Part 98: Fire-Juggler

Main story folder & table of contents: "Return To Manitou Island" 
Previous chapter: "Part 97: My Friend, My Enemy" 

PART NINETY-EIGHT:
Fire-Juggler

CHARMIAN! DO IT!

The searing jolt, fueled by rage and desperation, surged up Charmian's arm, out into her hand, making her fingers glow just as they had when she had struck the Shadow Wolf, when she had struck Moon Wolf, when she had struck Chakenapok. Thomas crouched over her with his own hand poised, ice clustering over his fingers at jagged angles, the fingers of his other hand digging into her shoulder. She couldn't even feel the chill of the snow seeping into her back anymore, couldn't see Moon Wolf or Ocryx or anything else around her...all she could see was Thomas's hateful yellow eyes staring into her own, and feel the fury burning up inside her, flowing up into her hand, ready to fly loose. She spread her fingers and tensed her muscles, preparing herself for the blast that would ram straight through Thomas's chest, and then shut her eyes tight.

Then, after the briefest moment, her muscles relaxed...and the glow in her hand slowly faded away, until her fingers were bitten by the numb of the cold again. She lowered her hand and let it fall. Thomas stared down at her in confusion.

She sensed the same feeling from Moon Wolf, could practically envision him gaping at her in disbelief. "Charmian...?" she heard him say aloud; then, in her head, Charmian--! You have to attack him NOW--!

"No," Charmian said, simply.

When she opened her eyes and tilted them to the side, she saw the medicine man crouching where she had left him, his own eyes wide and bewildered. She peered at him for only a brief moment before looking back up at Thomas. His brow furrowed and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her, yet all she did in response was smile slightly. His grip on her shoulder grew tighter but she ignored the pain.

"Charmian...?" Moon Wolf barely managed to get out.

"I can't do it," Charmian said, and shut her eyes again. Tears leaked out from under her eyelids. "I promised I wouldn't use it again. You told me not to use it again. I made a promise. That means not on anybody. Not even now."

Moon Wolf opened and shut his mouth a few times, then pushed himself up and clenched his fists.

"As if that matters now? You can get him back! You have this power! JUST USE IT!"

Charmian shook her head slowly. "If I use it now," she murmured, "then my promise means absolutely nothing. I can't use it when it suits me. I can't use it at all." She opened her eyes and they fixed on Thomas's again. Her voice dropped to almost a whisper, as if only he were intended to hear.

"People heal their own spirits," she said, and shut her eyes once more. The tears streamed down her face but she kept her slight smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you, Thomas."

She relaxed then, going completely limp. Thomas stared at her for a moment or two more, trying to work through his confusion, before sensing that she'd given up; then his mouth twisted up in an ugly grin and he lifted his hand higher, the ice crystals flashing and growing larger and sharper. He laughed, and the sound was just as ugly as his grin, so much different from the peaceful look upon Charmian's face as little bolts of cold white light flashed around his fingers. They grew bigger, and brighter, and colder, and Thomas's laugh rose into an echoing cackle as he prepared to slam them straight down into Charmian's chest.

Moon Wolf stared at the scene in utter shock, eyes wide and mouth open; he clenched his fists and looked at Charmian, but she didn't even move, didn't even fight. That wasn't like her! Since when did she not fight back--? Of all the times to give up, why did she pick now--?

Thomas's cackle bounced off of all the snowy treetops. Moon Wolf clambered to his feet and looked wildly around himself. Niskigwun was at last starting to feebly push himself up from the ground...but all of his wind arrows were gone, and he didn't look to be in any shape to help. Ocryx still lay unconscious at the edge of the lake...and Chepi, as soon as she saw herself being stared at, gasped and ducked out of sight. His eyes scoured the entire clearing but there was no one else there.

There is no one else. I'm the only one left. There is no one but me.

