Father Sun had not yet reached the highest place in the sky when Dances In Storms led them into a land of many canyons.

Golden Fox stared with big eyes and a mouth agape at the walls of red-orange that reached so far above the Mother. Sister Wind echoed off the rough walls, creating a hollow sound—like the whispers of long-forgotten people. Some canyons had walls so close together, she could almost touch both sides at once. Father Sun barely reached a finger of light to the bottoms of these places.

Dances In Storms led the way into a narrow canyon where only two could ride side-by-side.

The fast-moving river they rode beside roared so loudly that Blazing Fire had to shout for Golden Fox to hear.

Frost walked closer to Blue Spirit Dog and the pups, as he eyed the strange land around them. A sharp bend in the canyon caused Frost’s hair to raise along his back, but Blue Spirit Dog did not appear upset.

Golden Fox poked Blazing Fire on the forearm and pointed at the wolf.

With a grin, Blazing Fire pointed up toward the top of the canyon wall, where four warriors stood staring down at them.

Blazing Fire leaned close. “Father Wolf was watching when you were not. Did you not see Dances In Storms raise her arm to them?”

Head ducked, Golden Fox picked at the fringe on her dress. “I feel as if I may never become a warrior.”

Blazing Fire patted her back. “You have only been learning for a few moons. Do not worry. You are already as good as many warriors who have studied for a cycle of seasons.”

The canyon finally widened. Trees and grasses rolled out for a long distance, until several openings in the high walls led into more canyons and kept Golden Fox from seeing any farther.

White Elk rode back to Golden Fox. “Dances In Storms asks that you stay back with Frost until she waves for you to bring the wolf forward. She worries that others will let fear take them. These people would never hurt a wolf unless they felt afraid for the children.”

With a wave of his hand, he motioned at a pile of large boulders that looked as if they had tumbled from the wall behind them. “She asks that you and the wolves remain next to those boulders until she comes for you. She hopes everyone will see how Frost does not slink as a hunter, but walks as a friend to you. Perhaps, it will be good that they will see Blue Spirit Dog and our mustangs are not afraid of the wolf.”

White Elk nodded toward where lodges stood. “Let us hope that Frost does not see the People’s mustangs as many meals for him.”

***

Dances In Storms smiled even as a tightness wrapped around her. Her parents stood at the front of the gathered people. Without a word to anyone, she slid off her mustang and allowed Long Sun to lead the animal away. The people she brought with her remained mounted. She hoped that Golden Fox had heeded her words and now stood with Frost over by the boulders, where the people could see the wolf, and yet be far enough away to feel little fear of him.

Her eyes searched those gathered for Eagle Thunder’s people who had come ahead of her small group. She had not been with them long, but she should easily see the sun they had painted on nearly all of their clothes. She saw only a few.

What happened? Were they attacked before reaching my People’s camp? Have more died from the poisoned water sickness?

The only lodges with the sun sign sat on the edge of the camp, as if the people who lived there had not been welcomed.

Why would my people turn them away?

She pushed the questions aside.

Her mother and father stood in front of the people with their arms crossed over their chests. No smiles greeted her; rather, her father spun around, and her mother silently followed as he made his way to their lodge.

Dances In Storms’ heart pounded against her ribs, and she swallowed the fear that threatened to gag her as she followed her parents.

Even the band would not meet her eyes; they all glanced away.

What has happened to make the band so unhappy?

Once inside the lodge, Calls Elk motioned for his daughter to sit.

Her mother offered her a bowl of hot food that she gratefully took. Her ears rang in the silence. The fire had only enough glow for heating food. A gap at the bottom of the lodge, raised for cool air, carried whispers of people who stayed back just enough to not look nosey.

After she finished the food and set the bowl aside, she met her father’s hooded eyes. “We had good hunting, Father. I see the hides rest between trees and have been scraped already.”

“A good hunt is always welcome. When the cold season comes, the bellies of our people will not cry out with hunger.”

“The lodges of the Sun People are set away from the lodges of our People.” Dances In Storms waved behind her with one hand.

Her mother’s light voice answered the true question. “They chose to set themselves apart.”

Dances In Storms’ eyes darted between her mother and father. “Only those who have shame set themselves apart from the band.”

Her father sighed. “Those with relatives who are sick from the poisoned water have much shame.”

Head cocked, her brows pinched together. “Father, many sunrises ago I helped Eagle Thunder’s people fight the bad Spirits from the poisoned drink. What shame is it that a person has fought against such Spirits and won?”

