About midafternoon Tani’s father turned into a shallow stream and started north against the current. Suddenly, his father slipped and fell heavily head first into the stream. Tani reached his father’s side and found his father could not stand. He helped him ashore and seated him against the trunk of a tree on the bank. A gash was red with blood across the forehead of Tani’s father. Tani saw that his father’s ankle was badly twisted. Not a word was spoken, but Tani built a small fire and made his father as comfortable as possible. For several hours as the sun slowly sank behind the hills, Tani’s father worried about the situation he and his son were in. He was tired and he must have dozed, for he woke with a start as he felt his bow being lifted from his fingers. He watched in silence as Tani fitted an arrow to the bow, pulled back the string and let fly. The arrow buried itself in a near-by bush. There was a thud, followed by a terrifying scream. A Seneca sprang up and fell dead across the path. Tani rushed forward and, having made sure their enemy was dead, returned to his father’s side. Without a word he continued his sleepless watch. The night passed without incident but as dawn approached, Tani heard a rustle in the near-by bush. He raised his bow ready to fire, but recognized the head feathers of his Cherokee brothers and let the bow drop to the ground. He leaped forward with a happy cry. The two braves were from Talitanigska’s camp. They quickly made a sling hammock to carry Tani’s father and soon the four of them set forth for the great Chieftain’s camp. Once safely within the camp, Tani’s father was well cared for and soon was able to stand once again on his injured foot. Two weeks after their arrival at Talitanigska’s camp a great council fire was held to celebrate the victory of the Cherokees over their enemies, the Senecas. As the festivities came to a close, Talitanigska stepped to the center of the ring and asked that Tani step forward. Then, in front of the great Cherokee Chieftains, Talitanigska took his stout hickory bow from his shoulder and placed it in Tani’s hands. “This is for you, Tani,” he said, “for you are a great brave and now a man among men. You stood full of courage in the face of great danger. Because of your quick thinking, you saved your father’s life and made it possible for your father to bring me the valuable information. This information helped our fellow tribesmen to meet and defeat the Senecas, our enemies.” Tani did not know what to say; but the following morning, as he and his father prepared to leave, he stepped in front of Chief Talitanigska and thanked him for the gift. He said he would always cherish the great hickory bow and remember the great kindness shown him by one of the great Chiefs of the Cherokee nation. Tani had his bow, just like his father’s. There was no happier brave alive as he tramped closely behind his father on the path home.