Part 6: Town Criers

Main story folder & table of contents: "Escape From Manitou Island" 
Previous chapter: "Part 5: Confidence Man" 

PART SIX:
Town Criers

EVERYBODY AROUND THE little tent upon the shore jumped back with a collective gasp as a great flash of light and noise shot from the tent's opening. Charmian fell back but managed to land on her feet, coughing and sputtering. She blinked the blindness from her eyes, saw the way that everyone gawked at her in astonishment, then scowled.

"Gunpowder?" she snapped. "THAT'S your big trick--?"

The old man in the tent glared at her malevolently and raised his hand again. "You are too young to attend this ceremony!" he retorted. "Begone from here before you offend the Great Turtle even MORE!"

Charmian clenched her teeth and grabbed onto the flap of the tent. "I think YOU'RE the one who's doing all the offending, buddy!"

She blinked when he jumped to his feet and dropped a fur pelt to the ground, jumping atop it. He scuffed his feet back and forth a few times as she watched, puzzled, then reached out his hand and touched her arm. Charmian yelped when a painful jolt shot through her, and everybody outside cried out again.

"HE CALLS UPON THE LIGHTNING!!" somebody yelled.

Charmian's face screwed up. "STATIC SHOCK?! What sort of two-bit con man ARE you?!"

In response he merely reached up and grasped at something she couldn't see. Charmian glanced up at the top of the tent as soon as it started shaking and bobbing, and just barely noticed an intricate set of strings laced about the top, right before the flap fell shut in her face.

She huffed and whirled toward the others. "STRINGS! That's how he moves it all! There's no Michinimakinak here!"

She didn't meet a single friendly face. "Who is to say that the strings are not the way the Great Turtle communicates--?" somebody asked.

Charmian felt like pulling her own hair out. "A LOUDSPEAKER!" When they just stared at her she pantomimed the shape of the birchbark cone that the old man had been holding. "He uses a cone made of bark and talks into it! It makes his voice louder!" She pointed at the ground. "He rubs his feet against a fur and builds up an electric charge! Any first-year science student learns that!" She waved her arms. "And he uses STRINGS to move the whole tent!! What more proof do you need that he's ripping you all off?!"

A few of the people standing nearest her opened their mouths as if to retort, then shut them and took a step back. Charmian frowned, then looked over her shoulder. The tent flap had been pushed up and the old man--Loonfoot, Stick-In-The-Dirt had called him--glared out at her, one fist clenched. She glared at him in return as he came out of the tent and walked in a circle around her, everybody moving out of his way. She turned to follow his progress and saw Stick-In-The-Dirt and Winter Born still watching from afar, eyes wide; Loonfoot finished his circle to end up in front of his tent again, and scowled.

"Who are you to think of disturbing such a sacred ceremony as the shaking tent?" he snapped. "Children are not allowed! Already you have disrupted the order of things and made Michinimakinak VERY unhappy!"

Charmian blinked, then clenched her fists, her face going red. "AS IF! If Michinimakinak is pissed off at anyone it's at YOU! Loudspeakers? Gunpowder? Strings? What a sham! I bet you have no idea where that lady's mirror is at ALL!"

Loonfoot raised his hands and glowered; everybody sucked in a breath and moved back another inch or so. "Insolent child! You will have to pay dearly if you ever hope to find favor with the Great Turtle again!"

"Oh, come OFF it!" Charmian shot back. "I'll have you know I've spoken with PLENTY of manitous and never ONCE did any of them ask for RUM!"

Everybody's eyes went as wide as saucers. Even Loonfoot faltered, and Charmian suddenly realized that these people had no idea who she was. She blinked, then felt her face grow hot; peering surreptitiously from side to side, she wondered if somebody would jump out and erect a stake and tie her to it, and if Loonfoot would then start the fire.

