She Wolf Ch. 06

"There are hundreds of islands of various sizes in Hawaii and not all of them are occupied. Some are under control of the native population for religious and cultural use even though the islands can't support a permanent population."

"And...?"

"And, one small island...let me see if I can spell it for you...K-A-H-O-O-L-A-N-E...was used by the navy for a bombing range during and for a while after the Second World War, but it has been ceded over to the native Hawaiians for cultural use. There's not much on the island, a few scattered buildings and a lighthouse maintained by the Coast Guard is about it. There's a communication tower on the island. There are no real roads, only a couple of dirt tracks. The island has an old extinct volcano, and the Hawaiians report something going on in the crater. A couple of pack members investigated and were driven off by something they couldn't describe."

"This is going somewhere, I suppose?"

"Where it's going is that the native Hawaiians are convinced there are some sort of evil spirits up there and have requested help from the mainland."

Janet was quiet for a moment. "Hope said I'd be going to Hawaii." With a sigh she asked "when are we needed, and how many of us?"

"I'll see if Gray can find out more. They couldn't seem to reach me, but could get to Gray and he is relaying to me."

"I guess it is almost halfway around the world from here."

"Not nearly, but it is a long way."

Afterwards Charles sat back and puffed out his cheeks. "I have a feeling we are about to find out why we need swords."

"I suppose it would save time if we started packing. I don't know how we'll get swords over there. Grandpa's plane can't make it over that much ocean."

Two days later Gertrude contacted her again. "I'm told there is no way a large group could work in that terrain. It would have to be your team and a few from there. They'll meet you and make a plan for strategy and transportation. Henry is working on getting you there. He thinks he has something from Seattle, and he can get you that far."

On a whim Janet went outside and flashed her hands to the sky and sat on the porch to wait. In a few minutes an eagle landed nearby.

She gently stroked it. "I need to talk to Eagle Claw, if you can arrange it."

The bird blinked and took off, disappearing over the treetops.

Charles joined her on the porch, handing her a cup of coffee. "Nice morning to sit outside."

"It will be nicer if I can find out something."

This time it took nearly a half hour before the eagle returned, once again perching on the porch railing. Moving closer to it she reached out to stroke it again. "Well, do you have anything for me? I'm still not used to talking to a bird."

The eagle turned one eye toward her and she noted a reflection in it. Moving closer she discerned Eagle Claw.

'Well Celestial, I imagine you found out about the sword.'

'I have, and it is in my possession. It's a long story, but I have another question for you. I have been contacted by the pack in Hawaii. The native Hawaiians report some strange goings on in the crater of an extinct volcano on an uninhabited island and claim it is something unknown. All they can think of is evil spirits. From my time with you and Great Bear I thought you might have some insight. I've dealt with MRKX and hellhounds, but I'm not sure what to make of evil spirits.'

'Great Bear chased away evil spirits regularly.'

'It appears I'll be going to Hawaii, and now I'm wondering if you should go along. At least you have seen how the shaman handled the evil spirits'

'I'm no shaman and don't have the powers of a shaman.'

'Have you seen the evil spirits?'

"I have. There is no common appearance to them. They are all different.'

'I think that's why I have the sword. I also have the next best thing to silver arrows.'

'Good thinking.'

'Would you be interested in going with us? I think any experience we can bring could be valuable. I don't get the sense that they have a firm plan of action.'

'When would this be?'

'We are getting ready to leave for Seattle. Claw says he has a way to get us from there to Hawaii.'

'If there is a fight I would be honored to fight beside you again. It will take two to three days for me to get there by motorcycle.'

'How about if we pick you up where we met last time? Could you be ready tomorrow afternoon?'

'I can be ready in five minutes.'

'We have a plane, not a time machine. See you tomorrow.'

'I'll consider what would be appropriate to bring.'

The image faded and Janet relaxed back from the bird. "Thank you. You are a good and faithful messenger."

As they taxied for takeoff Janet asked "How are we going to get all these weapons over there? This plane can't fly over that much ocean, and no commercial flight would allow us to take them."

