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Prologue
Elijah and Xavier hunting at age 12; giving background on two of the three primary characters. -
Chapter One
- Niska goes to the "white town" to wait at the train station.
- Xavier returns, not Elijah even though she was told Xavier was Killed in Action.
- Xavier is addicted to Morphine.
- They begin their three day journey down the river returning home to Hudsons Bay.
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Chapter Two
Xavier's point of view; Remeniscing memories of the war:
- Injects morphine needle.
- Begins explaining arrival on Flander's fields.
- Introduces squadron; Lt. Breech, Sgt. McCaan, Fats, Sean Patrick and Grey Eyes.
- New soldiers arriving in Canadian camp are shunned by veteran; Xavier meets Smithy, a sniper that accepts Xavier even for his native roots. -
Chapter Three
Xavier's point of view:
- Xavier and Elijah's squadron arrives at the trenches.
- Introduces technology and surroundings; Ross rifles/Shields used by snipers, Periscopes, Duckboards, Different artillery shells.
- Meet Cpl. Thompson, Graves and Gilberto.
- Elijah and Xavier go on mission in no man's land.
- Xavier realizes the realities of war when he nearly gets shot. -
Chapter Four (part one)
Niska's point of view:
- Xavier is struggling with his morphine addiction and meories of the war.
- Niska begins telling the story of her youth; using story telling as a form of healing.
- Introduced to Rabbit (Xavier's mother) aswell as Niska's mother.
- Niska has inherited her fathers ability to predict the future.
- Rough winter, Clan of roughly 30 is going hungry; reluctantly eat adolescent bear; Niska's father insists it is their only option. -
Chapter Four (part two)
- Young man; Micah leaves with his wife and child to risk the wilderness and find better hunting.
- Micah freezes to death; Micah's wife is forced to cannibalize his corpse.
- Micah's wife and child return consumed by a madness referred to as the "Windigo."
- Niskah's father is forced to kill them while Niskah herself watches.
- Niskah grows greedy for her fathers power.
- Niskah's father is taken away by HBC men.
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Chapter Five
Xavier's point of view:
- Xavier asks Niskah to stop paddling as he tells the story associated with the area.
- His story is about his and Elijah's journey to go volunteer for the Canadian army where they were caught in a forest fire.
-- Learn more about Elijah:
-- Elijah was very talented, fluent with the English language, a good shot with a rifle and naturally competitive with Xavier.
-- Xavier felt that it was his duty to take care of Elijah due to having more experience. -
Chapter Six
Xavier's point of view;
- German raiding party attacks through the night.
- Gerald, a young soldier is executed for falling asleep on sentry duty.
- Xavier and Elijah are sent as part of a raiding party to scout out the large craters in No Man's land.
-- Party includes: Xavier, Elijah, Thompson and Graves
- They stay the night in the crater
- Xavier and Elijah kill their first germans in the morning; lobbing grenades into the neighboring crater.
- Xavier and Elijah are beginning to gain respect. -
Chapter Seven
Xavier's point of view;
- Xavier and Elijah begin training as snipers.
- Xavier dreams of home.
- Xavier spots for Elijah when Elijah gets his first sniper kill.
- Grey Eye's tempts Elijah with Morphine, He refuses, yet Xavier has a hunch that Elijah is hiding something. -
Chapter Eight: Captive
Niska's point of view
- She and her family were forced to move into Moose Factory and become dependant on the white man
- Niska's anger over her fathers death grows
- Shows the effects that residential schools had on first nations people
- Niska is forced into a residential school
-- She is treated harshly but picks her battles wisely
-- Shears her hair in defiance of the nuns
- Confined to the basement where she foresees her trip with Xavier
- Saved by her mother, they move back into the woods -
Chapter Nine: Competition
Xaviers point of view:
- Xavier and Elijah are becoming well known among the ranks as accomplished snipers.
- Their successes are drawing attetion from german artillery fire; other soldiers do not want them around.
- Xavier is happy to be out of the trenches.
- Xavier wins a shooting competition betweem himself, Elijah and another soldier by lighting a match with a bullet. -
Chapter Ten: Sniper
Elijah's point of view:
- Sean Patrick is killed; Xavier and Elijah are ordered to seek out revenge.
- Xavier and Elijah show their true Cree heritage during the burial.
- Learn about a particular german sniper causing grief on allied fronts.
- Xavier and Elijah are sent out to eliminate opposing german snipers. -
Chapter Eleven: Revenge (part one)
Xavier's point of view:
- They have eliminated a single german sniper so far but the infamous "hun sniper" who killed Sean Patrick is still out there.
- Elijah basks the fame while Xavier keeps his eyes on the job at hand.
- During the night Xavier has an epiphany regarding the Hun snipers location.
- Elijah confesses about his experimenting of morphine with grey eyes but claims it was a one-time thing. -
Chapter Eleven: Revenge (part two)
- Searching No Man's land for the sniper they come across a dying horse; Elijah decides to take it out of it's misery. This gives away their position.
- The Hun sniper, only a few yards away fires, barely missing Elijah.
