Thunderstone

by Barbara Pietron

  Jeni also sat back and contemplated Ice across the table. She ignored the trepidation wending its way through her midsection. “I still feel the same way I did yesterday about making this right,” she said evenly. Plus, I can’t let my premonition come true, she told herself. Then, draining her glass of orange juice, she clunked it down on the table. “I’m in.”

  “Even after last night?”

  “Especially after last night. Someone tried to kill Tyler and me. Other people have died already. Let’s end it.”

  Ice’s look of part wonder and part admiration helped smother her growing apprehension. “I’ve never known a girl like you.” He didn’t seem to be aware that he’d spoken out loud.

  On the way back to the cottage, Ice informed Jeni that Nik was meeting with the elders to confer on their best course of action, and he’d call her later with details: where, when, and how.

  Jeni didn’t say anything, but her thoughts returned to her mom wanting her to spend time with the family today.

  She hoped that didn’t include tonight.

  Knowledge is a beautiful thing, but the using of knowledge in a good way is what makes for wisdom. Learning how to use knowledge in a sacred manner, that’s wisdom to me. And to me, that’s what a true Elder is.

  —Sun Bear, Chippewa

  Chapter 12

  What do you mean we have to find a thunderstone?” Ice practically shouted, knowing they were alone in the house. “I thought you already had a couple.”

  Nik’s face remained calm. “I do have thunderstones. We need the thunderstone. The one sent by the thunderbird in my vision.”

  “You realize we have hours, Nik, not days?” Ice paced the length of the living room, which meant he took four steps and then turned.

  “I think you can do it.”

  “Wait a minute—when did we turn into me?”

  “Think about it Ice, I’m meeting with the elders, I can’t be in two places at the same time.” Nik was the picture of serenity in the easy chair, only his eyes moved, tracking his apprentice.

  “And I don’t have any medicine stones, remember?” Ice had never been this disrespectful with Nik—but he’d never been this stressed out either. “I barely even know how to use them.”

  “Medicine stones weren’t the method I had in mind. I can describe the scene for you.”

  Ice snorted in disbelief. “Minnesota: The Land of Ten Thousand Lakes! You’re talking about finding a needle in a haystack.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short Ice, you have talents that I don’t. Talents which give you a tool better suited for this task than a medicine stone.”

  Ice stopped moving and glanced over at Nik. “What talents? What tool?”

  “Technology. You’re good with computers. I can tell you in detail all the things I saw in my vision that may help identify the lake. You’ll probably find it faster than my medicine stone would.”

  “How do we even know where to begin looking?”

  “The things we see in visions are relevant to the guidance we seek. The lake must be in the area, maybe even on the reservation; if not, it’ll be close.”

  Ice didn’t realize how worked up he was until his heart rate slowed while he thought over Nik’s idea. He was good at doing research on the Internet. And if Nik was certain of the area, it narrowed the search considerably. He took a deep breath. “Okay, tell me the details.”

  Nik went over the vision twice and answered Ice’s questions, when possible, before he had to leave for the tribal council office. “I’ll call when the meeting’s over.”

  Ice nodded.

  Nik locked eyes with his apprentice. “Your training may not be complete, but make no doubt about it—you are a medicine man. Be confident in your talents and don’t forget that symbolism and dual meanings are everything in our business. Don’t let facts get in the way of your intuition.”

  Ice closed the door behind him and watched through the glass as Nik walked to his truck. Nik stopped, turned around, and said something. Ice didn’t hear him, but he read Nik’s lips, “Good luck.”

  “I’m sure I’ll need it,” he muttered on the way to his room. Ice knew once he started surfing the Internet, it would be easy to lose track of all the thoughts floating around in his head. So as his computer booted up, he wrote down everything Nik told him that he thought would help in the search.

  He’d start with satellite maps. In the vision, Nik had left the forest for open farmland, so Ice typed in Chippewa National Forest. The full-page map didn’t show the borders of the national forest, although the little navigation map in the corner did, and Ice slowly moved his search box to follow the perimeter of the green shaded area. He continually zoomed in and out on the satellite image to search for farmland bordering a lake.

  As he’d suspected, he found many.

  Ice dug through a stack on the table which served as his makeshift desk, and pulled out a lined pad. He wrote all the criteria the lake should meet across the top of the page: shape, size, and amount of surrounding forest or farmland. Looking back at the computer screen, each time he came across a possibility, he wrote down the name of the lake and checked off the features he could see from the satellite map.

  Since the images became grainy and blurry the closer he zoomed in on them, he knew the search would involve some footwork. He ran out to his Jeep and retrieved a county map so he could mark each lake listed as a possibility.

  He worked meticulously for hours, knowing there wouldn’t be time for a second attempt. The thunderstone must go with them tonight.

  When the search box had gone full-circle, landing back at his starting point, the list was two and a half pages long. He scanned it, circling entries that had all four criteria checked. He’d go to those first.

  He stopped in the kitchen to grab a pop for the road and was astonished to see it was after two o’clock. His stomach grumbled, reminding him he hadn’t eaten since breakfast. He downed two pieces of ham while he stood in front of the refrigerator and grabbed an apple to go.

