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

I was hoeing weeds in the first field when a line of riders caught my attention. I watched a patrol of Blue Coats, probably a squad in size, approach. James was not at the head of the column. Lt. Simmons led the detail. He dismounted his men on the south side of the crick and put them at ease before clopping across the bridge on horseback.


I hid a smile. This one had some brains. He’d already figured out I wasn’t just a hired hand, although it was unlikely he understood my actual relationship with his commandant. “Morning, Lt. Simmons.”


“The major asked me to stop by to give you the latest news. “On the ninth of this month, General Lee surrendered to General Grant at a place called Appomattox Court House in Virginia.”


“There’ll likely be more fighting. It’ll take time for word to filter down to all the commanders, but I believe this effectively brings the war to an end.”


Chapter 54