Grade 7-10 Lance (Geronimo) Ducharme is an appealing 15 year old whose breezy cowboy demeanor belies his irritation with his abrasive step-cousin Kat, his uncertain feelings about his absent mother, and his aspirations as an artist. Tension mounts when Lance realizes that a serious hand injury may cost him an art school scholarship. In an action-packed finale, Lance and his best friend agree to help Kat and her father lead a string of horses across 80 miles of Canadian wilderness. En route to this adventure, a winter storm overpowers their small airplane. Lost in the wilderness, Lance must draw on all his physical, mental, and emotional resources to save the lives of his friend, Kat, and himself. Throughout the novel, Lance is both impulsive and reflective as he reveals himself and grapples with his feelings for others.