy Canoe is still down there. I think it's in our best interests to haul ass right NOW!"
The others didn't bother questioning further. They jogged through the pine forest and down toward the shore, seeing only foggy water, though as soon as Charmian started whistling and hopping up and down somewhat frantically, a shape appeared and started making its way toward shore. She forced herself to remain patient as the Stone Canoe pulled up onto the pebbly beach, and they piled in, Moon Wolf stopping long enough to try to shove it into the water before remembering that it was not only unnecessary but impossible. He leapt inside just in time to avoid getting his feet crushed. The Canoe pulled into the water, turned itself about, and started heading back toward the southern shore.
Well, it said as if in conversation, I must admit I am impressed. You are the first ones to leave this place alive in over twenty years.
Charmian lifted a shaky hand to wipe it across her brow; she peered over her shoulder, back at the island, to see the mitchi manitou now standing on the shore. His eyes glittered and his muzzle wrinkled; as soon as he saw her looking at him, he swept his antlers through the air in a slicing motion, and sneered. She stuck her tongue out at him and turned to face forward again.
"Why do I get the feeling you did more than not flatter him...?" Moon Wolf said wearily.
"He had it coming," Charmian retorted. "Jiimaan here says nobody's stood up to him in twenty years! I think it's about time it was due." She squirmed a little to try to get comfortable; stone boats didn't make for comfortable seating. "Besides, he said himself that if I'd flattered him he probably would've killed me!"
"He said he wasn't interested in killing either of us," Winter Born said meekly, and Moon Wolf and Mani--who again swam alongside the Canoe--turned to look at her. Moon Wolf looked at Charmian again and frowned.
"Then what was all of this about?" he demanded.
Charmian shrugged. "I don't know! Just that he said he wasn't interested in that. He even said he'll let us cross the lake without any trouble."
Moon Wolf's eyes narrowed. "And what sort of trick is attached to that--?" he asked, sounding a lot like Barrington.
Charmian sighed. "He said the price had already been paid. By me! What he means by that, I have no clue." She paused to think. "Maybe he meant the way I stood up to him. Huh--? He did say he liked that, didn't he?" she asked Winter Born, and the girl promptly nodded, although Moon Wolf remained looking skeptical. "Maybe him letting us pass is the tradeoff I get for talking back to him. I don't know; he was pretty weird." She paused again, then her face screwed up. "I think he even said he was a manitou! What sort of weirdo says that--? He was human just like the rest of us!"
Present company excluded, said the Stone Canoe.
Moon Wolf frowned. "He claimed this--?"
Charmian pursed her lips, then shrugged. "I think so. He told me I have to learn how to address manitous. And he talked to that mitchi back there like he considered him an inferior manitou." Her brow furrowed. "And his eyes glowed!" she exclaimed, surprised that she'd forgotten. "Blue!" She blinked and then started gnawing on her lip. "You mean--he was a manitou--? Wabun said that Kabebonikka said he's human!!"
Moon Wolf shook his head so abruptly that she cut herself off. "He's human," he stated, in a voice that made her shrink in on herself just a bit. He took a breath and let it out, appearing to settle himself. "This is only what the most powerful medicine men do--they begin to see themselves as manitous. This is why it's unwise for the young to have such power, and why one should wait until they are older to practice medicine. Those who cannot control themselves succumb to every sort of greed. No amount of power is ever enough. They grasp at more and more as if starving for it. Eventually, their own power can end up destroying them. Now you see why I refuse to teach this sort of thing to others?" he said, and she lowered her head a little. "I almost went this way myself, before seeing what could happen if I continued. I already gave up far too much to lose more." He settled himself in the Canoe and scowled. "Only the greediest and most powerful of medicine men reach this point," he said. "When they go so mad that they think they are manitous themselves. You see why wabanos take to this path so easily, as they already fail to ask for what they need; why would one need to ask when one is a manitou?"
"So...you're saying that...the more powerful these guys get, the crazier they get--?" Charmian asked. "Are you saying he really could turn into a manitou--?"
Moon Wolf shook his head. "He can only ever imagine himself as such." He sat up a bit. "But this is bad enough! You saw his eyes--apparently he already fully believes it. He could very well be just as strong as a manitou, by now."
