Into The Silent Land
THE SNOW LAY trampled into a rutted mess around the Arch rising out of the bluff. Niskigwun stood before it and stared at it disconsolately, his wings flicking. His eyes blurred.
I've done it again! The ONE place I am to watch--my duties--everything gone! If anything happens because of me--
If she is hurt...
He shook his head and let out a sharp breath, unable to believe himself. Here he was, dawdling, when he was needed elsewhere--? Without a second thought he plunged through the Arch and vanished from the Island.
Charmian barely managed to keep her balance the entire way along the East Bluff, Moon Wolf and Marten right behind her. The snow was still thick and clingy and it was almost like trying to run through water. After what felt like forever, she caught sight of tracks leading the way down the slope, and her heart nearly stopped in her chest.
That must be them! They DID go this way!
She bit her lip and jumped, skimming her way down the bluff. Shouted halloos told her that Manabozho's brothers must be following at some distance. She didn't stop to wait for them, just raced until the craggy, snowy top of the Fairy Arch came into view. She held out her arms and struggled to slow to a stop as she approached it, gasping for breath. She looked at the scattered tracks around it and stooped down to pick something up from the snow. Moon Wolf caught up, also panting, and Charmian held up a long feather which ruffled in the breeze.
"He was here," she said, needlessly. "He went through."
Moon Wolf looked at the Arch as Marten hopped atop his shoulder, tail flicking. "This grudge is against Manabozho," Moon Wolf said with a frown. "He seems to detest this place--so why would we be led here? What is the purpose?"
"I don't know. Maybe he has something against Geezhigo-Quae, too. Or maybe he just..." She trailed off, shrugging in frustration. "I really don't know! That's what's driving me nuts!" They lifted their heads to see Wabasso and Peepaukawiss coming down the bluff, Mudjikawiss not far behind them and Manabozho taking up the rear. He dashed his way past his oldest brother, pushing him aside as he went, and nearly bowling over Puka to tumble head over heels into the snow beside Wabasso. He shot to his feet immediately, though the others gave him looks ranging from surprise to barely concealed rage.
"We have to go through," Charmian said, and took a breath. "I know you don't like it there, but it's really important, and if we do end up facing Chakenapok I'm going to need all of--"
"Get out of my way!" Manabozho snapped, and nudged her aside to jump through the Arch. Puka and Mudjikawiss both gawked, then wrestled their way forward, the bigger man at last smushing Puka down into the snow and forcing his way through. Puka pushed himself up, sputtering out snow and bristling in indignation before following. Charmian blinked as they vanished through the opening, then looked back at Wabasso.
Wabasso flushed and fiddled with his rabbit necklace. "They...tend to...well..."
"Oh." Charmian nodded. "I get it...competition. Right." She stepped up to the Arch. "Sometimes I'm glad I never had any siblings." She disappeared.
Moon Wolf glanced at Wabasso, then grasped onto Marten and jumped through. Wabasso started to follow before halting, one foot on the edge of the rock, and the back of his neck prickled. He glanced around himself but nothing was there.
On a whim, he looked skyward, into the trees, but there was nothing there but more snow. Yet he didn't like the way that it loomed overhead, and the ice cracking on the lake far below made him feel tense as well.
He stared at the scene for a moment, then tried to shake the feeling off. Gathering his skins around himself, he crept up and through the Fairy Arch, and out of sight.
Charmian let out a yell and lost her balance, plummeting down the slope leading from the gateway into the Fairy Realm. Peepaukawiss just barely managed to snatch at her as she went by, though he just ended up tumbling along with her. She came to a halt only when she ran headfirst into Mudjikawiss's leg, and sat upright with a grimace and rubbed at her head. She had to blink a few times, looking around herself in confusion. The others followed suit.
Mudjikawiss said what they were all thinking. "This does not look like the place we last came from."
