Chapter 4- Saint Joseph, and no aspirin...
The next morning, the second of January, the crew got to work. Frack and Fred got started running a hose from the diesel storage tank to the purifier, Freida went to scavenge in the city, Fran went to see if she could find a way into the grain storage bins, and Frick sent off an email to the WSU regarding the previous day’s activities. He knew he should have sent it the night before, but he was too tired to care, the venison bits he had at dinner being just a bit disagreeable to him. Not much, but enough to send the stallions to bed at an early hour. Freida always had a way with cooking venison, Frick and Fred going out every year during deer season and always coming back with at least two, if not three. They did enjoy venison. Just not as much now.
After the email was sent, with the notation that they were going to be busy today and will call tomorrow, Frick headed off to help Fran, after giving Fred and Frack a hand getting the hose laid out. It was stiff from sitting for months, and Frick’s magic was a big help. After that, he found Fran and started opening grain bins. They both lost breakfast, dinner and lunch more than once at the stench of rotting grain before they finally found some that was sealed and dry in barrels, corn, wheat and oats. Finding a couple of handy dollies, they rolled a barrel of each back to the Deliverance.
Finding the fueling well in hoof, Frack was told to go help Frieda scavenge, and if they needed help getting the stuff back, to call in. “Sure thing, big bro! Want me to check on Cousin Curtis’ place while I’m at it?” he asked.
“If you go out that way, okay. Helping scavenge comes first. We may put that trip off until tomorrow,” Frick said after thinking some.
“Okay!” Frack said eagerly before taking wing.
“What you plannin’ on doing, Frick?” Fred asked.
“Help you run this purifier. I want to figure out how it works, what to look for, and how to change the filters. Not right for just you and Frack to do the job,” Frick admitted.
“What about Fran?”
“Once she prints out a few maps, she’ll head out and help scavenge. She’s never been down this way before, so she doesn’t know where to look,” Frick replied.
“Sounds good to me.”
Lunch found the teams coming back, reporting on their finds. Freida gave Frick several large rolls of velcro and some tubes of glue, to secure tubs to the foredeck. Fran brought back something Frick never even thought about- a bicycle. With baskets on it, and a tire pump and patch kit. She said she found a bike shop, and figured why not? She could tie it to the foredeck, lying down, when she wasn’t riding it. She was roundly applauded for her efforts.
Afternoon was more of the same, with Fran making more than one trip back and forth. Fortunately, the snow was far less down here than farther north, so riding the bike wasn’t too difficult. Adjusting the seat high enough for comfort did take a few tries to get right. Frick and Fred, when not fussing over the purifier, took the time to fasten the velcro securely to the foredeck under the wheelhouse, and also to the three tubs destined to be put there. Frick found he had wrought a little TOO well, after loading the tubs with grain and putting them in position, he could not move the tubs until they were emptied. “At least we know they won’t be going nowhere,” Fred observed.
“Yeah. I want to find a bunch of smaller containers we can put around the boat. We don’t know if our lives could come down to a single can of oats,” Frick said worriedly.
“Accept divine providence when you find it, to prepare for when you don’t have it. You’re doing your best, Frick. We’re all in this together, rallying round your lead,” Fred encouraged his friend.
“You’ve always been a fount of common sense, Fred. Bless you for it,” Frick said, losing his worried frown.
“Bless me? I didn’t sneeze…” Fred said before laughing and giving his friend a hug. A careful hug. He knows how strong he is, and he didn’t want to hurt Frick.
Supper that night was like lunch, out of jars and warmed. While both Frick and Fred could cook, they were both busy because the real cooking masters, Freida and Fran, were out getting other stuff done, like gathering more filter material, more clothing material, a small sewing machine, and Freida’s happiest find, an electric power grinder to make grain into flour, along with fresh yeast packets. “Fresh bread when we’re under way, boys!” she laughed. She received a standing ovation for her words.
After supper, while the crew rested, Fred asked Frick, “What’s our plans for the next however long, Captain?”
Frick was quick to answer. “If we leave by ten tomorrow morning, it’s my hope to make it to Saint Joseph by nightfall. There, we can do some quick scavenging to top up supplies before getting to Kansas City. There, we’ll have lots of chances to refuel, resupply, and maybe even meet some more folk,” he told the crew.
“Good! That will give Fran and I a couple of hours to scavenge a bit more,” Freida said. “I can bring back some clean filter material, and a stop at the supermarket for a couple of boxes of ziploc bags of different sizes.”
“Bags? Why not Tupperware, Freida?” Frick asked.