Her mother cleared her throat. “When a child is taught that a fire is hot, but reaches out and is burned anyway, the child’s mother will heal the hurt. Most children learn from such pain. Yet, the fire will call to some of those children, and no matter how many times they are burned, as soon as they are healed, they will return to the fire.”

Dances In Storms’ stomach cramped, and she closed her eyes against her failure.

Voice softer, her father commanded, “Open your eyes, for closed eyes will not make Father Sun rise when it is Sister Moon’s time to shine.”

“I failed Eagle Thunder’s people—the ones I was sent to save.” Grief tore at her chest, and she clutched her tunic as if to stop the pain.

“When they walked into our camp, no one drank the poisoned water. Their eyes were clear and they spoke with a clean mind.” Calls Elk wiped his hand down his face. “I should have seen that something was not right when many insisted on putting up their lodges so far from the rest of the people. I thought only that it must feel strange to be among those you do not know. Sun Rising argued against setting themselves apart, but too many raised their voices and drowned out his counsel.”

Her mother, Small Feet, got up and dragged a hide from the side of the lodge. “Inside, you will find five empty leather flasks. I do not know how many they had hidden in their sleeping robes. Your father spoke to the men, and I called a women’s counsel. Many ears were closed so tight that boulders could have fallen on the camp, and they would not have heard them.”

Her mother knelt and stared at the lodge behind Dances In Storms. With a soft saa—saa, she comforted whatever lingered in the lodge’s shadows. “Come, Little One, it is safe to come.”

A rustling sounded but, afraid of startling whatever her mother called, Dances In Storms did not turn.

Finally, a small girl crept over to Small Feet. Sucking her thumb, she crawled into her mother’s lap and hid her face against the older woman’s chest.

If Dances In Storms’ heart could have shattered, it would have then. “The child?”

Her father answered in a gruff voice. “The girl’s mother said we could keep the child if we gave her something to trade for the fire water. The child is only two winters old. I threw the mother’s belongings to her and told her to never return, that the child belonged to the People, not to one who thought she was worth nothing more than a flask of poisoned water.”

The little girl cringed at Calls Elk’s harsh tone, and Small Feet frowned at him. If it had not been such a sad time, Dances In Storms might have laughed at the red spots on her father’s cheeks.

Her mother resumed. “Those who left had fire water with them. Half-grown children cried and tried to pull their mothers and fathers away from the poison drink, begging them to stay. One young boy clung to his mother, and his father gently pulled him away and told him his mother no longer wanted him.” Small Feet’s eyes squeezed shut. When she opened them, they were wet.

Dances In Storms shook her head. “The ones who live in the lodges.... Why are they still living on the edge of camp?”

“They feel shame that their relatives brought poisoned water to our camp.” Calls Elk shifted and rubbed the part of his thigh where a bear’s claws had left four scars. “Sun Rising said his people will not move their lodges closer until they have been cleansed by our Holy Woman.”

“What say you, Father? Do you wish for these people to become part of our band?”

“The people who stayed all worried about the children, the little ones the sick ones took with them. Sun Rising asked for a few warriors to ride with him and Eagle Thunder’s people, to bring the young ones back. When darkness hid the land, our warriors followed Sun Rising and his people to where the ones who drank poisoned water slept the sleep of the dead.” Her father paused and looked at Small Feet.

“The little one sleeps,” she said.

He turned to Dances In Storms. “Some of those who drank the poisoned water had not fallen into the sleep of the dead. There was fighting, and four of those sick on the poisoned water went to the campfires in the sky. One girl of about six winters old was trampled by one of the sick one’s mustangs, and she too went to the campfires in the sky.”

“Will they come looking for the young ones, Father?”

With sorrow in his eyes, he shook his head. “Father Sun has risen six times since the children were returned to the lodges in our camp. No one came. Those who did not die have continued to travel toward the whites’ lodges. They did not have much poisoned water left, so most will not make it. The shakes will come on them before they reach the wooden fort.”

He glared at the empty flasks. “Daughter, I must tell you—this poisoned water carries a very powerful Spirit. After I had chased away those who drank it, I lay down and tried to sleep. The flasks called to me though I had never drunk of the poisoned water. I got up and searched through them until I found one almost full, and one half-full. I wished to understand these people, and why they would give up their band to chase such poison.”

