Part 68: Singalong Charmian

Main story folder & table of contents: "Escape From Manitou Island" 
Previous chapter: "Part 67: Shake, Rattle, & Roll" 

PART SIXTY-EIGHT:
Singalong Charmian

THE RIVERBOTTOM WASN'T flat and solid as most ignorant people would assume a riverbottom to be. It was oddly rippled and grooved and rutted, and the further down that X'aaru went, the more curious he grew, until he was swimming along and examining the submerged bank with great interest. He located what looked to be a tunnel, and pointed it out to Mishupishu excitedly. The Lynx seemed just as excited, and they both swam into it, the glow from Mishupishu's spines lighting the way just enough for them to see their surroundings. When X'aaru found the broken rotted section of a tree far in the tunnel, he paused to point it out, and the two of them nodded as if they'd just made a magnificent discovery. Further along, Mishupishu nosed at some strange glowing sluglike things clinging to the wall, and they nodded again. After a while in silence X'aaru peered at the Lynx, one ear cocking a little.

Can you speak like this...?

Mishupishu peered back at him and nodded. So you can too...?

X'aaru nodded. Mm-hm. There was a brief pause. So...is Mishupishu really your name...?

Oh no, definitely not, Mishupishu said. We don't have names like all of you do...we all just call each other Mishupishu.

Doesn't that get confusing? X'aaru asked.

Mishupishu shrugged a bit. Not really...is "X'aaru" really your name--?

X'aaru blushed a little. No...not really...my real name is Xrr'grra'nghraghu...but humans find that hard to pronounce.

Really? Mishupishu said with surprise. He let out a snorting noise and bubbles escaped his nose. How odd! It's such a simple name, actually!

I know! X'aaru nodded. I guess their tongues just aren't the same.

I do suppose. Mishupishu rolled over as he swam and turned his head back to look X'aaru over. What are you, exactly...?

Oh. I'm an Ocryx, X'aaru replied. I only know of three real Ocryxes, he admitted. I'm only three-quarters Ocryx...but my half-brother is full Ocryx...we don't talk much.

Why not? Mishupishu asked.

X'aaru lowered his head a little. Well...Ocryxes don't tend to get along too well.

This is just how it is with Mishupishus, Mishupishu said.

Really? X'aaru rolled over to swim on his back as well. Why is that?

I'm not sure, the Lynx said. That's just always the way it's been. We usually keep to ourselves. Whenever Mishupishus get together, they usually fight over every little thing. He lowered his head a little, which was odd, as he was upside-down. Though whenever I happened to be among them, they would turn on me first of all...

I'm sorry, X'aaru said sincerely. I'm afraid to go near the other Ocryxes because they're all more powerful than I am, so I just stay in my cave most of the time. They both rolled back over. And so why are all the Mishupishus gathering together now? he asked. If it's so strange for them to do so?

I don't know much of what's going on, Mishupishu admitted. I only heard things from passing Nebanaubae. Only a very powerful manitou could convince Lynxes to work together!

He must be quite frightening, X'aaru said. He paddled along with his tail. Why didn't you decide to go along with them?

Well... Mishupishu wriggled his whiskers. I don't want to go around destroying islands, he admitted meekly. I mean, it doesn't seem like a nice thing to do...I know how much I would hate it if somebody were to come and destroy my lake...so when they all started gathering, I just hid down in the bottom of the water and waited till it was over...I was kind of relieved that they all left, but then again, what they were leaving to do... He sighed, again snorting bubbles.

I think I understand, X'aaru said sympathetically. He swam up and around Mishupishu's long body. You know, I think it was even braver to hide and wait for them to leave, and not go along with them all, than it would've been to go with them!

Mishupishu peered up at him a bit hopefully. You think...? Really?

X'aaru nodded. Definitely!

The Lynx lifted his head and rolled over. You know...maybe that's right! I mean, they ARE pretty testy when you go against them...and that manitou is truly frightening...that fellow who serves him, too...

X'aaru blinked, then looked straight at him, nearly stopping before remembering that they were underwater. He started swimming backwards so they could look at each other. Fellow--? You do mean the manitou, right--?

Mishupishu shook his head. There's ANOTHER one. When the demon cocked his head he chewed on his lip. I...I never said anything about it to any of you, because you all seem so set on going there to meet with this manitou...I figured you would find out eventually...and I didn't want to say too much, because loose Lynxes sink canoes...

Who is it you're speaking of? X'aaru asked. You mean there's ANOTHER person to look out for?