Loonfoot blinked at her, then his scowl slowly returned. "YOU claim to speak to the manitous--?" he barked, then let out a raspy laugh. "As if they would speak with a brat like you! A long knife, AND a child, to boot!" He made a shooing gesture. "Why don't you go on back to your home, little girl? After all, this is a jessakid's work."

Charmian's eyes started to widen. "Little girl?" she echoed, and she could literally sense Stick-In-The-Dirt and Winter Born moving away. Her fists began to clench and she felt the blood rush up into her face. "WHO...are you calling...a little girl?" she hissed, positively livid.

Loonfoot stared at her for a brief second, surprised, then a smirk started to come to his face. He held up his hand and she wondered what he held in it--more gunpowder?--something else equally ridiculous? She was starting to wonder whether he had a rabbit hidden in his hat, when his eyes goggled, and he hastily backstepped toward the tent. He knocked it over, he was so careless, and it toppled instantly, collapsing in on itself. Around Charmian, all of the others began backing away as well, gasping and letting out startled noises. Charmian blinked and furrowed her brow, fist unclenching. She hadn't even called up a manitou yet.

"Huh...?" she managed to get out, seeing how they all turned and started retreating toward their wigwams and tipis. Loonfoot, for his part, was busily scrabbling at his tent, folding it and gathering up all of his belongings, strings and loudspeaker and all; she saw him reach toward the ground to pick up something small and shiny, and gaped in disbelief as he quickly pocketed it.

"Hey--that's--!" Her voice rose to a dangerous pitch. "THAT'S THE MIRROR! YOU WERE WATCHING US WITH THAT THE WHOLE TIME!" She flailed her arms. "YOU SHOULD BE TARRED AND FEATHERED FOR THAT, YOU KNOW!!"

By now just about everybody was gone, leaving the camp eerily silent. Charmian stood huffing for a moment before noticing the odd quietness, then felt a prickle to her skin. She drew her arms in toward herself and peered from side to side uneasily.

It wasn't me they were fleeing...

She slowly, reluctantly turned her head to peek over her shoulder, chewing furiously on her lip. And then gasped and let out a little shriek when she saw the face staring right back at her.

He grinned from ear to ear, offering his most winning smile. "Hello Mainlander! Remember me--?"

Charmian gawked up at him for a moment, then scowled furiously and shot to her feet. Stick-In-The-Dirt and Winter Born still held their places, but everyone else had fled; and based on her past experiences with Walks-On-The-Shore, Charmian couldn't really blame them. She picked up her backpack, which had fallen off, and slung it back over her shoulder, giving him a venomous look.

"I should've known that the only way to scare him off would be YOU," she muttered, turning toward the others; the medicine man shifted from foot to foot while Winter Born just stared on curiously.

The Huron hastened to keep pace with her. "You mean you aren't happy to see me?" he asked, and grasped her arm. "You didn't even say goodbye the last time, you remember. I suppose so you wouldn't have to say hello again." He smiled winningly and lifted her hand, proceeding to lick along her knuckles. All of the blood drained from Charmian's face and she saw the same thing happen to the other two, their eyes goggling. Charmian yanked her hand free and started stepping away from him as carefully as she could.

"Yeah, um--well--nice to see you again," she managed to get out.

Walks-On-The-Shore tilted his head as she scurried away. "I fully intend to get to know you better this time around!" he yelled through cupped hands. "LOTS BETTER!!" And he grinned, all teeth, and waved wildly. Charmian reached the others and grabbed onto Winter Born's arm, whirling her around and leading them toward the street.

"Run," she said under her breath, and they started jogging back toward the main street, though she did have to tug on Winter Born a little.

"Is he the crazy man--?" the girl asked, trying not to trip as Charmian towed her along. "Father told me about the crazy man--but I've never seen him--"

"Yes, he's the crazy man," Charmian answered. "And it's probably best that you've never seen him."

Winter Born frowned a little, head bobbing. "He looks just like a normal person to me." She shrugged and turned back around.