Moon Wolf's breath caught fast in his throat, and he turned in a frantic circle, hoping to see anything or anyone that might help. He turned back to Thomas and Charmian, and his vision of them blurred when his eyes stung. Thomas crowed gleefully, his fingers sparking, Charmian lying so still as if dead already. Moon Wolf's heart thudded in his ears.

Why does she give up! Why does she not fight him--!

My promise means absolutely nothing...

Moon Wolf sucked in a ragged breath, his eyes widening. He turned his head to look at Devil's Lake, its black waters whipping into a frenzy in the wind which tore around the clearing. The wind stung his eyes, and the tears streamed down his face, but he didn't even notice them.

I made a promise...

My promise means absolutely nothing...

Absolutely nothing...

Moon Wolf's breath came fast and hard, and his vision of the lake suddenly cleared. The quaking, searing, rattling feeling inside him soared up into his throat, threatening to spill out. He saw Niskigwun look up at him with wide eyes, but did not even notice him. He turned his head, seeing Thomas laughing but not hearing him over the roaring in his own ears. Even his vision of Thomas dimmed, and all he could see was Charmian, her eyes shut, surrender on her face. Suddenly, it felt like nothing existed in the entire world, except for him, and except for her. At least in that moment, nothing else in the world mattered anymore.

I made a promise...

Thomas's raucous laughter rose into a shrieking cackle and he stretched his arm up high, all of his teeth bared in a maniacal grin as he brought his hand plunging down at Charmian's chest. The ice crystals glinted like rows of knives. And in a split instant Moon Wolf was running, his feet barely skimming over the snow, his body leaning forward and his own arms crooking out to the side, both hands cupping at the air. His lips curled back and his eyes grew mad with rage, or determination, or something, and a strange strangled noise arose in his throat, the sound drawing Thomas's attention just long enough for him to halt his attack, and turn his head, and stare at the approaching medicine man as he ran. His eyes widened, as if in slow motion.

Moon Wolf's feet flew over the snow. He bared his teeth like some rabid animal, eyes flashing, just as a spark popped to life between his crooked hands--then a flicker of flame--then a searing glowing tongue which lashed at his fingers, and then as if some knob had been turned, a great flare of flames roared to life in his hands, licking at his fingers, dancing over his wrists, engulfing his arms as if he would burn to death. His foot sank in the snow, his knee bending, and he swung his arms forward, all of his muscles screaming as the fireball expanded and then flew loose of his grip, sailing across the expanse left between them, soaring straight toward Thomas.

Thomas's eyes goggled, and then the fireball struck him right in the chest. He let out a cry as he was knocked backwards, clearing Charmian and tumbling head over heels to land in a messy jumble. Charmian's eyes popped open and her head jerked to the side when he lifted his head, grimacing and rubbing at his neck. He gave Moon Wolf a livid hateful glare before clambering back up to his feet, hands clenching.

Moon Wolf didn't even give him a chance to speak. In an instant he was crooking his hands again, and hurling forward another fireball which sailed over Charmian's head so fast that she gasped and ducked into the snow. This one glanced off of Thomas's shoulder, forcing him to one knee; he didn't fall over but it was obvious that the attack hurt him. Then a third fireball hit him in the other shoulder, and a fourth struck him in the arm. Thomas collapsed, cringing, as Moon Wolf unleashed a volley of the fireballs at him in rapid-fire succession.

Charmian rolled over and clutched at the snow, her face white. "Don't!"

Niskigwun and Chepi both watched from their own vantage points, eyes wide with awe. Moon Wolf sailed around the perimeter of the clearing, fire shooting from his hands the entire way; only once he was nearly on top of Thomas did he let up, and Thomas's head whipped up and he let out a hideous snarl. He lifted his hand and flung the ice shards at Moon Wolf; Moon Wolf ducked aside without even having to think, and then his fist slammed into Thomas's face. Thomas let out a pained noise and fell to the ground, shaking his head dizzily; Moon Wolf drew close, then danced back when he swung out at him, and lifted his hand, flames rippling over his fingers.