“Bags can mold to fit whatever space you have for them, especially with flour. We can squirrel away some extra grains and flour down in the cabins without really taking away hoof space,” Freida explained patiently.
“While I think I found a hand-operated meat grinder which we can attach up on the fly bridge to grind meats down to burger, for later drying. An electric jerky maker is just too big for our kitchen. I already measured,” Fran told the group. “Plus, I don’t think the menfolk would appreciate the aromas.”
“Once again showing your intellect, Fran. Frack, what’s the weather going to be like?” Frick asked, turning to the pegasus.
“It will be nice early, but clouds will start forming about the time you plan to set off. Heading south, we’ll be going into a warm front, with rain likely by sunset,” Frack said with confidence. “Of course, I could be wrong. I’ll fly scout a few times to get a better feel.”
“Sounds good to me, little bro. Fred, anything to add?”
“Run the purifier starting after breakfast until we’re ready to leave, disconnect and stow the hose, and clean after we’re under way. We could use some more bigger trash bags for used filters,” Fred advised.
“Ladies, note that down. Okay, then, night activities until bedtime. Fran, want to draft an email to the WSU, or do you want me to do it?” Frick asked.
“You handle it, Captain. Freida and I have some sewing work tonight, if you want something to keep the rain off your hides tomorrow!” she replied with a smile.
“Okay, then. I’ll get started on that. I would like to thank whoever fixed supper, it was indescribable,” Frick said, getting up to head for the computer.
“But, bro, YOU made dinner!” Frack protested.
Without turning around, Frick muttered, loud enough for all to hear, “About time someone noticed…”, after which the other three started laughing at Frack’s grimace.
January 3rd, the crew of Deliverance did last-minute chores before setting off. The ladies did some last-minute scavenging, Frack and Fred got the purifier running to top off the tanks, and Frick had a ten-minute chat with WSU radio, outlining their plans for the day. After that pleasant chore, Frick relieved his brother so he could fly out to check their cousin Curtis’ place, and maybe leave a message.
Promptly at ten, Frack cast off the mooring lines and flew back aboard as Fred got to pull the ship out into the river, heading downstream. “Don’t worry, everyone’s gonna get a chance to park the car. Your turn will come soon enough,” Frick told the crew.
“Sounds good to me, Frick,” Freida said from the saloon, where she and Fran are working on an idea they came up with, gluing netting pockets to the ceiling, to store bags of grain and flour and whatever else. The only one who would have head clearance issues is Fran, and using soft materials, like grain and flour, it would not hurt her any if she ran into one. “Looking forward to my turn at driving.”
“While she’s driving, I will come up with dinner. Anyone for almost meatless tacos with canned cheese fakery, assorted greens and venison chips?” Fran asked.
“We could do a lot worse,” Fred said from the wheel. “Just wish we had refried beans.”
“I got a couple of cans. I just hope it’s still good,” Fran commented.
“Then, you’re on!” Fred said happily. “Just love a good taco.”
They cruised steadily down the Missouri River, engines turning over at about half power. They weren’t in a tearing hurry, and it made no sense to waste fuel at full power. The river wandered back and forth through a strip of land left fallow, to allow for flooding. Only where towns had sprung up, like Nebraska City, did Mankind build right on the river. Said towns are few and far between in this part of the country, too. In fact, after leaving Nebraska City, they passed one tiny town on the west bank of the Missouri. One.
Hunting worked out well in all the farm and range land. Freida managed to bag another deer and several squirrels early on, and stayed up on the fly bridge skinning and cooking until it was her turn to pilot. Fran came up to finish the work. Squirrel was a bit gamey, but tolerable. Venison, however, was the best. She ground up some of the meat fine and dried it on the stove, as a first step to making pemmican, or a version of it. She did come down about three, when it started to rain. She did get the meats sealed up and the stove off before coming down.
The rain steadily intensified, visibility decreasing as the rain increased. Frick came up to the wheel and got beside Freida, calling up the navigation charts. “Looks like we’re not getting to Saint Joseph tonight,” he said. “There should be another town before then.”
Freida glanced at the chart display. “I think we passed this place here about twenty minutes ago,” she said, tapping the screen which had the word ‘Rulo’ displayed. “What’s next along the river?”
“A town called White Cloud. We’ll pull in there. Hope we won’t have to drop anchor out in the river,” Frick muttered as he worked the navigation program. “Says there should be a dock there, and it’s like almost sixty miles from Nebraska City, not counting meanders. Making better time than I thought.”
Freida turned on the outside running lights and the forward spotlight, despite the fact it was just three-thirty. “Frick, how about you take the wheel, I take a lantern and fly ahead to this White Cloud dock and give you a light to steer by?” she suggested.
