Automatic Refund
THERE WERE MANY perplexed and even suspicious looks as the tale was told that the ride across the lake should be as easy as anything. Charmian and Winter Born had to relate what Mishosha had said several times, before the more sensible among them would even begin to believe, and even then they were skeptical.
"Recall that he said no Lynxes or manitous or such would attack," Francois said even as he readied one of the big canoes. "He said nothing about storms, did he...?"
"It has to be summer," Charmian said, glancing at the trees. "What could happen?"
The voyageur shrugged. "Storms come out of nowhere in this place, ma chère. It's rather foolish to expect nothing."
Still, they had no trouble preparing the canoes and launching them from the shore; Charmian and Winter Born waved goodbye to the Stone Canoe as it turned and sailed back off to Mishosha's island, which faded from sight as the fog lifted. Charmian shivered to see the empty spot it had left behind, only Grand Island looming in the distance; they set a course to avoid this as well, heading for open lake, and even though the sky was clearing she did find herself glancing up there more than once, scanning for the faintest trace of cloud.
They made good progress, with a strong breeze coming from the south--Charmian wondered if perhaps Shawondassee had decided to help them out. The waves on the lake were low, and the canoes cut through the water like hot knives through butter. They didn't cease traveling when night came, and Charmian ended up dozing off to the sound of their singing and paddling. As she recognized the hazy feeling of a dream settling in, she sat up and looked around. She was in her invisible canoe again, and the Stone Canoe was approaching from the opposite direction. Her eyes fixed on those of the Red Swan, and they pulled abreast of each other, the canoes slowing down to drift side by side on the lake. Charmian pulled herself closer to the Stone Canoe.
"I cannot believe how close you are," the Red Swan said in awe. "You even spoke with him."
"I'm sorry I forgot to ask about your tunnel," Charmian said, "but I figure he wouldn't have let me in so soon anyway. This was the best thing I could think of. I think I can trust Asini-Jiimaan."
The Red Swan glanced down at the Canoe and touched its side. "Yes...he's never let me down, so far. Like all upon the island he's forced to serve the whims of Mishosha, but even a wabano cannot reach here. This is the realm of Dreamspinners alone, and he has never had such a power."
Charmian thought about what Chakenapok had warned her of before, of the wabanos listening in on what she dreamed, and wondered briefly if his suspicions about the Red Swan not being entirely forthcoming were correct after all before forcing the thoughts away. Maybe Chakenapok wasn't entirely right, or maybe the Red Swan really could hide a dream from Mishosha, if she was supposed to be so powerful. "I wanted Jiimaan to try to find out what exactly Mishosha's doing with you," she said. "Do you have anything you can tell us? Now that you're here? Maybe it'll help me find you."
The Red Swan lowered her eyes a little. "I...I do not know if it would be wise for you to come for me now," she murmured. "I appreciate that you've come so far...but the thought of endangering you just to come find me...I don't like this thought. At first I thought it was what I wanted, but when I thought over it longer..."
Charmian leaned forward. "Don't worry about us," she insisted. "We have to come through this way anyway! And I can't help but feel that you're tied in to this somehow. Something Jiimaan said stuck with me; maybe you know about it." She sat down in the invisible canoe's prow and drew her legs under herself. "He said that it seems like the reason why Mishosha's here in the first place is to keep an eye on you. Do you know anything about this? Why he would go to such trouble? Like maybe--how long you've been here. Can you think of anything at all? I know you don't remember much, but..."
The Red Swan looked somewhat to the side, fingers fiddling a little with the fringe on her dress. "I...honestly don't know," she murmured. "I have no memory of coming to the island, or of anything before it." She paused, opened her mouth, then shut it, and fiddled again.
"What is it?" Charmian prompted softly. "You wanted to say something."
"Well..." The woman paused and furrowed her brow a little. "I'm not certain...it makes no real sense."
"Try me? Maybe it can help."