Charmian pushed herself up. "Stop it! You're hurting him--!!"

Thomas bared his teeth and his eyes flared yellow. "Stupid wabano!" he screamed, and launched himself at the medicine man, ice crusting over his hands as he flung them forward. The silvery shards flew through the air like razors, melting away into droplets of water when Moon Wolf flung fire at them. Thomas gawked for just a second and then let out an inarticulate scream of rage, whipping his arms around him and setting all the trees to groaning and thrashing, the water crashing against the shore in the gale. Chepi, Niskigwun, and Charmian all covered their heads; Thomas's shriek rose higher and higher, and the wind grew ever more like a hurricane, snow whirling through the air in a blizzard. Moon Wolf shielded his eyes until Thomas ran at him, his eyes mad with fury; Moon Wolf lifted his head and watched him come. A second later, a bolt of fire slammed Thomas's head to the side, and his yell abruptly cut off, the wind dying to a whisper as he collapsed again. He managed to push himself upright with a snarl when Moon Wolf held up his hand and aimed it at him, his face set; his fingers glowed, then the glow gathered into his palm and formed into a ball of blue fire. This flared like a heart beating; Thomas's eyes fixed on it, as if mesmerized. Another second later he was screaming again; the blue fireball hit him in the chest, blasting straight into him and engulfing him in azure flames. He lurched and then hunched in on himself, shrieking in obvious pain.

Charmian got to her feet. "STOP IT!" she wailed, tears streaming down her face. "YOU'RE KILLING HIM!"

Moon Wolf didn't respond. He watched impassively as Thomas writhed and screamed, the blue fire lighting up the entire clearing and glinting off of the lake. Niskigwun stared on in silence; after a moment Charmian's crying faded as well, and she looked on with wide eyes. Even with as much as Thomas flailed and tried to shake the fire off of him...it wasn't burning him at all, instead rippling over him like water, or like some strange suit of transparent armor. He fell to his knees, his cry weakening, and hunched over, clutching at his chest; his face screwed up just as the blue fire began to thin, converging around his hands and growing brighter there. His fingers glowed, and then--pop--the fire rippled and vanished, and Thomas let out a wheezing sound and fell over.

The silence that followed was so loud that it rang in their ears. After a moment or so Moon Wolf let out a shaky breath and lowered his hands, sinking to one knee and staying that way, panting heavily.

No one moved at first. Then Charmian's eyes welled up and she sucked in a breath and started jogging awkwardly toward Thomas, falling down beside him and rolling him over. Niskigwun staggered to his feet as well, picking something up from the snow and wincing and limping toward them. Charmian was shaking Thomas's shoulder.

"Thomas?" she whimpered, peeling back his eyelid and then putting her fingers to his neck. "Are you okay? Thomas...?"

Niskigwun came to a shaky halt beside her, panting slightly and rubbing at his shoulder. His eyes fell on something lying in the snow just to Charmian's side, and he leaned down to look at it more closely. Charmian turned her head to look at it as well and saw a little glinting piece of stone, deep purple in color. Before she could say anything Niskigwun had snatched it up in his hand, his fingers clenching around it; she peered up to see him give his hand a dark look, as if insulted by the mere presence of the crystal.

Her brow furrowed. "Is that the..."

Niskigwun nodded shortly, keeping his fingers wrapped around the stone as he started digging in his pouch. "The spirit stone."

"Then...that means..." Charmian turned back to Thomas and nudged at his shoulder. "Thomas? Can you hear me?" Her eyes grew wet. "Thomas? Are you okay?"

Niskigwun knelt beside her and held the heart stone out over Thomas's chest. It started to glow and shift colors before settling on pale blue. He pulled it away and put it back in its pouch.

"His spirit is intact...though he may be unconscious for a while."

