Letting his power flow through his fingers, he began to call to his most beloved niece.
"Caitlin — it is not your time yet — you have much to do still — you are needed here by many people. The Creator has a plan for you — you must come back to us — Caitlin, hear me — come back, child, come back."
Wabi felt himself being drawn deep into the place where Caitlin was resting. Yes, resting. And it was so warm, so comfortable. And he, too, wanted to stay. It was so very tempting. The light was so soft and it drifted throughout the place and wrapped itself around you, seeping into your very being. This enveloping sanctuary called to many, and Wabi had been here before himself and knew it to have captured others long before their time. As he felt himself being lured even farther into this haven, Wabi experienced fear for Caitlin . . . and himself. He knew he must not succumb to this enticing call, or else he and Caitlin would be lost for all time. Then, exercising a force of will he hadn't called on for a very long time, Wabi brought forth a powerful energy surge that hurled him out of the clutches of this tantalizing haven. The effort required of him was great, indeed, and he knew he would suffer for some time following this event. As the bonds began to slowly break away, he sensed another spirit — following him — yes, following him!
"Yes, just a little more, Caitlin. Follow. Follow."
And digging deeply and finding her own formidable abundance of will power, Caitlin followed that voice, someone calling her, someone she loved. Yes, she would follow this spirit. She recognized this entity somehow. Then there was another voice, whispering to her . . . "Go, daughter, go with him. He'll guide you back. I'm always here, but it's not yet time for you to dwell here . . . go child." And she did.
* * *
"Oh! My head! Holy Rusephus!" Caitlin jerked up in bed and she thought her head would explode.
"What is happening?" she wailed loudly.
Wabi felt his own spirit gathering itself, and his head was pounding with a vengeance also. But, he had experienced this enough times to know it would pass. But it was an excruciating few minutes for sure.
"Caitlin, my girl. All is well. All is well."
Wabi had his arms around her, and she looked up into his face. Tears were streaming down his old cheeks, following the track they always followed, tracing the scar that ran down from his upper cheek through his upper lip, leftovers from some other life perhaps.
"Oh, Wabi. I feel like I've been sleeping for a long, long time! When I touched that odious man I could feel the blackness in the soul! But, then nothing from then on.
"Where is that man? Is he still here?" she asked. Wabi quickly took her hands in his.
"No, Cait. You took care of him. And, apparently you did a very fine job of him and the soldier, according to Owl."
Caitlin looked over at Owl. Shaking her head, she had to smile at this finely, feathered fellow.
"My new friend. You made a believer out of me when no one else could. You are an extraordinary bird for sure."
Owl held his beak up high with a small nod in Caitlin's direction, once again reassured that he was still needed in the lives of these two friends.
"But, Wabi, I don't remember anything much about Campbell. But I do remember smelling henbane. But didn't you take care of him at the well?"
"Yes, well, Alex will have to fill you in on that. He participated in that event as well. Better let him explain from his point of view.
"Now, my girl, there are some others who might want to see you. Then, as distasteful as it may be, we will have to re-break and re-set that leg of yours. From the looks of it, you will most certainly be crippled if we don't."
"Aye, Uncle Wabi, I knew that was coming. But Wabi, something else is wrong. I remember feeling it before I lost consciousness. But what? It's like a family member in need. I can't explain it. But I know I'm right."
"Caitlin, you'll learn how to understand these new feelings that go along with the powers. Don't be in such a rush. It will all become clear to you, soon."
Alex and Jack were standing so close to the door it almost hit them in the face when Wabi came out.
"She's all right now. She'll be well," said Wabi.
* * *
The old wizard walked back out to the sitting room. He looked about this most comfortable home. Evidence of people involved with life was everywhere. There were hats on pegs, jackets hung in the mud room, vegetables in bins in the kitchen, flowers in window boxes. Yes. This place would be good for Caitlin .
