“Time has finally caught up on us,” Skylark said. “It has accelerated and passed us. Although we’ve arrived before the invasion of the seabirds, very soon the time will come when the sacred tree will catch on fire, the sky rip apart and the seabirds from the future come through the ripped sky. We must warn the Runanga a Manu.”
Arnie caught the panic in Skylark’s voice. She had spilled the air from her wings and was gliding down towards Manu Valley. They had reached the Runanga a Manu, the Parliament of Birds. Far ahead she could see the sacred tree and, yes, on every branch were the bird elders of the Great Forest. More forest birds were gathered at the base of the trunk.
Well here goes nothing, Skylark thought. She took a deep breath, hoped she could remember all the words that Lottie had taught her, and began her karanga.
“E nga manu whenua, karanga mai, karanga mai, karanga mai …”
Chapter Twelve
As soon as she returned to Manu Valley, Bella made morning smoko for Hoki, Mitch and Francis, and took it up to the cliff face. She was late with it, so when Francis saw her coming he breathed an audible sigh of relief. “You’ve arrived just in time, Auntie! If I was in town I’d have had two KFCs by now.”
“Please, Francis,” Hoki shuddered, “don’t mention fried chicken in Manu Valley.” She unpacked the food, and Francis was soon hoeing into the sausages, corned beef and tomato sandwiches, salad, cordial and, to wash it all down, plenty of tea. Hoki and Mitch, a few metres away, maintained shotgun duty, pulling the trigger every now and then. The seabirds wheeled away, enraged.
Bella gave Hoki a drink of cordial. “Thank you, Sister,” Hoki said. “It’s hot, standing out here in the sun. Did you get more ammunition?”
“Yes,” Bella answered. “I also went to see Cora in hospital. There’s something I have to tell you —”
“Oh no. Has she? Is she —”
“Nothing like that,” Bella answered. “She’s okay. But I’ve discovered something.”
“Why do I always want to duck for cover when you say that?” Hoki asked.
Bella ignored Hoki’s scepticism. “A few visits ago,” she went on, “I noticed from Cora’s medical chart that her middle name was Agnes.”
Hoki frowned, trying to make the connection. Sometimes Bella could be so difficult to follow.
“Her full name is Cora Agnes Wipani and she was born in Christchurch in 1960,” Bella continued impatiently. “Oh come on, Sister, I know you’re slow but not that slow. Our eldest sister Agnes, she was in Christchurch at the same time —”
“So?”Hoki asked.
“Agnes was pregnant from her boyfriend Darren. Remember?”
She watched Hoki’s face. What do you know, a light went on in her brain as Sister dear made the connection.
“But we were told that the baby died,” Hoki gasped. Sometimes she doubted Bella’s cognitive faculties, but this time she didn’t need Polyfilla to fill in the gaps.
“I know, but the coincidence of Cora being born in 1960, and having the same middle name as our sister — it’s not a common one, you know. It nagged at me, and I couldn’t let it go. Today, when I was at the hospital, I saw some roses that had been delivered to Cora. They had been sent from Christchurch by somebody called Florence Wipani, Cora’s godmother. So I telephoned her.”
Hoki’s eyes were as wide as saucers.
“When I talked to Florence, I knew immediately who she was. She’s done very well for herself, has our Flo. Married three times and now sits in a palatial two-storey house in Sumner. She always had a lisp —”
Hoki gasped in recognition.
“And she tried to lie her way out —”
“I’m thorry, you have the wrong perthon and the wrong telephone number,” Florence Wipani said. “Good day to you.”
“Don’t you dare hang up on me, Flo,” Bella warned. “I want some answers and I want to know them now.”
She decided to bluff. She was always good at cards, pretending she had an ace when she didn’t. “Cora needs an emergency blood transfusion.”
“The doctorth haven’t told me that —”
“It’s only just arisen this minute,” Bella said. “Why else do you think they’ve given me your number?”
“They gave you thith number? They had expreth orderth not to.”
“Cora’s at death’s door.”
“Put Dr Goodwin on the telephone immediately. I want to hear thith from hith own lipth.”
“Oh my God, she’s going into cardiac arrest,” Bella said. “Tell me, quickly, Flo. Cora’s life depends on it. Would my blood type be okay for Cora?”
Would that bring Flo out into the sunlight? Come on Flo, show me what’s in your hand.
Florence Wipani began to sob. “Yeth.”
Hoki’s eyes were brimming with tears. She was thinking of her beautiful eldest sister. Sshhh, I don’t want to wake Mum and Dad up. Darren is waiting in the car. We’re running away together. Hoki had always been sentimental. Cried over the smallest thing.
“At first,” Bella continued, “Flo was very angry at being tricked —” You and your little thithter were alwayth nathty manipulating little girlth. — “but in the end she confessed everything. How Darren had left Agnes in the lurch when she was just about ready to have the baby. How, when the baby was born, Flo and her first husband adopted her. When Agnes died, they continued to keep the secret to themselves. Over the years it just seemed easier to do this. Cora has never known. Cora’s our niece, Sister. And Skylark is the one. She’s our mokopuna.”
Hoki gave a cry of pain. She had loved Agnes so much. Then she realised what she had done to Skylark.
“Look where I’ve sent our granddaughter,” Hoki moaned. “Through the portal and back into the past!”
Hoki was shivering. She clasped Bella, her eyes wide with horror. “What happens if she can’t get back?”
“Karanga mai, karanga mai, karanga mai …”
It was Te Arikinui Kotuku who first heard the strange, unearthly, beautiful sound coming down from the sky. She and Huia had been giggling at the antics of the males, who were still celebrating their great victory in the battle of the birds. Having drunk fermented berries and gorged themselves during the victory feast, the chieftains rolled, farted, burped, bumped, fell down, snored, and sang roistering ditties about their heroic acts of valour.
“It was our leader, Tui’s, role
To lead us into battle
He called out, ‘Forward all’
And off we flew, our score to settle!”
A glazed-looking Chieftain Koekoea was wandering about, with a wing around Chieftain Teraweke. Who was holding up whom was difficult to fathom.
“Teraweke, matey, you’re the man. My goose would have been cooked if you hadn’t taken that tern off my tail —”
Across the way, Kawau was declaring eternal friendship to Chieftain Kokako when, in the real light of day, they avoided each other like the plague. As usual, Kaka was holding forth with boasts about his fighting prowess. “Did you see me make mincemeat out of those mollymawks? I felled three with one blow, three in one go —”
Chieftain Pekapeka of bats had become so intoxicated that instead of hanging upside down he was hanging downside up. As for Tui, who should have known better, he was creating a scandal with his public and very amorous display towards a young and flirtatious bellbird who came — where else? — from Te Arawa.
“Come into the trees, e hine, and let me preen you.”