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How long Liliann and the Big Person repeated the stanzas of the song, Liliann didn't know.

There was a point, however, when Liliann saw the Big Person touch First Rider's head with one of her fingers, and Liliann watched as his body twitched, as though an energy much like a lightning bolt sped along his nerves.

Indeed, Liliann was startled to see First Rider open his eyes shortly thereafter and look up at this Big Person, Liliann hearing him say in the mind-to-mind speak, "Ah, it is you, my Big-Person mother. How lucky I am to have you with me. What has happened? Where is my wife?"

"She is here with me," answered the big hairy female. "She and I have been singing to you."

"Please, I need to see her. I need to know she is not hurt."

"I am here," Liliann said in the same mind-to-mind manner.

Then, sitting forward, she took First Rider's hand in her own.

"I thought I had lost thee, me own husband.

And, even now, this fear be more than I can bear.

This Big Person thou call thine almost-mother came here as I be callin' out for help.

It be she who pulled thee out of the snow.

I was tryin'. I was diggin' with all me might to release thee from the snow, but without thy Big-Person almost-mother comin' here suddenly, I would have been too late.

But, she came. She came. And, thou are here, alive. "

"Of course I came to aid you," said First Rider's Big-Person almost-mother. The big human-like person paused in her thoughts a moment, then said, still in the mind-speak, "It is good to see you again, my almost-daughter."

"Almost-daughter?" Startled, both Liliann and First Rider voiced the question at the same time.

"Do you not remember, Almost-daughter?" asked this female Big Person to Liliann.

"All those years ago, in a land over an ocean away, it happened.

Do you not remember when you fell in the water when you were a tiny child?

Can you not recall how you were despairing and yelling for help because you had no hope of swimming to save yourself? You were too young to do so."

"I be rememberin' somethin', no lie. But, I thought it be a dream," murmured Liliann aloud.

"No dream was it," answered the Big-Person mother in the mind-to-mind speak.

Liliann tried hard—tried very hard, indeed—to keep from crying, but she failed in this attempt. It was simply too much to consume all at once; she had almost lost her husband, and now a nightmare she'd had all her life had actually happened?

Her voice shaking, she managed to whisper to herself, "'Could this be why I knew the song when I first heard First Rider sing it?"

"What do you think?" asked the Big Person in the mind-to-mind speak.

Silence. The mountains, the sun, even the wind around her became silent as, with tears in her eyes, Liliann recalled it all.

Whispering, Liliann said, "I remember it now.

I do. Be it strange, though, how me own self and First Rider met.

And, I be knowin' the song. I have loved thee, my husband, since the moment when thou and I sang together. Oh, how I wanted thee to be mine."

"And, I was," he whispered, "if I…not so blind. All this…might not happen…had I been more…aware."

"How could you have been more aware then?

" asked their Big-Person mother. "You were so in love with Tsistsaki, how could you have possibly seen beyond it?

Do not forget how you made Otahki your almost-sister, so much respect did you feel for her.

You seemed to have waited for her in the only manner you could, and still keep your honor.

It is only important now for you both to stay together and remain, yet, honorable. "

"But, how?" asked First Rider.

"This is not for me to say," answered their Big-Person mother.

First Rider nodded, while Liliann sat in silence, yet knowing she needed to ask this Big-Person mother another question. And, she asked, "But, me almost-mother, how did thou come here so quickly? It was as though thou were suddenly here, and without thou having to climb the mountain."

Liliann looked up to see the big creature smile at her before asking, again in mind-speak, "Do you truly not know?"

Liliann shook her head.

"Then, I will tell you. It is because our tribe is much beloved by the Creator, for we saved his only daughter when she was drowning, there in His world.

For this deed, the Creator gave to us a new home, one more suited to us, and He gave to us, also, a way to travel in this earthly realm in a manner suited to us, but one your own tribes of people cannot do. "

"But, how?" asked Liliann.

"I will tell you, but both you and my almost-son must swear to never repeat what I am to tell you. Do you swear?"