The Red Swan was silent for a moment, then gave a small sigh. "All I can say is...it doesn't feel like I've forgotten anything...like I no longer remember anything before the island...rather it feels like...there simply was nothing, before then...like there is simply nothing to remember."
Charmian stared at her for a long time, perplexed. "Nothing to remember?" she echoed. "You mean..." She frowned. "Like you didn't exist before then?"
The Red Swan averted her eyes again. "I told you it sounded strange..."
Charmian wanted to say no it didn't, but it was true, she hadn't heard anything quite so strange on this entire trip. What does THAT mean? she asked herself. That she was--CREATED for Mishosha to keep an eye on--? But--why? And by who? Why give him a chore like that? And why does she even NEED someone to keep watch over her--?
I've asked the island all I could venture, pebble, the Stone Canoe said, drawing her attention. Most of it would not speak to me. But the oldest bits of it tell me that she has been here from the start--that the land formed around her--basically, that she has been here a very, very long time.
"That would be before Mishosha, even," Charmian said. "So he WAS put here to keep an eye on you and the island! But why? Does the island know?"
She sensed a mental shrug. Either it does not know, or it refused to tell. All I can say that I have positively discovered: She is immensely old; she is a manitou herself; and for some reason, it is in Mishosha's best interests to keep tight watch over her.
"I'm betting Megissogwun has something to say about that," Charmian mused.
Actually, the Stone Canoe replied, the Pearl Feather has nothing to do with her.
Both Charmian and the Red Swan stared at it, eyes wide and mouths hanging open. The Red Swan promptly shut hers, but Charmian leaned forward again, grasping the Canoe's edge and shaking it a little.
"What?" she exclaimed. "What do you mean--? Mishosha SERVES Megissogwun! You said so yourself! So why would he be hiding her if--"
I fail to understand it myself, the Stone Canoe said, but I asked all that I could, and all who answered agreed. The Pearl Feather knows nothing of her presence here. For some reason...Mishosha hides her for his own reasons.
Charmian's head popped up. The Red Swan lifted her own head to meet her stare, her eyes wide.
"Then--if that's so--" she said, "--then why am I here--?"
"O-ho-ho-ho-ho!" a voice exclaimed, and Charmian's eyes opened, the dream evaporating. She glanced back and saw how Thomas was rubbing his shoulder, a peeved look on his face; Augwak was crouching on the stern, dozing himself.
"I think my arm's about to fall off," Thomas grumbled, setting down his paddle.
"What is it?" Charmian yawned, rubbing her eyes. "Did I miss anything?"
He shrugged, then winced again. "I wouldn't know. Those loons are batty if you ask me."
Charmian turned to watch the two loons bobbing around on the water, diving and then popping back up, tails wiggling. As soon as everyone noticed their antics they paddled over to the canoes and stared up at Charmian, who blushed a little, seeing how everyone looked at her now.
"There is someone in the water who wishes to speak with you, o-ho!" one of them announced.
"O-ho! He is really quite insistent that you speak," said the second.
X'aaru came paddling over to the canoe, ears folded. "Um...actually...he pulled on my tail," he said meekly. "So I figure it's important...though who knows..."
"Pulled on your tail--?" Charmian echoed, confused. Before she could say more, the water around them started bubbling a little; X'aaru blushed, though she could tell the source wasn't him. Faces began appearing under the waves and she drew back a bit, feeling uneasy.
"Nebanaubae...?" She peered around the canoe. "They live out here too?"
"Where else would they live?" Manabozho asked from his canoe, giving her a funny look.
"I don't know...I just hadn't really noticed any yet." She leaned over again, careful to grasp the edge of the canoe just in case they tried anything. She blinked when she recognized one of the faces, and frowned. "Hey...didn't I meet you guys in the river--?" She sat up. "That's right! When the dead Mishupishu..."
The Nebanaubae didn't let her finish. It held up its hand, and she glanced at the dripping Animiki feather there. There was no doubting it; it was Kenu's.
Take it, the Nebanaubae said.
Charmian blinked again. "Huh--?"