  He was running out of time.

  ***

  For the third time that week, Jeni followed the path leading to the Mississippi Headwaters. Though surrounded by family, she walked alone with her thoughts. The occasional breaks of sun through the clouds had grown less frequent as the day went on, and the gloominess seemed to match her mood.

  Last day of vacation blues.

  But it was more than that, wasn’t it? It was hard to believe how much had changed in only a few days. She’d come here thinking she knew who she was and her relative place in life.

  Now all of that had been turned upside down. Did her newfound talent have anything to do with her great-grandma’s comment about her family’s ancestry? Or was she putting the two things together because she learned about them at the same time? In either case, Jeni fully intended to do some research when she got home. Not because she wanted to exercise any innate power she might have, but rather to avoid releasing it by accident and causing destruction.

  And death.

  Again.

  At least two people had died here and despite Ice’s protests, Jeni still felt at fault. Although she was terrified about what might happen tonight, she was determined to fix what she’d screwed up.

  She sighed.

  On top of everything else, she’d met Ice and opened a door on all kinds of crazy new feelings. As unlikely and unexpected as it was, she’d completely fallen for him.

  Jeni’s prior experience with kissing was not only scarce but more about enduring them than enjoying them. Kissing Ice was like leaving the planet and floating in space. Just thinking about it started a warm sensation in her chest that radiated throughout her body.

  She shook her head to clear her thoughts and followed the others onto the bridge where they’d scattered the ashes.

  She needed a plan.


  Jeni knew better than to just ask if she could go out with Ice tonight. Something special would have to be happening. A chance of a lifetime sort of thing.

  Unfortunately she sucked at lying—as evidenced by the day she talked Tyler into driving her to the hospital—and the doughnut thing.

  She ambled up the dead end path that led to the opposite side of the headwaters. There was Tyler—standing on the outcropping at the line of boulders with his dad and her dad, the wind making their hair stand up. No doubt they would eventually walk across.

  Jeni took a step back, but she’d already been spotted.

  “Hey kiddo,” her dad greeted her. “We’re considering making the crossing. Want to join us?”

  Jeni made a face. “No thanks, just here for the view.” She was relieved when one of her aunts stepped up next to her.

  “Hey Jeni. Has Ice ever mentioned if they do any demonstrations at the reservation?”

  “Demonstrations?”

  “Like tribal dances or ceremonies, stuff like that.”

  “Mmm.” Dingdingdingdingding. A little alarm went off in Jeni’s head. “He’s never mentioned anything about public demonstrations.” Her mind was working overtime to put the idea together. “I know he’s got something going on tonight, but I didn’t get the impression that it was public.”

  Jeni’s aunt pointed. “Check it out, there goes your dad.”

  “I gotta get a picture of this.” Jeni pulled her camera out of her purse.

  The distraction allowed her some time to work out a plausible scenario in her head. After snapping a few photos, she found her mom.

  “Check it out.” Jeni stood close so her mom could view the back of the camera and then tabbed through the pictures she’d just taken.

  “Men,” Jeni’s mom shook her head, laughing. “They never stop being boys.”

  As they headed to meet others on the trail, Jeni asked, “So, Mom, what are we doing later tonight?”

  “I’m not sure what everyone’s thinking. Any ideas?”

  “Well…there’s some kind of tribal ceremony tonight that Ice invited me to. I thought it would be a unique opportunity.” Jeni chose her words carefully. “You know, experience Native American culture.”

  “Huh. That does sound interesting, but I thought we’d all want to do something together. Maybe a card game or something?”

  “Oh.”

  Jeni’s hopes sank.

  ***

  Ice’s Jeep was parked on the side of a road that ran between two lakes. He climbed inside, picked up his list, and drew a line through Dark Lake and Clear Lake. Sighing, he drove toward Highway 71. Next stop, Battle Lake, near Northome.

  He glanced at the clock on his radio. Crap. He’d been at this for nearly three hours and only covered a quarter of the area—a third at best. The more lakes he looked at, the less confident he was about the search. Everything looked so different on the ground compared to the satellite photos. In the interest of time he’d decided to look only at the lakes that met all of the criteria—now he wondered at the wisdom of that assumption.

  As he turned onto the county road that would get him close to Battle Lake, he checked the list to see what was next. Medicine Lake, over by Blackduck. He craned his neck to see across the fields, his vision hampered by the darkening skies. It appeared there was no easy access to this lake.

  He could not catch a break today.

  Thankful for his Jeep, he guided the four-wheel-drive vehicle down a dirt road that was little more than two ruts between a farmer’s fields. The bumpy ride provided the most direct route toward the lake. As the view of the water opened in front of him, he knew immediately it wasn’t right. Slowing, he bounced the Jeep over the ruts to turn around.

  He groaned when his cell phone rang and rested his foot on the brake as he dug the phone from his pocket.

  “Hey Jeni.” He released the brake and let the vehicle roll forward.

  “Ice. Finally. I’ve been trying to reach you for a few hours. I have some bad news. My mom wants me to stay here tonight.” Every word rang with frustration. “Do you know when Nik wants to do this? Maybe I can sneak out.”