Charmian's brow furrowed and she carefully brushed the hair back from Thomas's face. She stared at him for a moment, then gasped and looked up at Niskigwun. "Niskigwun! Are you okay--?"

The Michinimakinong nodded, though he knelt down beside her, making a face and rubbing at his shoulder again. "I will be fine," he muttered. "Though I may think twice before using arrows again."

Charmian let out her breath with relief, then patted at her chest and gasped. She glanced around at the snow but Niskigwun merely held his hand out toward her and she saw the Megis shell and the ice flower, still on their broken cord. She took them from him gratefully, knotting the cord with numb hands and draping it around her neck. They both paused, then turned their heads and looked toward Moon Wolf.

He hadn't moved from where he knelt, panting and staring at Thomas. His eyes looked practically lifeless, the glint from them gone; Charmian chewed on her lip, then got to her feet, grasping hold of Niskigwun's arm as she did so. He winced again as he rose.

"Justin's place," Charmian murmured. "We can go there and get everything taken care of. I know you don't like humans...but it's safe there. And you need help too."

Niskigwun's expression didn't lighten any, but he didn't protest either. Charmian turned to look toward the lake. "Hey! Chepi!" she yelled; the small woman peered out from behind Ocryx's wing. She had never looked quite so petrified. "Are you hurt? Do you want to come along...?"

Chepi's wings quivered a little and she shook her head adamantly, and shrank back down again. Ocryx's ear flicked and he let out a snorting noise, his eyes groggily blinking open; Chepi gasped and hopped back and the others watched as he made a face before painfully pushing himself up, his muzzle wrinkling. He lifted one hand to rub at his head, looking as if he were recovering from the world's biggest hangover. He caught sight of his watchers and blinked at them, seeming confused. He turned his head and looked down.

Chepi took a step forward, wringing her hands. "Poor POOR thing!!" she cried, her eyes welling up with tears. "Are you all right? Do you need me to stay--?"

Ocryx's eyes grew as wide as saucers. In an instant he was lurching up to his feet, scattering snow all around them as he hastened to whirl around and away from her. His tail practically slid between his legs as he plummeted into the lake with a terrific splash, Chepi getting drenched in the process. Charmian's brow furrowed; she could have sworn she'd heard him whimper before jumping in.

Chepi just stood on the shore, dripping wet, mouth hanging open. "Whuh...whuh..." she managed to get out in a faint voice. Charmian turned away from her, helping support Niskigwun. She put her fingers to her mouth and whistled.

"Justin can take care of all of us," she said as several manitous emerged from the woods, halting and whistling in return rather than stepping closer to the lake. She let the Michinimakinong lean on her shoulder as she helped him toward one of the creatures, glancing back at Thomas, and then at Moon Wolf, as she did so. She bit her lip again, but couldn't think of anything else to say; instead she was glad that Niskigwun said nothing in response, as they all managed to get placed upon their respective manitous, turning and vanishing into the dark woods.

* * * * *

Night had fully fallen by the time Charmian, Niskigwun, and Thomas were within the Dupries parlor, a fire crackling in the fireplace and casting an irregular warm glow over the ornamented walls. It was Thomas this time, instead of Charmian, who lay upon the little couch, Charmian sitting upon an oversized chair and Niskigwun upon a stool facing him. Lady Dupries and Little Dove took turns tending to them all, occasionally leaving the room to bring in fresh water or cloths. Charmian refused the warm brandy that was offered her, wincing at the memory of what had happened with the whiskey; it was then given to Niskigwun instead, who sat looking into it like the world's most miserable barfly. Lady Dupries changed one of Thomas's dressings while Little Dove paused to feel his forehead. Her brow furrowed.

"He's so cold," she remarked.

Charmian shifted. "He's always like that," she murmured.