“I won’t ask you to, Freida, but if you think it best, then go ahead. You know where it’s kept. I’ll take over and slow down some, while you go and find the dock. Let’s get Deliverance to a good harbor,” Frick said as he squeezed forward to allow Freida to go behind him and out. Ponies and griffons are smaller than people, but the boat wasn’t built for ponies. He brought the engines to idle as Freida found her radio and the diver’s lantern.
“Be careful, Maw,” Fred said quietly without looking up from his Bible.
“Always am, Paw. See you when I get back,” she said, equally quiet, giving her husband a quick kiss on the cheek. Well, close enough to one. She went out the back door, shutting it before taking off and circling around the boat, looking ahead and to the right, shining the powerful light down along the west bank.
Freida flew carefully down the riverbank, looking for the town of White Cloud. She found that flying in the rain was not bad at all, just a bit chill. The lights of the Deliverance faded into the rain behind her as she headed south. It took her about ten minutes to find the pier, set along the river bank. She landed there and called in. “Found the place, Frick. When I see your lights, I’ll signal you with mine.”
“That works, Freida. Shouldn’t be long.” It wasn’t. Five minutes or so later, the lights of the boat began to be seen through the raindrops. Freida turned on her lantern and shone it towards the boat, waving it some to make sure Frick spotted it.
Soon, Frick had the boat parked and Freida tied both the fore and aft lines to the pier cleats. Freida got onboard, shaking most of the wet off before going into the saloon, where Fred was waiting with one of their large beach towels. Together, they got her dry in jig time, Freida wringing out the towel as best she could before going to put it in the dryer. They had found the washer and dryer on board worked, but took its time, especially on the dry cycle.
“What’s our plans for tonight, big bro?” Frack asked as Frick started the generator and shut down the engines.
“We’re going to sit here until the rain lets up before going on to Saint Joseph. I don’t know the river here, and I kinda like to see where we’re going. It’s God’s own miracle we haven’t hit a shoal or sandbar yet,” Frick replied, also turning off the fishing spotlights, but leaving on the running lights. “What’s the weather going to do, flyboy?”
Frack concentrated, looking at his inner eye at his weather feelings. “The front should be passing overhead within the hour, rain increasing until then, after which the showers will taper off and end by eleven tonight. Skies clearing as the warm front goes north, temperatures in the lower fifties, highs tomorrow upper fifties,” he said slowly, like he was reading a display. A pale golden light flickered through the saloon before fading. “How was that, bro?”
Nobody answered right away, they were all looking at Frack’s flank. “What you all looking at?” he asked.
“Bro, you just been marked,” Frick said slowly. Frack lifted his wing and looked. What he saw was a rooster on his red flank, on top of an arrow facing forward, all in a circle, all in black. “A weather vane?” he said incredulously.
“Sure looks like it, Frack,” Fred said slowly. “You’ve always been interested in the weather. You seem to be reading it well enough. Missed the second snowstorm, though.”
“It was masked by the first. I didn’t miss it, I just didn’t see it well enough. It was closer than I thought,” Frack admitted.
“Practice makes perfect, Frack,” Freida said, coming up to give the pegasus a wing hug. “I’ve read that pegasi can affect the weather as well as read it. Griffons can land on clouds and move them around. Maybe we can get some practice in?”
“Sounds like a good idea, but let’s wait until we can see better where the clouds are. Whose turn is it to cook tonight?” Frack asked.
“Mine,” Freida said, giving Frack an extra squeeze before letting go. “Since today is the day you got your mark, I’ll even make some cupcakes for us. How that?”
“Chocolate?” Frack asked hopefully.
“Of course!” Freida exclaimed before heading to the galley.
The next morning, January 4th, the crew of the Deliverance didn’t bother checking out the town. Instead they gave the boat a once-over, saw that the tubs of grain came through intact, cleaned up some wet spots, and got on their way.
Seeing as the charts said that Saint Joseph was on the order of forty miles away, Frick decided on two changes this day. The first is that he would proceed at about half-speed today, and the second being he told the fliers, Frack and Freida, to scout ahead and get some wing time in. His only order is that they stay in touch via radio, otherwise, they will meet in Saint Joseph. Encouraged, the two flew off.
Seeing as the clouds were rather low that day, the two fliers decided to try their cloud-walking skills. First problem was getting through the clouds. The two first bounced off the bottom of the deck. “How we going to do this, Freida?” Frack asked.
