Back To The Pack
THE MITCHI MANITOU dodged Charmian's fireball, lowering its head and whistling almost derisively as it charged straight at her--when something else large and dark flew through the air, landing on its back and sinking its teeth into its neck so that it squealed. Charmian's legs at last tangled with each other and she pitched face forward, managing to land on her hands so that she didn't squish Marten, though she did skin her palms and land hard on her knees. She blinked a few times, sucked in a breath, and jerked her head up. The mitchi manitou was no longer attacking her--in fact, it was being attacked, pitching and bucking in a frenzy as it tried to shake loose the large wolf which was biting its neck.
Charmian's eyes went as wide as moons.
A loud squealing noise came from off to the left, and she glanced that way. One of the other mitchi manitous was likewise trying to shake off another, even bigger wolf; a glance behind her showed her several of them headed toward the shore and the waving Mishupishus; and a glance ahead, beyond the manitou which was still staggering around, showed her even more, all racing from the distant woods. Their tongues hung out over their teeth as they ran, yellow eyes alight and claws digging into the earth; she ducked close to the ground, hugging Marten, but they ignored her, dashing past and attacking the remaining manitou before it could swing its antlers at Peepaukawiss. Puka let out a girly scream and threw his hands up to his face, halting immediately and hopping from foot to foot, but the manitou was too busy being attacked by that wolf, and two more that joined it, to even bother with him anymore. Charmian gasped and jumped back when a second wolf jumped on the manitou in front of her, and together they brought it down, its long knobby legs kicking at the air as it whistled in pain and panic.
Thudding noises came up beside her and Thomas grasped her arm, hauling her to her feet. He yanked her back and they went running toward where the others were beginning to gather in a group, guns pointed outward, Moon Wolf looking ready to hurl a fireball and Niskigwun brandishing his spear. Everyone had the same goggle-eyed look that she felt she must have. "Come on!" Thomas yelled. "Before they come after us next!!"
"W--where did they COME from--?" Charmian exclaimed, but nobody answered her. Thomas let go of her and shoved her toward the others; Baptiste grabbed her arm before she could fall, and Marten clambered atop her head, chattering. His tail flicked in her face and she had to brush it aside to see. Snarling yapping noises came from both the shore and the locations of the three besieged manitous, but so far the wolves didn't seem interested in them.
Thomas was gasping for breath, Winter Born still clinging to his back. "A...are they...Shadow Wolves...?" he managed to wheeze, looking at them as they growled and snapped at the manitous.
"Th--those were only on the Island--I think!!" Charmian said, equally confused. "They don't look right--but I can't tell--!"
"Are they friendly--?" Winter Born asked.
One of the mitchi manitous let out a wheezing sound itself, legs stiffening, and then fell still; Charmian grimaced and pulled Marten off of her head just to give herself something to squeeze. I hope we don't have to find out!
Splashing sounds came from the shore, and they looked back to see the Lynxes turning and vanishing into the water, hissing as they went, and the wolves turned and came running back. Another glance ahead showed them the remaining two manitous managing to get to their feet; one whistled and swung its antlers, knocking a wolf from its back and turning to flee in the direction it had come from. The second staggered up as well, but several wolves continued to worry it as it tried to make its way for the nearby stand of trees, whistling piteously the entire way; Charmian shuddered, feeling sorry for it now, no matter what it had done. They disappeared from sight, but squealing noises told her what its fate must have been, and she felt Marten shivering as well.
The wolves which had brought down the first manitou lifted their heads and finally spotted the large group, then came running toward them, teeth red and tongues lolling. Winter Born gasped and clutched at Thomas, ducking her head; Charmian let out a yelping noise which would have embarrassed her at any other time, crushing Marten and dodging back behind the voyageurs. The others lifted their guns to shoot, when Manabozho broke from the group, running straight at one of the wolves as it came.
Charmian opened her eyes in time to see this, and her head shot up. "'BOZHO!!" she screamed, unable to believe that he could be quite so STUPID.
Manabozho halted where he stood and threw his arms up as if to hurl wind or earth or something at the wolf, but did neither. Instead he just stood while the wolf raced at him, and Charmian--as well as Puka and Marten and Kenu--let out a scream.
