How to Seer, Part 2
Story by comidacomida on SoFurry
This is another writing prompt from the furry writing group in which I take part on Telegram.
(Interested in joining us? You can find it here: https://t.me/joinchat/CPoeZhclggenrOEh0yYwvg )
The focus of this prompt is to do a short story of "about 1000 words" with the prompt: Write a story between two characters that do not speak the same language, and cannot verbally communicate.
In case it is not obvious, this is a continuation of last week's writing prompt, which you can find here: https://www.sofurry.com/view/1448942
For those of you familiar with The Gift, you will recognize Talapus. :)
How to Seer, Part 2
copyright comidacomida 2019
Going from very nearly drowning to suddenly having some kind of reptilian Lynx behind me and my friend Kyle suddenly looking like a black Bird was confusing to say the least, but things didn't really get any easier. "Kyle? What's going on?"
Kyle, or the Raven I assumed to be Kyle fluffed his wings out in a gesture that seemed surprisingly like a Human shrug. "It's... uh... it's hard to explain, Billy.... but everything's okay. Everything's fine. It's fine. It's all fine. I promise."
Before I could point out that he reassured me with the word 'fine' three times, the Lynx behind me spoke up again, addressing Kyle in that same strange language I didn't understand. Kyle responded back; I didn't know Kyle spoke anything other than (bad) English! They exchanged a few words until I interrupted. "Hey! I can't understand you, you know!"
Kyle fidgeted. "Hey, uh, Billy? I really gotta get back home. I can't explain right now, but it's important... REALLY important."
I blinked. "More important than you looking like a bird or this cat-thing?"
Thumbing in the direction of the black-furred Lynx-type-man-thing behind me got a snort in response from it, and Kyle reached out and flapped his wing against my arm; it FELT like a hand as he slammed my arm down. "Don't do that... it's a rude gesture to his people."
"His.... people?"
Kyle flap-hopped across the rocky shore toward the slope that lead up to the road, firing off facts in rapid succession as he went. "He's from Wisconsin. He speaks Algonquain. His name is Mishupishu and he used to be worshipped by several Native American tribes."
I tried to stand, but got dizzy on my first try. The cat-man reached out to support me but his paw passed right through my arm. If that was the weirdest thing of the day I probably would have paused but at that moment I was focused on my only source of information. "Kyle! Wait! What am I supposed to--"
My Raven-looking friend reached the top of the road and glanced back down at me. "Just take him home with you! Nobody else'll be able to see him, so don't worry! I'll call you later, Billy-- I promise!"
For all the good his promise did at that moment, it did get me to pause just long enough for him to disappear over the rise. I called his name several more times but there was no response. After taking a deep breath I slowly tried to stand again; the second time worked out much better than the first and I finally managed to get up, flanked by the strange humanoid creature that Kyle had named. Thinking back to the strange name I looked to the Lynx-like thing. "You-- you're name... it's... Mish-something?"
The feline, once I got a better look at it was even stranger than I'd first thought; he had dark colored fur covering his head and arms, but that slowly transitioned into similarly colored scales down the rest of his body. The thick mane of fur on his head was far less than a lion, but much more than should have been on something like a cougar or lynx, and had two moderate-sized horns poking up out from beneath it.
As I looked him over it was obvious he was doing the same to me. Eventually he spoke, his voice coming as a rumble from deep in his chest, almost like a combination between a growl and a purr. He slowly pressed one of his hand-like paws to his chest as he spoke. "Mishupishu."
It was a strange name, but I tried it again. "Mishu... Mishu-pee...."
Crocodile-like clear eyelids blinked upward as he continued looking at me, and he repeated himself slower. "Mih-shoo-pee-shoo."
It was an odd name, but it went with the rest of the oddity of the day. My third attempt met with much more success. "Mishupishu."
The feline made a gesture that somehow 'felt' line an affirmative, and he immediately started speaking again, completely losing me with his strange language. Ultimately I had to hold up both of my hands, palms towards him as I interrupted. "I-- I don't understand. I don't speak your language."
It was enough to get him to pause, and blinked his furry eyelids in what looked like frustration, licking his furred muzzle with a forked tongue as he let out a breath. He spoke a few words and gestured to himself, then spoke a few more words and gestured to me, and then spoke another set of words and motioned toward where Kyle had gone.
I focused on that last one. "Kyle? Do you know Kyle? Do you know why he looks like a--"
The feline held up both paws in the same way I did, the edges of his muzzle tugging downward in what looked like an animalistic frown. Once I was quiet, he motioned to himself, "Mishupishu..." then to me "Bill-e...." then held one paw up horizontally and wiggled the fingers of his other paw over it, and motioned in the direction Kyle went.
I think I finally understood. "Oh... you want us to go after Kyle!"
Although I'm sure there was no way he could understand me anymore than I could understand him, he at least seemed satisfied that I tried to comprehend, and probably assumed that I understood his desire in the same way that I thought I did. Hoping that we were both right, I took a few steps in the direction and, when I looked back, I saw that he was following without complaint or concern. When I stopped he made a few gestures that looked like he was urging me onward. He added a few more words, possibly ones of encouragement based on his tone.
A voice put an end to my thoughts, calling to me from further up river. "He said that he needs you to lead him somewhere safe!"
Glancing in that direction, I realized that my day had just gotten a lot stranger; facing me was a Coyote who was standing on two legs, shaped like a man in the same way as the strange Lynx-creature behind me. Like Mishupishu he was wearing the kind of clothes that I would have considered Native American based on what I'd seen in movies and in history class. He was all smiles. "So... looks like you're a Seer, eh?"
It was the first time I'd heard that word spoken in English, but, for some reason it felt like both Kyle and Mishupishu had said it, or its equivalent before in Algonquain. I repeated it for my own benefit. "Seer?"
The Coyote grinned even wider, tail swishing happily behind him. "A fresh Seer-- Man... this is gonna be great!"