“I say dig,” Freida said back as she attacked the bottom of the cloud with her claws and paws. A hole soon appeared and she dug her way up out of sight. Not to be outdone, Frack tried something similar. He soon found the knack, and found his way to the top of the cloud before Freida did. Together, they looked out over the cloud deck.
“Rather bland, if you can’t see the ground,” Freida commented.
“Yeah, but clouds sure are comfy!” Frack laughed, rolling some on the top of the cloud, getting kinks out of his back, wings and legs he didn’t realize he had until then.
“How will we find our way back?” Freida asked. “I’m pretty sure, but I can’t see through the cloud.”
“Let me try something,” Frack said. He stood up on the cloud, spread his wings, and bent his will towards opening a hole in the cloud in front of them, top to bottom. A wind sprang up, a small whirlwind that bored a hole through the cloud. They didn’t realize how thick the cloud was until they holed through. “Wow! Thick cloud!”
“Stratus, I think. Flat and trailing the front. We better head down. I think we’re behind the boat, not in front,” Freida said, worried.
“We are,” Frack said. “Let’s get a move on!” He quickly dove through the hole, Freida on his golden tail. Turns out their play time with the cloud DID blow them back along the river, and they had to sprint some to catch up and pass the Deliverance as it motored downriver.
Noontime found the ship and crew tying up at a pier in Saint Joseph, Missouri. Earlier recon showed this particular pier had a fuel tank nearby they could draw from. Once moored, the brothers set up the purification gear while Fred and Freida, armed with a map, set out to explore the city.
Their destination was the Pony Express Museum, not because they were fans of the old Pony Express, what was on their minds are saddlebags. Saddlebags designed to go on a horse. With a model to go off of, Freida was positive she could make something that would fit everypony but Fran. She could use a regular backpack, once they found one that fit her tall, thin frame comfortably. They had to do a little B&E to get in, but few doors could resist Fred’s hooves. At least, none of the doors he had to kick in did.
The two spent a couple of hours alone together, exploring the museum. They did find the saddlebags they were looking for, taking the two smallest sets they could find. Frieda was sure she could trim those two down to fit Fred and Frick, the leather she felt was too stiff for the flexing of their wings to fit her or Frack. She has the canvas to make some.
Leaving the museum, the two leisurely walked back to the boat, enjoying their time alone together. Love that had started in their early teens still flourished, even though their bodies were much more different than they ever could have imagined. They could hear dogs barking and yelping not far away, but dogs didn’t worry them. Freida has a fully loaded thirty-eight in her belt pouch, and she knows how to use it. Witness the squirrels she had bagged yesterday.
Suddenly, a scream tore through the barking. The scream of a young child being chased by something. The two did not hesitate, Fred going to a gallop while Freida took off, both heading for the scream.
Freida found the dogs about two blocks away, barking and yelping around a small white object. Another terrified scream rang out, and Freida realized what that little white object was. It turned out to be a little white buffalo, screaming as it ran in a tight little circle, head low, not sitting still. She stooped, aiming for the edge of the dog pack, taking one in her claws and tossing it aside as she landed.
Fred turned the corner at full speed, galloping for all he was worth, which was a lot more than he expected to have. His tactic was to charge into the pack, scoop up the little buffalo with his head and get it onto his back, then get clear. Freida gave him the opening he wanted. As he got the buffalo on his back, he could feel the little thing clamp on with all four hooves. “Hang on, little one, you safe,” Fred puffed as he ran, Freida covering his escape.
Fred did not slow down his headlong rush until he came within sight of the Deliverance. He stopped some yards away from the boat and sat down, allowing the calf to slide off. The calf promptly went up to Fred’s front legs and leaned against them, shivering in fright. “What’s your name, little fellow?” Fred asked as he hugged the little.
“Wakinya Pejuta Mahpiya” the boy said distinctly before sobbing in fright against Fred.
“It will be all right, Wakinya,” Fred said soothingly as Freida landed next to him, reaching out to pet the calf’s matted dirty white fur.
“That’s right, little one. We will look after you,” Freida added, letting the young calf cry himself out in Fred’s hooves.
Frick came up to them. “What’s going on here?” he asked. Freida explained about the pack of dogs and the screaming they heard. “I didn’t hear anything. Then again, the fuel filter pump IS loud. Think we should get him aboard before the dogs show up?”
Freida said, in tones cold enough to freeze the river, “Let them. It will be the last mistake they will make.” Frick believed her. In all his life, he has heard Freida like that maybe enough times to count on both hands. Well, back when he HAD hands…
“Just leave him to us, Frick. He’s had one heck of a shock, and he needs to recover,” Fred said quietly, hugging the young calf to him.
“Okay, Fred. What’s his name?”
