A young Dakota girl named Tusee learns to dance while her father watches. An elderly man arrives on horseback. Tusee’s father captured and enslaved this man years ago but later granted him freedom. The man decided to stay with Tusee’s family. Tusee is promised a wild pony as a gift for participating in her first dance. The elderly man agrees to get the pony for Tusee.

Years later, a young brave decides he wants Tusee to be his bride. Her father is against the arrangement unless the young brave brings him the scalp of an enemy. The young brave goes with other warriors to attack an enemy tribe’s camp. The enemy takes the young brave captive.

Tusee sneaks away from her village when she hears the news. She goes to the enemy’s camp and prays to the Great Spirit for help, asking for her “warrior-father’s heart, strong to slay a foe and mighty to save a friend” (84). The enemy tribe is gathered around a campfire to watch the young brave, who is bound to a post. One of the warriors brandishes a tomahawk in the young brave’s face. Tusee approaches, and the enemy warrior is intrigued at her boldness.