His head dipped, but he lifted it so he looked into her eyes. “I crept out of the lodge and went to where the boulders lean against each other. As Sister Moon watched me, I drank from the flask. With every swallow, I felt stronger, as if I became young once more. I felt wiser, as wise as the most powerful Holy Man. When I fell into this sleep that is not sleep, I dreamed. It has been many years since last I dreamed. I could have cried for happiness.”

Dances In Storms stared at her father and felt as if she did not know him.

“When Father Sun woke me, my head hurt so bad that I groaned out loud. I felt lost, confused, sad, and very angry, as if someone had stolen my most loved mustang. I walked and fought the Spirit of the poisoned water all day. When Sister Moon rose again, I crept out to the boulders and unburied the last flask. I drank it. Again, I had wonderful dreams, powerful dreams. When Father Sun woke me, my stomach cramped in want of the poisoned water. I came to your mother and told her what I had done. She told me not to return to our lodge until I sat in the sweat lodge and forced the bad Spirits from my body.”

“Father, do you still crave the poisoned water?” Dances In Storms asked quietly.

Lips tight, the muscles in his jaw bulged as he fought to speak. “Yes, Daughter, it shames me to say I hunger for the poisoned water sometimes—not for the strength I felt, for I know that was a lie. I crave it for the dreams that left me when I took your mother for my woman. I grieve for the Power that once lived inside me. For a short span, the poisoned water returned those dreams, though I know they were not real dreams, but false ones sent by the bad Spirits in the poisoned water.” His gaze locked on hers. “When the people are settled, I ask that you come with me to the sweat lodge to heal me.”

“It would be an honor, Father. Shame feels as a heavy robe on my shoulders. I am sorry that I caused you to step onto a broken path created by the ones I sent here.”

With a firm shake of his head, he continued to speak. “I was the one who listened to the whispers of the poisoned water. You would have counseled me against it, as would your mother, had I talked with her. This broken path is one my feet needed to step upon to break the pride that blinded me. We all choose the path we walk, Daughter. All those who love us can do is to take our hand when we reach out to them for help.”

Small Feet shifted the sleeping child in her arms. “What have your dreams told you, Daughter, that you can share with us?”

Worry shot through her as she studied the fine lines around her mother’s eyes, and the deeper lines across her forehead. “This I can tell you—I will be staying here during the cold season. There is much work to be done, for when the season of new grasses comes again, Golden Fox, who you will soon meet, will leave our camp for a time, and I must go with her. And, Father, she has a wolf with her and his pups. We are as Shining Light’s band. The wolf will cause no harm. It is good to be among wolves again.”

She cleared her throat and looked away. “We have two whites with us. They wished not to go back among their own people. They work hard to learn our words, and have helped to watch over our small camp in darkness. They are fine hunters. They wish to find their new names here, among us.”

He remained silent.

“Father, what say you?”

Calls Elk pushed to his feet. “Walk with me, Daughter, and help me greet those who have followed you here. Even the whites will be welcomed. I know you would bring no danger to us. We will speak to those who feel shamed, let them move closer. They no longer carry any shame. If they wish, I will go into the sweat lodge with them to sing and pray.”

Dances In Storms reached out for the child on her mother’s lap, but Small Feet shook her head. “She cries if anyone except me tries to touch her.” She brushed the hair from the little girl’s face. “I do not mind. Go with your father. I will come after I place her on a sleeping robe.”

***

When Dances In Storms called the people together, Golden Fox stood up and brushed the pieces of grass from the back of her dress. Frost nudged her hand and she scratched behind his ears. “Soon, Frost, she will come and we will have to follow her. I do not like so many eyes on me.”

A young man pranced across the grass toward her. His eyes darting often to Wolf, he stopped only a mustang length away. “A golden-red-haired white woman? Who do you belong to, so I may trade for you?”

“Trade for me?” Golden Fox drew herself stiff and tall.

“Ahh, this is good. You understand and speak as we do. I will have to offer at least three mustangs for you. I wish for the wolf to be part of the trade. Tell me, woman, who captured you?”

She pulled her knife. “Perhaps, boy, you should learn to keep silent unless you know of what you speak. Go away from me before I show you how a warrior woman of my people handles a boy with no manners.”

Frost stepped between Golden Fox and the boy. A snarl lifted his lip and his long, white teeth gleamed in the bright light of Father Sun.

The cocky grin fell from his face as he shuffled back a few steps.

“My wolf has not eaten since Father Sun rose. Maybe you would make a good meal for him.”

