When morning came, Black Elk seemed to be some better, but Hawk thought he was still too weak to walk, especially since they would now be climbing up into the mountains. At this point, they were only a few miles from the village, according to Swift Runner, and he wanted to run on ahead of them to tell the people what had happened to Black Elk. “That would be a good idea,” Hawk said, “so they can be ready to help him. But I’m gonna feed you some breakfast first, so you can run fast.” So, after some coffee and deer meat, the boy helped Hawk settle his father on the travois and they set out on the last leg of their journey. After telling Hawk that the trail he had led him to would lead to the village, Swift Runner started out ahead of them and was soon out of sight. “I reckon I can see where he got his name,” Hawk commented to Black Elk, who nodded, smiling.

The entire village, which consisted of no more than four tipis, stood waiting for Hawk and Black Elk. It was a sight Hawk had seen on other occasions, one that always saddened him. Gaunt, gray-haired men and tired-looking women, standing at the edge of a clearing, staring at him as he led the travois toward them. He could see right away that Black Elk was the youngest man in the village, and little wonder it was primarily his responsibility to hunt for food to feed the village. It was also obvious that Swift Runner had told them that his father had been saved by the white man who wore the hawk feather in his hat, for their eyes were full of wonder. But Hawk imagined he could also see the disappointment in them as well for the fact that Black Elk and Swift Runner had not returned with fresh meat. He looked beyond the tipis to see half a dozen horses that, in spite of ample grass, looked to be in as poor shape as their owners. His thoughts returned to the mission he had accepted as his own, and the time he was spending away from that mission. It was poor timing, this encounter with a group of poor-devil Indians, who looked to be starving. Once again, he told himself he had no choice. He could not turn away from them without offering some help.