They reached Main Street and slowed to a halt, gasping for breath, Charmian and Stick-In-The-Dirt wiping their brows. "Is it just me or is he even crazier than he was the last time I was here?" Charmian asked. She hadn't hung out with Walks-On-The-Shore much then, but her few encounters with him had been more than enough to make her understand his nickname, the Mad Huron.

Stick-In-The-Dirt brushed his feathers back. "I couldn't honestly say. But if there is anything that can frighten the townspeople more than Loonfoot, it is he! Simply because he is so loose in the head!"

"Well...as much as I hate to say it, I guess he's the lesser of two evils." Charmian made a face, then turned to him. "Oh...that's right. Why I came down here. I was actually going to look for Thomas."

The medicine man tilted his head. "Your friend, right...?" When Charmian felt her face grow warm he offered a slight smile. "Do not worry, I know the feeling. I'm afraid I don't know much of him except that he lives in town, with his mother."

"Do you..." Charmian cut herself off before she could ask if he knew of how much Thomas had changed since her last visit; he gave her a curious look, but she shook her head. "Never mind." She shifted her pack. "Are you going to be heading back to your tribe...?"

Stick-In-The-Dirt blinked, then looked surprised. "I forgot! I was to meet White Deer back there!" He poked at a small bag he wore tied at his waist. "I already got everything I needed...and then that fool's spectacle distracted me..."

"I should be coming back sometime before evening. I wanted to say hello to everybody before the day is through. If you two'll still be there, it'd be nice to drop in."

Stick-In-The-Dirt's face lit up and he bobbed his head. "Of course! White Deer and Morning Star would love to see you again! Though--" He made a face. "I'm afraid I cannot speak for Black Elk Horn..."

"Don't worry, he's already out of the way." Charmian made the same face. "For now at least." She turned toward the street. "You might want to let everybody in the camp know that Suisarmi is not a manitou," she said, and he frowned at her, but she didn't bother explaining. Winter Born waved back at him as she followed behind.

"Suisarmi's not a manitou but it can cut and drill and open lots of stuff, too!" she exclaimed, then hurried after Charmian before Stick-In-The-Dirt could grow even more confused.

"Don't you think you should be heading home before your dad gets upset with you...?" Charmian murmured as they made their way up the street.

Winter Born stuck her lip out. "He knows I can take care of myself!" she protested, then seized hold of Charmian's hand and started pulling her along. "C'mon, I want to see the trappers first!"

"Wait a minute!" Charmian exclaimed, but didn't get to argue further; again the young girl's grip was unnaturally strong--probably her inheritance from Ocryx, Charmian reasoned belatedly--and they weaved their way around the numerous horses and pedestrians, closer to the Fur Company. A great deal of noise issued from here, and Charmian saw the commotion of clerks running back and forth, traders haggling, and trappers unloading canoes and bales of furs. The smell of fur and leather was thick in the air and she wrinkled her nose, feeling somewhat sorry for all of the beavers and various other creatures whose pelts now lined the alleys and sidewalk, but having to remind herself that this was just the way things were in this time.

"Why do you want to see the trappers?" she asked, her voice nasal as she plugged her nose.

"Just because!" Winter Born shielded her eyes from the sunlight and craned her neck, scanning the various people coming to and fro. She frowned a little. "I won't take long, I promise!"

Charmian stared at her for a moment, then sighed and followed suit, staring into the crowd. She recognized by their dress that many of the people here must be voyageurs, with their mismatched clothing and tasselled caps. Her face lit up and she started scanning the crowd for Francois LaCroix, another one of the Islanders whom she'd grown to know. He had transported her home her first time there, being the only other person on the Island who could easily travel between the Island and the mainland of his own time. Charmian felt a little bit of pride that she was now in his select company.

"Can't see him," Winter Born said, and pouted again. She glanced up at Charmian. "Charmian, do you have a word for when things don't go the way you wanted them to--?"

