Manitou Island

Part 15

Was it some kind of test?  She couldn't be sure.  All she knew was that she WAS afraid, very much so.  Still, she'd made him a promise before she'd ever come to this Island...she would try to help out in any way she could.  How was being a coward going to help them in any way?

So she nodded, and forced her throat to come unstuck.  "Y...yes, okay."

"I'll keep watch for the manitous," Francois said, then let out another whistle, this one not a call.  "Eh--too late--you two, watch yourselves."

Tal Natha and Charmian stopped where they were.  The surface of the water ahead of them had started rippling ominously, and strange dark shapes began to emerge from it, slipping through the inky blackness without making a sound, little blue eyes glittering and glowing evilly as they approached.

Tal Natha lowered his head slightly, a low growl forming in his throat.  Even without hearing him say it directly, Charmian received the distinct message Back off.

The manitous didn't listen to Tal Natha's mental warning.  They continued approaching, a sort of subdued, wicked glee in their eyes, and after a moment one of them began singing, then another, and another.

Francois, who had been aiming his gun at one of the creatures, quickly swung it over his shoulder again.  "Cover your ears!"

Charmian let go of Tal Natha's wing and did so, jamming her fingers against her ears as hard as she could.  Even with them plugged she could still hear the strange manitou song, and it made her feel a little dizzy and out of sorts, but not nearly as much as it had before.  She found herself thinking of stories she'd read in history class, about Greek mythology and the sirens' song...well, this wasn't exactly the same thing, but it was close enough.

She didn't know what the manitous were trying to accomplish but it couldn't be good.

The manitous, seeing the others weren't going to fall for it so easily, broke off their song and started slogging forward even faster, lips curling back in dripping snarls.  Francois took advantage of the break to grab his gun again, aiming it toward the water and shooting.  Everyone started at the terrific BANG it let out, even as the shot missed its target, striking the water just several inches away from one of the creatures--or perhaps Francois had missed on purpose.  Whatever he had meant to do, the manitous froze where they were, blinking and startled, before starting to growl, faces turning ugly.

"You wish for more?" Francois called out to them.  "I have plenty more, believe me, my friends.  If my gun won't convince you to keep your distance then perhaps this would."

He cupped a hand to his mouth and let out a weird call.  Within moments the woods surrounding the lake had literally come alive with answering cries from all over the Island.  The lake manitous started glancing around them uneasily, baring their teeth.  Charmian couldn't tell what Francois had said, if the other manitous, which had seemed so shy, would actually come out to fight their cousins, but the trick worked.  The manitous stayed back, in the water.

Charmian looked harder and finally noticed Mitchi Manitou, the great white one, among them.  His eyes glowed more ominously and the hate twisted his face even more greatly than the others.  He stared at Charmian especially.  She felt her fear growing and wanted to do nothing more than hide behind Tal Natha again.  The manitou obviously remembered seeing her during his fight with X.  She didn't know why but she could tell that, out of the three of them, his hatred was focused most intensely on her.

Be strong...

I'm trying, Tal Natha.

After a moment, she felt him take her hand.  She looked down at the great clawed hand holding hers, so small and pale...and managed to find a tiny bit of courage.  Tal Natha started walking toward the lake and she followed.