Charmian rubbed her suddenly cold arms and shivered, looking down into the Canoe. "Wabun did say that Kabebonikka claimed Mishosha could defeat him...a manitou..." She shuddered this time. "If that's so--then why let us go like that? He could've evaporated us in one puff! Instead he said he WANTED us to get to Kabebonikka! You saw him and that other wabano in the camp that night. They've been trying to keep us back all along. Why let us through now? What could he have to gain from that?"
The medicine man shook his head again, seeming troubled. "I do not know...you just said he claimed not to wish to kill you. But I thought this was only what the Pearl Feather had in mind the whole time. Why keep anyone alive? I got the feeling that the only reason he lets Turtle live so far is merely because she's a..." He looked to be at a loss for words.
"Bargaining chip," Charmian filled in. "I got that impression too! So why make it so easy now?"
"He said absolutely nothing else of his plans?" Moon Wolf asked.
Charmian started to say no, when Winter Born waved her hand and bobbed up and down a bit. "He said he couldn't wait to meet you!" she exclaimed, and Moon Wolf looked perplexed while Charmian just cringed and shrank into her vest.
"There is anything else you're withholding...?" Moon Wolf asked in a cold voice. Charmian shot Winter Born a look that made her shrink, herself.
"No," she mumbled. "That's pretty much all he said. He seemed more interested in meeting you than in talking to me." She glanced at Winter Born again. "Oh yeah! He said that YOU'RE a troublemaker!"
"And he said that you weren't that impressive!" Winter Born retorted, sticking out her tongue.
Companions, the Stone Canoe said, we near the shore, and I'm going to have to know what exactly it is that you expect me to do.
"Oh," Charmian said, sitting up. "You mean you don't want to go back to Mishosha--?"
Mishosha has put me into your service until you should reach the northern shore, the Canoe replied. Whatever you decide for me to do is what I will do.
"Asini-Jiimaan could be really helpful along the way!" Winter Born exclaimed.
"You honestly trust this Canoe--?" Moon Wolf said, then his eyes went wide when he must have realized that he'd said that aloud; the Stone Canoe responded by tilting to the side, the three of them having to grab at the gunwales to keep from falling.
I apologize that you all must be subjected to that, the Stone Canoe said mildly, but it's not as if I can bend.
"Canoe," Charmian said, rapping her knuckles against its side. "Actually I think maybe I'd like you to do something else for me, if you can."
The shore started to fade into view. Yes? the Canoe prompted.
Charmian bent down closer to it. "I had a dream about you before I saw you," she said in a low voice. "A few dreams. Remember? There was always a lady in red who rode in you."
You mean this one you call the Red Swan, the Stone Canoe said.
Charmian nodded. "That's her...I know you said you know only a little bit about her...but maybe you're in a position to find out more. Since you carry her around in her dreams."
What would you propose that I do? the Canoe asked.
Charmian shrugged a little. "Just...whatever it is that you do all the time. Only try to find out what you can about her, maybe? Without drawing Mishosha's attention. If you can do that...?"
The Canoe made a scoffing noise. As if he pays any attention to what I do! He was bored with me practically the moment he cut me from the rock, freeing me from thousands of years of--
"So you can get around and find stuff out without him noticing?" Charmian asked.
The Canoe bobbed from side to side a little. Of course. A pause. Then it added, And seeing as YOU bothered to bring me tobacco, AND to ask, I will poke about and see what I may find. There are parts of this island that Mishosha does not thoroughly command...perhaps they will talk to a simple Canoe.
Charmian's face lit up. "Thank you!" She sat up again and nodded at the others. "And meanwhile, we'll be on our way, too," she said.
"Where to, exactly?" Moon Wolf asked.
Charmian had to twist around to point, as the Stone Canoe had pulled up almost to the shore and everyone was gathering down near the water, still watching them. She pointed northward, toward the invisible upper shore of the lake. "A tunnel somewhere up there," she said, "just like Wabun suggested. Mishosha's tunnel is too dangerous...but there's supposed to be another one up there. Mishosha just granted us free access--so it should be easy going."
Moon Wolf's eyes darkened. "You've said such things before," he stated. "I prefer to wait until the outcome to announce just what it is."
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