“I don’t know. I know what he said, and I recognize it, but that’s the extent of my knowledge of Lakota Sioux,” Fred replied. “Wakinda Petuya Mahiya, which means Lightning Medicine Cloud. That was the name of a white buffalo calf born a few years ago down in Texas. Remembered reading about it on Wiki. Right now, this little boy needs much medicine.”
“I’m sure you two can handle it. Think you can get him to the cabin?” Frick asked.
“We’ll do our best. Wakinda, inside? Clean up?” Fred said to the calf, who looked at him and nodded. He nosed a dirty spot on his hide and grimaced. “All right, then. On my back, okay? Like before.” Wakinda nodded and scrambled up on Fred’s back, clinging tight. Carefully, Fred got aboard Deliverance, and down into the main cabin, Freida right behind.
When they were out of sight, both Frack and Fran converged on Frick, asking for the story, Frick raised a hoof. “Now, I do not know all of what is going on here, but I do know a few things. White buffalo are considered sacred by the tribes here. Fred says the boy speaks Lakota Sioux. How about the rest of us? I sure can’t.”
“I know a few words, but I can’t say I know it. Knew a few Lakota who came into the shop,” Frack contributed.
“Pretty much the same with me,” Fran added. “Worked with one at the University, but I never learned his language. I know one of his part-time gigs was translating into Lakota the University rules for those few who needed it.”
“Now we have one on board, a little boy we can’t speak with. Just bloody wonderful,” Frick sighed, looking down at the deck.
“I would not worry too much, Captain. Fred and Freida seem to have matters well in hand. Let them handle it, you worry about the boat. How does that sound?” Fran suggested.
“Try that, bro! Fred and Freida can handle little Lightning. Let them do the worrying, you got enough to worry about, like helping me change the filters on the purifier. Later on, we gotta find a bunch more cotton and about a dozen thick socks,” Frack chipped in with.
“Okay, good points all. Fran, draft and send an email to the WSU letting them know about what happened, and ask about the care and feeding of buffalo kids. Maybe they have files on them. Right now, we need advice. They’re the best source. Frack, you and me, let’s get the filter taken care of,” Frick said, going to the filter apparatus. Fran and Frack exchanged a wink before getting to work, Fran proving to be a quick study in handling the Captain.
Down in the main cabin, Fred and Freida gave little Lightning a sponge bath, getting dirt and grime off his white coat, which when dried and brushed, shone gently in the cabin lights. The whole time, the two talked to and with the little boy, getting him to calm down. Lightning proved able to understand English, but for some reason could not speak it. That didn’t worry the couple, because they can see the boy was responding to a language that needed no translation, the language of love and caring.
After getting cleaned up, the boy showed signs of fatigue, so they put him in the big bed, Fred curling up as well. “Lightning needs to feel secure and safe. You go ahead upstairs and try to figure out what he would want to eat,” Fred advised.
“I know we have some powdered milk I have been saving. I’ll go ahead and mix some up. I’ll also try to make a selection, so we can find out what he would like,” Freida said, petting Lightning’s head gently.
“Sounds good to me, Maw. One thing I will say is that we don’t leave the little fellow alone. Either you or me should be within sight of him. Seems to give him security.”
“I can agree with that, Paw. Sometimes I regret we didn’t have children. This is one of those times,” Freida said sadly.
Fred reached up with a hoof, which she took in a claw. “Now, Maw, we settled this a long time ago. Having a child wasn’t in the Lord’s plans for us. Maybe Lightning will be a substitute, at least for a while. Now, it’s up to us to do the best we can for him. Think we can do that?”
Freida smiled down at her husband, squeezing the hoof gently. “I know we can,” she said before letting go and heading upstairs. Fred put his head down and was soon dozing as well.
Up above the boat and downstream, Cloudseeker, a former retired crop duster recast into the body of a young raven/panther griffon, observed the boat down below. Two ponies, one with a gold mane and one with a garish purple, were working on some sort of apparatus on the back of the sleek little boat. He watched for a while before turning about and heading back to Kansas City, to report to his boss, Smoking Horn.
“They’re there. Saw two ponies working on something. Not sure what it is. Watched them for half an hour. Didn’t see anypony else,” the griffon formerly known as Clifford Black Feather reported in his terse manner. He never did talk much as a human, but as a griffon he was even more quiet.
“Raven is certain there are more, and they have something important. What it is, the feathered bastard wouldn’t tell me, just we have to make certain they get here safely. Any ideas how?” Smoking Horn grumped, his horn letting out as much smoke as the pipe he was holding in his magic.
