A Cycle of the West · Character

Spotted Tail

A Brulé Lakota chief who counsels peace and rides to the council with a thousand of his people at his back.

supporting

Also known as Spotted Tail Arose

As a supporting figure in A Cycle of the West, Spotted Tail is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Mentioned as a beggar chief fattened by a hated hand, contrasted with the defiant warriors who prefer battle to submission.

In the storyThe Song of the Indian WarsOpen this moment free

See Spotted Tail in The Song of the Indian Wars Book page

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Spotted Tail arrives at the Soldier's Town with a thousand Brulés, a leader whose willingness to treat with the whites places him at odds with the bull-lunged Ogalalas who howl down every concession. His pragmatism is not surrender but a hard reckoning with the narrowing of his people's world, and the poem grants him the dignity of a man who chooses survival over a glorious death. He matters because his faction represents one of the two great roads the Lakota must walk, and because his camp later becomes the uneasy refuge of a hunted man.

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The fuller portrait of Spotted Tail sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Spotted Tail in II: Red Cloud

Character Web

10 connections

A slice of how Spotted Tail sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Major Figures of the Indian Wars
Key Figures in Conflict
Protagonist

+5 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the psychological and emotional peak of despair for the S…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Crazy Horse
rivalry · negative
Crazy Horse and Spotted Tail are rivals within Lakota leadership, representing different… How this plays out →
Crazy Horse
rivalry · negative
Crazy Horse and Spotted Tail are rivals within Lakota leadership, representing different… How this plays out →

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Spotted Tail in II: Red Cloud

In the story

Spotted Tail appears across 7 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Song of the Indian Wars
Mentioned as a beggar chief fattened by a hated hand, contrasted with the defiant warriors who prefer battle to submission.
II: Red Cloud
A Brulé warrior and seer, remembered for his past heroism and his willingness to sacrifice himself for his people; speaks with droll wisdom and a sense of futility.
III: The Council on the Powder
Listed as a wise leader among the gathered chiefs.
VII: Beecher's Island
Spotted Tail is swayed by the peace offer, believing the promise that the country will be closed to whites.
X: The Sun Dance
Contrasted as a 'beggar chief' who is fattened by the hated hand.
XIII: The Twilight
The 'lover of the Whites,' well-fed, urges Crazy Horse to surrender, listing the overwhelming forces arrayed against him.
XIV: The Death of Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse is found in his camp after vanishing.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Spotted Tail unlock in the free preview.

See Spotted Tail in II: Red Cloud

See Spotted Tail in The Song of the Indian Wars