"I do," said First Rider.

"I do, too," Liliann said aloud.

"Very well, then. My tribe has only to think of the person, and we are there. In mind, we are never far from those we love, and we can hear you if you are in trouble."

This revelation caused another moment of complete silence as Liliann tried to understand this concept, until at last, she uttered, "I think I still be not understandin', but I thank thee, Almost-mother, for tellin' us.

May I call thee 'mother'? Me own mother died giving me life, and so, in a way, thou are the only mother I have had. "

"It is what I am," said the Big-Person mother. "Of course you may call me 'mother,' or 'almost-mother,' or you can call me by name, which is Ahoom. Knowing this, you can call to me if you ever have need of me again."

The conversation continued as the three of them talked of this and that until, at last, both Liliann and First Rider were too cold to continue speaking without a great deal of shaking and shivering.

It was time to say goodbye. But, before she left, their Big-Person mother took them both into her arms and said, "You two belong together.

You, my almost-daughter, are a part of his world, and you, my almost-son, are part of hers.

The Creator could not go against your own wishes and desires in the past, my almost-son, but He sometimes works in ways we do not understand, bringing people together who truly love each other. "

And, then their Big-Person mother stood up and took a few steps away from them, walking in a steady gait until, suddenly, she disappeared.

As though stunned into inaction, Liliann and First Rider still sat arm in arm, shivering in the cold, until, at last, First Rider looked at her and said, "I have always known you have great medicine, but when we were younger, I did not heed it.

You saw what I did not see. Also, without you insisting to go where I go, I fear I would have perished this day. "

"Do not thou even speak of it."

"Come, let us take these goats to our winter home and prepare their hides so we can make ourselves very much comfortable."

"Aye," said Liliann. "Aye."

****

As the days became longer and warmer and the snow began to melt, First Rider declared it was time to leave their happy winter home and venture farther west toward the Flathead encampment.

Liliann was more than a little reluctant to leave this grove of the friendly cottonwoods trees.

The situation of these giant cottonwoods and pines had become a home for both herself and First Rider, one filled with love.

No enemies ventured to come to this part of the world while there remained eight feet of snow covering the hills and valleys, and even deeper snow on the tops of the mountains.

Yet, she and First Rider had not traveled through the rough terrain of the Backbone Mountains in order to set up a household in a glade, regardless of how peaceful and happy it was.

Their task, indeed, was to discover the truth, or lies, of the life of Tsistsaki.

And, from this discovery would come either great despair or tremendous relief and happiness for her, and for her husband.

They were to leave soon, and Liliann went about their tiny abode, collecting what they were to take with them. But, when she went to strap on certain supplies and blankets to their mounts, First Rider bid her to not do it, saying simply, "We walk…rest of way."

"Walk?" She rounded on him at once. "But…but why?"

"Ponies too easy to track. From now until we reach Flathead camp, we must make the rest of the journey as true scouts."

"But…but…"

First Rider stepped toward her and took her into his arms before he said, "I do not know what we…find there. Tsistsaki might have married…again. Might be happy. But…might be slave. If we take horses, Flathead or enemy tribes will see tracks, our camps, our moccasin prints. Will know we Pikuni.

"Now, hear me: Creator has spoken…to me.

If Tsistsaki is…slave, her captor will…hide her.

If she is a man's woman, he will…hide her…

too. So, we go there as scouts…ghosts. This will…

let me learn more. Will then decide what to do.

Will leave ponies here; there…much bark for food here, much water, shelter.

Here, ponies will remain in this good place.

And, since cottonwood glade is well away from enemy trail, ponies might be here when… return."

"Oh, I see" was all she said.

She and First Rider then took only what they might need for hunting, for defense or for making needed repairs, and left the rest to be claimed once again by the forest. And, though Liliann wished she and First Rider could remain here alone and delay their return to the people, she knew it was not possible.

And so, in the month When-the-geese-come-back, they set off on foot, staying off the main paths.