“Escort. Silverwing, me, Cold Current. Fly, swim Saint Joe, guide back. Work?” Cloudseeker asked.
Smoking Horn puffed on his pipe a bit. Yes, smoking is a dirty habit he had not been able to overcome in forty years as a human and after changing into a unicorn, but all admitted he chose the best tobacco for a room. It was the only thing about it that made it tolerable around everyone else. “Okay. Get Silverwing and Cold Current, then report back to me. By then, I’ll have some idea on what to say and do.”
“Right, shaman,” Cloudseeker said before leaving the room.
Fred dreamed while he slept, holding on to little Lightning. That’s not something Fred normally did, at least as far as he could remember them. In this dream, he found himself in what looked to be a rather large, ornate tepee, with cushions piled high on the floor in places, several racks of books, and what appeared to be a big crystal ball mounted on an ornate base.
Sitting across from Fred, on the far side of the crystal ball, is what Fred took to be an old man, with wrinkled leathery skin, white hair peeking around a black feather headdress, bright impish eyes and a very warm smile, bearing a resemblance to Edward Everett Horton in an old episode of Batman, provided you didn’t push it too hard. “Hello, Fred. You don’t know me yet, but I know you.”
“Okay, then. Just who are you, where am I, and why are you not a pony? News has it that no humans survived what happened. How did you get me off the Deliverance?” Fred asked.
The old man smiled warmly. “Who said I took you off your boat? You’re still there, holding on to little Lightning. You’re dreaming, and well, dreams I can manipulate. Part of my job.
“Now, you consider yourself a man of God, right?” the old man asked.
“Always have been, always will be. Support staff, though. Never could deliver a true sermon, and never wanted to go to seminary. I’m happily married and intend to remain so. ‘Till death do us part’ is not just words, sir. It’s a fact,” Fred said in reply.
“How right you are, Fred. In the case of griffons, even more so. You two love each other, that I can tell. So be it. Now, I have some words to tell you. This is not going to be easy,” the old man said, picking up what appeared to be a remote control. “Pay attention to the crystal ball.”
What appeared there, in full color with the old man’s narration, is a capsule history of what led up to the Event, including the Equestrian’s interference. “Now, when they did that, and the wave front passed, one thing the Equestrians overlooked is that the deities local to Earth are also able to return, like me, for example,” the old man said. “I was the quickest of my group to seize the opportunity and come back. I already have some followers.”
Fred blinked, nonplussed to the point of minus. “So, then, just who are you, good sir?” Fred asked with respect in his voice.
The old man smiled wide. “Glad you asked!” he said before morphing into a very large black bird. “I’m known by lots of names, but you can call me Raven.”
Fred bowed his head to the bird. When he looked back up, the old man was back. “You honor me, Raven, and I respect you. I do follow my God, however. I won’t be one of your… priests? Medicine men? I don’t know the term. Just where is my God, if I may ask?”
“He hasn’t come back yet. That’s the problem with most divinities, they lose the mortal sense of time. He’ll be along, just can’t say when.
“Now, I have a job offer for you. No, it won’t conflict with your beliefs,” Raven said, holding up his hand to stop Fred from interrupting. “You are a pony of your God. That won’t change. What you can do is help others find the God that is right for them. Many pantheons have returned, and you are in the position of being able to show compassion to all and help them find the deity that best suits their needs. No one deity can claim you, but all deities will back your decisions.”
Fred just sat there for a moment, thinking. “What would my God say when He returns?” he asked.
“Being late to the party, he won’t have the power base to say squat about the arrangements. Each deity is empowered to find one individual to be a ‘middleman’ for the gods. I’m just the first one who decided to do the multi-pantheonic recruiting gig. Most others, of those who have decided to get back into mortal affairs, tend to recruit clerics for themselves,” Raven then snorted. “Heck, so did I. I bet you’re wondering why you, of all ponies, right?”
Fred nodded his head solemnly. “That thought has crossed my mind, yes.”
Raven smiled at the reply, his eyes getting brighter. “I like you! You have manners!
“Simply put, the reason I’m offering this to you is what you did just a little while ago. Little Lightning Medicine Cloud has a great destiny in store for him. Whoever was handling his Return missed by a few miles.”
Raven took a breath before working his remote. Images started appearing, of a griffon, a pegasus, and something Fred had not seen before, some sort of water-adapted pony. “These three will be here tomorrow early to escort you safely to Kansas City, where an enclave of Sioux live. They will raise little Lightning properly, teaching him what he needs to know to grow into his destiny.”
“If I may ask, how am I supposed to do what you are asking me to do?” Fred asked, intrigued by the job offer.
