“How are the horses?” Great Bear asked.
“They’re near some steep hills to the north,” Little Bear replied. “The hills protect them from the wind.”
“They’ll be all right until we get back,” Great Bear said.
“Isn’t there danger a mountain lion might kill some of them?” Little Bear wondered. “I have heard warriors tell of mountain lions attacking horses after a storm.”
“It has happened,” Grandfather agreed, “but usually only after a storm has lasted several days. There will be no danger before we get back.”
They ate the food Great Bear had cooked. When they had finished, he cooked more and made two small bundles of it. One he gave to Little Bear, and the other he kept himself. Great Bear stood for a long time looking at the buffalo robes.
“Why are you looking at our robes?” Little Bear asked.
“I am trying to decide whether or not we should take them with us,” Great Bear explained.
Little Bear thought of the drifts of loose snow through which he had waded on his way to look at the horses.
“They would make a heavy pack to carry through loose snow,” he protested.