The year is 1876, and Black Eagle needs help. His father has been killed, and his mother has been captured by the Sioux. The Assiniboine boy must rescue his mother, Spotted Bird, in the Montana Territory while avoiding the United States Army which is at war with the Sioux. Because the Assiniboine, the sworn enemies of the Sioux, do not support Black Eagle in his quest, he turns to his only other friends, Jamie and Kate Bains, who live on a homestead in Portage la Prairie. The mission is a dangerous one.
Winter approaches, and there is little food to be found.
The three teenagers must elude the North West Mounted Police, the United States Army and the roving bands of Sioux warriors to find Spotted Bird and bring her back to her people. They must also survive in the harsh environment of the Montana Territory. Black Eagle, Kate and Jamie's journey is about alliances and conflicts. They must learn to trust themselves and each other in order to survive, to rescue Spotted Bird, and to get back home. The journey also presents readers with an understanding of some of the real life conflicts that faced Native and Non-native people who lived in both Canada and the United States during these times.