She turned back to the fire, using her hearth sticks to pluck the cobbles from the coals and drop them into the boiling pouch. At the hiss and sizzle of the water, Tanager jerked and sat up, staring wild-eyed around the shelter.
"We'll eat in a bit. There's not much time this morning— but maybe enough."
"You keep saying that." Tanager combed her thick tangles of hair back with long thin fingers.
"I thought as much last night. This morning, I know. Dreams were loose on the land."
Tanager nodded, closing her eyes and shaking her head, as if to rid it of her own apparitions.
White Calf nodded to herself, well imagining the nightmares Tanager had relived. She took one of her beautifully carved horn spoons and dipped it in the steaming stew.
"Here, girl, eat. Eat all you can. You're going to have a hard day."
Tanager winced as she stood, color draining from her face.
"Here, take this with you. Chew it as you need." She handed the young woman a small pouch. "It's an extract I make out of willow bark. You peel it, and boil it, and when you boil the water away, scrape up the residue. It works on pain for some reason. Willow has lots of wonderful properties."
Tanager took a stiff step, trying to keep her expression neutral. She lowered herself carefully and took up the bowl, sipping cautiously at the steaming liquid. She glanced up. "You talk like you know something's going to happen today."
White Calf smiled absently, eyes locked on eternity. "I Dreamed . . . Dreamed like never before. I don't understand it all, not yet. But I heard the Wolf Bundle. It whispered in my Dreams."
Tanager studied her from the corner of a suspicious eye.
"Ah, skepticism. Is that what Blood Bear has taught you all? No wonder the heart's gone out of the Red Hand. Indeed, the Wolf Bundle whispered in my sleep. And I Dreamed of the First Man, saw him, shining and wonderful, smiling and reaching down to me after the Wolf Bundle had given me its message."
Tanager drained the horn and looked across. "And what message was this? What does the Wolf Bundle want you to do?"
White Calf smiled, propping her chin on gnarled fists. “Not me, girl. It's you the Wolf Bundle wanted to talk to. It said, tell Tanager to help the Dreamer."
She shook her head, standing up, wincing at the pain. "You keep saying that. Are there any clothes for me here?"
White Calf sighed, grunting as she got to her feet. "Before you dress, let me clean those wounds again. Yes, I keep saying that. It's true. The Dreams have been driving me half-mad for days. I just didn't know who you were."
She turned, a fire in her flashing black eyes. "Why me? What is all this nonsense?"
White Calf found her medicines and looked up at the tall young woman. "Because, girl, if you choose to help the Dreamer, you'll become the leader of the Red Hand."
"Leader of the Red Hand?"
"And a way to restore the Spiral. Balance, you see. What the universe always tries to maintain—and never can. But you have to take that chance. Right now, you don't care for anything but your anger. In the Dream, the Wolf Bundle showed me how it would be. If . . . and I say if, you choose to support the Dreamer, you'll destroy the Short Buffalo invaders. If you don't, well, who knows? Maybe Fire Dancer and Two Smokes can pull something out in the end."
"Two Smokes? The berdache?"
White Calf nodded as she began working on Tanager's wounds. "I told you Power was mixed up in all this."
"And these weapons lying beside mine?"
"You'll need them in a short time. That's why I'd suggest you take that willow-bark extract. It'll make your pains—"
"What do you mean, I'll need them?"
White Calf tended the last of the bites and abrasions before producing a sheep-hide dress, an example of Two Smokes' talent in tanning and sewing. Even Tanager hesitated, taking a moment to run her fingers over the finely tanned leather A radiant glow suffused her eyes as she slipped it over her head. The incredibly soft leather wouldn't aggravate her abused flesh.
"Don't know about your feet, but my moccasins look about your size. If not, you can make do with winter outers."
"You said I'll need the weapons?" Tanager looked up as she pulled footgear over her battered feet.
"You will. The Short Buffalo People who captured you are on the way."
"What?" Tanager's icy composure crumbled.
White Calf grinned wickedly. "Of course. I Dreamed them, you see. It's a deal with the Wolf Bundle. I've brought them to you. But one has to escape ... to take the story back."
"What?"
White Calf sighed heavily. "How else will you believe what I say, that the Wolf Bundle needs you ... the Dreamer needs you."