many
who follow Black Hawk across the Great River will be few when they cross
back.'"

After a moment's hesitation Owl Carver lifted his hands. "They will be
few because we will win back our land on the other side and stay there."

Before White Bear could answer, Black Hawk stood up, his face in the
firelight a mask of wrath. White Bear trembled.

"Black Hawk will never be Sharp Knife's prisoner!" the war chief roared.
"Black Hawk will die first."

Someone else was standing up before the fire. A woman.

Redbird.

White Bear felt himself trapped in a nightmare. Had his wife gone mad?
She could not speak to a council of chiefs and braves. His heart beating
furiously, he reached out to silence her. But she was already speaking.

"You are fools if you do not listen to White Bear," she cried. "He is
gifted with the power of prophecy." She turned to Owl Carver. "My
father, you know that the whole tribe crosses the river from east to
west every year for the winter hunt. If the Turtle says few will cross
back over the Great River, he means the rest of us will be dead."

Her words were greeted not with anger but with shouts of scornful
laughter. White Bear knew that the chiefs and braves did not care what
she said; they were merely amused that a woman dared try to speak to
them at all. He burned with shame for himself and Redbird.

Beyond the circle of firelight he saw the shadows of men and women
standing in the twilight. Word of the dispute at the council fire must
be spreading through the camp and drawing more people to hear, perhaps
to speak their own minds, as was their right. He glimpsed Sun Woman
hurrying toward him, picking her way through the seated men.

Wolf Paw strode toward White Bear, holding in his hands the bundle of
red and blue cloth Little Crow had brought him. He glared at Redbird.

"It is bad medicine for women to speak to the council."

Redbird stepped in front of White Bear to face Wolf Paw. "A medicine
woman tells you: the words of White Bear are _good_ medicine."

"How can White Bear tell the British Band what to do when he cannot make
his wife behave as a woman should?" Wolf Paw said. "Sit down, Redbird."
And he pushed her aside.

Rage shot White Bear forward like an arrow from a bow, arms outstretched
to grapple with Wolf Paw. He lifted his medicine stick as if to strike
at the red-crested brave.

Hands gripped his arms. He struggled, blind with fury, flailing his arms
and kicking. Wo