“We’re going on the Oregon Trail!” Reverend Paulson announced a year later.

John uttered a protest in French about getting an invitation to the university.

“And good for you,” Reverend Paulson nodded. “Yes, you’ll still be able to go to the university. Bright Sun, we know that you’ve been wanting to make it big time in nursing. There’s a position open at a hospital in New York. Would you rather do that or go on the Oregon Trail?”

“There’s nothing in Oregon for me,” Bright Sun shook her head. “I’ll go to New York.”

“We leave in a week to make the wagon train,” Reverend Paulson explained.

A week passed and John and Bright Sun said their good-byed and left. Soon it was just the family of 4. It had been a family of 6 with all of them ever since Black Bird had been adopted by them. The Paulsons seemed to have an odd obsession with adopting orphaned Native Americans.

“Alright, crew,” Reverend Paulson said at dinner that night, “the wagon train meets in Kansas. We need to leave tomorrow. Well, let’s all get to it!”

Bright Star listened to the clanging in the kitchen below her as Annie sorted out what they needed and what they could leave. She packed her hair brush, her quiver, a canteen, and her clothes. She traveled light. Her two buckskins fit into a small pack along with her hairbrush. She’d go as a scout, Annie had said, along with Black Bird. So she left her canteen and her quiver on the vanity. She lay down in the bed for the last time.

Bright Star said her good-byes in the morning, and then they left and joined the wagon train.

Then Bright Star looked at the wagon train leader. He was an arrogant man who reported he had never led the way and had only been on it once.

We’re toast, Bright Star gritted her teeth. He’s gonna argue with the Sioux and he’s gonna lose and we’re all gonna get massacred. And no one in these 100 wagons knows Sioux! Except me…

Bright Star didn’t know it, but she knew every language that was in North America at the time after having learned French.

“Alright,” Reverend Paulson said, “g’bye, Bright Star and Black Bird. We’re wagon number 56.”

Black Bird and Bright Star got treated as little kids (which they kind of were), but Bright Star knew that she, at least, knew more then all of the scouts put together, except maybe Black Bird.

They started the long ride. She fondly remembered most of the things along the way. But not all was always well in the wagon train.

One night, a man came up to her.

“Have you seen Emily?” he asked anxiously.

“Emily? Your daughter?” Bright Star’s eyes filled with worry. “Is she missing?”

“I thought she might’ve ridden with Victoria, her friend, but they ain’t seen her,” the man said worriedly.

“She must have wandered off the path,” Bright Star realized. The wagon train never stopped for lost people. The man looked desperate to save his daughter.

Bright Star didn’t say anything but slipped through the wagons to where Black Night was grazing. She mounted and the man followed her.

“I’m going to find Emily,” she said. “Move with the others at daybreak. We’ll be back.”

“But how are you going to find her?” the man asked.

“I am Bright Star.” And that’s all that Bright Star said before she kicked Black Night and they were off.

They shot like a rocket back down the way they came. Bright Star had to find Emily; otherwise, Emily would be dead at daybreak.

“There!” she shouted to no one as she saw a path through the tall underbrush. No one else except Bright Star could’ve seen it even in bright daylight.

They walked through the underbrush until they came across a figure lying on the grass. Bright Star dismounted and turned it over. It was Emily.

“Emily,” Bright Star whispered.

The grey light of dawn was starting to appear and Bright Star knew that the wagon train would already be moving. Emily’s eyes fluttered open but she quickly closed them again. Bright Star gave her some water from her canteen and then set to work. She braided grass together several times to make rope and then carried Emily to Black Night who stood patiently. She put Emily on and first tied her hands around Black Night’s neck, then her feet around Black Night’s belly. Then she mounted behind Emily and rubbed Black Night with her heels.

Emily finally awoke.

“Where am I going?” she whispered, scared.

“To your father,” Bright Star said quietly. “You got lost. Heat exhaustion, I should think. They’ll be moving by now but Black Night can catch up.”

“Why am I tied?” Emily asked.

“Because you were unconscious,” Bright Star explained gently, “and I wanted to make sure that you didn’t fall.”

Emily worked at the improvised ropes until she, too, was grasping the mane. She used Bright Star’s strong arms and body to keep herself balanced while Black Night galloped. They came upon the wagon train. Bright Star counted up to Emily’s father’s, Emily dismounted and ran for the wagon, and then Bright Star took up her post again.

After days and weeks, they reached the mountains. They lost people on the trek up, but when they finally got to their own personal land, Bright Star forgot everything else.

She was home.