The boy’s eyes widened. “It... it would not be polite to let your wolf eat one of Dances In Storms’ band.”

Her hand dropped to the wolf’s neck.

White Elk ran over, stopped, and grinned. “Ahh, I see you have offended Golden Fox and Frost, a most Powerful wolf. You had better apologize before the wolf decides to teach you some manners, Sun Who Rises Early. I do not think you could hunt so well with only one hand.”

All color drained from the boy’s face. “You... you would not let....” He swallowed hard and licked his lips. “I... I did not mean to offend. I was... teasing. Tell her, White Elk! I tease girls who are very good to look at.”

Golden Fox lifted her chin. “I find it offending to be called a White Woman. I am granddaughter of Eagle Thunder, leader of our band.”

“I... I am sorry. Never have I seen such bright hair on any of our Peoples.”

She flipped her head and the strands that had hugged her cheeks fell behind her shoulders. “I spoke with a sharp tongue. My mother says there is no shame in carrying some white blood, that it does not make me less of the Peoples.”

“Dances In Storms wants you to come now, Golden Fox.” White Elk turned toward the boy. “Sun Who Rises Early, perhaps it is time for you to greet your sister, Dances In Storms.”

The boy ducked his head and hurried toward the main part of the camp.

White Elk chuckled. “He does not mean to anger you. He is Dances In Storms’ youngest brother, and spends much time alone making bows, so he does not understand how to talk to young women.

“He is the best bow maker among several bands. Many warriors come to him, and he dreams of the bows they ask him to make. Each bow fits that person as no other bow ever has, and the arrows fly true from its string. Do not be surprised if you awake one morning and find a new bow outside of your lodge. Sometimes, it is his way of showing he is sorry to those he offends with his teasing.”

As Golden Fox drew nearer to the gathered people, her heart throbbed in her throat. Her feet shuffled to a halt. She wanted to run away, to hide behind the boulders until everyone slept. Splash lowered her muzzle and shoved her hard between the shoulders. With reluctant steps, she began walking again, Frost at her side.

A man who could only be Dances In Storms’ father, who she knew to be called Calls Elk, leader of the Sister Wolf Band, stood in front of the people with crossed arms. Beaded on the front of his tunic was a wolf’s head, thrown back and howling. Fringe followed the side of his leggings from hip to ankle. Beads decorated each fringe and clinked whenever he moved.

With trembling hands, she dug deep into Frost’s neck as sweat beaded on her forehead. She stood several long strides away when the pups raced past her and leapt up on Calls Elk’s legs. The black wolf pup grasped the toe of Calls Elk’s footwear and tugged, giving little puppy growls as he shook his head. Blue Spirit Dog’s pups danced back and forth and barked with high-pitched puppy voices.

Frost sat down on one side of Golden Fox, his tongue lolling from the side of his mouth as if he laughed at the pups’ energy. Blue Spirit Dog let out a sigh and lay down next to Frost.

Searching for her voice and the ability to move, Golden Fox dashed forward. “Night Wolf, no! Stop that!” She reached out and grabbed at the pup, but he bounced out of reach, only to race back and grab another piece of Calls Elk’s footwear.

She grasped the white wolf pup by the scruff of her neck, but not before she yanked one of the fringes from Calls Elk’s leggings.

At first, Golden Fox did not hear the laughter. Finally, Calls Elk’s voice reached her panicked mind.

“Golden Fox, these must be your wolves. Leave the young ones to play. They have been too long on the drag I see behind your mustang.”

She stopped and straightened up to meet the Sister Wolf Band’s leader. “I... I am sorry.”

He waved her apology away. “It has been generations since last we had wolf pups grabbing at our clothes. It fills my heart with happiness to see them among us again.”

“Your dogs... your mustangs... you must tie them so they....”

He held up one hand and stopped her words. “No, let them be. Our dogs and our mustangs come from those that once traveled with Shining Light’s Wolf Band People. I do not think they will fear these pups.” He nodded toward Splash. “Besides, your mustangs will give them courage that the wolves do not see them as food. Only your Father Wolf might see the dogs as food, but your dog shows no fear.”

“Frost has told me that he will honor your dogs and mustangs as he honors those who belong to my people.”

Eyebrows shot high, Calls Elk looked at her. “Ahh, do you also have Shining Light’s gift of talking to the wolves?”

Scuffing her toe in the grass, she lowered her head. “I do not know if I can talk to wolves. I only know that Frost will talk to me.”