Charmian let Puka help her up, and they all stared at the eerie landscape of white stretching out before them. "It doesn't," she murmured after a moment. Her eyes widened and she sucked in a breath. "The Wendigoes! This means they're here!" For the entire field stretching away from them was covered in snow, and a further glance showed that the trees were topped with it as well. She squinted her eyes and could make out the Sky Tree in the distance. It was hard to tell, as its leaves were already white, but it must be covered with the substance also. She bit her lip and hoped that it could handle it better than the Crooked Tree had.
Moon Wolf and Marten came stumbling down the slope, the medicine man landing on hands and knees at the bottom; a moment later Wabasso appeared, doing a messy somersault. Charmian pointed at the tracks leading away from the gateway. "Somebody went that way," she said, feeling useless that she couldn't determine more.
Manabozho peered down at the tracks. He yelped when Mudjikawiss shoved him aside and bent over them. He stood up and scowled at Charmian, making her shrink back.
"Weakling tracks. That fairy friend of yours went that way."
"Niskigwun--?" Charmian stared in the direction of the tracks; they looked to be headed for the Sky Tree. She bit her lip again.
That's right. He would check on Geezhigo-Quae first off. That should be where we go, too...
"Come on," she said, and started tramping through the snow. The others followed in silence. The snow hadn't had as much time to gather here, and so the going wasn't nearly as difficult as it had been on the Island, though it was just as cold. It seemed like ages before they reached the base of the gigantic Tree, its opalescent leaves shifting in the wind; Charmian shuddered at the chill and shifted from foot to foot as she stared upwards. She looked back at the others.
"I don't know how to get up there! Pakwa and Niskigwun aren't with us!"
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she let out a small gasp and hopped back. Long spiraling tendrils had descended from the leaves, winding their way down from the branches and coming to a slow stop just feet from the ground. Charmian stared at them in confusion before realizing that they looked much like the vines used to create the walkways and bridges up in the treetop. There were only two of them here, and she peered at the others with her, uncertain what to do.
Wabasso and Moon Wolf both made shooing motions.
Charmian hesitated, but then did as she was told. She grasped hold of one of the vines and tried to climb it, only for it to wrap itself around her and lift her up into the air, like the vines in the Crooked Tree. She let out a yelp of surprise as it carried her up into the branches.
Puka poked his hand at the other vine, but Manabozho slapped him away and leapt upon it himself. A second later he was ascending into the Tree just as Charmian had. The other five stared upwards with furrowed brows, and Puka made a scoffing noise.
"If he's so impatient to get up there, he could've just flown!" he huffed, and spread out his arms. Wabasso reached out to push one down. He ignored the questioning look his brother gave him, slowly shaking his head instead. He stared at the shifting leaves.
"Two," he said, simply; "Charmian, and 'Bozho. We can wait here. Until they are done."
Puka frowned, and stuck out his lip, then sighed and crossed his arms. The others stared at Wabasso for a moment or two, then back up into the Tree. Its shifting colors made it look almost like it planned to talk at any moment, yet it remained cold and silent.
The vines ascended among the blue branches, Charmian casting glances around herself as she went. The walkways and ladders were curiously devoid of activity, and the sight of the inner area of the Tree, now so still and empty, made her shiver. The vine at last stopped rising, moving slightly to the side and carefully depositing her upon one of the wider branches; she made sure to catch her balance before letting go, as the wood was slightly slippery. Manabozho came up a second after, jumping onto the branch and putting out his arms to keep from falling; Charmian strode toward the doorway set into the trunk, still looking around herself.
"It's too quiet around here," she murmured as she went. "I don't like this. Where would they all go?"
"Nobody gets along with Wendigoes," Manabozho muttered, rubbing his arms. "Especially not Michinimakinong. They've been enemies longer than anyone. Chances are they went into hiding."
"Not all of them," Charmian said, almost to herself; he didn't seem to notice. The doorway opened as soon as she pressed her hand to it, and they slipped inside, shivering at the warmth which enveloped them. "Well...at least the inside is okay, so far." She started walking. "I hope I remember the way."