“Good question. Most of it will be subconscious, like you can look at a being and know which way he or she is to go to ease their souls, if it needs easing when you meet them. You will know how to approach them and get them to talk.
“Now, I’m going to give you some additional talents, to make your job easier. First, you will be able to speak any language, so long as you are in the presence of one you need to speak to that does not know the languages you speak. Speak, hear, understand, the whole goods basket. Next, I will give you the ability to…” Raven paused at this point, searching for the right words. “Project a calming aura, to settle beings down enough to speak clearly and distinctly so you can read them properly. Third, you can heal by touch, so long as the wound is not too serious. You’ll have to set a broken bone, you can’t regenerate lost limbs, and you definitely can’t bring back the dead. That’s above your level. Any questions?”
Fred nodded once. “Yes. Three. The first is, this will not disrupt my standing in the eyes of my God, when He should return?”
“Not in any way, shape or form. By the time He DOES come back, he’ll have to fight hard to get a toehold. Europe would be easier for him than America. Deities are moving in. I’ve claimed my territory, my peoples. I will care for others who show up in my lands. Next question?”
“Two, how will I learn what I need to know to help beings find the proper gods?” Fred asked.
“You will know what you need to know when you need to know it, Fred. Survival comes first. You and your group are good at that. Lucky, too. Next?” Raven asked, the impish smile coming to the old man’s face.
“Three. When do I start?” Fred asked.
“Now,” Raven said as the dream dissipated, the last thing Fred remembered seeing were the letters ‘D B O’ in the crystal ball.
Fred woke up to find himself back in his bed aboard Deliverance, little Lightning snuggled up against him, looking at Fred when his eyes opened. “Hungry now, Grandpapa. Where food?” the little buffalo asked.
“Upstairs. Would you like to meet everyone aboard?” Fred asked, in Lakota.
“No scary dogs?” Lightning asked.
“No scary dogs. You understand English?”
“Yes, no speak it good. How you speak Lakota? Didn’t before.”
“I had some help understanding you, Wakinda. Only I can speak Lakota. Come on, let’s have dinner!” Fred said, rolling out of the bed.
“Show me!” Lightning squealed as Fred led him upstairs.
The other members of the crew stared some at Lightning when he came up, followed by Fred. “Hope he likes porridge, and lots of it!” Freida said from the galley.
“I think that will be a good thing, Maw. This little fellow is hungry, and so am I!” Fred said with an easy smile.
“Hey, Fred! You got marked, too! When did that happen?” Frack called out when Fred came fully into view. Everyone looked, except Lightning. Emblazoned on Fred’s blue flanks is a twisted brown and gray branch, with light green leaves and three dark green fruits hanging from it, with a little black bird perched at the tip of the branch.
“An olive branch, with a raven on it,” Fred mused. “Must have happened while I was asleep. Did have the damndest dream. Ready to hear it?”
That question was set aside for a few minutes while they arranged Lightning a place at the table. He was too small to sit normally, so Frick and Fred arranged some pillows for him to sit on, raising him high enough to reach the table. With an obvious grin of joy, the little buffalo eagerly dug into his dinner.
Fred explained about his dream, about how he has essentially become a ‘divine middleman’, showing troubled souls the way to the divinity that is best suited to them. He could speak another’s languages, can heal at need, and can confer with some sort of divine library to find the proper god for the proper job.
“But, what about God?” Freida asked.
“He’s in the mix, but he hasn’t shown up yet. Until then, I’ve been assured I will not lose any standing in God’s eyes by helping others. Times have changed, and we had best be able to change with them, otherwise we will be left behind,” Fred explained as he spread a little molasses onto a piece of bread.
“What’s this about a welcoming party tomorrow?” Frick asked.
“Three ponies from Kaycee will be here earlyish in the morning, to escort us down. There’s a little colony of Sioux down there, and this little fellow should have gone there. Slight error in delivery,” Fred said between bites.
“Hope we can top up down there. I had planned on scavenging tomorrow,” Frick worried.
Fran piped up then. “Captain, having fresh faces will help. Plus, who says they haven’t scavenged enough in K C already? They’ll know where the good stuff is, right?”
“You have a point, Fran,” Frick sighed. “There should be more in K C than there is here in Saint Joseph. We’ll do our scrounging down there.”
“Any plans for tonight, Captain?” Fred asked.
“For now, you and Freida take care of little Lightning here. Read to him, talk to him, I’ll leave him in your hooves and Freida’s talons. If you want to do some light work down there, by all means, go ahead. Those saddlebags can prove useful, if we can get them to fit.
