Awakening
Part 2
Ensi kept her eyes closed, even as she felt awake, trying to remember every detail from the party. She didn't want to forget any part of it... Well, perhaps that part when Makari asked her to dance and started to get too close. That was awkward! She was sure the boy had drank something way stronger than the herbal tea they were offering to younger people... Maybe one of his older brothers gave it to him. What a family of jerks!
She came to the conclusion that even that part shouldn't be forgotten. Bad things teach us lessons, sometimes more than good ones, right? At least Aunt Kaino had said that a million times.
Luckily the good moments were many! After all that emotion with having her first period, shooting the troll to save her family and somehow getting in contact with the goddess of water herself, the short trip in the boat to town center felt very relaxing, and she spent most of it enjoying the amazing view of the floating town spread under the northern lights continuous dance.
But even then there was a new thing, the cats. As they passed by so many boats Ensi noticed that she could see the cats, even when the boat's owners had left the boat dark to attend the celebration. Each cat looked as if the moon was shining on it, while all the rest remained dark. Stranger yet, she could swear that even those cats
inside boats were now visible to her eyes, albeit in the shape of unfocused blobs of white light.
She wondered if people would call her crazy, and whether they might be right.
She closed her eyes and remembered...
---
The party was so fun! There were two bands playing, taking turns so the music never stopped! And sometimes the bands staged musical "fights" between them! She felt tired, probably from the blood loss (or were her hormones already playing tricks with her mind?), and spent most time just sitting and watching people dancing around the bonfire as each band played. It seems that something called "The Eighties" was the preferred theme, and, as far as Ensi was concerned, also a great choice, even if she didn't know most of the songs.
Then she danced a bit, and drank tea. And went to the bathroom several times to check if there was any "leak", which thankfully didn't happen.
The strangest part of that strange night was talking to so many people. She always has been shy, and not very inclined to engage in conversations. Her parents frequently joked that she was half cat, since so many of her replies consisted on "mrrr". However that night was very different, because as soon as the story about a twelve-year-old shooting a troll to save her family spread like a fire on sun-dried grass, it seemed that everybody wanted to talk to her. Ensi could understand all that buzz, and even tried to enjoy it.
She had to admit that a small part of her even appreciated all that consideration, particularly because most people barely knew she existed before. The irritation, however, grew fast as she found that many considered what she done mostly a lucky shot.
She wanted to tell them everything, from her nocturnal vision to Vellamo's intervention, but couldn't. They would call her crazy! Ensi herself had to struggle to believe what had happened. Eventually it all became exhausting and overwhelming, and she asked her mom to take her home while the party was still going strong.
They returned, and Aunt Kaino enthusiastically joined them, blaming all that loud music, or noise as she called it, for some irritating migraines. Her father, Eino, and Tuuli were in the middle of some cards game and would find someone to take them home later.
Back at the
Lumilintu Ensi changed her clothes and her pad (would that flux ever stop, or would she die from blood loss?) and dropped like a rock on her bed. All she remembered before falling asleep was Kukka snuggling next to her legs, as usual on cold days.
---
There was light already, turning the inside of her eyelids on a warm orange. She must have slept a lot! As a matter of fact there was too much light! Her small cabin on the
Lumilintu just had one tiny window, and the Sun barely gave any light on these Winter days... Something wasn't right.
Ensi used both hands to shelter her eyes before opening them. She sat on her bed, just to find out she wasn't on her bed, nor in her room, or even inside the
Lumilintu! She was lying on a thin mattress of leaves next to some rocks, and the intense blue of a Summer day filled a cloudless sky above!
"What... what happened?" Ensi muttered, standing up and looking around.
She was almost at the top of a small hill, surrounded by trees. Beyond those, on every direction, the dark blue of water could be seen. However there were no boats or ships around! "Where am I? Which island is this?"
The hill had a soft slope, and she easily walked down towards the shore, always watching for beasts or trolls. "Maybe I'm really crazy! Or some... what's the word? Am something... Yes! Amnesia!" She checked her head. Perhaps she had fallen and taken a hit, and then someone placed her on those leaves to rest while searching for help.