When he had run though the room earlier, in his desperate effort to get to Caitlin, he had caught a glimpse of a young lad. Somewhere he had made a mental note the lad was walking with a crutch, and his leg had been amputated just below the knee. What a waste, thought Wabi! That boy was too young to spend the rest of his life tied to a crutch that limited his every movement. Wabi decided he would give the matter some thought, and he would indeed do that.
As Ian hobbled into the room, crutch and all, Wabi called out to him.
"Young man. I wonder if I could trouble you for a cup of tea. I do believe it would do wonders for this old man who presently finds himself just a wee bit tuckered out."
"Oh, aye, sir. There be plenty more. Mam always kept a pot on the stove. She said ye could always use one when ye needed a little pick-me-up."
And with the crutch under his arm, Ian went off to fetch the tea. He actually had learned to work with his crutch under one arm and carry items in his other hand, but certainly it was difficult for him. But, of course, in true MacKinnon fashion, he never uttered a word of complaint about his situation.
* * *
After Jack had brought her up to date, Millie breathed a great sigh of relief. She sat on the edge of the bed looking at her little daughter. Whatever was going to happen to them? What was she to do? But, she had learned that Jack MacKinnon made many things possible that she would never have believed.
At that very moment, there was a knock at her door. Opening the door quietly, she was met by a very young man carrying a large bucket of hot water. He nodded to her.
"Oh, miss. I be Kenny. Mr. Jack said to bring some hot water up to ye. If ye'll let me in I'll start filling the tub."
"Oh, heavens! Do come in. The tub is here in this closet."
"Yes, miss," said Kenny and he poured the water into the tub.
"I'll be bringin' a couple more just to make sure ye have enuff," and he dashed off back to the kitchen.
Millie thought she had never been so comfortable as when she lay back in that large tub and soaked herself in the warm water. And there was a small bar of French soap on a ledge in the closet. Another "leftover" from Mam, no doubt. Jack MacKinnon had performed another miracle in her eyes.
CHAPTER 69
Alex thought he would tiptoe into Caitlin's room, not sure what he might find. But, before he could even take a step forward, she called to him.
"Alex MacKinnon, I would know that evergreen scent anywhere. What too you so long?"
Alex felt drained, his relief was so great. It had not escaped his attention that his every thought in the past days had been of this woman, and now she was here, safe at last.
"Caitlin, like it or no, ye'll no be leaving this place. If that's imprisonment, then so be it. But it's here that ye belong."
"Yes, I thought you might say something like that. But, as you can see, I don't think I'll be going anywhere for a while."
"Ah, Caitlin." He sat on the small chair and took her hands in his, covering them completely. His right hand was healing, but still had a bandage.
"I thought I would never see ye again, lass. Every time I thought I had maybe found ye, ye were gone again. And every time I thought I had caught up with Campbell, he was just out of my reach."
"Alex, you're here and I'm here. That's all that matters. Now before I rest, I would like to see Willie, please. He'll be wondering what has happened to me."
Alex looked at her with a blank expression on his face.
"Willie?"
He thought for a minute. Suddenly Caitlin sat straight up. She knew!
"That's what's wrong! I felt him! On Alex! I know I felt him!" Alex stood and looked down at her.
"I haven't seen him Caitlin. Maybe he ran off. But, no, he'd never leave your side. Maybe he just strayed off the path. Wait, I'll ask Jack if he knows anything."
Of course, he didn't have to go far as Jack and Hector were both standing out in the hall, just waiting to hear what Alex had to report.
Jack spoke up right away. "Well? Is she all right then?"
`"Oh, aye, I think she'll be all right now," replied Alex.
"Alex, that's some woman ye have in there. A very fine woman from my point of view."
Jack was hoping Alex wasn't looking to him for any answers about Caitlin's dispensation of Warwick, nor Wabi's "healing" of Caitlin. He had just accepted it and there was an end to it.
"But, she's asking to see her wolf, Willie. But I don't remember seeing him at the crofter's hut. Was he with you all before I got there?"