The wolf launched itself at Manabozho and knocked him to the ground. Barrington fired his gun, but nothing happened--the flint broke and it failed to go off, and he blinked at it, eyes nearly falling out of his head, and shook it as if that would do anything.
Charmian's eyes popped open and a panicked yell started to escape her. "MANABO--"
Her voice gave out. Manabozho was on his back on the ground, the wolf atop him, its jaws at his face--but its tail was wagging. That was what she noticed first of all, oddly enough. Its tail wagged so hard that its behind swayed from side to side, as if its entire body were controlled by that section, and instead of gnawing off Manabozho's face, it was licking him, its tongue leaving sloppy trails of saliva all over him as it panted and wiggled. And Manabozho was roughly scratching its ears and ruff and making all sorts of very odd cooing noises.
All the voyageurs lowered their guns as one, jaws falling open. Charmian's and Thomas's and most of the others' mouths fell open as well.
"Who's a good boy?" Manabozho exclaimed, sounding as if he were talking to a baby or a cute little puppy with a bow. "You are! Yes you are! You're such a GOOD little boy! Who's the BEST little wolfie-moofie around--? Are you glad to see me? Yes you are--!"
Charmian blinked. "--zho...?" she managed to get out, then shook her head abruptly. "Huh--?" was all that she could say, though she was sure it was appropriate enough for all of them.
Winter Born blinked as well. "Are they tame--?"
Everybody could only stand where they were for a moment. Then the rest of the wolves, which had halted, started trotting toward the other two. Charmian and Thomas tensed, but when the wolves reached Manabozho, they just started licking him as well, all gathering around him until he was surrounded by a great hopping panting heap of wolves, their tails wagging and tongues wagging as they leapt around and barked and whined and licked. Charmian had no clue what to think. It looked like he should have been tossing them treats, or something.
"You're ALL such good little wolfie-moofies!!" Manabozho exclaimed, having to struggle just to try to scratch every one of them, they mobbed him so. "Awwww!! Yes you ARE! I missed you SOOOOOO much!"
Kenu's brow furrowed. "Is this sort of thing normal with your people...?"
Charmian set Marten down and took a few steps toward Manabozho as he continued scratching and cooing at the pack of wiggling wolves. "Um...Manabozho?" she asked, perplexed; she kept her distance from the wolves but they ignored her, all hopping around and waiting to get their ears scratched. "What's going on?"
"What's it look like?" Manabozho managed to get out, before one of the wolves knocked him over again and gave him a sloppy kiss. "Awwwww!! Good wolfie! You remember Manabozho, don't you? Yes you do! AWWWW!"
Charmian tilted her head, brow furrowed. "You know these wolves?"
"No," Manabozho retorted, giving her a look. "These wolves know ME! AND they know how to properly treat a manitou..."
Charmian rolled her eyes. "Half-manitou! How do you guys know each other--? You've met before?"
Manabozho reached over one wolf's back to scratch another between the shoulderblades; they kept wiggling and squirming around each other excitedly. "That's right!" he said, again in the same baby-cooing voice he'd used before. "Good wolves! Manabozho would've staaaaaaarved one winter if it wasn't for such good wolfie-moofies!"
Charmian blinked. "They hunted for you?" When he didn't reply she finally allowed herself to approach the outer ring of wolves, and their tails brushed against her legs as she watched them mob him. "So they are friendly?" She tentatively reached out toward the nearest one.
Stick-In-The-Dirt, Thomas, and Singing Cedars all spoke up in unison. "Charmian--!!"
She ignored them and poked the wolf in the back. It turned its head to look at her and she met its eyes; it seemed almost to be asking her what she was doing. When it turned around she attempted scratching its ear, and a moment later its tongue started dangling from its mouth and it licked her other hand. Charmian's eyes scrunched up and a smile split her face.
"Awwwww!" she cried. "So cute!!"
Winter Born's face lit up and she hopped down from Thomas's back, jogging over to them before he could stop her. "Hello!" she called out, approaching a black wolf when it made its way to the edge of the group; a moment later she was scratching it just as assiduously as Charmian, and getting her face slavered over in the process. She started giggling and another wolf or two came close when Charmian crouched down and reached out to scratch them as well. "Aww! It's just like a big pet!"