Charmian furrowed her brow a little. "Do you mean, 'darn'? Or 'fooey'?"

"Darn," Winter Born said, then glanced back at the crowd and resumed pouting. "Foo-ey."

"What was it you were hoping to see...?"

"Nothing much." Winter Born sighed and lowered her hand. "Just thought maybe I'd get here early for o--"

She let out a startled noise and promptly smacked forward into the mud, facefirst. Charmian gawked, then hurried to stoop down and grab hold of her arm to pull her up. She bit her lip when she saw how Winter Born's entire front was coated in mud, staining her face and her hair dark brown; her eyes opened, two spots of clean white and black in the midst of the mess, and Charmian felt a twinge to see the tears welling up there. She readied herself to think of something comforting to say, when Winter Born's mouth twisted into a grimace and she pulled her arm free, and went running.

"YOU LITTLE BRAT! I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT THIS TIME!!"

Charmian blinked and turned around to watch her go. To her surprise, she noticed that Winter Born was chasing after a young boy about her age--he stood in the middle of the street, grinning back at them, before his eyes went wide and he turned on one heel and went running. He was all arms and legs, his skin and hair dark like that of most of the native Islanders, but she could have sworn that his eyes were blue, and he was dressed like the trappers coming off of the canoes.

She stood up and her eyes widened as soon as Winter Born reached him, grabbing onto his shirt and jumping atop him; they both smacked to the ground in a mud puddle this time, raising a terrific splash. Charmian winced and covered her face in dismay when they started tossing handfuls of muck at each other, yelling so loudly that several horses shied and everybody hastened to steer clear of them. She noticed how the townspeople were staring, even the Fur Company employees frowning and craning their necks, and dashed out into the street after them; she had to pull Winter Born off of the boy with all of her strength, and carried her back toward the sidewalk, the girl protesting and waving her arms and legs the entire way. It was like trying to shove a wet cat into a carrier.

"MEANIE!" Winter Born yelled at the top of her lungs. "I HOPE YOU FALL IN THE LAKE AND GET LEECHES!"

The boy shot to his feet and stuck his tongue out at her. "The lake HAS no leeches!" he retorted, and that just made Winter Born start screaming fit to raise the dead. Charmian had to grab hold of her arms and pull them down just to try to settle her, and hissed in her face.

"Do you want to get me in trouble?!" she whispered viciously, and the girl at last stopped, blinking at her rapidly; her eyes welled up again but she stubbornly pulled herself loose and refused to let the tears fall, instead scowling and rubbing ineffectively at the mud smearing her clothes. Charmian stared at her for a minute. "What was THAT all about?" she demanded after a moment of this. "You want to clue me in on what's going on here? It's like the Hatfields and McCoys all of a sudden!"

Winter Born sniffled. "He's always mean to me," she groused, and started wringing her hair. "Every time I come to the town he pushes me in the mud! So I figured I would get here early and do the same thing to him! But he STILL pushes me in the mud!" Her eyes welled up again and this time she shut them, her face scrunching up. "So I pushed HIM in the mud!" She craned her neck to the side and yelled at the top of her lungs. "I HOPE YOU SWALLOW MUDPUPPIES!!"

The boy cupped his hands to his mouth. "Here there ARE no mudpuppies!" he shouted; then, "OW! Ow--ow--!!"

Charmian stared on in puzzlement as the boy was grasped by the ear by one of the passing people, who then turned around and started marching him toward them. She blinked when she recognized Crooked Creek--Francois's wife--heading their way, the blackest scowl imaginable on her face; she was carrying a pack twice the size of Charmian's on her back, as well as a package under her arm, but she pulled the boy along as if he were as light as a kitten. She came to a halt right before them, her fingers pinching the boy's earlobe so that he grimaced and squirmed uncomfortably.

"Apologize!" she snapped.

Charmian and Winter Born blinked. The boy made a face and continued trying to twist himself loose, to no avail. "I shouldn't have to!" he protested. "She pushed ME too!"