"Just keep walking toward the middle," he said, at which she rolled her eyes but didn't reply. The hallways grew familiar--it was far too easy to become lost in such a place, yet she recognized tiny signs that this was the same hall they had passed through before--and she turned in the direction of the main room with the hollowed-out floor. Her pace slowed the closer she got, and she wondered why, until she realized that she didn't really want to see what shape Geezhigo-Quae might be in. She chewed her lip and fiddled with her necklace.
If she's hurt...then it's my fault! For not thinking of coming here in time...for setting Singing Cedars free...for even coming here in the first place...
What will Niskigwun think...?
They reached the entrance to the grand room, and she halted. She stayed frozen for so long that Manabozho at last pushed on her shoulder, and she stumbled forward, the door opening before her so that she had to keep herself from tripping over the threshold. She squinched her eyes shut but nearly ended up tumbling down into the hollow of the floor, so she opened them before she could lose her balance. The room looked the same as it had before.
And Geezhigo-Quae still stood near the wide balcony area, looking out over the land, so she let out her breath in immense relief and slumped to the floor. Niskigwun, kneeling at the right side of the room and facing Geezhigo-Quae, turned his head to look at her, his eyes wide and his face pale. She met his eyes and wanted to ask him what was wrong when Geezhigo-Quae turned around.
Charmian took in a breath, her own eyes growing. Geezhigo-Quae looked much the same as well, except her face had also taken on a deathly pallor, her wings drooping and the blue fire in her eyes dimmed and cloudy. She leaned on a stick to keep her balance, and suddenly seemed much older even than she had seemed before. Immediately Charmian shot to her feet, crossing the room in an instant.
"What happened?" she cried.
"The Tree," Niskigwun said in a strained voice; Charmian glanced at him in confusion, but Geezhigo-Quae spoke, gaining her attention.
"Michinimakinong," she said, her voice so thin and weak that it made Charmian's insides twist, "and Wendigoes...were not meant to live together. They are too unalike. This is one reason...Gitchi Manitou took away their powers when they were reborn. So they would not kill us as they threatened to do before. We were weakened because of them."
"That's what's happening?" Charmian exclaimed, brow furrowing. "They're sucking all the power out of this place--?"
"The Sky Tree was not meant to withstand this," Geezhigo-Quae said softly, and Charmian thought that she noticed the glowing leaves dim just slightly, outside the balcony. "As it grows weaker then so too shall I."
"Weaker--?" Charmian's heart thudded. "The Tree--! You're its manitou!" She clenched her fists. "We'll take care of them, I promise! We'll fight off Chakenapok and then he'll never be able to do this again! I won't let the Tree or you die!"
"Chakenapok does not dwell here," Geezhigo-Quae said in the same soft voice, which just made Charmian feel all the worse; her voice was supposed to be forceful, commanding! "You cannot reach him through the Fairy Realm."
"We'll fight the Wendigoes off first," Charmian promised. "And we'll get the spirit stones back, and destroy them! Then we'll go after Chakenapok!" She waved at Manabozho, who stood behind her. "All four of them are here--Glooskap said we can do it! I promise we'll do everything we can!"
"You saw what they did to the camp," Niskigwun said, his voice cracking. "The longer they have those spirit stones the stronger and more like the Wendigoes they will become! This is not one person you face--it's many!"
Charmian clenched her fists. "I don't care how many it is. Now that we're all here, we can do it!" She turned to Manabozho. "Right?"
Manabozho blinked at her, caught offguard, then lowered his head a little, feathers sinking. "Right," Charmian said in his place, and turned back to the others. "Glooskap said it could be done. So I believe him. You told me to visit him yourself, so you know he knows what he's talking about." She turned to the door and started walking, feigning a confidence that she didn't quite feel. "We won't be back until we have those spirit stones. And then we'll go for Chakenapok! Your Tree will be just fine!"
Geezhigo-Quae said nothing in response, though Charmian hoped her words had some little effect. She did notice Niskigwun hurriedly get to his feet and cast her a look before following; Manabozho followed suit and the three of them exited the room, the other two following after Charmian like lost puppies.
Manabozho was silent for a long time before asking, "You really believe all that...? What you said?"
