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

Mary fought her own battle. “A woman who saw a good man who would take care of her and raise a fine family. As for that old man you speak of so disparagingly, he left a legacy the likes of you will never be able to match. What’s this all about, anyway?”


“Well, Missy, it’s about a murdering redskin who thinks he can get away with killing a white man. The governor of this here territory deputized me and these boys to keep the law in this part of the country. That’s what we aim to do. If your man done the killing, we’ll get him. If this one done it,” he jabbed a thumb at me, “we’ll find him out too. If the kid here done it, I’ll make a haversack outa his hide. Y’all can count on that. Now where’s your wagon?”


“We came horseback. Any wagons we have are at the Mead.”


“Y’all brought them kids horseback?”


Chapter 25