"I pulled a few strings and spoke to the right people. There are lycans who work with aircraft, after all. They know who you are and understand the need to get there with all equipment."

After picking up Eagle Claw they turned north and finally landed in Seattle, taxiing to the general aviation terminal.

"All ashore that's going ashore!"

"Cute, grandpa. What next?"

"See that one right over there? That's your next ride."

"Seriously?"

"Cargo flies out of here every day - UPS, FedEx, mail and shipping. That plane is run by a small commercial cargo carrier flying here and there according to what they're carrying, and they just happen to be heading your way. It might be tight with their other cargo aboard, but they are used to giving lifts when needed. You might not all get a comfy seat, but there are seatbelts in the cargo area for passengers and you can switch around during the flight. You'll be in the air eight hours or so."

"Aren't you coming?"

Henry shook his head. "Not this time. I'll stay here with Gray and help relay messages. Swift will be available for advice if needed. After you scope out the situation if you think we could be of help we'll come." He put a hand on her shoulder. "It's your ballgame now. You know more than we ever have, and have skills I can only marvel at. Frankly, this situation sounds like something we've never encountered before, and it's something that will best be handled with new eyes and new tactics."

Space was tight - the plane already had almost a full load. Once aboard Janet and Charles shifted, curled up and slept for most of the trip.

Upon landing at Honolulu they were met by a representative of the Kingdom Government and loaded their gear and weapons into his van. After a brief "Aloha" they were off to meet with a government committee.

The committee consisted of three members, two lycans and a human. Charles was impressed.

"It's not often that officials recognize lycans."

"The U.S. and State of Hawaii don't, but we do. We recognize that our history includes contributions by all - human, lycan and spirits. The so-called 'real' government prefers to sweep any mention or reference to non-humans under the official rug. Lycans don't exist to them, except in fairy tales. We know better."

"Fill us in on what's happening. We have only second and third hand reports."

One of the lycans, Shark, stood and indicated a map on the wall. "Here we are and here is Kaho'olane. It is presently uninhabited although there are a few structures. This topographic map of the island shows the terrain. The structures are a lighthouse and maintenance building...here, helipads and a couple of abandoned buildings by the beach on the northeast...here and a tower with another helipad...here." He used a pointer to indicate the location of each. "There are only a couple of dirt roads, most leading from the beach over to the lighthouse and up to the tower. Another winds from the tower to the crater rim. The roads can barely be called roads, and parts of them are only accessible by four wheel drive vehicles. As you can see, the only beach with good access is the one on the northeast. The other pocket beaches are at the base of steep ravines and don't offer good access. The southern half of the island is the old volcano. It is extinct, but still has its cone. The coast is mostly cliffs."

Charles and Janet walked over to the map and studied it closely.

"Looks like rugged terrain all over. Vegetation?"

"Yeah, but a lot of it is recent, since the island was extensively bombed as a practice range by the navy. The volcano is severely eroded and the sides are carved with deep gullies. Some old tires and such have been dumped into them to slow the erosion and give vegetation time to establish and anchor the soil and slow erosion. We'd prefer more sustainable methods, but the tires were added before we had control of the island."

Surfer explained "There aren't any real trees like you see over on Maui. A combination of the bombing and a dry climate has prevented any trees other than scattered short stunted ones."

The human, Daniel, added "The official government has ceded the island to us for use in spiritual and cultural activities, so native Hawaiians are the only ones allowed access to the island."

"Where is the problem?"

The other lycan, Surfer, spoke up. "The crater of the volcano has had some, what appears to us, unusual activity. There are flashes of light and rumbles like thunder from time to time. It seems to us that there may be some sort of spirit moving about. We three went as a team to investigate. We never made it to the summit. Some sort of creatures drove us off. I don't know how to describe them, but they...flew. They weren't birds. They weren't bats either, but some other flying animal with claws and teeth. We beat a hasty retreat down to the boat and left. I was scratched by claws, and still have the scars."

He rolled up his sleeve and showed three long parallel scars on his upper arm. Lydia examined the scars and ran her hands over them. When she stepped away the scars were fainter.