She didn't, however, find any sign of wounds. She was dressed in comfortable brown clothes, topped by a pretty coat in the same colour with intricate designs inscribed in white. Nice leather boots extended up to her knees. "But... I don't have anything like this!" She said, terrified. "How much time has passed?"
Carefully approaching the water she tried to see her own reflection, finding with relief that she looked exactly the same. Even her hair had the same short braid she used yesterday at the party... Tied with her preferred pink bow, which she would never use while trekking through the woods. That reminded her to check down below, just to discover that apparently her period was gone.
It was all very confusing, and Ensi just stood near the shore, puzzled and, despite her newly confirmed womanhood, feeling very much as one lost little girl.
---
"Well, standing here accomplishes nothing, right?" Ensi asked herself after some time. "Better to explore this place."
She found a beautiful puukko knife on her belt, another thing she didn't have. It looked very traditional, like something older hunters had, but this one carried her initials on the handle. The blade, looking brand new and shiny, had an elaborate decoration with thin intertwined branches and leaves.
Ensi walked the island for a while. It felt very safe, and peaceful. She saw birds, but no animals, and a few mosquitoes, which, she recalled, was considered a good sign. Coloured fish could be seen swimming on shallow water as she stopped by a miniature waterfall, barely more than a meter high, created by a spring among the rocks. It was all very beautiful.
The weather was mild, and small flowers covered patches on the ground between trees and rocks. She wanted to see how far were the other islands, or if there was any boat in the vicinity, but blankets of fog seemed to rest over the waters at a distance, surrounding the island. She felt isolated from the rest of the world, far away from people, dangers and anything else. It was mostly a good feeling. The only thing she missed was her family, and Kukka.
Sitting on the shore, she started to collect pebbles and throw them at the water, skilfully making them skip several times before the final splash.
Between two pebbles she heard something and looked over the shoulder, just to find Kukka standing peacefully behind her!
A wave of happiness washed through her. "Kukka!!!" The fluffy black cat looked her in the eyes and purred, and Ensi couldn't resist grabbing her. She began purring, and they just stood there while Ensi's fingers glided delightfully on Kukka's soft fur.
"Tell me, Kukka, where are we? What's this place? Where's everyone else?"
Just then she remembered. "These clothes, the puukko, the coat... Those are the ones I drew a few days ago!" Looking around, she began to recognize the place. "And this island... it looks a lot like... the ones I used to draw when I was a kid!"
She stood up and began to walk again, following the shore, trying to make a complete turn around the island. Kukka trotted by her side. "If I'm mad, or delirious, there will be a cabin somewhere next to the water, Kukka, with a small pier and a boat."
Soon Ensi found a large rocky outcrop blocking the way. Her options were going inland and trying to climb it, or wade around, since the water looked pretty shallow.
Usually the safest choice would be staying away from the water, considering that some water beast could be lurking nearby. However the place instilled a sense of safety on Ensi, and the water, very clear, allowed her to see many small fish close to the rocks, meaning there wasn't anything particularly dangerous around. She decided to wade, placing Kukka over her shoulder to keep her dry.
The water was indeed shallow, and not very cold. She walked, following the rocks as the shore gently curved to her left. Kukka remained relaxed, gently grabbing her coat, and a school of little fish seemed to follow them, reinforcing Ensi's confidence that nothing bad would hurt her.
That surrounding fog seemed to come closer as Ensi waded around the rocks, and after a while seemed to envelop everything. She kept moving forward, even when the mist became so dense that she could barely see ahead. Then she found a dark opening among the rocks, and for the first time in the island felt real fear.
She held high her puukko, while searching her pockets, where a few pebbles remained. Ensi threw several of them across the opening, always ready to retreat, but there was no reaction, no sign of movement or noise, and Kukka just purred next to her ear. She recalled the noise coming from the troll on the previous night (was it? how much time had passed?), and her newfound ability to see in the dark, and decided to risk moving forward.
The water got even shallower, and Ensi's feet walked over a flat and dry surface as she crossed the dark opening.
---
It was really dark inside, and her eyes took some time to adapt. As soon as Ensi managed to see better she was struck by surprise.
"Wow!" She muttered, looking around. "What's this place? How can it..."
