Isolated by an untamed wilderness that surrounds her family's farm, Ava Thatcher's naivety leads her far from the straight and narrow path. Young and impulsive, Ava strays away from the security of her homestead, quickly discovering the vast woodlands beyond are much greater and far more dangerous than she had ever imagined. Wolves, bears, and even boars roam the dense forest, but that was only the beginning of her discovery-Natives inhabit the wild lands as well. Had Ava known the terror caused by some of the tribes, she never would have crossed the creek that borders her homestead. In doing so, however, she would meet the one person who would change her life and forever captivate her heart. Chogan, a Cherokee Indian, instills in her the invaluable lessons of life and love while the world changes around them. Throughout the trials presented by everyday living during the early 1800's, Ava faces a nation where the color of one's skin predestines a person's future. Refusing to be persuaded by family or even the government that has waged war against the Natives, Ava takes her stand against the odds of loss, unfaithfulness, and heartache. Together, Ava and Chogan strive to prove that love abounds no matter the color of one's skin or the nature of one's past.