Charmian could have sworn that Crooked Creek's eyes started glowing, and she took a step back. "REMY ETIENNE LACROIX," Crooked Creek practically boomed, "YOU APOLOGIZE THIS MINUTE!!"

The boy--Remy--squirmed again, one eye squinched shut and tears gathering in the other, but obeyed. "All right! I'm sorry!"

Winter Born lifted her head so that her nose stuck up, and crossed her arms self-righteously. Charmian glanced down at her and frowned. "Winter Born...?" she said in the best I'm-an-adult-and-you're-in-trouble voice that she could muster.

Winter Born glanced up at her in surprise, her eyes wide and mouth hanging open. "But--!" She opened and shut her mouth a few times. "But--I didn't do anything wrong! He pushed ME first!"

Charmian crossed her arms, noting how Crooked Creek glared at Winter Born in the exact same way. "Winter Born Eagle Feather Elk Horn!" she exclaimed, not quite sure how surnames worked in this place.

Winter Born's face screwed up and she stomped her foot. "FINE!" She scowled at Remy. "I'm sorry!" Crooked Creek let go of his ear and he made a face and reached up to rub at it. "But I STILL didn't do anything wrong!"

Remy stared at her for a moment, then stuck out his tongue. "Nnnyeeeeehhh!" he exclaimed; Winter Born gaped, then stuck out her own tongue and started blowing raspberries.

"PPHHBBBBTTTT!!"

"NNNYYEEEHHHH!!"

Charmian felt her shoulders slump and wished that she could sink into the ground; no wonder she'd never wanted a younger sibling. Crooked Creek resumed her iron grip on Remy's ear and turned him around, the boy yelping and protesting the entire way; Winter Born stuck her thumbs in her ears and wiggled her hands as if to see him off. She stopped as soon as Charmian tapped her on the shoulder, and peeked up at her, then lowered her head as if chagrined.

"Hasn't Silver Eagle Feather taught you about getting revenge?" Charmian asked.

Winter Born's lip started to stick out again. "Yes, but he had it coming! That counts for something, doesn't it?" She looked up at Charmian with wide brimming eyes, and Charmian had to sigh and rub at her own.

"I guess, but if you want people to respect you, you'll have to back off of shoving them in the mud. Most good...um...medicine people don't go around shoving other people in the mud."

The tears fled Winter Born's eyes and they widened even more. "Really?" she exclaimed. Charmian nodded, puzzled, and the girl clenched her fists. "I'll have to try REALLY HARD then! Not to push him the next time he pushes me!"

Charmian opened her mouth, then shut it. Well, at least it was a start.

"Bonjour!" a voice called out from behind them, and they both turned. Several of the voyageurs were now coming toward the street and Charmian's face lit up when she recognized Francois among them, also carrying a pack; he smiled and waved, and she hurried to meet him, Winter Born following.

"Hi, Francois!" she greeted.

"I see you just had to come back!" he exclaimed. "This Island has something about it, does it not? You used your dreamcatcher to get here--?"

Charmian nodded and patted at her pack. "Safe and sound! It...seems to work a little bit differently...but at least it works!"

"Perhaps this stay will be better than your other ones, oui?" Francois suggested, gesturing at them as he started making his way along the street. "Seeing as there are no demons or spirits attempting anything foolish, at the moment."

"Yeah!" Charmian said, though the cheer in her voice was not as sincere as it should have been, once the image of the battered, terrified Augwak flashed through her mind. "I mean, I've always wanted to just hang out here...now I guess I get my chance!"

"What were you planning on doing on your stay here, ma chère? You're more than welcome to come by my cabin any time you wish."

"Oh! Thanks! But I was thinking of stopping by and visiting Thomas Leeds first." Her smile faded and she rubbed at her neck. "But I'm not too sure where he lives...I didn't get to see his house the last time here."