Thomas frowned, then rubbed at his head as if confused. "So...we're not going to be hunted down and torn to pieces...?"
"Of COURSE not!" Manabozho snapped, making him and several of the others jump. "These wolves are REMARKABLY intelligent and REMARKABLY well behaved! They do only what I tell them to do!"
"So they're what you were calling when you whistled in the bay--?" Charmian asked, having to fight just to lift her head now; the wolves were gathering around her and sticking their noses against her. "You knew they'd be here--?"
"Well--sort of," Manabozho admitted. "I know they like to wander around this area about this time of year...so I figured they might be nearby..."
"You--you figured--?" Charmian blurted out, head shooting up. Her eyes were livid. "You mean you GAMBLED on--" She didn't get to finish, as a wolf knocked her down, and they started licking her again.
"Awww!" Peepaukawiss exclaimed, clasping his hands together. "They ARE rather cute! Hellooooo!" he called out, waving at them as he trotted forward. "Cute little wolfie-wolfies want to play with their Uncle Puka--?"
Manabozho sat up now and pointed at Puka, meeting the wolves' eyes. "Wolves? Peepaukawiss," he said, and an instant later all of the wolves surrounding him had turned to face his brother, muzzles wrinkling and hackles prickling as they snarled and growled. Puka halted immediately, then turned and fled back toward the group when the wolves started snapping. He dodged behind Thomas, grabbing his shoulder and giving them a malevolent glare.
"W-w-well--b-BE that way!" he cried, voice cracking. "Like I need to touch a slobby smelly pile of fur ANYWAY!"
Manabozho stuck his nose up. "At least you won't get to paint them with PITCH like you did to my poor DOVES!"
"Looks like you've taught them well," Thomas admitted.
"I bet they'd like ME!" Marten remarked, hopping over to a small wolf and waving at it. "Hiya, Wolf! Wanna--" He didn't get to finish, as he ended up with his head in its mouth, and the others watched with wide eyes and slack jaws as it swung him from side to side like a chew toy. When it dropped him he was sopping wet, and it trotted away as he merely sat where he'd fallen, his own eyes wide and a grin frozen on his face, drool dripping from his cap. "Nice playing with ya," he managed to get out between clenched teeth.
Charmian finally tried pushing herself to her feet, having to be careful not to trample on any paws or tails; the wolves surrounding her turned back to Manabozho, hopping and panting happily. "So--I take it these guys'll be our escort service this time around," she said, glancing around the grassy area they stood in.
Manabozho clambered up to his feet; Winter Born remained sitting on the ground, grinning as a pair of wolves licked her face. He dusted at his damp clothing and his vaguely superior demeanor returned. "Of course," he said in a stiff voice. "You thought I would have us head through this country unprotected--? Then you truly don't know me yet."
"So where are we going to stay, then?" Charmian asked, and pointed toward the distant stand of trees they'd been racing toward. "Over there? Because I can't see anywhere else welcoming enough..."
Manabozho glanced back at the trees, then frowned a little. "Well...I guess this place is a bit inhospitable," he said; they all looked up at the sky now, which had grown overcast again, making everything around them look gloomy and autumny. He continued brushing his clothes as if to give himself something to do. "I suppose those dreary woods would do for now...though I do hope we'll find someplace more pleasant to stay afterwards..."
"Well, we're going to be heading to Kabebonikka," Charmian said. "I doubt it can get less hospitable than that!" She patted a wolf when it strayed near. "We need to figure out how to find the nearest Weaver tunnel anyway if we want to even reach him. Maybe we can do that tomorrow. And get a fresh start on everything."
"Sounds like a plan," Thomas said, coming close. The others in the group began coming forward as well, Manabozho waving at the wolves to break it up a little, and the animals spread out among them, still panting and wagging.
A trotting noise came and something tugged on Charmian's little finger. She glanced down to see Kenu giving her a very upset stare. "But what about Mishupishu--?" he exclaimed, and pointed out at the lake. She turned to look back and saw one forlorn serpentine shape remaining near the shore, X'aaru pacing about nearby. She took pause at the look on the Lynx's face.
