The Cheyenne medicine man, Cloud Dancing is practically the only surviving member of his band that once lived near the frontier town of Colorado Springs. His wife, Snow Bird, along with the majority of his band, was killed on the banks of the Washita River. They had a son together, Walks On Clouds, but he was killed by the Renegade Dog soldiers when he attempted to free Dr. Michaela Quinn after they had abducted her.
Cloud Dancing learned the ways of the Medicine Man from his father who died from the white man's disease of whooping cough. His father came to him in a dream and told him to teach Michaela how to be a medicine woman. It took some convincing from Sully, but Michaela, who was at the time in the depths of despair about the Washita tragedy, eventually agreed.
Cloud Dancing is Sully's best friend and was the best man at his wedding. He has been known to put the welfare of his brother, as he calls him, ahead of his own. In recent times, he has been poorly treated at the hands of the Army, who is intent on punishing the Native Americans and incorporating them into "white" society. Most recently however, he was given special "citizen" status in the town of Colorado Springs so that he may enter as he pleases in order to conduct trade. He and Dorothy Jennings, Colorado Spring's Gazette editor, have formed a close relationship with each other.