Jack looked up at his brother.
"Ah, Jesus, Alex! I let him out for a run early in the morning. He came scratching to go out and I was building a fire, so I just let him go. He always comes back. But there was so much commotion going on with Warwick, I completely forgot about him. But, he must not have been close or he would have been there at Caitlin's side. He would never leave her! Something's happened to him. Glory! Caitlin will skin me alive for sure!"
"Nae, she's too tired to do any real damage to ye just now," smiled Alex.
"But, we'd better try to find him before she regains her strength!" That was Jack, not wanting to be on Caitlin's wrong side.
Alex went back in and explained to Caitlin that Willie was still out in the woods somewhere, and they were going to look for him. Caitlin tried to sit up and Alex rushed over to help her. He put a pillow behind her back and tucked her blankets back in. She was quiet for a moment.
"Bring Wabi. Now, please."
Without questioning, Alex called for Wabi. "She's needing ye for a minute."
Wabi walked in, closing the door behind himself. Caitlin's color had returned somewhat, which was a good sign, but something was amiss. Her facial expression told him that.
"Ah, my girl, feeling a wee bit better, I see."
"Wabi. Willie's missing. He would never abandon me. Something's wrong." As Wabi came closer, his piercing eyes took hold of Caitlin's aqua ones.
"You must call him Caitlin. He will hear you."
"Call him? I don't know where he is!"
"Caitlin. Calm down and clear your mind. YOU can call him. Just concentrate your energies, just once more. Then we'll let you rest."
Caitlin finally understood what he was asking her to do. This was still new to her, this communication ability, but she was beginning to see that it had purpose at times. So, relaxing and clearing any distractions from her mind, she silently called.
"Willie. Willie." And nothing happened.
"Willie, hear me. Come, Willie." Then a very faint echo came, drifting across the empty place in her mind.
"Willie. Willie." Then she heard a mournful howl, then another.
With her face registering her fear, she looked to her uncle
"Oh, Wabi! He's hurt! I can feel it! I can hear him!"
"Caitlin, quiet girl, listen again and look around. Try to locate him. Find something that might show us where he is."
Focusing once again, she called. "Willie. Hear me. Willie."
Closing her eyes once again, getting back to that inner place where she was learning to go in her mind was easier this time. She heard Willie howling again, but very faintly. She could only see snow covered ground and a stream with a small tree. It looked so desolate without its leaves to give it cover. And there was an owl sitting on the branch. As she watched in her mind, the owl flew off and the picture faded.
"He's lying near a stream. There's a small tree next to it and Owl was in the tree." Wabi left her bedside and came out to tell the brothers what she had seen.
"She says Willie's lying by a stream of water and there's a small tree close by. That's all she could see. But, Alex, be careful, the wolf is hurt."
"Then that's got to be the stream behind that old shearing shed, on the west side of the lower pasture, where Mam kept everything she wouldn't let us throw away, her empty jars she used for her jam making. You know, all the old stuff she just couldn't part with. There's a small stream behind the shed, but it's usually frozen over this time of year. It's a place to start."
Alex was pulling at straws trying to bring this picture together. Had Uncle Wabi said "that's all she could see?" What did that mean? Whatever, he nodded to Wabi and with Hector and Jack right behind him, they strode quickly out and hurried to the stables. Wabi returned to Caitlin's room.
"Caitlin, you must rest now. We'll find Willie. No worries child."
Now that he was back at home, Alex was giving orders as usual, and he called to Jack and Hector.
"I'll go to the stream in the lower pasture. You two take a look over at Jamie's old cottage. Seems to me it has a small stream also.
"Hold on, Alex. Ye'll not be going anywhere. That hand's not something to fool around with. Ye'll be staying here with Caitlin. Hector can check out the east side, and I'll go to the west pasture. Caitlin needs ye right now. We can handle this." Jack could indeed take charge when he needed to.
