"Embrace the dawn of tomorrow with a steadfast heart"

Chapter II follows Bala through the quiet gravity of impending departure. Rest eludes her as the longhouse, once a refuge, becomes a place of reflection and subtle sorrow. With dawn, she joins Pretty Prairie in familiar labor, where silence speaks more deeply than words. Moments shared with Napayshni carry heightened tenderness, each gesture touched by the awareness of absence. The valley responds with restrained dignity — blessings, tokens, unspoken concern. As evening falls, Bala recounts ancestral stories beside the river and prepares a letter for her son. By night’s end, fear remains, yet resolve takes firmer root.