The Lynx nodded. I'm certain he's nowhere NEAR as powerful as this manitou you're all seeking! he said. But still powerful...I heard from the Nebanaubae that he is actually the one who started calling the Lynxes all together, because they live near his island...

Island--? X'aaru said, when he blinked, noticing a change in the current. He turned to peer around at the tunnel, then slowed down. Hey! I notice something different here. They both edged closer and discovered that the tunnel forked, one continuing ahead, one going up. X'aaru sniffed a little before looking at Mishupishu. Hm...I think maybe we're going kind of far. Charmian did say to wait in the river...but it smells kind of like dry land here.

Perhaps there's an opening! Mishupishu exclaimed, and poked his nose at the soil. Why don't you go up and see?

I'm supposed to keep you company, X'aaru protested. Do you want me to leave...?

Of--of course not! Mishupishu shook his head adamantly. It's just...well...you're all going to SO much trouble, and I feel like I'm dragging you all down...surely there's a riverway I can use to find my way back west...I did get this far...

You're not dragging us down! X'aaru insisted. He floated upwards and poked at the wall with a paw. Maybe we can wait here? Surely it's not too far away...I mean, it must be closer than the river is, to wherever they went...right? He started pawing at the dirt, a few pieces of it floating down and disappearing from sight. We can just wait right here, and Charmian'll call us when she's ready.

But what if those Weaver folks don't want to help? Mishupishu asked. There aren't too many others who are quite fond of helping Underwater Lynxes...

You're not like those other Lynxes, X'aaru insisted, looking back at him. Surely they'll understand! Charmian can vouch for you, and so can I.

Mishupishu's eyes widened a little. You...you would do that?

The demon nodded. Of course! Why wouldn't I--?

He cut himself off with a bubbled yelp, and the two of them hurriedly backed away, when something long and hairy suddenly stuck out of the tunnel ceiling, wiggled, and then vanished from view. They blinked in wide-eyed surprise and started drifting closer; then it appeared again, wiggled a little more, and then a tiny bit of faint light, similar to that coming from the Lynx's spines, appeared above.

X'aaru furrowed his brow. Is that...

The little hole started widening, and they felt a slight current as water started flowing up through it. X'aaru looked at Mishupishu. I'll...I'll go up and see what it is! he said, not feeling nearly as brave as he tried to make his voice sound. He faced the growing hole and drifted toward it.

Good luck! Mishupishu exclaimed, also sounding sincere. I would never be able to do that!

The demon's breast puffed up a little, and he swam up to the hole and stuck his nose in just in time to get hit by the long hairy thing. He let out a yelp and drew back, Mishupishu letting out a little burst of bubbles; the hairy thing withdrew, and suddenly what looked to be half a dozen tiny dark eyes were staring down at them. They both yelped this time and darted back.

MONSTER! Mishupishu yelled.

X'aaru was ready to echo the same, then he blinked. The thing above the hole had to back away slightly, as water was now pouring into the hole, but he managed to catch another glimpse of it. It waved its long hairy leg at him and he glanced at the Lynx in surprise.

I think...maybe that's a Weaver!

How can you tell? Mishupishu asked.

Well... X'aaru peered up at it again. It looks like a really big spider...and...don't spiders weave webs? Or spin them...or something? He looked confused.

I think it's waving at us! Mishupishu said, and started waving his whiskers. Ahneen, Spider!

Boozhoo! X'aaru exclaimed, also waving at it. Giant Spider!

The large spider waved again, then started gesturing. X'aaru squinted, as it was hard to make out through the flowing water; he glanced at Mishupishu once more.

I think it's telling us to come up! he said excitedly.

But the hole is so small, Mishupishu sighed. And if I pass through, I might end up drowning you both!

I can get by all right, X'aaru said. But I'm not sure about the spider...I'll tell you what! I'll go through first, and let the spider know how big you are, and then we can make the hole bigger and you can come up! How does that sound?

All right! Mishupishu agreed.

X'aaru returned his attention to the hole and patiently waited as the spider widened it even further, then gestured him to come through. He slipped up through it and splashed out the other side with a sputter, letting out a great breath and taking one in; it was true that he could hold his breath underwater almost indefinitely, but still, he'd never liked doing it much. He managed to drag himself to his feet and started to shake himself off, but stopped just in time, noticing the spider still waiting nearby; he lowered his sopping wings meekly. "Um...would you mind terribly if I shook myself off a little bit...?" he asked it.

