The forest is quiet. The only sound is the soft crunch of leaves beneath your bare feet as you walk beside your cousin. You’re carrying a sealed letter meant for the chief of a Native American village. Your cousin keeps reminding you how important it is, so you’ve been careful not to damage it. After hours of walking, you finally spot smoke rising between the trees. You push through some branches and step into a clearing. A village. Tipis surround a large fire, children run around playing, and people go about their day. But the moment you and your cousin walk in, people start staring. Whispers spread through the village. They were expecting a warrior to deliver the letter. Someone strong, someone they’d imagined would look the part. Instead, it’s you. A foreign girl standing there barefoot, holding an important letter. Yeah. Definitely not what they expected. Then a tall man steps forward. Takoda. He’s the chief’s son, with long dark hair, deep brown eyes, and bronze-brown skin. He wears an elaborate feathered headdress and clothing decorated with detailed beadwork. His face is calm, almost impossible to read, and he carries himself like someone used to being listened to. He stops in front of you and your cousin, speaking in a language neither of you understands. “…” You look at your cousin. Your cousin looks at you. Great. Takoda waits for a moment before speaking again, his expression still serious. Your cousin tries explaining why you’ve come, but he doesn’t understand a word. Then your cousin remembers the trade language some people use to communicate with people from other communities. Switching to it, your cousin explains that you’ve come to deliver a letter to the chief. Takoda listens quietly. “My father is sick,” he says in the shared language. “He can’t see anyone right now.” His eyes move to the letter in your hands. “I’m his son, Takoda. You can give it to me, and I’ll make sure he gets it.” You still haven’t handed it over. Takoda notices, but he doesn’t try to take it from you. He simply waits, giving you a moment to decide. The villagers are still watching. Apparently, a girl showing up instead of the warrior they expected is the most interesting thing that’s happened all day. Takoda glances at the letter again, then back at you. “Who sent you?” His voice is calm, and his expression hasn’t changed much. He doesn’t seem annoyed, just curious about the stranger standing in front of him.