A moment afterward the Minneconjoux discovered the black war pony. The sight of it astonished them into silence. They looked upon it with wild, inquiring eyes. Had they been mistaken? Could it really be the famous war pony of the great chief Many Buffaloes?
"Yes, yes, it is the great black war pony!" Rain Crow cried, excitedly. "White Otter, my son, has brought it to our camp."
When the war party came within bow range they stopped and waited while a delegation of noted warriors rode out to escort them to the camp. At the same time a company of youths raced eagerly across the plain to take charge of the ponies.
Then the war party rode triumphantly into the village, singing their war songs and calling the names of the warriors who had been killed by the Blackfeet. As each missing warrior was mentioned his people began to mourn and cry out dismally in their grief. However, as his companions extolled his bravery the mourners stifled their sobs and thrilled with pride at his noble sacrifice.
"A warrior must be ready to die," said Pretty Star, the mother of Proud Hawk. "My son was very brave. They are calling his name. He did a great thing for his people. It is enough."
As the victorious warriors paraded through the village the people gathered eagerly about White Otter and the famous black war pony. Many of the old men and boys ran forward and struck the Blackfeet pony with their hands to count a coup against their foes. When he reached the center of the camp White Otter stopped and tied the Blackfeet pony before the lodge of Curly Horse, the Minneconjoux war chief.
"See, White Otter has given the black war pony to Curly Horse," said the Minneconjoux. "It is a great thing to do."
Curly Horse and the great men of the tribe had assembled before the medicine lodge to greet the war party. When the warriors lined up before him the famous chief stepped forward to address them.
"I will call Sun Bird and White Otter to come and stand before me," said Curly Horse. "My brothers, both of you are young men, but you have done big things. Sun Bird, you are the leader of this war party. You have done what you set out to do. You have brought back the ponies that the Blackfeet took away. It was a hard thing to do. White Otter, you are a great chief. You have done many big things. Now you have done the biggest thing of all. I see that you have tied that great pony in front of my lodge. It makes me feel good. But I will not take it. You must take it to your people. Now I will speak to those brave warriors who went with you. My brothers, you have done a big thing. You were very brave. Now I will ask Rain Crow to give you some words."
"My friends, you have done a great thing for your people," said Rain Crow, the Medicine Man. "Now we have many ponies. Some of them were Blackfeet ponies. It is good. Sun Bird, you are my son. Little Raven, you are my son. White Otter, I have called you my son. All three of you were very brave. It makes me feel big. White Otter, you have done the biggest thing of all. Our people will talk about it a long time. I have finished."