Fancy shawl dancers took center stage and Colby, Gray Cloud, and Running Doe joined the Circle M gang. The kids asked questions about their regalia.
Unable to decipher her new feelings, Megan moved from the group. Her hand went to the necklace. "What power do you hold? Why doesn't it scare me?"
"Hello, Megan."
She glanced up and saw Clay. "Hi. How long have you been here?" she asked.
"A while," he said, smiling.
"Why didn't you dance with your brother?"
"I can't dance for him yet. Too much time has passed. You know what grandfather says, the circle is no place for hatred. It's not that I hate my brother, but I don't like him much." Clay looked down and cleared his throat. "Listen, Megan, I was a jerk. Seeing you dance with Colby, it's time for me to step aside. Maybe we can be friends some day."
No longer afraid, Megan looked into his eyes and saw the web slowly disintegrate. "Maybe, someday," she said. Colby motioned for Megan to join him.
Clay turned and said, "Go ahead. You two deserve to spend this time together." "Thank you," Megan said, touching his arm As she neared Colby, his vest called to her. Within seconds, her dream flashed before her eyes. "Please turn around," she asked. She stared in disbelief and joy. "This isn't happening." Her trembling hand moved towards the picture of the circle with the wind hand-stitched into the deer hide. "I dreamed this event."
"Come with me." Colby led her to a quiet place away from the crowd. "There's something I need to tell you. My name is Nodin, meaning wind. The night I was born, the wind was blowing something fierce. Grandfather took it as a sign meaning I would be a free spirit, going wherever the wind took me."
"You did."
"I did until the wind blew me home."
Desperate for answers, Megan held the necklace. "Explain why I dreamed this. Please." "Some dreams are visions," Colby said. "The moment we met I felt connected to you. Most would call it fate. Grandfather says it's the wind spirits that bring people together. Whichever you believe, here we are together."
Her hand dropped from the necklace as its powers pushed conflicting emotions to the forefront. "Everything makes sense, the dream, the vest, his name, the necklace, yet nothing makes sense. One of those things in life you accept without reason or explanation," she said. Megan exhaled. "I need answers Colby."