Then Ensi realized she wasn't inside anything. She stood over some flat rocks, surrounded by dark water and an even darker sky, where she couldn't find a single star. There was also no moon, and Ensi wondered how she was able to see anything at all. Yet she could, on all directions and with unusual clarity, as far as the horizon, since the fog wasn't anywhere to be seen.
The outcrop where she was standing extended both left and right as far as she could see, like some submerged wall, its top barely above the perfectly still water.
Ensi turned around and realized, then, that she also couldn't see any opening to go back to the island. "Damn! I'm screwed! Lost! At least the other place was nice! But no! Stupid Ensi. You had to wander around! Happy now? Stupid! STUPID!!!"
She was shaking, and couldn't tell if it was caused by her anger or by the drop in temperature. That place was much colder than the island, she noticed, glad to be wearing her coat. Kukka let go a couple of meows and Ensi bent, inviting her to drop to the ground. This time, however, the cat refused to do so, her claws digging harder into her coat.
Ensi looked around, trying to find any danger, but saw nothing. There was, nevertheless, a tiny flickering light floating beside her, like a nervous firefly. She tried to touch it, but to her amazement the finger dived into the light, as if going through a curtain, and ripping vertically the dark air itself.
"Wow! Kukka, look at this!"
Using her other hand Ensi pushed apart both "sides" of the rip, expanding it. She saw, with great relief, daylight coming from the other side. And when she let it go the opening slowly closed. Ensi passed to the other side, and back, twice. It seemed that the rip never completely closed, always leaving the little firefly light.
Feeling more confident, she piled several loose rocks to mark the place and walked away along the rocky "walkway". Ensi wanted to see a bit more of that amazing place before going back to the island and trying to go home.
The irregular path of rocks seemed to extend forever. On some places it run a meter above the water, while on others Ensi had to wade. There was no way for her to know how deep the water was on both sides of the path, and she didn't want to find out.
After some time it began to get even colder, and Ensi collected Kukka, setting her again over the shoulder, so they could heat each other.
"I think we should go back, girl. It's far enough, and could enough, don't you agree?"
"meow"
"I'm glad that you agree. Let's... What is that?" At the distance Ensi could see a place where the rocky path bulged, getting larger and slightly higher. She moved a bit closer, and could now see that it formed a circle. Even more interesting, on one side there was a faint flickering light, just like the one she left behind.
"Look, Kukka! Another opening! Let's find where this one leads. Then we go back."
Ensi had walked just two more steps towards the circle when a strange sound could be heard. It came from the left, somewhere on the flat water surface.
Kukka had heard it too, she realized, because her fur bristled. Moments later the cat jumped to the ground, facing the direction from where the sound came.
"What's that?" Ensi asked to herself. To her surprise Kukka kind of answered with a "shhh" that sounded pretty much like when Miss Janna, her teacher, wanted silence in class.
Ensi stood still, and soon heard the sound again. It was a burble, as if something big broke the water surface for a moment. Several tiny waves, barely visible, confirmed her impression.
She could see perfectly Kukka, fully bristled, just three steps away. Rocks and water were also visible, as if some distant light shone over the place, but she couldn't see, at all, what originated that sound. However Ensi had been taught her whole life to stand still and stay silent when something dangerous might be close, and so she did.
---
Ensi and Kukka remained very still and silent while the sound returned several times, just to disappear again. But it was getting closer. Ensi squinted and finally managed to see what looked like an underwater light, undulating and shining in an unpleasant violet hue.
After some time a small part of the light emerged in the shape of a glistening blob. Ensi didn't know what that blob was, but all her senses screamed danger.
They waited for what seemed like a very long time until the blob submerged, and a bit more after that, just to make sure it was gone.
Kukka started to walk back toward their entrance, and Ensi followed. She put the cat over her shoulder again when they reached a section that needed some wading, and tried to move as softly and soundless as possible.
The rocks above water were within arm reach when she felt something on her leg. First it was just a touch, but soon turned into a crushing grab. Ensi looked down to see a viscous, black-purple tube snaking around her ankle. It started to pull her to the water, and she couldn't stop letting go a small scream.
Kukka jumped to the rocks, landing outside the water, while her hands darted to the thing, trying to set her leg free. It was slippery and slightly soft, rubber-like, but wouldn't give way. Ensi sat down on the shallow water when it started to drag her with irresistible force. She reached for the knife but couldn't bend to properly stab.