Take it, the Nebanaubae repeated itself. Something was strange about its voice, like it was...afraid, almost.
Charmian turned back to the others. "I gave it that in exchange for them carrying away the Lynx," she whispered loudly, as if the Nebanaubae couldn't hear. "What am I supposed to do?"
The others frowned. "Take it back...?" Thomas suggested.
"But I'm supposed to give payment," Charmian insisted. "It doesn't feel right! Nebanaubae always ask for payment. What if they want something else--?"
We do not want it, the lead Nebanaubae said, and she turned back to them. It waved the feather a bit and she did see it now--fear--in its eyes. Please, take it back, and we won't bother you anymore.
"But..." When it waved the feather again she rubbed at her head, feeling very uneasy. "But it was a payment..."
"Oh, for spirits' sakes!" Kenu exclaimed. He wallowed across everyone in the canoe and snatched the feather from the Nebanaubae's hand. "Just TAKE it already! They OBVIOUSLY have decided that, as such INFERIOR creatures, they are not DESERVING of such a gift..." he started droning, as he tied it back among the rest of his feathers.
Charmian shook her head. "Guys, that's nice and all, but what do I give you for helping us out--?"
Consider it a gift. We detest the Mishupishus just as well, the Nebanaubae said. With that it turned and promptly swam out of sight, into deeper water. Most of the rest of the school followed it--but then more of them appeared, swimming from somewhat further away, and Charmian's mouth fell open when one of them thrust out its hand as well. Without thinking she held out her own; it placed something in her palm, gave her a very odd, almost apologetic look, and then turned and vanished just as the others had. Within seconds, the water was calm again, the canoes bobbing on the small waves, confused looks on everyone's faces.
Thomas nudged Charmian's shoulder. "Well! What is it? Is it nicer than what you got me?"
Charmian sat down and tentatively opened her fingers. Her eyes widened and her hand started to shake a little at what she saw.
Winter Born pushed herself up and peered into her hand. She frowned a little and looked Charmian in the face.
"A Megis?" she asked, puzzled.
Charmian numbly picked up the little cowrie shell, turning it this way and that. She noticed the hole that had been drilled in the end of it and felt her hands go cold. "Yellow Turtle's Megis," she whispered. Her head jerked up and she glanced first at Moon Wolf, who was in the neighboring canoe, and then at Stick-In-The-Dirt. "What would they give me this back for?! That was AGES ago! That was a done deal!!"
The two medicine men could only shake their heads and shrug, obviously as perplexed as she was. Charmian twisted herself around to look at everyone else, but of course, most of the others didn't even know what the little shell was. "This isn't right!" she exclaimed. "Nebanaubae ALWAYS take payment! Is it some kind of trick--?"
"If they'd wanted to trick us, they would have done it!" Manabozho snapped. "Nebanaubae's idea of a trick is to turn people into fish! They aren't exactly the BRIGHTEST creatures in the world..."
"Finally, someone who agrees with me," Kenu said.
"Perhaps you've done some sort of favor that they appreciate--?" Stick-In-The-Dirt suggested, paddling a bit so the other canoe drew closer. "Perhaps when that Lynx was killed. Maybe he was pestering them, or eating their food, or something--when you thought they were doing you a favor it was the other way around--?"
"But that was just the feather," Charmian complained. "They ASKED for this payment!"
"Why are you throwing such a hissy fit over it? It's just a stupid little shell! Get over it!" Augwak snapped from the back of the canoe. "Just take the damn thing back, say megwetch, and let's get GOING already!"
Charmian just shook her head, feeling terribly ill at ease; the Nebanaubae had even asked for Wabasso's flute after he'd died, as payment--why would they turn down a mere Megis shell? She glanced at the water, wishing that she'd asked them what was behind the odd refund--they'd seemed scared, for some reason--but of course there was nothing there. She felt something touch her hand, and looked back to see Winter Born grasping it. The girl wrapped her fingers back around the shell and met her eyes.
