Beware the Banshee

Chapter 13

From the Journals of Dipper Pines: Thursday, June 12—It's about 3:30 in the morning, and sure enough, the banshee has just vanished again. She woke us all around 3:00, and we all got up to check it out. But—well, we should have expected it, I guess.

When we opened the door, a thousand animals stood around in solid formation, blocking our way. Ford groaned, "There go my hopes of exploring Needle Falls this morning!"

The animals didn't seem disturbed at the terrible wailing cry of the banshee, but simply stood there staring back at us, the porch light reflecting in their eyes, orange and yellow and green. They didn't threaten us or anything but—well, the bobcats in the front row were the smallest of the predators facing us.

"Grunkle Ford, you go back inside. We got this," Mabel said, and she, Wendy and I went onto the porch. I really thought they'd make way for us, but they didn't. A couple of the pumas started to snarl, and we stopped short before getting to the porch steps. Then Russ called from the darkness behind them: "They're only trying to keep you safe!"

"But we need to talk to the banshee!" I told him. "Help us!"

"I can't command the animals!"

So we had to retreat inside, where the others waited. "Come on," I told Grunkle Ford. "I think I know where the banshee might be."

We hurried up the attic steps, and I threw the triangle window open. The banshee hovered in the air, closer than I'd seen her, and though the night was still and dark, except for the light behind us streaming out the window, it looked as if constant breezes were lifting her hair and her filmy clothing.

Ford knelt on the window seat and leaned out. "Banshee! I am Stanford Pines. I've studied the way of Faerie, and I know you mean us no harm! I feel this threat is focused mainly on me. What can you tell us of the danger this house is in?"

"To be sure, it is grave," the banshee replied in her sorrowful voice. "Poor man! A force beyond even our understanding is breaking free of its prison. Within it burns a rage to kill. We don't know how to stop it at all, at all!"

"I may have a way," Grunkle Ford said. "But the animals won't let us out of the house!"

"'Tis because they owe you and your family a debt of gratitude. You saved them all once before, and they have wisdom enough to know that."

"Can you tell them, somehow, to let us go free?"

"No, that I cannot, for theirs is not my kingdom, nor would they heed me." After a short pause, she added, "Seek those who know and lead the animals best, the rithe sionnaigh, and they may help. I cannot."

"The what? No, don't go yet! How—how long do we have?"

"Not long! It comes before midnight next!"

And with a wail she ascended in the air. It was an overcast night, and before long her dim glow vanished. I knelt on the window seat and stuck my head out. Very faintly, I could see the mass of animals below, waiting patiently. "They may not even let Wendy and Stan and me out!" I told Grunkle Ford.

"No, I seem to be their main concern. While you three go—assuming they will actually let you go—I'll try to unravel the banshee's riddle. Who leads the wild animals? I didn't quite get what she said—something about kings. There isn't a king of the forest in Gravity Falls, as far as I know."

"An eagle, maybe?" I asked.

"I think not. We think of them as noble creatures, but they're really bird-brains. They focus on flying, eating, and nesting."

"Eat worms! Fly south! Nest!" I muttered.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Never mind," I said. But I was wondering, Did Wendy mean that the way it sounded? Nesting together with her—

Somehow I had the taste of feathers in my mouth. I dragged my thoughts away from the memory. "Let's go downstairs and tell the others."

Everyone clustered in the dining room. I noticed that Mabel had put on a sweater and shorts and shoes, and she sort of slipped away, so I followed her and found her about to go out the gift-shop door. "Hey," I said, "you shouldn't go out at night!"

"Dipper," she said, pleading, "I gotta to out! Russ was out there, I heard him! He lives with the animals—maybe he can help us!"

She had that look in her eye. I knew she expected me to argue and then give in, so I decided to surprise her. "OK," I told her. "Mystery Twins. Let's go."

Then she seemed hesitant. "He—he may not help us if you're there."

"So he can tell me to go and I will. Come on. Together."

