CHAPTER 28
TREE TALKER
“My Elizabeth was right,” lamented Johnny. “She was trying to talk me away from the Cube when it pulled her in.”
Johnny, Ann, Two Bears, the Elizabeth doppelganger, Black Knife, and Mary sat around the dining table in the Goth cabin, pondering their next moves, while outside Dooley entertained and distracted his father, Jake, and Billy, aided by Ned. Angela Welborne was out of sight and out of mind.
“She made the rookie mistake of standing near the Cube, or that wouldn’t have happened,” said the new Elizabeth. “But that’s ancient history already,” she quickly added, noting the negative facial expressions of the others.
“It seems obvious only now that the Cube forcefully switches someone with their doppelganger when it detects two like-entities near it,” said Ann. “Before this we didn’t know that’s how it worked. We must find a way to reverse the process. If we do locate our own Elizabeth, are you willing to be switched with her again?”
Elizabeth shrugged. “Sure, I guess so. That universe was a dull place to be, but at least it was safe compared to here.”
“Then let’s go back to the Cube now and work on it!” said Johnny, rising from his chair.
“What about Dark and the others?” objected Mary. “Our Elizabeth was right about the need for your help with other issues, Johnny.”
“Baldor roams our forests on watch for Dark, and any other intruders,” said Black Knife. “That should keep us safe internally while most of the rest of us oppose the loggers at the outer fence.”
“Maybe not,” added Johnny. “I’ve invited Small Bear to the Mountain for a showdown with me. I’m sure that he’ll show up here or at the Source, Baldor or no Baldor. He’s already shown that he can skillfully evade detection. Dark can elude us also.”
“Wait a minute,” interrupted the Elizabeth Doppelganger. “I know I’m a stranger here, but I’d like to understand what’s happening. I gather that Small Bear is a baddie here in this world, but who are Baldor and Dark? Are they weirdoes like that hairy Ned fellow?”
“Ned and Baldor are of the People and our friends,” explained Johnny. “Ned is a shape shifter and Baldor is a unicorn. Dark is an evil monster. He assumes human or half-wolf form.”
Elizabeth threw up her hands in surrender. “Never mind. I’m missing a basic vocabulary here. What you just said means almost nothing to me.”
“Interesting,” said Johnny. “But we need to get back to immediate business.”
“Small Bear should not be underestimated,” resumed Two Bears. His tone was level and measured, but Johnny could sense pain behind them whenever the big man thought or spoke of his nephew. “He has Mort’s watch. Perhaps it enhances his powers, but he would not elude me a second time. I would rather he never returned to the Tribe at all. I know how it must end if he does, even though he is my kin.”
Ann broke the awkward silence that followed. “Is there some Tribe law or tradition that applies to what Small Bear has done?”
The big shaman sighed deeply. “No. There have been troubled Tribe members before, but nothing like this. Rarely there have been fights, theft of minor things, disrespect, or other problems. Recently there have been drugs and alcohol abuse, though very limited. We are humans, with all weaknesses that come with being human, but we are a small, closed society with deep feelings for each other. Never in Tribal memory has there been outright betrayal of the Tribe or murder.”
“So you’d like to see Small Bear and his friends simply disappear and never come back,” said Ann.
“Yes, perhaps that would be best,” the big man agreed, with a sigh. “But life hardly ever works that way, does it? Life is immutably complex and beyond the control of even the Shaman and the Goth. Small Bear has shown that there is hate burning deep within him, a hate that has made him evil. He will be back. He defines himself by his hate, and defines his hate by us and this place. There are hateful things he started here that he will want to finish.”
“Such as killing you?” asked Johnny. He hadn’t even thought of that before, he had been so focused on Elizabeth’s situation.
“At some point. But he wouldn’t have the element of surprise with me next time, and he knows it. I think he’ll go after you first, White Wolf, in the hopes of first gaining your powers.”
“Gaining my powers? Does that make any sense?”
Two Bears shrugged his enormous shoulders. “With Mort’s watch perhaps he feels stronger. He might reason that with two watches he’ll be stronger still. Strong enough to more confidently take me on. He’ll figure that when he adds my knife to the watches and has free access to the Source, he’ll be all-powerful.”
“But it doesn’t work that way. The powers are in ourselves, for the most part.”
Two Bears nodded. “Yes, for the most part. A watch or knife can provide an emergency boost of energy in a pinch, but their greatest use is to allow a person’s own powers to flow more freely. With ten watches or with a whole unicorn at your side the effect wouldn’t work any better than it does with a single watch. Also, the power of the living forest can be bent to a shaman’s will. Again, it is something within the shaman that allows this, though the ability is strengthened by the Source and liberated by a watch or knife.”
“For the record,” interrupted the doppelganger Elizabeth, “this watch, knife and unicorn business also makes no sense to me at all.”
“Duly noted,” said Ann. “But Small Bear doesn’t know that the effect isn’t additive, so I agree with this logic. But maybe he’d want to get the knife of Two Bears first, and then go after Johnny. The knife is also a weapon.”
“Perhaps,” said Two Bears. “But that would be a mistake. I will detect him and defeat him if he comes for me. Of that I am very confident.”
“Then you should go with Johnny and Elizabeth to the Cube,” said Ann.
“No,” said Johnny. “I want Two Bears with you, Mom, in case Dark or Small Bear show up here, and also to help you stop the loggers. He can deny that the papers Small Bear signed are legal, and he can use his shaman powers if he has to.”
“I have reached the same conclusion, White Wolf,” agreed Two Bears. “But I will ask Ned to go with you. In addition to being formidable fighter in some of his forms, he found the doppelganger bodies of your father and uncle and may know something else useful. When near the One Tree he can also communicate with those in the Land. And I will also send my apprentice shaman to be with you.”
Everyone else around the table looked at each other in surprise. “Your apprentice shaman? Who is that?” asked Mary White Dove, at last.