black and
white shells bounced on his chest.

Iron Knife, carrying Gray Cloud, came to a stop before Owl Carver.
Redbird, not wanting people to know how she cared for Gray Cloud, drew
away from Iron Knife and tried to melt into the crowd.

Taking a few more steps, Owl Carver placed himself facing east, with
Iron Knife and Gray Cloud on his right. He danced in a sunwise circle
around them, from east to south to west to north, bobbing his head and
singing.

"The Great Wise One has sent him.
He has walked the spirit trail.
He brings wisdom
From the sky,
From the water,
From under the earth.
He comes back from the seven directions.
The Great Wise One has sent him."

Nine times Owl Carver danced around Gray Cloud and Iron Knife in the
circle that represented the sun, the horizon and the cycles of life and
the seasons.

Then in his normal voice, not breaking step, he said, "Bring him to my
medicine wickiup."

He turned abruptly and danced through the crowd that had gathered. The
people parted to let him through and they stared at Gray Cloud's body in
Iron Knife's arms.

The people who had followed Owl Carver had stamped down a path through
the village. No longer needing Sun Woman's snowshoes, Redbird bent and
unstrapped them from her feet. She was suddenly so exhausted by her
efforts and by the fear and sleeplessness of two days that she could
hardly stumble along behind Iron Knife. She felt that at any moment she
might faint.

The light of the full moon, shining down from directly overhead and
reflecting on the snow, seemed to make the whole village almost as
bright as day. Sighing, Redbird looked up and saw Wolf Paw staring at
her from beside the path.

His black eyes pierced her like arrowheads. Under his sharp nose his
mouth was tight.

She nodded her head at him, hoping he would understand that she was
saying that they should keep each other's secrets.

"Redbird!" A hand seized her arm roughly, and pain shot through up to
her shoulder.

Her mother, Wind Bends Grass, glared at her furiously.

"Why did you leave our wickiup?"

Redbird felt that if she stopped walking to talk she would never be able
to move again. She pulled her arm free. Her sisters, clinging to either
side of her mother, stared up wide-eyed at her as if she herself had
returned from a spirit journey.

Her mother walked beside her, scolding her in a shrill voice, but her
words meant nothing to Redb