The days of summer passed and the time of the harvest moon approached. During that time, Soaring Hawk and Lean Bear were together as often as they could be without arousing suspicion. They were able to spend nights together occasionally. These were the times Soaring Hawk relished the most. These were the times he let himself believe they were living together, and enjoying the love growing between them without fear of discovery.
However, as the days grew shorter and the morning air became chilled, several things occurred that made Soaring Hawk uneasy. Although his mother and father did not push him to decide when to marry Wind Flower, and indeed, even the maiden herself seemed to endure the wait with patience, her parents began to put pressure on him to fulfill his pledge and marry their d