“Frack, you and me will run the purifier as long as we can tonight. When we have trouble staying up, we’ll shut it down then and get everything put up. Fran, send a log to the WSU, updating what we have learned about Fred today. I’m sure they will be interested.”
Frick took a breath before looking at the little buffalo, now on his fourth bowl of powdered-milk fortified wheat and oat porridge. “You, little Lightning, are truly a wonder. I’m happy that we have been able to help you. May we take pictures later?” he asked.
Lightning looked up from his bowl, a little porridge dripping from his muzzle. “Is he usually like this, Grandpapa?” he asked Fred in Lakota.
“He’s a very good person, Wakinya. I’ve known him since I was your age. We all help each other. What say you, can we take pictures of you?”
“Sure, Grandpapa. He’s goofy, but very nice. Tell me about everyone later?”
“Of course, Wakinya. Finish dinner, okay?” Fred gently urged.
“Okay, Grandpapa!” Wakinya went back to filling himself up.
“What he say, Fred?” frack asked.
“He said it’s okay to take pictures, and he wants me to tell him all about you. About everyone here, actually. He’s curious,” Fred replied after some coffee.
“Sounds good to me. After dinner, I’ll get my phone and take some pictures. Fortunately, it’s easy for me to take selfies with my magic,” Frick said, trying to remember where he had PUT the damn thing, not having used it since before the Event.
Later, down in the main cabin, Fred, Freida and Wakinya sat on the bed, telling stories. Wakinya told about his family, what little he could remember. One thing for sure is that he knew he wasn’t where he was before, because there are no mountains around. He was used to seeing mountains.
“That’s unusual. All the reports we’ve heard about is that people who come back return to the same spot where they were taken from,” Freida mused. “We’re sure variations would creep in.”
“At least he wasn’t gender-bent, like some of the others have. I’m glad it hasn’t happened here, to any of us,” Fred replied.
“What’s gender-bent, Grandpapa?” Wakinya asked.
“Some boys are coming back as girls, Wakinya. Nobody knows why,” Fred answered honestly.
“I’m a boy! I’m glad I didn’t become a girl!” the little buffalo said indignantly. Fred laughed and hugged the calf warmly.
“We love you because you are you, Wakinya. Boy or girl, we would still love you. You should be feeling that. Do you?” the formerly-old sexton asked.
Wakinya threw himself into Fred’s hooves. “I do, Grandpapa. I love you, Grandmama, and everyone else aboard! You all want to help, not hurt. I can feel it!” he shouted in emphatic Lakota.
Freida joined in the hug from behind. “I don’t think I need a translation of that to understand the meaning, Paw,” she said with a small laugh, resting her head atop Wakinya’s.
“Always knew you were smart, Maw.”
“In news from America, the Fearsome Fivesome aboard the Deliverance have arrived at Saint Joseph, Missouri. Tomorrow, they will be going downriver to Kansas City, where another cluster of ponies have been found. I’m told they can hear us, but don’t have the knowledge to call out. It is hoped that Captain Frick and his friends find the means to allow the Kansas City group to call in and join the WSU network. There’s not enough of us to remain separate any longer than we have to.
“Up in Montana, DJ Grizzly reports…” the radio was shut off by a smoky glow.
Smoking Horn looked at his three tribe members. “At least they had the sense not to mention the surprise package. You three head up there, find them, and get them down here safely! I’ll arrange to top and swap some supplies. Now, get to it!”
“Sure thing, Smokey. Should be back by lunchtime, maybe a little after,” Silverwing said before leading the others out of the repurposed furniture store that served as home base for the Kansas City Sioux. Silverwing and Cloudseeker took to the air, while Cold Current sprinted for the river. She knew the fliers would get there first, but she would not be that far behind.
“Hear that, Landry? They’re going to be in Kaycee today! They’re moving faster than we expected!” Caleb said while he rowed the little boat steadily upstream, against what little current there was pushing back.
“We should still get to Natchez before they will, Caleb,” Landry squeaked from his position in Caleb’s mane. “Marie’s meddling down here is making it easier for us to go up and warn them, right? Think you could have done this with the river running at full spate?”
“Not as fast as I can now, Landry. How long before we get there?”
“Depends. Should be a few days before reaching Old River, then after that will depend on finding reliable transportation. If we have to walk it, no more than three days,” Landry advised.
“I’m big. I’m strong. I’m not very fast, but I keep on going. Right?”
“That’s right, Caleb. You keep on going when everyone else would stop. That’s why we do so well together.”
Caleb nodded, steadily rowing his way north along the big river.
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wow things are really moving. new players a new god and bad guys moving in.
i am really loving this more and more.