Little Dove glanced at the fire. "Perhaps he should not sit so close...or should sit closer?" She rubbed at her head as if perplexed, then moved over toward Niskigwun and stooped over to look into his face. The Michinimakinong almost flinched back when she stared at him, then stood straight again, walking around him to look him over. Charmian saw his face flush slightly but he merely gripped his glass tighter.

"Every time you come," Little Dove said across the room to Charmian, "you come like a girl dragging in a wounded puppy! If it weren't for all the bruises you always have I would think you come here on purpose!"

This time it was Charmian who went red. She pretended not to see the surreptitious look Niskigwun gave her, Little Dove cocking her head sideways to look at his back. She frowned and reached out one finger to poke at his shoulderblade; Niskigwun gasped and jumped, jerking away from her so that she jumped back as well. Little Dove fluttered her hands.

"I thought I saw something!"

"It's--it's okay," Charmian reassured her, trying to think fast. "He...he scarred his back when he was little, and...he doesn't like people touching it, that's all."

"Oh." Little Dove's expression immediately changed from surprised to sympathetic. "How sad! The next time I visit home, I'll have to ask Morning Star to sew you up a nice jacket to cover that. These winter clothes will hardly do...it's a wonder you haven't frozen, too. Where on the Island do you live--? I've never seen your face before."

Niskigwun blinked and then slowly began to shrink. "I..."

"I've met almost everyone on this part of the Island." Little Dove tilted her head the other way. "Are you from one of the tribes near the north end? I don't often go that far..."

"He's actually not too far from where you came from," Charmian said, "on the East Bluff."

"Oh?" Little Dove's brow furrowed again. "That's odd! I thought I knew everyone from the bluff..."

"His people don't visit much," Charmian explained. "They...keep mostly to themselves. You know."

She expected Little Dove to say that she didn't, but the other woman simply clapped her hands together. "Oh! You must have gone off when the mainlanders arrived! Yes? Well, I'll talk with Morning Star as soon as I can, and have a nice warm jacket made up, so your back will not bother you in this cold..." She turned and went to see to Thomas again, fretting over him and then leaving the room, still talking out loud. A moment later a clattering sound came from further within the house; Lady Dupries winced, then got to her feet and followed her from the room, casting a glance at the others before disappearing. The room fell silent except for the crackle of the fire and the soft whistle of the wind against the panes.

Charmian sighed and sank into the chair. "Megwetch," Niskigwun said quietly, and she turned her head to look at him. His eyes were still shadowed, though the misery seemed to have lifted from his face just a little. "It means thank you," he said in response to her questioning look.

Charmian blinked, then blushed a little. "You're welcome," she said; then, "I know you don't really like dealing with us...but we're not all that bad. Most of us are pretty okay, at least."

Niskigwun looked down into his drink. "I am quickly learning that it's not humans we need be wary of," he murmured, and took a drink of the brandy, making a face at its odd taste.

Charmian sighed and sank back again. "True..." She peered at his hand when he fished the little shard out of his pouch and looked at it in the firelight. "So that's it?" she asked. "That's the cause of all the fuss?"

Niskigwun nodded. "It is only part of a spirit stone...but enough to do the task. This is what remained, somehow, of one of the Old Wendigoes after the Island was destroyed."

"It just isn't as impressive as I'd imagined, somehow," Charmian said. "What are you going to do with it now?"

Niskigwun frowned at the little crystal. "I will take it to Grandmother Geezhigo-Quae, and see if she can tell me anything about it. Then it should be destroyed." His look grew troubled. "This should not even exist. All that remained of the Wendigoes was their dust, and that returned in the GeeBees. Chakenapok should not have been able to bring this back. If he is only a half manitou...then he should not have nearly as many of these powers as he has. Even Geezhigo-Quae does not have medicine this strong." And when he said this his look just grew more troubled.

Charmian rubbed the chill from her arms. "Well, all of that's what I intend to find out, sometime soon. If I can figure out how to get to him if not through Cave of the Woods." She blinked as soon as she said this, and turned to look out the window. A solitary shape sat on the porch step outside, huddled against the cold; her brow furrowed.