The spider's eyes shifted, then it shook its forelegs, and scuttled back into the tunnel somewhat. It waved at him.

X'aaru sighed. "Thank you!" He shook himself off, spraying the tunnel walls, and even the spider, though it shielded its head with its forelegs. X'aaru stretched his aching tail, then peered down into the hole, from which water still came. He glanced at the Weaver and bit his lip.

"Oh," he said. "There's an Underwater Lynx down here...and we were wondering if you might provide us with a tunnel he can use...?"

Even as he spoke, the spider was bobbing, and it waved at him. He frowned and tried to interpret its gestures. The spider pointed at the hole, held up both front legs close together and then drew them apart, pointed at the water and made wiggling motions away from the hole, pointed further down the tunnel, made violent jerking and stabbing motions with its forelegs, then held them up far apart from each other and drew them near. Then it pointed back at the hole, and put its legs up to the sides of its head, and pointed once more down the tunnel.

"Oh!" X'aaru exclaimed, and turned to the Lynx with a smile. "He says that they can widen the hole, and you can swim right up through it. Further down another tunnel are Charmian and the others. We can take a shortcut through. You'll be allowed right through without any trouble."

"Whew!" Mishupishu said; his muzzle was protruding from the hole. "That's a relief! I'm glad we came this way after all!"

"The tunnel we take might be a bit longer since they have to flood one of the existing tunnels," X'aaru explained, as the spider moved forward and began poking around at the hole. "But we should catch up with them in no time!"

"Wonderful!" Mishupishu exclaimed; he waited patiently as the Weaver poked away more mud, and the floor of the tunnel began to crumble away. The spider and the demon hurried ahead into the tunnel as Mishupishu slithered partway out--but only a little bit, as the tunnel was so short. "I hope I don't ruin the rest of their tunnels!" he said worriedly. "I would hate causing any trouble..."

"He says he'll point us out to the exact tunnel to take," X'aaru said, watching the spider. "And then he'll go and let Charmian know! They've picked a tunnel where they've blocked off all the side tunnels, so it shouldn't hurt anything else. The others are already putting some of their webs in it so it should take us right through to Gitchi-Gami!"

"Hooray!" Mishupishu cried.

The Weaver moved further ahead, waved a bit more, and then vanished from sight. X'aaru looked back at the Lynx with a smile.

"He says come along now!"

"Right behind you!" Mishupishu replied, and the tunnel began to quickly fill up with water as he slithered out of the crumbling floor.

* * * * *

Charmian had to keep herself from dozing off, the meeting in the other section of tunnel seemed to take so long. True to Moon Wolf's warning, the teaching of Mide songs seemed to go on forever, Stick-In-The-Dirt and the lead Weaver alternating between waving their arms and shaking the turtle-shell rattle, then scribbling in his journal or on the floor. Charmian felt kind of guilty peering in at them, unsure if she should watch, but Moon Wolf made no move to stop her and Thomas, Winter Born, and Marten from peeking. They stared at the gestures curiously but couldn't make heads or tails of them.

Charmian sat back with a frustrated sigh and rubbed at her eyes. "How many songs did you have, Moon Wolf?" she asked, out of sheer boredom.

"Depending upon how long one has been among the Midewiwin, and how many rites he has been through, and how many songs he has dreamed or bought from others, one could end up with dozens of them," Moon Wolf said. "I had forty-one songs myself."

Charmian groaned and ran her hands down her face. "I wonder how many he has?" Marten said in awe, peeping in at Stick-In-The-Dirt as he wrote something in the journal with a piece of charcoal that Francois had provided him with.

"I don't even want to think about it," Charmian sighed. "How many songs could that spider possibly want? I would figure a giant spider would know more about this than anyone..."

"I hope I can learn even HALF that many songs someday!" Winter Born murmured, on hands and knees closest to the entrance; she stared into the room without any hesitation whatsoever.

"Aren't we...I don't know...eavesdropping?" Thomas asked under his breath. "I thought things like this were meant to be kept secret..."

"In all the time they've been in there," Moon Wolf said, "have you understood a single thing they've been saying to each other?"

The other four glanced at each other, then into the opening, then back at Moon Wolf, and shook their heads. He folded his arms and gave them a look.

"Then does that answer your question? The Midewiwin's secrets lie in how open it is. If you haven't been properly instructed, it all looks like a bunch of nonsense to you."

Charmian chewed on her lip. "Sounds like reverse psychology to me." She sat back again and pulled Marten back with her by the tail. "In any case...I don't think any of us are ever going to be let in on that, except maybe for Winter Born someday, so maybe we should just wait till they're done. What exactly do you do with all those songs?" she asked Moon Wolf.