"Ah, Christ!" Throwing open the stable doors, Alex walked away, knowing his brother was right. Caitlin needed him now.
Jack's head was threatening to come right off any minute. But the responsibility he felt for not realizing Willie had not returned and was out there somewhere was just too great to ignore. He must find that wolf.
"Jesus! Why didn't I remember Willie? I'd kick my own arse if I could!" Frustration didn't help his already aching head.
"There are several streams on the place, you know that! But that wolf is important to her, and we'll find him!" He rubbed the back of his neck.
"But we may discover something else has found him first. The wild dogs in this area wouldn't welcome a newcomer to their territory. Now, let's get on about our work."
He tore off, headed to the old shed, but he didn't have much confidence the wolf would be there. And, how had Caitlin been able to "see" something? Jack just shook his head and decided he would think on that later. Right now he had his hands full. And so did Alex.
Jack reached the pasture, slowing his horse to a walk. This pasture wasn't used very often, but occasionally during lambing season, they would herd the new mother ewes and their calves here where the stream was shallow. They could drink and not be overrun by the more aggressive older rams. There was a small bridge over the stream, and it needed some repair, he noted. He followed the stream which led him to the backside of the shed. At that point he got down and started walking, still following the water. In just a few moments, he stopped and listened.
Nothing. Only the crunch of his boots in the crisp snow. Walking on he looked about checking for prints. Maybe those wild dogs he was worried about. Again, nothing. The snow was undisturbed. As he rounded the corner of the shed, there was a small tree, tall but not very big around. Its leaves had all dropped to the ground already and had been covered by the recent snow. As he reached the base of the tree, he came to a halt. A deep throated growl met him and he proceeded with caution. Great caution.
"Ah! No! No! I should have thought of this!" Jack ventured another foot closer and saw the huge, black animal lying on his side, still growling, even if weakly. As he had said earlier, sheep and wolves don't mix. And, as most sheep farmer do, they had set out several traps to snare wolves and wild dogs. Sometimes they even caught their own sheep in them. And Willie had apparently walked into one.
Jack thought for a moment. This was a ways from the crofter's hut. Why had Willie come this far? He was surely able to find food and didn't need to come all the way up here. What else would have gotten his attention and brought him
to this area? He rubbed his neck again.
"Of course! The same thing that has my attention and Alex's at the moment — a female!" Jack said this aloud and Willie didn't offer any denial.
"They're no different than we are. Or maybe it's the other way around. So fella, here ye are. Got yeself caught, did ye?"
Willie had been at ease with all the McKinnon brothers back at the cave, and Jack had liked having him run along beside the horses on the trip. But did the wolf remember that? The Highlander got down on one knee and continued to talk softly to the wounded animal.
"Sure looks like ye need some help, old buddy. So, maybe if ye let me get closer, we can get ye out of there."
Moving just marginally closer, he watched the hackles go down and the growl turned into a whimper, a sure sign of submission and a call for help.
"That's a boy. That's a boy." Jack contemplated hitting the animal on the head, just lightly, and then removing the trap. A wounded wolf was nothing to mess around with. But, this poor boy didn't look like he could take much more abuse. He had been here some time now, so with great trepidation, Jack got a bit closer. The growling continued, but the wolf made no move that indicated he would try to get up. However, his ears were sticking straight up and his eyes were taking in every move that Jack made.
"Hey. Let's see about getting ye out of that trap, eh?"
Jack quickly saw Willie had been caught by his right rear paw, and it was being held firmly in the trap. A lot of blood had been spilt, too. Reaching over slowly, he rubbed the fur behind the wolf's ears, and his gesture was met with another whimper.
"Easy now, boy. Hold on."
The trap was a steel-jawed, leg-hold trap and was easily retracted by putting a foot on either side of the trap, then pressing down with both feet. You could then pull the animal's leg out. But that meant you would have to pull the animal up and hold him close to you while you put your feet on the trap itself.
Highland Healer Page 32