Little Dove came back into the room, carrying a tray with hot tea on it. She saw Charmian's look and pursed her lips. "He will not come in," she said, and shrugged slightly.

Charmian sighed and slowly eased herself out of the chair, grimacing at the ache in her muscles. "I have to talk to him," she said, rubbing at one elbow. She limped past Thomas, pausing long enough to look into his face, but he lay as still and quiet as ever. She suppressed another sigh as she shuffled toward the door, opening it and stepping outside, letting it shut behind her as the others watched.

Moon Wolf sat on the top step, staring across the snowy yard and into the woods. He didn't speak as she made her way across the porch and eased herself down beside him, wincing at the numerous aches and pains in her muscles. She didn't bother looking at him, instead simply locking her fingers over her knees and looking off into the woods herself, as if they both saw something there. For a long while the only thing to be heard, aside from the muffled talking within, was the light breezing of the wind. The moon shone somewhere over the cloud cover, illuminating the snow enough to make out the indistinct shapes of the trees.

"That power you used," Charmian said at last, after a time had passed. "You've never used that before."

Moon Wolf didn't respond.

Charmian peered at him from the corner of her eye, then shuffled her feet, drawing one up under her. "I've seen that kind of power before," she said. "That was wabano medicine." She lifted her head and looked directly at him. "Those were the powers Ocryana gave you," she said, and just barely noticed the slightest change pass over his face. "Why did you use them? You promised that you never would. Why now, after all these years?"

Moon Wolf continued staring for so long that she was about ready to give up, thinking he wouldn't answer, when he spoke. "It was better that one of us break our promise, than the other," he said in a quiet voice which barely carried, and Charmian's brow furrowed.

"Promise...?" she echoed. "You broke yours so...I could keep mine?" Her look of confusion grew. "But...you made a promise too. Why is mine any more important--?"

"You were ready to die for your promise," Moon Wolf said. "You were ready to let go of the thing you cared about the most, because of what you had promised."

"But so were you. You did die for your promise, remember?"

"I died in spite of it," Moon Wolf snapped, and she fell silent. "And I was not ready to give up anything for it. This is the difference." He got to his feet, but Charmian quickly followed suit. He made no move to leave, simply stood still staring off into the trees; his voice faded somewhat so he did not sound as hostile anymore, though Charmian sensed the pensiveness there. "My promise was made in the hopes that it would set things right," he said softly, looking into the woods. "Yours was made in the hopes that you would not do wrong. I wished to undo everything I destroyed. You wish to keep destruction from happening. Your promise was not made out of guilt, but out of hope. You are the one seeking to improve yourself, while I can only try to mend what I've broken."

"You didn't break anything," Charmian said, not quite sure what to say. She swallowed and tried again. "It's just some stupid words, anyway. I could just as easily have broken it. It's no better or worse than anything anyone else has promised."

Moon Wolf's head lowered slightly and his mouth might have twitched. "You did not claim this when you spoke of me," he murmured, and Charmian flinched. "And there is no way one can make a promise, and keep to it when faced with such a thing, unless they mean every word of it. You were willing to die; I made you come and fight for me." He turned to look at the door. "I've already broken one promise. Another does not matter."

"But so did I..." Charmian started to murmur in protest, when a thudding noise in the woods drew their attention. A horse and rider appeared, slowing to a trot as they came up toward the house; Justin was letting himself down from the horse's back before it had even come to a stop, and he landed on his feet in the snow, having to put out his hands for balance. He jogged the rest of the way toward them and it looked as if he'd ridden there all the way from the other side of the Island.

"Charmian--?" he exclaimed, coming up the steps; she and Moon Wolf stood and watched him mutely as he came toward them and grasped hold of her arm, looking it over before she could even speak. "Are you all right--?"

