Thomas and his friends hold a wake and funeral for Junior. His body has been laid into a homemade coffin, which is resting on Thomas’s kitchen table. Only a few people besides the members of the Coyote Springs attend. Some anonymous people have sent flowers.

Big Mom mourns Junior. She wishes she had seen Junior’s troubles and helped him. Although it might be too late for Junior, Big Mom is determined to walk all the way to Thomas’s house so she might help the members of the band that remain. Before she leaves, she gives Robert Johnson a harmonica she has carved out of a special piece of wood. Big Mom tells Johnson that he is no longer a guitar player. He should concentrate on playing the harmonica. She is pleased that Johnson has regained his health while staying with her.

As Big Mom walks past the Catholic Church, she finds Father Arnold packing his things into his car. The bishop has found a replacement for him, and Arnold is leaving the reservation. Big Mom talks him into escorting her to Thomas’s place. Along the way, Father Arnold tells Big Mom about his attraction to Checkers. He asks her what he should do, but Big Mom tells him she has no opinion. He must make his own decision.

Later, as the small group of people stand around Junior’s grave, Big Mom asks if anyone has last words they want to say. Victor is the first one to speak. He says that Junior never hurt anyone. Big Mom adds that Junior only hurt himself. Thomas remembers Junior as someone who really tried hard to be good.

Victor makes up a story about Junior. He tells everyone that Junior has a child. The truth is that Victor got a white woman pregnant when he was in college but the woman had an abortion. But Victor wants people to have a nice impression of Junior, something to remember him by, so he continues his story about the son. Chess looks down the road and tries to imagine what that child might look like. Then she has a pretend conversation with Junior and the white mother, telling them what a difficult life the child will have being half-Indian and half-white. Neither group will fully accept the child, she warns.

Chess, Checkers, and Thomas decide they want to leave reservation life and move to Spokane, a city about an hour away. Chess has found a job there. Before they leave, Big Mom convinces them to attend a big dinner that is being held in the Long House. The young people are not sure they should go. They know no one wants to see them. But they are hungry, so they give in. Although the other Indians at the dinner are not completely welcoming to the young people, in the end, the people pass around a hat, donating what money they can afford to help Chess, Checkers, and Thomas set up in the city.

Before the trio leaves, Robert Johnson shows up. He tells Thomas he has decided to stay on the reservation. He believes he was meant to live there. He loves the beauty of the land and feels he has found a home among the people.

As Chess, Checkers, and Thomas drive away, they think about their fears. They wonder how difficult it might be to fit in with city people, most of whom will be white. Then as they drive, they see a shadow horse running along the side of the car. Chess and Checkers reach out their windows to touch it. In the headlights in front of them, Thomas sees a herd of shadow horses running ahead of them as if leading the way. Thomas, Chess, and Checkers start singing a song that Big Mom had taught them. It is the song of the shadow horses, who are proud they have survived. The song reminds Thomas, Chess, and Checkers that they, too, are alive—and will keep on living.