“You bring my people a Sacred blessing, young woman. Come and sit at our cooking fire, so we may share food and talk.”

***

Golden Fox wandered around the busy camp. Calls Elk had insisted that they place Eagle Thunder’s family lodge near his own. With the help of many hands, their few belongings were soon in a new lodge. Many people came with gifts, and soon their lodge filled with fine things, which they shared among the rest of the once Sun People.

Her mother gathered around cooking fires with the other women of their new band, sounding like the black- and white-colored birds that gather in the trees and chatter loudly. Sky Bird had shooed Golden Fox away, telling her to meet the other young women around camp, and to let the Sister Wolf Band people ask questions about Frost and the wolf pups.

A group of young men had taken White Elk somewhere. Golden Fox could only turn her head to follow him until he blended into the trees.

Dances In Storms had taken Long Sun to the lodges on the edge of the camp.

Blue Spirit Dog and the pups, after much excitement, had fallen asleep on robes inside Eagle Thunder’s lodge.

Frost had left, as he sometimes did, to seek his own food. Perhaps, he needed time away from so many people and dogs. It must have been as difficult for him as for her in letting others become comfortable with their differences.

Will I ever feel as if I belong among any Peoples, or will my gold-red hair and green eyes always make me feel alone?

A man’s voice shouted. Her head whipped around to locate the voice, and the man shouted again. “Golden Fox!”

Finally, her eyes found the man hurrying through clumps of people, his face creased in a wide grin. As he drew closer, she noticed the small amount of hair that grew on his chin.

“Golden Fox, I welcome you to the Sister Wolf Band. I am called Fast Runner.”

A woman hurried forward and stopped a half step behind him, her eyes cast shyly to the ground.

He reached back and pulled her forward. “This is my woman, Sings Loud.”

Never good at knowing what to say to strangers, she dipped her head to the woman as she studied the man from the side of her eyes. “You carry white blood?”

“My two brothers and I, yes. Our father was of the Peoples. Our mother is sister to Small Feet, Calls Elk’s woman.”

“Do all of you live here?” She scuffed the toe of her footwear in the dirt, not used to being so nosy. Her mother had taught her that people would tell her what they wanted her to know, and it was impolite to be as Bear, pushing his nose into everyone’s past. Yet, it seemed as if this man expected her to ask after his family.

“Only sometimes. Our mother follows our father when he goes to his wooden lodge in the canyons. He refuses to live near the fort where poisoned water is passed around.” He peered around. “Where is the black wolf who travels with you?”

“Frost hunts for his food.”

A small boy crashed into Fast Runner and clung to his leg. The man laughed as he picked the boy up. “Perhaps, he looks for a boy to eat?”

The boy squealed with laughter and wiggled until Fast Runner put him down. “Big dog no eat me.” He held clawed hands up and growled. “Eeeerrrrr! I eat you, maybe.”

Fast Runner pretended fright until another boy ran up growling. “I am Bear!”

After the children ran off, Golden Fox nodded their way. “He has hair the color of the yellow sandstone that we saw as we rode in the canyons.”

Sings Loud shyly spoke up. “That one fears nothing. He is called Lightning Boy. As Dances In Storms, he runs out and twirls in circles when the Thunder Beings roar. The other young one is his cousin, Boy Who Laughs.”

A smile twinkled in Fast Runner’s eyes. “Our son has less than half the blood of the People, yet no one of Sister Wolf Band cares about this. Perhaps, with your gold-red hair and green eyes, you have wondered how the People will be toward you.” When she did not answer right away, he continued. “Here in the Sister Wolf Band, we know that our People do not always come from the same blood, but always they come from the same Spirit.”

The smile died away and sternness came over his face. “Young One, I have heard the stories from Eagle Thunder’s people—how there were Sun People who did not accept your mother because she is half-blood like me, and those who did not accept you because your mother is half-blood and your father is white. Know that you are not alone. Among our Sister Wolf Band, you will find that people are judged by their hearts, not by the color of their hair and eyes.”

Sings Loud tugged his arm and gazed up with loving eyes. “Enough said, my man.” She turned her eyes to Golden Fox. “Know this, my sister: I have heard many good things about your mother and about you. You are both welcome in our lodge and at our cooking fire.” She handed Golden Fox a clean tunic and leggings. “They have yet to have any quills or beads on them, but the stitches are tight and will fit you well. Your mother spoke of this as being your choice of wear. We dress as we please, men and women.”

Before Golden Fox could respond, the woman ran after her children.