"There's miles between us and the fort, miles of wild country filled with Indians eager to cut our throats." It's 1855, and tensions in the Pacific Northwest between white settlers and native tribes have led to scores of deaths on both sides. As all-out war seems inevitable, young William Tidd, an express rider for the militia, joins Charles Eaton's Rangers on a mission to hunt down Chief Leschi of the Nisqually. If they can stop him, they may be able to end the bloodshed before it escalates further, but it soon becomes clear that not everyone wants peace with the enemy. Through skirmishes, raids, close calls, and betrayal--William's assumptions, beliefs, courage, and friendships will all be challenged in a few breakneck weeks.