"I--yeah, I'm okay." Charmian gingerly pulled her arm free, rubbing her hands together; she blushed furiously when he tilted back her head and frowned at the bruises she bore. "It's Thomas," she said, and immediately remembered the real reason why she'd had him called. She turned to the door, pulling him toward it. "He's inside--he's unconscious. I thought maybe he might be hurt..."

"Thomas?" Justin echoed, seeming confused; Charmian flushed. Was he really that used to her showing up injured...? She tugged on his arm rather than answer, and the door was opened from inside; they went in, Moon Wolf hovering at the threshold but not entering. Justin glanced from Thomas to Niskigwun with furrowed brow but didn't ask what was going on.

"How was he hurt?" he asked instead, going over to Thomas and looking at him. He pulled up his eyelid as Charmian had done.

"I'm not sure," Charmian said. "He...well, it's kind of complicated, but..."

"The Wendigo GeeBee," Niskigwun spoke up, drawing Justin's attention. "When he became powerful, and caused the snow to fall. He had been taken over by a Wendigo spirit stone."

"Spirit stone...?" Justin looked at Charmian this time. "You are having more trouble with these spirit stones--? It seems I'm not able to heal those so easily, don't you remember?"

"Mine's okay!" Charmian protested. "It's just..."

"This came out from him." Niskigwun held up the spirit stone fragment and Justin--as well as everyone else in the room--looked at it. He put it away. "His spirit is undamaged. Yet he is weak."

Justin's frown grew, but he turned back to Thomas just the same, shaking his head. "I sometimes wonder about the lot of you," he murmured, but placed his hand over Thomas's heart anyway. A glow surrounded Thomas and then faded, taking his bruises with it. He didn't open his eyes; Charmian started to chew her lip, but Niskigwun's voice came in her head before she could speak.

Remember how weak you were after your spirit was attacked. And he is also part Wendigo. He will likely rest for a while.

I hope so, Charmian thought miserably. Niskigwun jumped a little when Justin appeared in front of him and held his hand out toward his shoulder.

"He doesn't like his back to be touched," Little Dove explained.

Justin looked puzzled. "He was holding his shoulder...I thought it might be hurt. This is why you all came here, isn't it--?"

"It's okay," Charmian said to Niskigwun, "his...um...medicine isn't bad. Trust me, your shoulder'll feel better."

The Michinimakinong hesitated but relented, keeping a cautious eye upon Justin as he touched his fingers to his shoulder. He ended up staring at them when they started glowing; when the glow faded Justin gestured at the air, and Niskigwun meekly pointed at his knee. Justin touched it and then stood up, glancing at Charmian.

"The GeeBee was actually part of the reason why I was out there," he said. "I went to the camp and they said he had gotten some sort of 'power'--and there was another story about some sort of trip down to the lakeshore..."

"Oh. That would've been Black Elk Horn's idea," Charmian said.

"And they also said you went walking off to some strange haunted cave," Justin added with a frown. Charmian blushed.

"Um...it's not so much haunted," she said, "as it is...um...full of really big spiders. That's pretty much all."

Justin shook his head. "By now, nothing surprises me anymore! Except to find you carrying around part of a GeeBee's spirit stone! I don't even know where to begin asking you what you're doing out there--?"

Charmian opened her mouth, but a wailing sound made them all look up, brows furrowing. They all looked at Moon Wolf, still standing in the doorway; he flushed and then blinked when the sound came again from behind him.

"Monsieur! Monsieur Justin!"

Charmian paused, puzzled. "That sounds like Crooked Creek," she said.

Moon Wolf stepped aside; she and Justin and Niskigwun joined him, peering outside, while Little Dove and Lady Dupries looked out the window. After a moment a figure swaddled in furs and skins came waddling out of the woods, wailing at the top of its lungs--"Monsieur! Monsieur Justin!" They recognized Crooked Creek as she came into the rectangle of light cast by the doorway, and her eyes were wide and wet, a look of distress on her face. She waved her mittened hands at the air as she came up the steps and practically threw herself at Justin, who nearly fell backwards into his house; the others backed away so as not to be hit in the attack, all staring at them with wide eyes. Justin blinked; Crooked Creek buried her face against his chest, letting out a high keening sound.