"The Leeds family?" Francois stopped and turned around, pointing. "They live along over there, on Market Street. The house is in shades of green."

"Shades of green?" Charmian craned her neck, though of course Market Street wasn't visible from here. "You mean nearer the west end?"

Francois nodded. "This is where you'll find them." He finally noticed Winter Born and smiled and waved at her, then pursed his lips. "I take it Remy's already said hello to you today, ma chère."

Winter Born's lip began to stick out anew. Charmian tried to dust some of the drying mud from her hair and took her shoulder to turn her in a circle. "We already had a talk with Crooked Creek about that," she said. "Thanks for the directions, Francois. And I'll try to stop by when I can!"

Francois waved his goodbye. "Have a good stay! And I'll speak with Remy again, just in case." He blew a kiss to Winter Born, who pretended to catch it, and resumed his way down the street.

"So you know Francois already," Charmian said as they turned up a little sidestreet and headed north.

Winter Born nodded, seemingly having forgotten about the mud already. "He's a nice person! Sometimes I talk with him when Mother comes down to the town or when he stops by the camp." Her smile faded a little and she played with one braid. "Father doesn't care for him much though, because he's a Wemitigoji..."

"What exactly does that word mean, anyway?" Charmian asked.

"It means somebody who uses a canoe." Winter Born started skipping ahead.

Charmian's brow furrowed. "Don't your people use canoes...?"

"Of course we do!" Winter Born glanced over her shoulder at her, sounding amused as if Charmian had just said something remarkably silly. "But we've always used them! They haven't."

Charmian had to think that one over. They reached Market Street, which was nowhere near as busy as Main Street. The houses here were much more orderly, all of those facing south looking to be Victorians. Charmian realized that the odd clash of time periods on the Island was something everyone here seemed to take for granted, based on their reactions; she guessed Francois must be from the late eighteenth century, and here she was looking for a nineteenth-century house. She glanced down at Winter Born then and puzzled over what century her people must be from, then decided to give up, and lifted her head again.

Winter Born tugged on her vest and pointed ahead of them. "Hey look! I think that's it! Down there!"

Charmian tilted her head to see a mint green house with forest green accents nestled between one that was the color of a rose and one that looked like it should be made of gingerbread. She made a face. "It looks like Dollville, USA." She looked over a peach-colored house as they made their way toward the green one. "I swear that looks just like one my mom bought me for Christmas..."

"I've never seen the inside of one of these!" Winter Born exclaimed, hopping up the steps and walking back and forth along the porch, examining the ornate windows. "I've seen the Dupries house a few times, but never the inside! I bet it looks like a rainbow inside!"

"Not quite." Charmian ascended the steps and peered in a window. When Winter Born frowned at her she approached the door. "Looks can be deceiving. I've heard that the Victorians were all pretty on the outside but all stuffy on the insides."

Winter Born cocked her head. "Vik-tory-ens?"

Charmian lifted the knocker and pounded it a few times, waiting for an answer; when none was forthcoming she started looking for a doorbell, then had to ponder over whether the Victorians had doorbells or not. In any case, she couldn't find one, and so knocked again; then Winter Born stood on tiptoe and rapped the knocker a few times, just for fun. They stood and waited for what seemed to be ages, until Charmian's spirits began to sink.

Winter Born peeked in the window, then looked up at her with a frown. "I guess no one's at home." She kicked at the porch deck. "I wanted to see the inside..."

"Maybe it's for the best," Charmian found herself saying, and it appalled her to hear it, but she felt a twinge when she realized that she'd been afraid of the door being opened. She turned and made her way down the steps, Winter Born's brow furrowing as she hurried to follow. They started walking westward, Charmian staring at the ground.

"Why's it for the best...?" Winter Born asked in puzzlement.

Charmian shook her head vaguely. "No real reason..."

