Born into a society tolerant of homosexuals, River Otter is confused by the white culture’s persecution of such men. As the war begins to wind down, Otter leaves the only home he has ever known to help Major James Morrow, commandant of Ft. Yanube, build a farm north of the fort. He begins a new life with the handsome major while coming to grips with growing hostility toward natives and rising danger from a local militia bent on eliminating all bloods from the territory.<br><br>As his physical attraction for the blond soldier slowly grows into a love perilous to both of them, Otter is distracted by personal challenges. As he struggles to survive the social and political upheaval sweeping the plains, can remain true to his own set of values?

River Otter

“Did the scalawag die of his snakebite?”


“Likely not, else James would have heard of it and told me. But they were looking for the buckboard and the body of their accomplice.”


“This puts another face on the thing. I think we should change our plans and start back to the Mead.”


“I agree. Perhaps you should leave now.”


He scanned the sky. “No, we’re tired. We’ll start back tomorrow morning after we get the rafters in place. We can push hard and make it home by nightfall.”


“Leave early on the morrow. Rock and I can handle the rafters.”


“You can, but it will be done more quickly if I help. We won’t tarry long. We started to bring a wagon because of the girls but decided it would be faster to go horseback and cut across the prairie. I’m glad we made that decision.”


Chapter 24