"Oh. That's right." She looked at the others. "He can't follow us on land...do you think they can find us a stream or river or something that he can swim up? To come along with us?" she asked Manabozho, pointing at several of the wolves.
Manabozho pursed his lips; she sensed that he was trying hard to appear quite in command, and wanted to smack him in the head, but forced herself to bite the inside of her mouth instead. "Well...I suppose this can be done. There's sure to be one nearby." He whistled and then gestured at several of the wolves to head to shore. "Meanwhile, WE go and settle someplace dry, AND eat something GOOD for a change!" He took in a deep breath as if smelling something nice cooking. "I feel like MOOSE tonight!" And three of the larger wolves immediately turned and were gone, racing off vaguely northwestward. Charmian and the others watched them go, then Manabozho waved at them. "Come along!" He and the rest of the wolves started toward the trees, where Singing Cedars's okis were already waiting.
Charmian scowled. "Yes, Master."
"This isn't so bad," Thomas said, falling into step beside her, Winter Born and Marten at her other side. "We expected to get lambasted by Lynxes, and now we're wandering with wolves instead. I guess it could be worse."
"I guess," Charmian said. She looked at her hands and grimaced, then wiped her face. "Though I do hope there's a stream nearby, because I'm hardly going to go eating like THIS!"
"I wonder how far away Kabebonikka's place is," Winter Born mused as they finally set foot among the first trees, stepping between their straight trunks and gnarled roots. "And if he's really as mean as everybody says?"
"Judging by winter itself, ma chère," Bouchard remarked, "I would call the North Wind as much of an 'old man' as that Old Man Mishosha!" He halted and turned back. "Reminds me! Now that we're all civil like, I can rescue some of the profits...!" He and several of the other voyageurs headed back after the retreating wolves and Mishupishu.
"'Old Man Kabebonikka.'" Winter Born frowned. "Doesn't have the same sound to it."
"I think you mean 'Old Man Winter,'" Charmian corrected her. "At least, that's what they call it--him--where I come from--ow!" She stumbled and then hopped a step or two, grabbing onto her foot. Thomas and Winter Born hurried forward to grasp her arms before she could fall over, and she grimaced, rubbing her toe.
"Charmian?" Winter Born asked. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah," Charmian grumbled. "Think I tripped on a root." She glanced at the path they'd been taking but didn't see any. She furrowed her brow a little, then shook her foot and started walking again. "That's what I get for riding in a stupid canoe all the time. I wasn't even made for riding in canoes."
Thomas rolled his eyes. "As if any of us were...?" He blushed a little when Francois glanced their way. "Erm...sorry."
They followed several of the wolves into the eastern woods and at last came across a wide stream cutting a swath through the mossy ground, and stopped to settle on its bank and wait for the others. Charmian rubbed her aching toe and shrugged her pack off as Winter Born hopped into the water and started splashing. She sighed when Thomas sat down next to her, and reached up to rub at her neck; he peered at her and raised an eyebrow at the look on her face.
"Tired of my company already?"
Charmian shook her head. "No...just feel a little weird, is all." She made a face. "Maybe I have been riding in canoes too much! My neck hurts now...sheesh."
"I could rub it if you want," Thomas said, just as Puka walked by; they both fell silent when he grinned from ear to ear and started letting out an eeeeeEEEEEEE noise, only to cut off abruptly and splash into the water, Augwak drawing his leg back in as he ambled past with a sour look on his face. Charmian, Thomas, and Winter Born all watched him go on his way, brows furrowed, but decided not to ask. Charmian shook her head again.
"No, it's okay. Maybe I just need another nap. I feel kind of tired too."
"You've been getting all kinds of sleep since coming along!" Winter Born exclaimed, grinning herself; Charmian noticed that two of her teeth were missing, and her own mouth twitched. "Not that that's a BAD thing!" She fell over in the water, and started wading around on her hands, her legs floating behind her.
"True," Thomas said. "At this rate you'll end up having all sorts of really great visions. Ah!!" He squirmed when she pinched his arm. "Cripes! Just joking!!"