"Use them in rites for curing, prophesying, and addressing the manitous," Moon Wolf said. He frowned. "What do you do with songs where you come from?"

Charmian blushed a little. "Well...mostly just sing and dance to them...and watch their videos on TV." She received a blank stare from everyone else in the tunnel. "Get Glooskap to tell you!" she snapped at Marten, just because he was nearest.

"How many songs do you know?" Winter Born asked, moving away from the crumbled section of wall.

Charmian tried not to make a face. "I--I don't know! I've never kept track! Um..." She started trying to figure it out. "Cripes...not counting Christmas carols...I have no clue. Maybe a couple hundred."

Winter Born's mouth fell open. Charmian glanced back at Moon Wolf and even he was gawking at her. "They're just SONGS!" she hastened to cry. "You know! Sing, dance, watch MTV?! They don't summon MANITOUS or anything!!"

"Can you sing one?" Winter Born begged. "Please please please?"

"Yeah, Charmian," Thomas said, "go ahead and sing one! Share the love."

Charmian scowled and squeezed Marten's tail so the Mikumwesu grimaced. "I'm hardly going to start singing just to AMUSE you!"

"Singing's not so silly!" Winter Born exclaimed. "Monsieur Francois was singing when we were in the canoes!"

"That's different! That's a chantey and I hardly know any CHANTEYS!"

"Pleeeeeeeeeease?" Winter Born wheedled.

"Fine!" Charmian snapped, just to shut them up. She gnawed on her lip as she thought. "It's not the best in the world!" she warned. "I'm hardly going to go singing anything by the Backstreet Boys or Shania Twain and get myself in copyright trouble!" When that resulted in nothing but blank stares she scowled again. "Do...your...ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro, can you tie them in a knot, can you tie them in a bow, can you throw them over your shoulder like a Continental soldier, do your ears...hang...low!" she belted out, then started scowling anew when Winter Born and Marten started clapping and laughing, everyone else either smirking or looking at her as if she'd gone mad.

"Another one! Another one!" Marten and Winter Born cried.

Charmian let out a gusty sigh, feeling utterly idiotic. Why couldn't they have ever taught us any GOOD songs on the playground...? she moaned to herself, but started singing again nonetheless. "Once an Austrian was yodeling on a mountaintop high, and he met there a cuckoo bird interrupting his cry. Saaaaaaay...oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh!"

The other two started cheering. "More! More!"

Charmian ran her hands down her face again. "Once an Austrian was yodeling on a mountaintop high, and he met there a mallard duck interrupting his cry. Saaaaaaay...oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO quack quack! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO quack quack! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO quack quack! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh!"

By now the others were starting to lean toward her, either sniggering or clapping and laughing. "Is there more? Sing more!" Marten and Peepaukawiss exclaimed. Only Augwak seemed unaffected, sitting in the corner sulking to himself. Charmian wanted to bite her tongue off now for ever bringing up the subject, but they were starting to clamor so loudly that Stick-In-The-Dirt and the Weaver were peering into the tunnel, so she kept it up just to keep them quieter, not that it seemed to be helping much.

"Once an Austrian was yodeling on a mountaintop high, and he met there a grizzly bear interrupting his cry. Saaaaaaay...oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO quack quack grrr! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO quack quack grrr! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO quack quack grrr! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh! Once an Austrian was yodeling on a mountaintop high, and he met there a Saint Bernard interrupting his cry. Saaaaaaay...oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO quack quack grrr pant pant! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO quack quack grrr pant pant! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO quack quack grrr pant pant! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh!"

She nearly forgot the next verse when she heard Moon Wolf start to laugh. She blinked and stumbled over the words, glancing at him in surprise, at first thinking she must not have heard right; but there he was, still sitting against the wall and laughing as if her song was the most hilarious thing in the world. She couldn't believe it. She'd never seen him laugh like that before.

She peered back at the others and saw how amused they all were--even Singing Cedars and Niskigwun were snickering, and Manabozho had to cover his mouth. Mani was whistling and Pakwa was letting out hissy noises like Ernie on Sesame Street. For the briefest moment she felt her ears grow warm as humiliation began to seep up inside her, until she realized that they weren't laughing at her. As soon as she heard what she was singing, she had to admit it was beyond stupid--she hadn't sung this song since sixth grade--and it was rather funny. As soon as she spotted Augwak again, still sulking but now leaning a teeny bit to the side as if to listen in, she resolved herself to finish the song, no matter how ridiculous the situation was.