"I didn't mean it! I just stepped out for one minute! I didn't know who else to go to!"

Justin looked beyond bewildered; Little Dove cocked her head with a curious look. "What is it?" Charmian asked, craning her neck to try to get the woman's attention; it took a few tries before she could get Crooked Creek to stop clinging to Justin like a barnacle, and Justin seemed quite relieved once she finally let go of him. "Crooked Creek?" Charmian almost had to yell, trying to look her in the eyes as she continued wailing like an ambulance siren. "What is it? What didn't you mean to do--?"

Crooked Creek at last noticed who was talking to her, and now grabbed Charmian's arms and crushed herself to her instead. Charmian wheezed for breath--well, at least she knew now that the other woman hadn't been making a pass at Justin. "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do it, I swear!"

"Do--do what--?" Charmian gasped, tugging on her arms. She had no clue how the native could be so strong. Did she lift trees when no one else was around--?

"I only left the cabin for a moment!" Crooked Creek cried. "To scare the GeeBee off the roof! I made him go away, but when I went back in--he was GONE!" She started letting out a sound that put Peepaukawiss's wailing to shame. "AAAAIIIIEEEEEE!!"

Charmian blinked and managed to suck in a breath. "He--?" she blurted out, then her brow furrowed. "You mean--Singing Cedars--? You lost him--?"

"I DIDN'T MEAN IT!" Crooked Creek sobbed. "I just stopped looking at him for a MINUTE, I swear...!"

Charmian glanced at Niskigwun. "Thomas and I found him on the East Bluff! He's a spy--an Iroquois--and both Black Elk Horn and Stick-In-The-Dirt say that where there's one of them, there should be more. Creek was keeping an eye on him until we could figure out what to do with him because Elk was getting ready to cut his scalp off!!"

Crooked Creek at last let Charmian go. "WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU LET HIM?!" she screamed.

Charmian flailed her arms. "YOU were the one supposed to be KEEPING AN EYE ON HIM!!"

Crooked Creek's face twisted up. "I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T MEAN IT!!" Her mouth opened wide. "AAAAIIIEEEEEEE!!"

The three men grimaced and put their hands to their ears. "So now you say there's a spy out there, too--?" Justin yelled. "What HAVE you been up to--?"

"I already said! Trying to keep everybody from killing everybody else!!" Charmian pushed her way out the door, then glanced back. "I have to find him--before Black Elk Horn or somebody else does!"

"I doubt it would be Black Elk Horn," Justin said; when she looked at him he waved at the woods. "I said they were going down to the lakeshore--all the young men. I had to talk with Silver Eagle Feather, the place was so deserted."

Charmian gawked. "Wh--what--? You mean--he left them there AGAIN?" She whirled around and jumped to the ground, skipping the steps; before they could react she was dashing across the lawn. "I can't BELIEVE this place! How stupid can some people be--?!" she exclaimed, before disappearing among the trees.

Niskigwun and Moon Wolf stared after her for just a moment before jumping down the steps themselves. Justin opened his mouth to call after them--"Wait a minute! What about--?"

But he found himself yelling at an empty yard. The three of them were already gone, leaving only their tracks behind them. Justin, Little Dove, and Crooked Creek stared at the prints in the snow for a few moments, before looking at each other, and then looking back inside. Thomas still slept on the couch.

Justin sighed and rubbed at his head. "Well...at least one of us is taking it easy!"

Continue:

Part 99: Fleeing Cedars  (13+) Singing Cedars runs for his life, but meets a few obstacles... #937718 by Tehuti, Lord Of The Eight

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