Eighteen-year-old scout
Calvin 'Choctaw' Taylor believes he can handle whatever life throws his way.
He’s been on his own for several years, and he only wants to make his mark
in the world. When he is asked to guide peace emissary Sean Brennan and his
adopted Apache daughter, Nahlin, into a Chiricahua Apache stronghold, he
agrees—but then has second thoughts. He’s heard plenty about the many ways the
Apache can kill a man.
But Mr. Brennan sways
him, and they begin the long journey to find Cochise—and to try to forge a
peace and an end to the Indian Wars that have raged for so long. During the
journey, Choctaw begins to understand that there are some things about himself
he doesn’t like—but he’s not sure what to do about it. Falling in love with
Nahlin is something he never expected—and finds hard to live with.
The death and violence, love for Nahlin and respect for both
Cochise and Mr. Brennan, have a gradual effect on Choctaw that change him. But
is that change for the better? Can he live with the things he’s done to survive
in the name of peace?
EXCERPT
He used the glasses again, scanning nearer ground, the white sands. He saw nothing.
And then two black specks were there suddenly, framed against the dazzling white. They might have dropped from the sky.
They grew bigger. Two horsebackers coming this way, walking their mounts. As he watched they spurted into rapid movement, whipping their ponies into a hard run towards him.
The specks swelled to the size of horses and men. Men in faded smocks maybe once of bright colour, their long hair bound by rags at the temple. They had rifles in their hands.
Breath caught in Choctaw’s throat. Fear made him dizzy. His arms started to tremble. He knew who was coming at him so fast.
Apaches.
And you killed them or they killed you.
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