She was on the final verse--"Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh-lee-ah-CUCKOO quack quack grrr pant pant moo moo catcall BANG! Aaaggghh! Oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah oh!"--and most of them had by then caught on and were singing along when Stick-In-The-Dirt finally ventured out of the opposite room, only for everybody to erupt in cheers and clapping when the song ended. Charmian blushed terribly but decided not to take the laughter personally as she got to her feet and meekly made her way over to him, Marten and Winter Born and Puka starting up the song again on their own. She rubbed at her neck and gave him what she was sure was her stupidest smile.

"You have some songs of your own?" Stick-In-The-Dirt asked with what seemed to be genuine interest. "There's some sort of medicine in this 'oh-lee-ah-coo-kee-lah'...?"

Charmian winced. "Not really...it's a long story. Did you and the Weaver...um...trade everything you needed?"

His face lit up and he patted his journal. "You would not believe the songs a spider knows! She taught me six of them! Six songs I'm certain no other Mide on the Island could have! Sometime I'll really have to go down to that cave and speak with the Weavers there to see what they might know!" He let out a gusty sigh. "If only I'd known what spiders know..."

"She got everything she wanted--?"

"Oh, yes. I taught her all my big songs. She's never heard them before; she was quite interested in them." He beamed and Charmian felt a little better to see how proud he looked. "I actually taught her something new! I hope they come in useful." His pride deflated a little and he chewed on his lip a bit.

"I'm sure she wouldn't have asked for them if she couldn't use them," Charmian said, and he brightened again. "So is everything settled? They have a tunnel for us--?"

"Oh." He blushed now, as if he'd completely forgotten, and shoved the journal back in his pouch. "Yes--of course. She said that she sent one of the others to locate X'aaru and the Lynx, and they'll flood a tunnel just for them. And she'll show us now to a tunnel that will take us as near to Gitchi-Gami as possible from here."

"Great!" Charmian sighed with relief. "Some GOOD news for once!" She turned to wave at the others and they started getting to their feet, stretching sore arms and legs. "C'mon everybody. Gitchi-Gami's waiting."

"Yea!" Winter Born exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "I get to see the big water!"

The Weaver came into the tunnel and waved, then went back into the room she'd come from. The others followed silently, the spider waving briefly at every other Weaver that they passed.

"She's pretty friendly for a brown recluse," Thomas had to admit.

"Is this going to take very long at all...?" a feeble voice asked; Charmian glanced back to see that it came from Augwak, who was following on all fours, the same as Pakwa; he looked more haggard and worn than she'd ever seen him, and she felt a twinge of pity. "I haven't eaten in so long..."

She pursed her lips. "Not my fault that you won't eat something normal!" She turned to Stick-In-The-Dirt. "Do you have any idea how long...?"

Stick-In-The-Dirt started making odd gestures with his hands, and she frowned, trying to figure out what sort of measurements he must be making. She noticed then that he wasn't even looking at her, but at the spider. Her confused frown grew when the spider made some sort of gesture in return. "Um...Stick...?" she murmured. "What're you doing...?"

He glanced at her. "Asking about the tunnel."

This time she watched more carefully as the two of them gestured, and furrowed her brow slowly. "Sign language," she murmured after a while, with some surprise. "You guys know sign language?"

He gave her a questioning look. "That's what that's called where I come from!" Charmian exclaimed. "Of course, ours is different...but it looks similar..."

"I have to admit I was surprised to figure it out myself," Stick-In-The-Dirt replied. "But apparently they've known it all along! I've never had any reason to use what I know of it...because on the Island, we all talk the same...but it appears to come in useful here." He dropped his hands. "She says the tunnel walk should take about an hour or so. It takes us far northwest." He lifted his head, and pointed. "I believe this is it right here!"

"And X'aaru and Mishu are going to be following a different way...?" Winter Born asked somewhat anxiously.

Stick-In-The-Dirt nodded. "The Weavers will pick a good tunnel...everyone should be safe."

Charmian nodded, and patted Winter Born on the head when the little girl chewed on her lip. Winter Born glanced up at her in surprise, then gave a small smile. The big Weaver leading the way, they set foot in the tunnel and started on the long way northwest.

Continue:

Part 69: On Edge  (13+) Megissogwun sees something he shouldn't, and the Weaver tunnel proves troublesome... #1529671 by Tehuti, Lord Of The Eight

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