Sophia's Story
A Disney crossover by talking2myself
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any recognizable Disney characters. All original characters are my own creations.
CHAPTER 42. A Day Late and a Dollar Short
Mentally adding "being crushed by mammoths" to her list of worries, Sophia continued to follow the newly formed trail of cleared underbrush and uprooted trees. Fortunately, the ground seemed relatively still beneath her feet. She kept her ears pricked for any other signs of animals, twigs snapping, growling, the ominous thump of footsteps.
Thankfully she didn't see any mammoths or bears for that matter, but the place wasn't completely devoid of wildlife either. Geese honked overhead in a V formation while squirrels chased each other overhead from branch to branch. She even caught sight of a moose here and there. If she wasn't completely rattled by the appearance of mammoths, it would have been quite peaceful.
"Look!" Jack cried suddenly.
"Where?!" Sophia cried looking about frantically. "How big is it?"
Jack gave her an exasperated look. "Really love? And you don't think you have any issues?"
Sophia glared at him. "What is it then, Jack?"
Jack pointed into the horizon. "Over there," he said. "Smoke." Sure enough a thin curl of gray smoke appeared to hover up above the treeline. "Unless they got some really intelligent squirrels here, I'd say that means civilization is up ahead."
"Or as close as we're going to get to it," Will agreed.
"Wonderful," Sophia said. "Hopefully, Tanana is in the village and can give us some direction."
"Don't worry, I'll negotiate with them!" Jack volunteered.
"NO!" Will, Sophia and Elizabeth said in unison.
"Oh come on!" Jack groaned, "What happened with the cannibals was an unfortunate dialect error."
"And we don't need that to happen again," Will said.
"These ones aren't cannibals," Jack sniffed.
"We don't need them to kick us out before nightfall either," Elizabeth said. "We already have enough to worry about."
Sophia could have sworn that she heard Jack muttered something along the lines of "Alarmists" under his breath as they continued on their way.
-888-
Sure enough, within a few hours they found themselves on the edge of an inuit village. The people were hurriedly bustling about conducting the chores of the day. A mother chased after her children. Men tied up a netful of fish. A few women sat in a circle, sewing and chatting amongst themselves.
Sophia peered at the village through the bushes. "So… what do you suppose we do know?"
Jack opened his mouth to offer a suggestion, but Elizabeth slapped a hand across his mouth before he could speak. Mickey looked at the villagers and shrugged. "You could just go… say hi?"
"Say hi?" Sophia repeated anxiously.
"They d-don't look d-d-dangerous," Jackie agreed.
"Okay…" Sophia said. She swallowed hard. "If anyone is going to approach them it's going to be," she said. "I got everyone into this mess."
"Oh no," Will insisted. "You're not going alone!"
"Absolutely not," Elizabeth agreed.
"Okay," Sophia said, more relieved that she wanted to admit. "Here goes nothing."
Sophia cautiously took a few steps forwards into the clearing with Elizabeth and Will by her sides. At first, they didn't seem to notice her, but gradually the people caught sight of her and curiously gathered around her.
"Um… hello," Sophia said. "Nice to meet all of you. I'm looking for a woman named Tanana? Do any of you know her?"
A ripple of murmurs passed throughout the crowd as the gazed at them curiously. Jackie immediately burst from their hiding spot followed by Mickey, Mim, and Merlin.
Suddenly, a new voice erupted from the center of the crowd. "Alright, alright I got this! Move over. Short lady coming through here."
Sure enough, a short older woman with dark hair tied into pigtails emerged from the crowd. Sophia considered herself somewhat petite, and this woman only reached her shoulder. The woman crossed her arms and gave them an irritated look.
"You're late," she snapped.
"Late?" Sophia asked.
"The spirits told me you would be coming," she said. "Though they told me that you would be here half an hour ago? What took you so long?" Sophia was so stunned she couldn't offer an explanation. Fortunately, she didn't have to. "Never mind! I don't really wanna hear it," the woman continued. "Come on, I didn't crawl down from my nice comfy cave for nothing. Right this way."
"Are you Tanana?" Sophia asked. The woman let out a sharp barking laugh.
"I'm guessing she's actually Innoko," Mim pointed out drily.
"The one and only," the little woman said with a bow. "Now come on, follow me." With that, the little woman began pushing her way back through the crowd. Sophia shrugged and struggled to keep up.
A few moments later, they had scaled a cliff face and were all seated around a warm fire. "So you're looking for Tanana?" Innoko said, rubbing her hands before the flames. "Well, you're a day late and a dollar short." She shot them an accusing look. "Must be a pattern."
"Huh?" Sophia asked.
"She just passed through here," Innoko said dismissively. "On her way back to her home village. Tough break. Can I ask why you're looking for her?"
"The spirits didn't tell you that?" Jack retorted.
"We had a lot to talk about," Innoko sniffed.
"It's a strange story," Sophia admitted. "But the short version is that we need to get to the Mountain and we believe that she should be able to help us get there."
"Unless you know the way?" Elizabeth added hopefully.
"Nah," Innoko said. "I'm not much for traveling. Short legs you know."
"We're also recruiting for an exclusive organization and we think you might be a good fit," Jack added.
"Hmmm," Innoko said skeptically. "What's it cost?"
"No cost," Jack insisted.
"You gonna make me sign something?" Innoko said narrowing her eyes. "I don't sign nothing without reading the terms and conditions."
"Oh for pity's sake!" Mim cried. "They're reforming the Circle."
"No kidding?" Innoko asked.
"It would seem so," Mim remarked. "And we need to convince Yen Sid."
"Eh, Yen Sid," Innoko cried. "That old coot is still alive? I thought he died."
"Nah just turned into a deer," Mim said. "Long story."
"All the people transforming into animals lately," Innoko shook her head. "I tell ya…" Mim nodded companionably.
"EH AHEM!" Sophia cleared her throat.
"Right, right," Innoko said. "You're looking for Tanana because you think she should be able to get you to the Mountain. Solid plan. In fact, she's heading back to her village because she's got a totem from some whippersnapper."
"Where is this village?" Sophia asked.
"Couple of days away," Innoko said dismissively.
"Can you give us a map?" Sophia asked.
"Psh!" Innoko laughed. "A map? A map she says?"
Sophia drew a deep breath. "Then, can you perhaps tell us how to get there."
Innoko was thoughtful for a moment. "Don't take this the wrong way," she said. "But if you all go out there by yourselves you'll be crushed by mammoths or lost in the woods all day." She rose to her feet. "I'm going to have to show you myself."
"Oh really?" Jack remarked. "I thought you weren't a fan of walking?"
Innoko crossed her arms. "Who said anything about walking?"
-888-
"Keep moving! We got places to be!" Innoko ordered. She sat perched on top of Jack's shoulders.
"I'm going, I'm going!" Jack snapped. "I swear, the first stream we find, you're going in the drink!"
"Good luck making it over the river and through the woods without me," Innoko snapped. "Now mush!"