"They gave it back, didn't they?" she said. "So maybe that means you're supposed to have it...?"
Charmian stared at her for a moment, brow furrowing; she didn't care for the simple explanation, but no other ones were forthcoming.
After another pause, the voyageurs picked up their paddles and started rowing again. Charmian looked at the shell, then at Kenu, then back at the shell; the others hadn't gotten very far into their song before she stood up in the canoe, making it bob a little, and flung a hand out at Kenu as if he'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"Feather!" she cried, making everybody jump and look at her again. She held up the Megis. "Shell! Shell-Feather!" She pointed at both. "Megisso-gwun!"
Niskigwun's brow furrowed and he lowered his own paddle. "Charmian! What are you getting at?"
She turned around, stepping on Thomas's ankle so that he made a face, yet managed to hold his tongue. "Think about it! They're trying to tell us something! They give us back a SHELL and a FEATHER!" She turned to face the prow of the canoe and Francois gave her a very odd look which she ignored. She pointed out over Lake Superior. "He's WATCHING us! I bet he sees us right this minute--maybe he's even RIGHT NEARBY!"
Everyone tensed, then started glancing around. Moon Wolf lifted one hand, fingers glowing, and twisted around to look behind his canoe. Stick-In-The-Dirt picked up his rattle, gnawing on his lip, as Lieutenant Barrington picked up his gun; X'aaru and Marten, as well as the GeeBees and Mishupishu, started sniffing, and Manabozho looked as if he were concentrating. For a few moments there was silence.
As it drew out, Charmian's resolve began to waver. She lowered her hand with the shell in it and frowned a little, confused.
Marten turned to look at her. "I don't smell anything!"
"Neither do I," X'aaru said in a small voice.
"There's nothing in the water..." Mishupishu murmured, peering down into the lake.
Pakwa just shrugged and shook his head. Charmian turned to look at Moon Wolf, who gave her a rather irritated look in return and started lowering his hand; flushing, she turned to Manabozho, who didn't give her quite as bad a look, though he seemed rather perplexed himself.
"I don't feel anything," he said.
Peepaukawiss shrugged a little. "I don't sense anything either."
Barrington started lowering his gun. "Are you saying this is some sort of false alarm--?"
"I would recognize that lout's reek if he were anywhere near this lake," Augwak muttered. "He's not here! This is a waste of time!"
"But it has to mean something!" Charmian insisted, throwing up her hands. "They wouldn't do this for nothing..."
"Ma chère," Francois said, "there's nothing else on the lake. You can see for miles from here. Are you certain they didn't just change their minds...?"
Charmian glanced around the canoes, but it was just as he'd said--the lake was placid, nothing but themselves disturbing the water. She chewed on her lip and reluctantly began to sink back into the canoe, not sure what else to do. A moment passed before the voyageurs picked up their paddles, glancing at her briefly to make certain that she wasn't about to do anything else before resuming their paddling. It was even longer before the singing returned, but before too long they were again on their way, as if nothing had happened, though Charmian did get a few more odd looks.
Thomas reached out to touch her shoulder. "Charmian?" he asked softly. "Are you all right?"
She shook her head a little, staring at the bottom of the canoe. "I don't get it," she said. "They wouldn't do that for nothing. It doesn't make sense."
"Well..." Thomas gave a helpless shrug. "Not everything makes sense."
"If there's one thing I've learned lately that's certainly it," Barrington muttered from his canoe, setting down his gun and picking up a paddle.
"It's okay, Charmian," Winter Born said. "I'm sure it'll make sense sooner or later."
"Yeah!" Marten exclaimed. "Just give it a little time! Glooskap always says, when something doesn't make sense, just sit and wait, and wait, and wait..."
"Nebanaubae don't always make sense," Kenu said haughtily. "I could have told you that...as I said, they probably just realized they were unworthy of such gifts...!"