"Run Kukka, run!" It was funny, she thought, that moments before an impending and likely horrible death all she cared was to see her cat safely away.
However Ensi wouldn't give up without a fight, and prepared to take a deep breath. Maybe when inside the water she could properly use the puukko.
Suddenly she heard a loud roar behind her. It was a sound she never heard, but nevertheless made her heart skip a beat. A sound that made Ensi's long-dead ancestors feel hunted. "How nice", she thought. Now another monster showed up wanting her blood. Maybe, just maybe, they would fight over who had the rights on eating her, and then she could find an opportunity to escape.
A black mass flew over Ensi's head, landing next to her leg. It took her a second to understand what it was, to recognize that large, muscular shape. Enough time for it to fiercely attack the tube with its claws and maw, until the grip around Ensi began to slack.
Soon the tube retreated, releasing Ensi's leg. At the same time she found on her memory the name she wanted, something she only had seen in books and movies at school. "Panther! You're a panther!"
The large animal looked into her eyes. When Ensi saw that particular shade of green she understood, even if it seemed impossible. "Kukka? Is that... you?"
The large feline let go a soft roar and waded toward her. Ensi hesitantly put her hand over that big head, noticing those menacing teeth. She didn't had the notion that panthers were
that size. But then it was clearly a magical panther, so... why not?
Then the head turned backwards, the way only cats did. Another tube rose from the water and, with incredible speed, grabbed Kukka around the waist, where she couldn't reach it properly. Slowly the monster began to drag its prey into the water.
"No! KUKKA!" Ensi moved forward and stabbed the thing the best she could. It began to bleed, but didn't let go of Kukka, that was already holding to the rocks' border. Ensi was sure she would be gone if the monster dragged her to the deeps.
Ensi's anger grew into fury and, to her surprise, the puukko's blade began to glow. She stabbed again with all her strength and this time the whole tentacle (she finally remembered the right word!) began to tremble. A blue flame slowly spread over it, followed by a growing web of cracks. Small pieces started to fall, and then larger ones, until a good part of the tentacle turned into harmless ashes.
Kukka, freed from that deadly embrace and seemingly unaffected by the flames, sprang forward, and they both ran to reach higher ground. Just then they paused and turned back to watch as the monster's body, still trembling, disappeared into the dark water, followed by the stump of the tentacle Ensi stabbed, still burning with that blue flame. The water hissed around it, and they were left in silence.
---
Ensi embraced Kukka for a long time, feeling those powerful muscles and short, soft fur, muttering "thank you" many times on those large ears. After a while she got several licks in return, not from a cat's small tongue but from something as wide as her hand. She smiled, even with her face covered in spittle, and hugged the big cat again.
Their return along the rocky walkway was uneventful, yet seemed to take a very long time. They were overly cautious, doing their best not to produce any sounds that could attract something else. It would be a curious image, Ensi thought, a thin young girl... woman, walking beside a black panther over a seemingly infinite walkway that extended over a dark, wave-less ocean. Could make a great cover for a vinyl album, just like the ones Eino had. She looked over her shoulder, feeling... observed, but saw nothing. Probably just her imagination.
What really worried Ensi was a growing fear of being unable to locate the opening, leaving them trapped on that dangerous place.
They found the flicking light, thankfully, hovering in the same place, right next to the rocks she had piled. Her heart was beating hard when she inserted both hands on it, opening the passage.
Soon they were walking among the trees. Everything was exactly as she left, except that currently she had a panther by her side.
"Is there a way back home, Kukka? I love this place, but I miss the others."
The panther looked at her and, surprisingly, winked! Ensi followed her back to the place where she woke up, and watched as Kukka chose a place and took two laps around it before laying herself down over the leaves. Small cat or big panther, the ritual before sleep seemed to be the same. Ensi lay next to her, gently stroking that delicious and warm fur, and found with joy that panthers, or at least her panther, were able to purr.
---
Ensi kept her eyes closed, even as she felt awake, trying to remember every detail from the dream. She didn't want to forget any part of it... even those hard and fearful moments. It had been the most amazing, frightening and realistic dream she ever had.