"What kind of power do you have?"

Janet answered "She is a healer, and a damn good one. She also wields a mean axe and can join the wolf pack when necessary. She's better at removing heads than she is at ripping with teeth. My team members all have different talents. A late addition is Eagle Claw from the Native American pack. He has some special fighting skills and understands more than I do about spirits. He was a key member of the force that defeated MRKX."

"We need all the help we can get and I'm glad you all have complementary skills."

"I was told that a large force will probably not work in this case, and agree upon looking at the maps of the island. The topography would impede movement and there isn't much cover. We'll cook up a plan amongst ourselves."

"When you did your recon was it during the day or at night?"

"It was just at dusk. There was still some daylight left."

"First part of the plan -- how do we get there?"

"We go by boat. Outrigger canoe is silent."

"Silent is good. Can you navigate there at night?"

After a long pained Janet added "I guess that was stupid of me. Of course you can navigate at night. It's part of your heritage. My apologies. I'm a mainlander but I should know better. Let's start over. My first idea is to send in a very small group after dark -- maybe me, one of you as a guide and Eagle Claw. We can be stealthy, but we have to know what we're up against. We need to bring back one of those flying things and get a peek into the crater to see what's there. Then we'll know how to proceed."

"We will take you to the full Kingdom Council and outline the plan. They have to sign off on anything involving Kaho'olane. With their blessing we could begin tonight. That is if your jet lag doesn't impair you."

"We are used to flying and as wolves we slept for most of the trip. Just show us where we can sort out our weapons and other gear."

Shortly they appeared before a panel seated behind a long, raised table. The council chairman began the questioning.

"We are led to believe you have certain abilities that may be of use in clearing the island of whatever has taken up residence there so we can use it again."

"That is what we understand is to be our mission."

"What sort of abilities do you bring that we do not have ourselves? We are not accustomed to ask for help from mainlanders."

Janet spoke "We are all lycan, as we understand you also have among you. We bring experience fighting evil beings, including hellhounds. Each of us brings something different to the table. We have weapons to use other than the usual lycan claws and teeth. Each of us can fight in human form. We realize that certain evil creatures cannot be killed by ordinary means, as their wounds heal. We've found the only way to permanently end them is to remove their heads. We are skilled at that and have brought our own weapons for that purpose. We also have weapons of other types. I was told to being a sword with me. I don't know why as of yet."

"Who told you that? Was it one of us?"

"No. At home there is someone, just a girl really, who has the gift of sight. She told me I would need a sword, where to get it, and that I would need it in Hawaii. So far everything she told me has proved true."

"You believe the word of a child?"

"It is hard to understand unless you know her. We saved her from a burning house when she was a baby, and we've watched her grow up. As she hit puberty she developed the gift of sight. I didn't believe her about the sword, but she told me I had to go to Scotland to get it. She told me the name of who was to give it to me. We went over there and found the smith who had forged a sword just for me and who was expecting me. The sword was made for my hand, just as a shaman gave me a bow that only can be used by my hand. There is too much that has proven true for me to ignore her. She has never told me anything that came to her by sight that has not proven true. She only tells what she can positively identify came from her gift and not from her imagination."

"That island is sacred to us. How do we know you will not defile it?"

"We are very sensitive to such matters. Beside me stands Eagle Claw, a lycan from the Native American pack on the mainland. He is well versed in how to approach sacred ground. We will do our job and you can have your island back."

Eagle Claw added "And defilement is being done as we speak by the creatures or spirits that we understand currently occupy the island. When we clear them out you still may have to perform a ceremony to purify it. We only deal with evil."

"How do you plan to approach this mission of yours?"

"We need to know what we are up against. Some of your people tell us they were chased off the island by some unusual creatures. We need to find out what those creatures are. We plan to land a small party at night to reconnoiter stealthily. We understand there seems to be some sort of activity in the volcanic crater and we need to see what that is. From what we find there we can plan how to deal with the issue."

"We have lycans, but not many. They tell me they heard you used a large force to destroy a creature called MRKX. How many do you propose to use?"