She gave me the fist bump. "Together."

The twins stepped out onto the porch. "Hi, animals," Mabel said, waving and smiling. "I'm Mabel. I'm a friend to all you animals! Two of my very best friends in the world are pigs—literally! Won't you let me and my brobro through? Pretty please?"

The deer that guarded that side didn't answer, but stood placidly, making no challenging moves. Mabel led the way down the steps and walked up to a buck and doe who stood shoulder to shoulder. "Come on," Mabel coaxed. "Help a sistah out, guys! You want to keep Grunkle Ford safe, but he's in the house. He's not with us, honest."

She experimentally tried to push through, and the deer grudgingly opened a narrow way—with difficulty because they themselves stood jammed in with the rest of the herd.

Dipper followed her, hoping that he wouldn't pick up any deer ticks. He'd heard about Lyme disease. They saw the end of the herd ahead and he suddenly groaned, "Ugh! Yeck!"

"What's wrong?"

"I just stepped in—something. They're not exactly housebroken, Mabel!"

When they emerged, and after Dipper had scrubbed his right sneaker sole back and forth in the dewy grass a dozen times, they hurried around to the back door. There bears, pumas, foxes, bobcats, and what even looked like three timber wolves had gathered—which is why Mabel hadn't tried that way first—but even they seemed peaceable. "Russ! Where are you?" Mabel yelled.

"Here!"

Dipper was just behind Mabel. She rushed ahead, and in the faint light spilling from the Mystery Shack porch, to his astonishment Dipper saw Mabel throw herself into the redheaded boy's embrace—and they kissed! She even did a leg-pop! "I thought that was only in anime," Dipper mumbled. He cleared his throat. "Hi. Russ. Uh, hello? I'm here, too."

Mabel did not break the embrace. "Russ, this is awful! Do you know how we can persuade these animals to let us come and go?"

Reluctantly, the boy said, "The elder vossen could do it—but they're stubborn and won't listen to me."

"What are they?" Dipper asked. Let go of my sister!

Sounding confused, Russ stammered, "They—they are the—the vossen! They are the wisest, the counselors, the ones other animals turn to when—they're the vossen."

"Do you know them?" Mabel asked.

Russ's voice dropped to a low tone, not quite a whisper, but he sounded unsure and not happy. "Yes, yes, I do, but—they—I cannot ask them. I would do anything for you, but—I cannot." He leaned forward and rested his forehead against Mabel's. "They do not understand what is coming. It radiates rage and loathing. Tomorrow night—tonight, now—it will break free and come to this place. We feel the protections you have placed on it. They may hold against it. You must remain inside, no matter what happens. You must."

"Uh-uh," Dipper said. "No way, man. What happens if it can't get to us? What will it do?"

"There is no saying," Russ said, looking over Mabel's shoulder. "Perhaps it will kill anything within reach. You cannot fight it. We cannot. Nothing can, nothing of this earth."

Finally, Mabel pushed away from him. "Russ, you don't understand. We can't just let it kill anything it comes across! I mean, we're Pines! Pineses! We're members of the Pines family, darn it! Me and Dipper and our Grunkle Stan defeated an army of the Undead! We fought off a crazy demon! Three times! We took back the Falls! We have to fight!" She paused. "I guess I gotta work on my inspirational fight rants, huh?"

"Please," Russ said, his voice trembling, "let the others face this thing if you must, but please, Mabel, promise me you will remain inside the wards you have set around this place. If you should die—promise me."

And Mabel hugged him and kissed him again! Then, nearly whispering, she said, "I can't, Russ. I have to stand with my family. Don't hate me."

"I could never hate you."

Dipper said, "Russ, if you want to protect Mabel, talk to the—uh—vossen? Vossen for us. Or communicate telepathically or whatever, but do it. Maybe—maybe you could ask your folks to help! You say they live in the forest—maybe they understand these things. Will you do that?"

