Chapter 3 Summary

Chapter 3 begins with Maya waking up in the morning. This is the part of the day where she often communes with the spirits of the dead. Her former lovers Johanna, Madrone's grandmother, and Rio, Bird's grandfather, are her most frequent visitors. Madrone brings Maya tea and they discuss the dead. Madrone then goes to the Council, the city's form of governance, as a representative of the healers. Participating in the discussions of the Council are the Voices, animal representations of the Four Sacred Things. In the north, there is the earth, represented by the White Dear and to the east is air, represented by Hawk. In the south is Coyote, the guardian of fire and to the west is Salmon, the guardian of the water. These four Voices were given a seat in the Council because when it was established and all guilds...