The others started bantering a little, the topic eventually drifting. Charmian could only stare at the shell in her hand. She was grateful to have it back--she knew that Yellow Turtle had had his reasons for giving her such an item--but still...it didn't feel right to renege on a payment...and if she'd learned anything in her trips to the Island, it was that everything had a price...
Something made a rasping noise and she jumped a little, glancing off to her side. Mishupishu's head emerged from the water, just barely, and he was so close to the canoe that he brushed up against it, spines quivering. His eyes peered over the gunwale and she could see his whiskers vibrating.
"Ma chère," Francois murmured again, and she turned to look west.
She shivered when she saw the long necks waving on the horizon, shrinking and disappearing and then growing again. Mishupishu growled deep in his throat, the tip of his tail swishing the water far behind them; she could hear the canoe thunking against him as it moved. Thomas frowned and Barrington reached for his gun again.
"What are they doing...?" Winter Born asked. "I thought he said they wouldn't come after us..."
"They're not coming this way," Thomas said after a moment. His frown grew. "It looks like they're keeping pace."
"Keeping an eye on us," Charmian said, and they looked at her. She rubbed the Megis shell uneasily. "He said he wouldn't attack us on the lake. He said they could come after us as soon as we hit shore, though. So we should be safe from them until then. Once we make landfall, that can all change."
"Wonderful," Barrington said, rolling his eyes and tossing the gun down yet again.
"Are we just going to land and get attacked and things, then?" Remy asked.
"Maybe..." Puka started shrinking down into his canoe. "Maybe we should come up with some ideas before that...!"
"Like what?" Charmian asked. "I'm open to suggestions!"
"I can scare them off!" Kenu offered, lifting his arms. She promptly reached out and pushed them down, shaking her head.
"Not yet! Not against them. You're just one Animiki, remember--?" She turned away so she didn't have to see the crestfallen look on his face. "What're our best chances of fending them off as we are? I only see a few..."
"Remember how quickly a few turns into a dozen or so," Thomas said.
Singing Cedars opened his mouth to start to say something, then clamped it shut again, and let out a yelp when Manabozho clambered over him and toward the prow of his canoe. They all looked at him as he shielded his eyes and scanned the horizon. He turned to Francois so abruptly that the voyageur jumped, and pointed.
"Where are we--? I don't recognize this part of the lake! Is there a bay ahead--?" He started gesticulating so much that the voyageurs had to steady the canoe. "A little bay all open to everything. Flat land! Sparse trees. A bay!"
Francois's brow furrowed. "Well--if we turn somewhat northeast, maybe--"
"Turn northeast, then!" Manabozho sat back down, so that Singing Cedars had to scootch back to keep his space, and the Onondaga glowered at him. "And head into the little bay. If we HAVE to be attacked by Lynxes, then it should be there."
Charmian turned to look at Thomas; but he only twirled a finger at his head. "Ow!" He jerked his hand back when a spark zapped him, and started shaking his fingers and hissing; Manabozho glared at him over his shoulder before turning back.
"What is it, 'Bozho?" Charmian asked, sitting forward. "What's so special about this bay--? Do Lynxes not like it or something?"
"Oo!" Marten started hopping up and down as the voyageurs adjusted their course. "I know, I know! I bet it's full of HUGE MAN-EATING MONSTERS! Am I right--?"
"A giant fish!" X'aaru offered.
"A gigantic sturgeon!" Mishupishu added.
Kenu waved his arms. "WITH WINGS!"
Puka waved his own arms. "AND COLOR-COORDINATED FEATHERS!!"
Charmian's face screwed up. "You told me you fought a giant fish once!" she exclaimed. "You mean to say you expect that to help us out--?"
"No," Manabozho said, turning his nose up at those who had answered for him. "Actually it's something quite different...which you'll just have to see when we get there!"
Charmian started gnawing on her lip; she sat back as Thomas reached again for the paddle. "Well," she said, "I hope it's impressive. Whatever it is."
"Hope that it's got lots of teeth," Augwak muttered, but when she looked back at him he had already sat back down and shut his eyes, grumbling to himself as the canoe picked up pace.
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