"Ha ha," Charmian retorted, letting him go. "I've already had MORE than enough! The next manitou who comes up to me, I'm decking him. Except for you," she said to Mani when he passed by, and he whistled. The others started gathering up wood for a fire, setting down their belongings and chattering. "The NEXT one who passes," she vowed, and yawned.
"Well, in that case," Thomas said, "I'm going to try to help them out with that fire. I get this sneaking feeling it's going to be getting pretty cold soon." He got up and waved a little, then headed back toward the others. Charmian waited until he was gone before rubbing at her neck again, letting out a sigh; maybe she'd been sitting the wrong way, but it felt stiff and painful now, and her toe wouldn't stop throbbing. She felt a little queasy as well, and wondered if she'd eaten something bad. She heard a splishing sound and only then remembered that Winter Born was still in the water nearby; the girl lifted her head and gave her a concerned look, then waded toward her, still on her hands.
"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked.
Charmian nodded again, though doing so made her wince. Winter Born stood up with a splash and made her way up the bank. "I'll go get Stick," she offered. "Maybe he can help?" She turned and trotted off among the trees while Charmian sat at the water's edge and stared down into it. Her reflection was blurred by the motion of the stream; she looked at it, but couldn't make out any details, like spirit stones or...spirit trees.
What could that have meant? Either the Red Swan or Tal Natha sent it...but what would it mean? And why would they send it now...?
And why do I feel so strange...?
Soft steps came, and Stick-In-The-Dirt sat down beside her. He tilted his head forward to peer into her face, brow furrowing; she twitched a little when he even pressed a palm against her forehead, like a worried mother taking her child's temperature.
"Winter Born said you aren't feeling well," he said.
She shrugged a little. "I don't know. We have been kind of wandering around a lot, in rain and stuff, and I didn't even bring my galoshes. Moccasins for really wet weather," she clarified, when he gave her an odd look. He fiddled with the bird bones around his neck, but thankfully didn't put one against her, and she sighed and leaned over to lie down on her side. "I think I'm worrying too much," she said. "Or not enough."
"I suppose this can happen," he agreed somewhat tentatively. There was a pause. "Perhaps I can sit here for a while?"
She nodded and shut her eyes, her hands cushioning her head. "I don't mind." She heard him settle himself, and for a while listened to the soft splashing of the stream. Even the voyageurs and others in the emerging camp seemed faraway by now, and whenever she opened her eyes a slit to look across the stream, all that she saw was a blend of brown and green and gray. She shut them again.
"I had a strange dream," she murmured after a while. "On the way here, before the Lynxes showed up again."
She heard him shift a little. "Another of this Red Swan woman...?" he asked, and she shrugged one shoulder a bit.
"I'm not sure. I'm not even sure what it was telling me...but I feel it was important." She paused for a moment or so. "I'm starting to get this feeling...that there's somebody I can't trust," she said softly, unsure of how she knew, but knowing that it was so; she recognized it now, the feeling of unease settling inside her--it was distrust, and suspicion, though of what, she had no clue. "But I don't know why." She tried to get more comfortable. "I'm not even sure if I should listen to it or not," she said. "I thought I could trust everybody here...but what if I'm wrong? Or what if it's wrong? What if I end up trusting or distrusting the wrong person? Should I even give this any thought?"
"Perhaps Moon Wolf would be able to answer better," Stick-In-The-Dirt said.
She shook her head as he started to get up. "No...I like Moon Wolf...and I trust him...but you were the first one I met on the Island," she murmured. "You were the first one who showed me around...and you took me into your house and everything." She opened her eyes, seeing brown and green and gray. "Do you have any idea?"
There was a long silence, but for the noises of the stream and the camp being prepared. Just when she thought that perhaps he'd left her after all, she heard Stick-In-The-Dirt say, "The only thing you can do is listen to your spirit, and do what it says."
"My spirit...?" Charmian echoed with a small yawn.
She heard rather than saw him nod. "Even more than a dream or somebody's advice this is the one thing you can trust."
"But my spirit nearly went bad before. How do you trust something like that?"
Another long silence. "You either do, or you don't," he said at last. "This is why they call it trust."
Charmian stared at the flowing stream. After a while she let her eyes drift shut, and managed to sleep without incident for once.
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