"Right now I have to," Charmian replied, biting her lip. "I don't have anything else to go on." She cast a glance at Niskigwun. "Niskigwun--don't you think you'd be better off keeping an eye on Geezhigo-Quae? She didn't look too good...and you'd be the best person to protect her."
The Michinimakinong flushed and averted his eyes. "Right now," he murmured, "I think I am the worst person to protect her...the Wendigoes will not go after her directly, as she is still more powerful than they are, yet their mere presence in this world weakens her. The best way for me to serve her is to beat them down."
A note of anger entered his voice, so Charmian knew better than to argue. "Welcome aboard," she said, instead, and started looking around for one of the friendly vines. "We have to get back to the others, and then track these guys and find out exactly where they went. I still can't figure out what they want here, if not Geezhigo."
She halted, poking at one of the vines dangling from the leaves, but Niskigwun stopped beside her and gestured at the ground, flaring his wings. She hesitated, wondering if he should even be flying on them, before realizing what a stupid thought that was; he apparently took her reluctance as a sign to go ahead, as he took hold of her by the arms and descended from the branch. She glanced up at Manabozho as they went but he had already changed himself into a brown bird, which fluttered its way downward toward the others still waiting below.
They gathered in a messy circle as they landed, dusting snow from themselves and looking around. "First things first," Charmian said, hating how much she sounded like a coach in the middle of a huddle. "We have to find the Wendigoes, and get their spirit stones back. Only after we take care of that can we go after Chakenapok--and that's what you four are for." She waved at Manabozho and his siblings.
Moon Wolf pointed toward a distant slope covered with trees. "There are tracks going in that direction--a great many of them. It's likely they went that way, since none of the Michinimakinong are about."
Marten hopped up and down. "I can SMELL them! I KNOW they went that way! And not that long ago, either! I can sniff them out, I just know I can!"
Charmian nodded. "You're in the lead, then," she said, at which the Mikumwesu bounded off toward the slope, his tail waving like a banner. The rest of them started trudging through the snow after him, peering tensely at the mess of tracks which marred the white landscape. The sky was an eerie gray and looked as if it wanted to fall on top of them; Charmian shivered on looking at it, and had to lower her eyes.
"So they're not after Geezhigo-Quae," she said aloud, just to break the silence. "Why would Chakenapok bring them here?"
"Something you said," Moon Wolf said. "He wanted us all gathered in the same place. This is the feeling I get from this."
"But why us, and why here? He could've easily finished us on the Island. This move doesn't make any sense."
"Maybe this isn't what he wants to do?" Peepaukawiss suggested. "Maybe he doesn't want to kill us--?" He clasped his hands together. "Please, PLEASE don't let him want to kill us!!"
"Somehow I get the feeling that's not it," Charmian sighed. She shielded her eyes although it wasn't necessary. "How far did they get...? I don't see Marten anymore."
"The tracks are easy enough to follow," Manabozho said. "They weren't exactly interested in being discreet, were they?"
Niskigwun frowned and looked at the ground. "You are right...they made not one effort to disguise their tracks. As if they wanted to be followed."
This made all of them fall silent, and they stared at the wide swath of disturbed snow. Marten came into view again atop a rise, waved, then disappeared over the other side. Charmian slowed a little bit and turned to the others, rubbing at her ear.
"Um...I don't know this place," she admitted, feeling rather stupid. "If we were on the Island, I'd have more of an idea what I'm doing...but here..."
"Oh." Niskigwun flushed, then stepped ahead of her. He gestured forward with his spear. "Beyond this there is a lake...and a river, going off through the forest. Very few people go there. Manitous are supposed to reside under the water."
"Don't they always...?" Charmian murmured, then decided not to bother. They crested the slope and found themselves looking down over a large body of water, its shores coated with snow and ice crusting around its edges. Charmian shivered in her coat while Niskigwun frowned and the others stared. The Michinimakinong rubbed at the feathers on his head.
"It is freezing already," he said, sounding perplexed.
Charmian looked at him. "That's such a surprise--?"