Winter Born looked as if she wanted to ask more, yet she bit her lip and refrained. Charmian was secretly grateful for this, and sighed to herself. Try explaining a thing like that to a kid, she thought, and made a face. Try explaining it to MYSELF! I wanted to see Thomas most of all when I next came here! So how come I'm so scared to see him now...?

They wandered along the street until it petered out at the edge of town, and picked their way to the shore road which continued out of Main Street. The noises of the town faded from their ears as they walked, and Charmian listened to the waves breaking against the shore, her thoughts troubled.

I THOUGHT it was going to be peaceful here this time...but I kind of get the feeling it's too much so. And what happened to Augwak...

Normally I think I'd be glad that he's out of commission! But still...if what he told me is true...

Why would I have any reason to believe him? He's AUGWAK, for crying out loud!

But still...whenever he's been really scared...he's never lied to me before...

If somebody's looking for the strongest one on the Island then Ocryx has been here the whole time, hasn't he? Then why didn't this manitou go after him...?

A hand grasped her wrist and she glanced down when Winter Born sidled close, eyes wide. "Winter Born?" Charmian asked, frowning in puzzlement. "What is it...?"

"We're..." Winter Born swallowed. "I've never been this far along the west shore," she said meekly.

"Huh--?" Charmian looked up and immediately halted when she spotted Devil's Kitchen far ahead, gaping wide and overlooking the lake. Even now she could hear GeeBees shrieking and gibbering, and Winter Born slowly crept to stand behind her, her grip growing even tighter.

"Oh." Charmian flushed. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to take us this far out here...we should head back." She started to turn them around.

Winter Born seemed stuck to the spot. "I didn't say I wanted to go!" she cried.

Charmian's brow furrowed. "But--aren't you scared--?"

The girl shook her head adamantly, braids flying. "I never said I'm scared! I just said I've never BEEN here before!" She stuck out her tongue. "Stupid old GeeBees don't scare me!"

Charmian's face screwed up. "They SHOULD!"

Winter Born gave her a foul look. "They DON'T!" A cold breeze washed over them and they chattered, and a second later Winter Born was tugging her toward the trees. "C'mon! Let's see what they're all doing without their ogimah!"

Charmian's mouth flew open, and she promptly swallowed a bug. She started gagging and trying to spit it out as the two of them crashed through the trees, though they couldn't get very far before running into the rocky bluff, and Winter Born started ascending it. Charmian let out a gusty sigh and followed, gravity the only thing keeping her from grabbing the girl's ankle and hauling her back down.

"Don't you know this is a really good way to get in trouble--?" she coughed, swatting aside a branch.

Winter Born looked like nothing more than a pair of dirty feet making their way upwards. "I never get to see anything interesting! This might be my only chance!" She glanced at Charmian over her shoulder and her lip trembled. "I thought you were adventurous!"

Charmian blinked. "Who told you that--?" They reached the top of the bluff and scrambled over it, descending into the woods on the other side. Charmian had never explored this part of the Island thoroughly, due to the GeeBees, and when their shrieking cackling noises grew even louder she felt the skin on her neck prickle.

"This is a really dumb idea, Winter Born," she whispered as they crouched in some bushes and peered out toward the top of the cave. Dark shapes flitted back and forth, wind gusting around them.

"We won't stay long! I promise!" Winter Born peeked through the bushes and chewed on her lip. "I want to see if I can find out what happened to Augwak!"

Charmian blinked again. You mean--she's trying to solve a mystery--? And here I thought she was just nuts! "And then what do you intend to do...?"

The girl shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe tell Mother?" Her face lit up. "Then I would be doing something useful for sure!"

Charmian glanced down at her with a frown. "But--you're already--"

Her muscles immediately stiffened when she felt something grasp onto her shoulder, and her eyes went wide. She opened her mouth to let out a shriek when a hand clamped over it, silencing her.

Continue:

Part 7: Gift Giving  (13+) A reunion leads to gift giving and a bit of strange information... #1199435 by Tehuti, Lord Of The Eight

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