Brown Deer
Brown Deer is the older sister of Kaya'aton'my.
Personality and Facts
Brown Deer is Kaya's older sister and, while no precise age is given for her, she is stated to be old enough for courtship. She's interested in a young, handsome man named Cut Cheek and later marries him.
Brown Deer is a hard worker and is always awarded leadership positions, just like her mother. She's considered to be pretty.
When Kaya feels she's going to lose Brown Deer to marriage, she assures Kaya that they'll always be sisters.
In the Books
Meet Kaya: An American Girl
Kaya's Escape: A Survival Story
Brown Deer helps the others with berry picking. When raiders invade, she grabs one of the twins as she runs into the woods for shelter.
Kaya's Hero: A Story of Giving
Brown Deer helps the rest of the women fetch fire wood. Later in the day, Brown Deer works on making a necklace out of shells. She occasionally runs her fingers lovingly across the beads, and Kaya guesses she's making a necklace for Cut Cheek, who would be returning for the winter gatherings. Brown Deer is noted to have been dressing her hair with fragrant oil so it would grow long and silky.
Brown Deer is eager to hear the story of how Swan Circling became a warrior woman, and is as invested in Kautsa's story as Kaya is. Brown Deer agrees with Kautsa's sentiment that it was a sad thing that Swan Circling didn't have any children.
Brown Deer helps Kaya and Kautsa get the camas cakes from the storage pit when the visitors for the New Year Gathering arrive. When Kaya spots Cut Cheek, she looks for Brown Deer, wondering if she would hurry to greet him. Kaya spots Brown Deer standing modestly by the doorway, blushing as if she knew Cut Cheek was looking her way. The two make eye contact and a spark seems to pass between them.
When Swan Circling passes on and her belongings are given away, Brown Deer is given a pair of her deerskin moccasins.