e she had not
understood what it meant to be a shaman. She had thought that a shaman
must be made by another shaman. But now she knew that if people came to
a person for help, that person was a shaman. And people were coming to
her.

"I have come to you," Nancy said. "You can help White Bear."

Redbird gave a helpless grunt that said she could not. The soldiers
would not let her leave.

Nancy reached into her handbag and drew out a folded paper. "I have
spoken with General Winfield Scott. This says that you may come with
me."

Redbird sat in the damp straw looking down at her hands folded in her
lap. Nancy waited anxiously for her to speak.

After a moment, her voice full of pain and uncertainty, Redbird asked,
did White Bear _want_ to see her?

The question shocked Nancy. It had not occurred to Nancy that Redbird
might ever doubt Auguste's love for her.

Recovering from her surprise, Nancy said, "Before his uncle shot him,
White Bear told me he was going to come here to find you and Eagle
Feather. You are first in his heart, Redbird."

_And, my God, how I wish it could be me!_

Redbird looked sadly at Nancy. She was not first in White Bear's heart,
she said. That land that had been stolen from him was.

Shocked, Nancy started to blurt out a denial. But she realized she could
not. Auguste had gone to Victor before he went anywhere else.

_But he is dying!_

"Do you want to save his life?" Nancy asked.

Oh, yes, Redbird did, if Earthmaker would help her. In the shadows of
the tent Nancy could see the glint of tears on Redbird's cheek.

"Then you will come with me?"

Redbird lowered her pain-twisted face. Must she go back to the place
where they killed her baby?

At the memory, Nancy broke into sobs and threw her arms around Redbird,
as she had done that terrible day.

"I will always remember Floating Lily," Nancy said. "I fought to save
her. I thought she was my baby too."

They held each other in silence for a while, and then the thought came
to Nancy that even a small delay might make the difference between
Auguste's living and dying. Nancy felt a chill that ran deeper than the
cold, damp air in the tent.

"Redbird, he will die if you do not come. You have to come."

Redbird sighed. It was true; she would go with Yellow Hair.

Nancy's heavy heart felt a little lighter. If there was any hope at all
for Auguste, it lay with Redbird.

One thing they must take with them, Redbird told her. When