Then a light cramp on her belly told her it was time to get up. Still surprised by her own fertile imagination, Ensi opened her eyes to see her small cabin. Kukka was asleep, curled in a ball of black fur next to her feet.
There was little sunlight outside, and therefore quite dark. Kukka, however, could be seen perfectly, as if the cat had its own internal light, reminding Ensi that not everything was the work of her imagination.
Another cramp hurried her to the bathroom, where she could confirm that, unlike in that crazy dream, her period remained quite present and enthusiastically active.
Ensi was hungry, and decided to check what could be found in the kitchen. As soon as she arrived at the upper deck an irresistible aroma hit her.
"Look! She's finally awake!"
"Mom!" Ensi ran to embrace her mother, remembering how much she wanted to have her close in that dangerous place. She had to remind herself again that it has been just a weird dream, somehow prompted by her experience in the previous night.
"Oh! That's good, my dear!" Aino said, hugging her back. "Gosh, you're almost my height! I guess next year you will be the one looking down at me!"
"Do I smell cinnamon rolls?"
"Yes, dear, freshly baked and still hot, just as you like them! Kaino and I have been saving a few of those from your father and uncle, so go get them!"
Ensi sat at the small table, devouring a roll, happily recalling that one of the cargo ships on the city center originally carried a large load of cinnamon. Thankfully they won't run out of it anytime soon.
"Where's my little girl? Oh, Ensi, here you are!"
Ensi turned to see Aunt Tuuli. Her arms were behind the back, holding something, and her face displayed a broad smile.
"Hi!" It was all Ensi was able to say, her mouth still full from the last bite.
"I have a surprise for my girl!"
"I'm..." Ensi stopped, suppressing her need to make clear, again, that she wasn't a girl anymore. Aunt Tuuli just had Veeti, and Ensi knew she would always be
her girl. "I'm very curious, auntie! What is it? It's that thing behind you?"
A part of her wondered if it would be as hilarious as the umbrella hat that Tuuli had made for her previous birthday, a copy of her own. She hadn't been able...or, better said, capable, to use that ridiculous thing after that day.
"Okay, close your eyes and hold your hands out. Here! I hope you like it!" Tuuli deposited a large cloth on Ensi's hands. She opened her eyes, unfolded it and gasped.
It was a coat, a beautiful brown coat with white wool trim and also white embroidered details. It was almost exactly the coat Ensi had in the dream!
"But... How could... I don't understand!"
"Well, I must confess that I looked into somebody's drawings. This one was so pretty!" Tuuli answered, her smile even wider. "I hope you don't mind."
"No... I don't! It's just... this is unexpected! Just like a... a dream!"
"I'm so happy that you liked it! It might be a bit oversized for you right now, but I wanted to make something that would be useful for many years."
Ensi donned the coat. Yes, a bit too big, but otherwise perfect. She hugged Tuuli and gave her a kiss. "Thanks auntie! I love it! But it's not my birthday... Why..."
"Dear, we just had that celebration last night, and, as you should know, in the old times we had the habit to give gifts to each other. Sometimes, I have to admit, we exaggerated... But I've been thinking on that for a while, and thought: Why not?"
Ensi jumped, smiled and danced just a little bit, rotating to show them her beautiful coat. They all laughed, and she decided to test the coat outside, of course together with another cinnamon roll.
She sat on the upper deck, the same place from where she shot the troll, and watched the floating town. It wasn't as breathtaking as last night, but still a wonderful view. The bonfire was long gone, but the light-covered "tree" over the ships bridge remained, pointing at the sky. Seagulls flew over it, small traces of black floating in the sky.
"Hope... Yes, I guess I'm feeling hopeful."
She finished eating and descended back to her cabin. Seeing the "presence" of Kukka across the wall reminded her of how her reality changed so much in so little time.
She sat on the bed next to the cat and stroke her fur. "You know, Kukka, Veeti was wrong. The celebration was...
is a good idea. We survive and, whatever the odds, we never, never give up... It's definitively a nice reason to celebrate our dreams, our hope." The cat rolled, offering her belly, and began to purr.
"Speaking of dreams, I wish you could have seen mine... You were there, you know? And you saved me!" The cat turned to face her and looked into her eyes for a while. Then, to Ensi's amazement, Kukka winked.
