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 Redbird. She only wanted to see Gray Cloud brought safely to the shaman's wickiup. Someone else took her arm, squeezing it gently, and she looked up into Sun Woman's face. Tears streaked the strong cheekbones. "You saved his life," Sun Woman said, so softly only Redbird could hear the words. "I did nothing," Redbird protested. Silently, Sun Woman took the snowshoes, the water bag and the blanket roll from her. Owl Carver stopped at the doorway of the medicine wickiup. He danced from one foot to the other, shaking his staff. He nodded at Iron Knife, and motioned him to carry Gray Cloud into the dark interior. Redbird followed. The owl-headed stick barred her way. "Go with your mother," Owl Carver said softly. "You have done enough this night." She could not tell whether he was praising or reproaching her. _Will he live?_ she wanted to ask. But his solemn face forbade her to speak. She turned away from his remoteness and faced her mother's anger. Her heart was still full of terror for Gray Cloud, but she knew that the instant she lay down she would fall into an exhausted sleep. * * * * * It seemed that no time had passed when Wind Bends Grass shook her awake. "Your father calls the people together," she said in a voice still hard with anger. Redbird's eyelids felt as if they were made of stone. She forced herself to sit up, and then with immense effort got to her feet. She was still fully dressed, even in her fur cloak and mittens. She had collapsed in the wickiup without removing anything. The wickiup was now empty. Her mother and her sisters had gone ahead without her. Her heart hammered in her chest. Owl Carver might be calling the people to tell them that Gray Cloud was dead.