He shook his head. "This lake rarely ever freezes. Not even in the coldest weather." He looked down, then pointed at the hill that they stood upon. "Your tracks go right down to the edge of it."
Charmian looked at them, then frowned a bit in puzzlement and followed them. The others tagged along behind. She reached the shore--or at least, what she had to assume was the shore, since it was all covered in white now--and stooped forward to look at the tracks more closely. They seemed to converge upon the edge of the ice, then turn right, heading toward where she assumed the river must be. A large dark stand of trees loomed off to that side, blocking the river from view.
Marten shifted from foot to foot in the snow; he hopped up and latched onto her arm, and when she didn't throw him off, scurried up to her shoulder, shivering and chattering.
"Brrrr!" he exclaimed, tail puffing. "That stuff's FREEZING! Even I can barely stand it!"
"The spirit stones must be getting stronger," Charmian murmured, examining the tracks. Something about them puzzled her but she couldn't place it. "They're so messy I can't really make them out anymore. But I think they headed to the river."
Niskigwun shook his head again. "But why even go there! They are from your land, are they not? They do not know this place, and have no reason to follow this route." He gestured at the ice. "And why did they all stop here, of all places? And mill about so? Take a look how long they must have stood here."
"He's right," Manabozho suddenly said, hopping down the hill and bending over to look at the tracks. "They were practically walking in circles! If they were trying to get ahead of us then why dilly-dally like that?"
"Well..." Puka rubbed his hands together and chattered. "To get attention, of course! What better way to get attention than to dilly-dally...?" He noticed how they all looked at him, and his feathers sank back. "What? Why are you all looking at me like that--?!"
Charmian's brow furrowed slightly. "For once...I think you just made sense." She reached out to touch a finger to one of the tracks. "They lead right to the shore...stop and--'dilly-dally'...and then head for the river. Like they wanted us to come right here..." She stood up and stretched her foot out toward the ice. Manabozho and Niskigwun both started.
"What are you doing--?" Niskigwun asked.
"Trying to find out what it was they wanted us to notice," Charmian said, and tapped the ice with her foot. She brought her other foot forward and leaned on the first a bit, then gingerly put all her weight on the ice, standing on both feet just inches from the shore. She shifted onto the balls of her feet a few times, testing its strength; when it didn't even make so much as a cracking sound, she took a few hesitant steps forward, checking its thickness each time.
Marten was practically clinging to her head by now. "CAREFUL! It'll BREAK!"
"I don't think so." She bit her lip and bounced again. "Not this near to shore, at least." She peered at the ice and her frown grew. "I don't get it. It just looks like a regular old lake. Why did they want us to come here?"
Puka shifted anxiously from foot to foot. "Walk out a bit further and find out," Mudjikawiss suggested.
"Perhaps it was a trick," Niskigwun said, sounding as nervous as Manabozho and Puka looked.
"A distraction," Moon Wolf added.
"I don't know..." Charmian at last bent over almost double, then stooped down and rubbed her mitt against the ice to clear away the crusted snow. Surprisingly, the ice was almost clear here, and through its milky striations she could see the dark water beneath. "If this is another one of Chakenapok's moves, then I doubt he'd pull the same move twice in a row like that..."
The clouds shifted overhead, and a bit of light glinted on the ice. She frowned when she caught sight of a shadow upon the ice, until she realized that it was her own; then she saw her eyes, and her surprise grew when she saw her own reflection. She tilted her head from side to side and couldn't be sure whether it was cast upon the ice or the lake itself.
"How weird!" She lifted her head and gestured at the others. "I can see my reflection in this stuff! Just like it's a--"
Marten puffed up and leapt from her shoulder, bounding frantically for the shore. As soon as Charmian turned her head back to look at where her reflection had been, it felt like a searing bolt of metal stabbed through her head, and she jerked, all of her muscles going rigid.
Lake--
Wolf--
Dark--
Eyes--
Water--
Reflection--
My dream--!
What--
That was as far as her thoughts were able to go. Black flashed before her eyes, and without even going limp she toppled over onto the ice.
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