"Yes, my parents. They could—I will try," Russ said, sighing. He took Mabel's hand. "Let me lead you back. At least you need fear no hunting animal when I am with you. He held out his other hand. "You'd better hold on, too," he said to Dipper.

This is weird, this is so weird! But Dipper grasped the boy's left hand in his right, and Russ led them forward, toward the back door. Why does his hand feel so small? Well, only four fingers, but their nails need trimming for sure!

The sharp scent of predators stung Dipper's nose as the pumas and foxes made way for them. He could hear them, growling in a restrained way—Together we could rip you apart, but we will let you pass this one time, they seemed to be saying.

Two bears pushed through the rest of the animals ahead of them, clearing a path wide enough for all three. A few feet from the steps, Russ stopped. "You go inside. Walk fast. Do not stop until the door is shut behind you. The animals do not have to halt at the edge of the protection, for there's nothing magical about them. They do not mean to hurt you, but instincts are powerful."

"Thank you, Russ," Mabel said.

"You don't have time to kiss him," Dipper warned. "Go!"

He and Mabel nearly leaped up the steps, tore the door open, and rushed inside. As they shut the door, they heard a mournful cry. Not the banshee, not this time, but a wolf howling a dire warning.

As soon as the sun was up, Ford, Stan, Dipper, and Wendy tried the front door. Deer and possums and raccoons milled in the parking lot and started toward them in a purposeful stride. "Back off, Ford," Stan said.

Ford retreated into the house, and the animals paused, then began to wander around again, restlessly. "Come on, dudes," Wendy growled, grasping her axe. "Let's go."

The creatures did not block their approach to the red and white El Diablo. "Get in an' fasten your seatbelts," Stan growled. "An' let these dumb animals watch out for themselves!"

Dipper took off his backpack and slung it into the rear seat. "Wendy, you want me to get your destabilizer pistol out?"

She had slid into the front seat to sit next to Stan. "Wait'll we get there, Dip. I'm not even sure I'm gonna take it. I got my axe."

Dipper got in next to Wendy. "An axe won't be any good."

"Yeah, listen to Dipper," Stan said as he started the engine. "Ford says ordinary weapons won't help against this thingamajigger from beyond."

Wendy laughed. "Stan, dude, you've been hangin' around Fiddleford too much!"

"Can it, Wendy."

The animals obligingly made way for the car, and once they were down at the foot of the driveway, their path looked clear. Dipper, riding shotgun, jumped out to unhook the chain barring the way to the Shack. For the first time he saw the signs Stan had nailed up: TEMPORARLY CLOSED THURS-FRI-SAT. OPEN AGAIN MONDAY WITH AMAZING NEW EXHIBITS! SEE YOU AT THE FISHING OPENER!

Stan pulled through, rumbling over the chain, and then Dipper hooked it back into place. "Hope Soos doesn't lose too much business. Uh—Grunkle Stan, what new exhibits are we gonna have on Monday?"

"The head of some fershlugginer thing that thinks it can take out a Pines, for one!"

Wendy punched the roof. "Stan-ley! Stan-ley! Stan-ley!"

"Maybe when we get back," Dipper said, "I could go and talk to the Manotaurs. They might be able to persuade the animals to let Ford come out of the Shack."

"Nah, I don't think so," Stan said. "The forest creatures don't seem to like or trust them."

"I wish I knew what a vossen was."

"A what?" Wendy asked.

"Vossen. Russ told Mabel that a vossen could talk to the animals."

"Ya got me, kid," Stan said.

"Dunno, man," Wendy said.

Stan braked, throwing both teens forward, and then he leaned on the horn. "For the love of—get out of the road, knuckleheads!"

Three foxes trotted across the highway right in front of them, not even looking around as the horn blared.

"Guess they didn't get their invite to the Shack when the others did," Wendy said.

"Stupid foxes," Stan complained, and then he floored the accelerator and made the turn to get to the old logging road and whatever waited at Needle Falls.