"MRKX himself had a large force including hellhounds waiting for us. A large force was necessary to counter them. We believe a small force would work best given the rugged topography. We would like to try and approach the crater without being seen so we can plan how to engage whatever is in there. I have certain other...skills...given to me by Eagle Claw's shaman. I can see clearly in the dark and can control fire. I have silver tipped arrows for my bow. These things along with my sword I will use to destroy whatever has been using your island."

"You sound confident."

"We must be confident or we will fail."

The council members conferred in whispers for several minutes.

"We have decided. You may proceed. May the spirits guide you."

"If the spirit of Maui or another is with us we will succeed."

After the meeting the group and all their gear gathered once again at the airport.

"Where are we headed now?"

"Kahului airport on Maui. We have vehicles there."

When the team and gear were on board Shark and Surfer joined them and they took off. Janet spent the flight observing the many islands they flew over, both large and small. Less than an hour later they were unloading on Maui. Shark and Surfer headed for the parking area to retrieve their waiting vehicles.

As they tossed gear into the truck Janet and Charles heard a familiar voice.

"Janet! Charles! I knew you'd come to Hawaii but had no idea we'd be on Maui together."

"Hope! Hello Ray, Elizabeth. Don't tell me you knew we'd be here."

"Ha, we're on a sort of tour. Not a real structured one, but we've been island hopping to see as much as we can. It's hard to believe all these islands are a state."

Shark and Surfer scowled and Janet noticed. "Hope, not everyone in Hawaii is happy to be a state. We're actually going to be working with the kingdom government."

Ray said "We've heard a bit about that. It sure is easy to see how the different islands have their own personality."

Elizabeth frowned and laid a hand on Hope's arm. "What's wrong, honey?"

Hope pointed to the west. "You're going over there. To another island."

"As a matter of fact, we are."

"That's where you're going to use your sword. You need it to fight what's in the crater. It doesn't know you're here yet."

"What doesn't know?"

Hope shook her head. "I don't know what it is, but it's big. And powerful. You're going to have to sneak up on it."

Shark asked "Did they tell you where they were going?"

Hope shook her head again. "No. It just came to me." She looked at Shark and Surfer. "You're lycan. Trust Celestial. She has power you don't know."

Surfer's mouth hung open, but Janet took Hope's hand. "Is all this something you know?"

"Yes. I know it. You will be in great danger. You will need all your tools. All of you will be injured. Healer will be busy."

Charles asked "How do you know one of us is Healer. You've never met Healer."

"Yes I have. I met Lydia at The Hens Nest, but never knew her lycan name until just now. It came to me." She turned to Eagle Claw. "You have an important part in this quest. Trust your instinct."

Shark asked "How do you know Surfer and I are lycan. You've never met us."

Hope shrugged. "I don't know how I know. I just do. I would have called you watchers, because that's how I think of Celestial and Fang. Do you watch over things and keep everyone safe?"

"Come to think of it, we do. We see things at night and have some authority to handle a lot of them ourselves. Sometimes it's better if the law enforcement authorities don't know about us. We're misunderstood, as I'm sure you've been told."

"I have been told that. At least where we are from the local police and rangers now know enough to not be alarmed at wolf sightings."

Ray said "Sometimes she scares us with what she says, because it's always right."

Hope said "It's going to be hard. You're going to win, but I'll wish you good luck anyway. I hope your injuries aren't serious. I only know you're not going to die."

The group got in the vehicles, Janet in the truck with Shark. "Was that the kid you told us about?"

"Yeah."

"That was scary. All the stuff she said she knew. I mean how could she know about what's going on over there? And she's just a kid, as you said."

"There's no way she knew any of what she told us beforehand. Even we didn't know where we would be going."

"But she pointed right at it. She knows something is lurking on that island."

"I have the feeling she's right. We're going to have a fight on our hands. We're going to have to be very careful not to walk into a trap. She said 'it' doesn't know I'm here yet. That means whatever 'it' is must be expecting me sometime. We will need to strike before it has a chance to prepare a deadly greeting for us."