  “No, don’t do that. Don’t worry about it.” He tried to sound soothing—to mask his disappointment. “It doesn’t look like I’m going to find the thunderstone anyway.”

  “You’re looking for a thunderstone? I guess I thought Nik already had one.”

  Ice sighed, his earlier exasperation returning. “Oh, he does. But he wants this one. The one the owl sent in his vision.”

  “But how could you possibly—”

  “Don’t ask,” Ice interrupted. “I’ll explain later.”

  A silence stretched out and he knew what she was going to say next.

  “You won’t go will you? If you don’t find the stone?”

  “I guess I should call Nik. Maybe he’ll wait until we can be more prepared. Without you or the thunderstone I don’t know what will happen.” What he meant was he didn’t know what Nik might decide, but Jeni took his words literally.

  “I do. I know what’ll happen.”

  “Jeni, that’s not wh—”

  She wasn’t listening to him.

  “Please,” she pleaded. “Please don’t go. Please Ice...” He could hear the threat of tears in her voice.

  “Hey... hey Jeni, let me call Nik, okay? Don’t get upset. We don’t know what he’ll decide. And I might find the thunderstone after all.”

  No reply.

  “Jeni?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ll talk to Nik and call you back, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Ice pulled out on the highway, en route to the next lake. While he was in an area with cell service he ought to see if he could reach Nik at the tribal council office. Even if the meeting of elders was still in session, Nik would be notified of a call from his apprentice.

  “Ice, how’s the search going?”

  “Not so well. No luck yet.

  “Have faith Ice. I do.”

  “There’s something else Nik. I just spoke to Jeni; she can’t make it.” Ice paused and when Nik didn’t say anything, he continued. “Do you think maybe we should wait? We can get together the medicine men from nearby reservations…we’ll have more time to plan and to find this thunderstone.”

  “No, keep looking, we have an advantage tonight. Warriors far more fearsome than medicine men will join us. The elders are watching Doppler radar.”

  Ice opened his mouth but before any sound came out, Nik continued.

  “There’s a whopper of a thunderstorm heading our way.”

  ***

  By dinnertime, a layer of clouds obscured the sky and the air outside had taken on the sickly, greenish orange that preludes a large storm cell. Every now and then lightning lit the distant horizon. Jeni hardly noticed any of this, wondering if Ice found the thunderstone and if Nik would hold off if they didn’t have it.

  She pushed food around on her plate, deciding to call Ice as soon as she was free from dinner. Relieved when everyone scattered after the meal, she hurried to the sink with her dishes, then turned and collided with her aunt.

  “Whoa! Sorry Jeni, didn’t mean to sneak up behind you.”

  “It’s okay.” Jeni moved to step away.

  “Hang on; I came to tell you something. We were talking about what everyone was doing tonight and your mom said Ice invited you to a tribal function—the one you mentioned earlier?”

  “Yeah, she already told me I couldn’t go.”

  “I know, but it looks like there’s more than one plan tonight—everyone had different ideas about what they wanted to do. So I asked your mom if I could take you to the ceremony. I admit it was partly selfish because I’d really like to go, but she said it was okay!”

  Speechless at first, Jeni
tried to process the ramifications of this new development. “Wow…really?”

  “Yup.” Her aunt squeezed Jeni’s arm and grinned.

  “I…uh…I have to call Ice,” Jeni said, reaching for her phone. “I already told him I couldn’t go.”

  “Well…tell him now you can. Get directions too.”

  Uh-oh. Her plan backfired big-time. How was she going to get out of this?

  Jeni pressed send as she headed across the lawn.

  “Jeni! I—ying—all you.”

  “Ice, you’re breaking up.”

  “—eather. Jen—”

  Then he was gone.

  Frantically, she tried the call again while rushing to the end of the dock, hoping for better reception. With her back to the gusting wind, she cupped a hand over her mouth and phone.

  Wind noise wasn’t an issue. The call didn’t go through.

  Just fabulous! Jeni shoved the phone in her pocket and wrapped her arms around herself. Though it was chilly, she needed a few minutes to think before she went back inside and talked to her aunt.

  Duh! She didn’t even have to lie. She’d simply tell her aunt she couldn’t get Ice on the phone, there would be no details—no destination, no time, no directions.

  Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

  “You know what?” Jeni’s aunt said in reply. “A group is heading to the casino. Let’s just go with them. Someone there is bound to know about this ceremony or will at least point us in the right direction. Besides, maybe as we head that way you’ll be able to reach Ice.”

  In a last lame effort, Jeni found her mom washing dishes. She picked up a towel and began drying them. “So, no card game huh?”

  “Nope, it looks like everyone has their own plans.”

  “You know, I haven’t been able to reach Ice and I would feel bad if Aunt Jessie drove me all the way to the reservation for nothing.”

  “Well, she’s excited about it so you might as well go and see what you can find out.”

  “I guess.”

  “Earlier you sounded like this was important to you; I thought you’d be happy about Jessie taking you out there.” Jeni’s mom studied her intently. “Is there a reason you don’t want to go with your aunt?”