Sully becomes a wanted man when he defies a government order banning him from the Cheyenne reservation and organizes an escape for Cloud Dancing, which turns deadly. The savage beating of Cloud Dancing at the hands of a brutal cavalryman makes Sully realize that life on the reservation for his friend is no longer tolerable. Even Michaela realizes that drastic measures must be taken. But Sully's intercession has deadly repercussions. During the escape, long-repressed dog soldiers go wild, exacting revenge against the Army and local families, and the result is a massacre for which Sgt. McKay holds Sully responsible. Now with a price on his head, Sully convinces Michaela that it's safer for the family if he disappears for awhile, and so they say a tearful goodbye.