24  While Sweet Blossom and her people searched the city to determine what The Hoods were doing, The Voice searched for something else...a final woman to balance Great Bear's Circle; someone to fill another need he had been seeing.  But he could not seem to find that person. 
     25  As he walked the streets one afternoon, he saw a woman standing on the streetcorner, looking up and down the street.  As another woman passed, she showed her something and the woman shook her head. Curious, The Voice went over. 
    26  Seeing his Speaker's Robes, the woman showed him a piece of parchment. It had a Healer's address on it. "I'm not too familiar with the city," explained The Voice, "but I think I know that street."
    27  The girl tapped him on the shoulder, put her hands to her ears, and shook her head.  The Voice made signs with his hands. "You can't hear me," he said. 
    28  "That's right," the girl answered with her voice.
    29  The Voice had never heard a deaf person speak!  "How long have you been deaf?" he asked.
    30  "Since I was born!" the girl answered.
    31  "Then, how did you learn to speak?"
    32  "A healer taught me.  This Healer I'm looking for treats deaf children.  I'm trying to get work with him, teaching them to speak."
    33  "Come along," said The Voice, "I'll take you there.  Then there's something I want to talk to you about. I want to teach you to do other things for deaf children. I want to teach you to give them The Lords.  I want you to be a Speaker."
    34  "Lord," the girl signed, "how can a girl who cannot hear be a Speaker?"
    35  "One of my students cannot speak," argued The Voice, "but hears very well. If he can learn, YOU can learn."
    36  "I am Dreaming Crow," the girl signed, "who are you?"
    37  "I am The Voice of The Lords," The Voice answered.
    38  The Girl bowed down politely.  "My apologies, Lord," she answered, "for questioning you.  If you wish to teach me, of course I will obey."
    39  They made their way to The Healer's office. The man was young, and rather disbelieving of the girl's claim, until he examined her and found she was completely deaf.
    40  "I was only a year old," she explained, "when the fever took my hearing. But Wise Dog taught me to speak, and taught me how to teach others.  It is a matter of feeling the sound in your throat. Of course it helps if I have an assistant who can hear to help me.  But that is usually willingly provided by a parent."
    41  The Healer turned to The Voice.  "Honestly, Lord, tell me, do you think it's worth the effort?"
    42  "Tell me," asked The Voice, "how much will the parents of your patients pay to have their children speak?"
    43  The Healer smiled. "Only what they can afford," he answered. "All right, young woman, you're hired!  I'll give you a room here, to work in, but I'm afraid I don't have any living quarters.  Your pay will be basic until you prove your worth.  Then we'll figure out shares from there."
    44  The girl took his shoulder, and the young man answered.  "Come along," encouraged the Voice, "there's some people I want you to meet.  You're going to like them very much!"  "One, in particular!" he thought to himself.
    45  "Which one?" the girl asked. The Voice turned around. "I'm sorry," the girl explained, "I try not to listen, but you thought it very strongly.  I can only hear strong thoughts. Sometimes they don't make any sense, but that one was like you signed it."
    46  "How long?" asked The Voice.
    47  "Since I was a little child," Dreaming Crow told him.  "I have always kept it a secret, but I thought you would know.  I can always tell if someone is lying or telling the truth, and sometimes I know what they're thinking. At times I wish I could shut it off, but I can't. I don't like to know other peoples' thoughts."
    48  The Voice hugged her. "I think," he comforted, "we can teach you to control it. It's something that's of good use, but it needs control."
    49  The Voice brought Dreaming Crow to Great Bear.  She was an immediate joy in the house. All the women adored her, no matter what their age, and the younger ones couldn't seem to be without her company.
    50  When The Voice introduced her to Silent Dog, the young man just stared at her until his brother jabbed him in the ribs. Then, he signed, "Good Lords, you're beautiful!"  Everyone laughed.
    51  "My brother knows how to start a conversation with a woman!" Strong Dog exclaimed.
 
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