You dash into your family's tent.
You gave the pouch to the wrong man! Which had your mother been
panting to? Surely Red Cloud wasn't the one with the red feather,
standing right next to this Wolfeye you had mistaken him for! "Oh
mother, I was so nervous I gave it to him by mistake - it was an
accident, I'm so sorry."
"Oh I have a fool for a daughter! I barely believe you, but I
cannot believe that you would give up such a good match as Red Cloud,
the chieftain's very son!" Morning Star begins to sob.
You embrace her. "Surely it is not that bad, mother. We can fix
things when they return."
"They return in a week. Who knows what Red Cloud will think by
that time."
How can you fix this without revealing that you hardly know who you
are? The village and other Indians have known you, Bright Star, all
your life - but you know nothing of them. Or of Bright
Star.
Your mother had been standing at the door, watching. Her face is red
and her eyes furious. She grabs you by the shoulders and shakes you.
"Bright Star, what have you done? How could you give your token
to Wolfeye, and not Red Cloud? How? Do you wish to break your
betrothal?" She drags you out of the tent and rushes after the
hunting party, but they have already left.