- Xavier spots the muzzle smoke and fires, killing the Hun sniper.
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Chapter Twelve: Seducing
Niska's point of view:
- Niska's inherited power has become known by other Cree inhabiting the woods; they come seeking advice.
- Niska traps a french hunter.
- She proceeds to seduce him and have her first sexual experience. -
Chapter Thirteen: Rifle
Xavier's point of view: -
Chapter Fourteen: Raid (part one)
Xavier's point of view
- Raid is successful, Elijah is wounded.
-- Elijah rushed a machine gun placement, got injured; Xavier finished off the machine gun nest and pulled Elijah back to the trench safely.
-- Even after this there is talk of a reward for Elijah, not Xavier.
- Learned about Xavier's childhood.
-- He barely knew his mother, Rabbit.
-- He was taken into a residental school.
-- Elijah became his only real friend.
- Xavier can tell Elijah has adopted an addiction to morphine. -
Chapter Fourteen: Raid (part two)
- While at a local cafe, Xavier meets the bartenders daughter, Lisette; They end up making love.
- Two days later, Their group is moved away from Saint-Eloi and they are issued with newer, more efficient Lee-Einfield and Ross rifles. -- Both Elijah and Xavier opt to keep their current Ross and Mauser rifles.
- Discussion of the train ride during enlistment. -- They had been forced to sit at the back of the train as an outcome of discrimination.
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Chapter Fifteen: Betrayal (part one)
Niska's point of view:
- Niska has fallen in love with the french trapper.
- The french trapper stopped visiting Niska, she feels betrayed.
- Niska's mother convinces her to pursue him.
- She goes into town to find him, when she returns, she is not returning to open hands.
- Niska finds the trapper, who takes her to a church where they have sex.
- The trapper is convinced he has destroyed her spirit. He says “I took your power away in this place and sent it to burn in hell where it belongs.” -
Chapter Fifiteen: Betrayal (part two)
- She leaves the town, Horrified. Returning to her camp she partakes in a "purification sweat ceremony."
- She asks her strongest spirit; the lynx, to find and remove her pain.
- Her mother comes to her later to inform her that the french man had gone mad running around claiming to be "escaping the demons" shortly before committing suicide -- He was denied a christian burial.
- She leaves the town, Horrified. Returning to her camp she partakes in a "purification sweat ceremony."
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Chapter Sixteen: Horses (part one)
Xavier's point of view:
- Xavier only has a few morphine shots left.
- He no longer hides the truth from Niska.
Back to the war:
- Xavier and Elijah's unit has moved south to join the battle of Somme.
- Elijah is still recieving all of the fame and glory while Xavier remains hidden and puzzled as to why this is the case since they are a team.
- a leaning statue of Virgin Mary acts as a symbol; indicating that the Allies will no bend under german artillery. -
Chapter Sicteen: Horses (part two)
- Xavier and Elijah fortify a bombed out farmhouse to act as a sniping post for days to come.
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Chapter Seventeen: Collector
- Elijah has given into temptation and begins using morphine more often.
- They provide sniper support for advancing Canadians, successfully eliminating german machine gun defenses and aiding in the capture of "Candy Trench"
- Taking up a camoflaged position on a hill over looking the town of Courcelette, they successfully elminate a german machine gun position.
- Breech does not believe their claims and orders them to focus on "harrasment fire" for the next two weeks.
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Chapter 18: Skinning
Xaviers point of view:
- Xavier and Elijah are sent behind lines during Christmas.
- They meet a group of french soldiers, they advise Elijah to start collecting scalps of any germans he may kill.
- After Chistmas passes, their unit is sent to Vimy Ridge.
- Xavier and Elijah are allowed to go "hunting" again.
- Canadians who seem inspired by the cold begin attacking german lines.
- Elijah joins in a raid where he claims numerous german scalps.
- He fights his morphine addiction. -
Chapter Nineteen: Stealing (part one)
Niska's point of view:
- Niska's mother died after the incident with the french trapper.
- Her sister, Rabbit, became an alcoholic and gave up her son, Xavier, to a residential school.
- She keeps having visions of a boy (Xavier) who she sets out to rescue.
- Hiding by the playground, Niska calls him over with a grouse call. He agrees to the rescue without hesitation.
- The next day, Niska surprises the nun in a canoe with Xavier by pushing her into the water. -
Chapter Nineteen: Stealing (part two)
- Niska describes the months to follow as "the happiest of her life."
- Niska has an unsettling vision; “a visitor would come to us, a visitor with a request I could not ignore.”
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Chapter Twenty: Fighter (part one)
Elijah and Xavier in the residential school:
- Elijah plans to steal a little food everyday until they have enough to escape with.
- Elijah knows of a rifle kept by one of the nuns. Vimy Ridge:
- Xavier comes to terms with killing.
- Xavier has run out of Mauser bullets and has resorted to spotting for Elijah.
- They are ordered back into no man's land to eliminate german MG positions in preparation for a Canadian operation.
- Elijah finds two Mauser magazines for Xavier. -
Chapter Twenty: Fighter (part two)
- The Canadians have built tunnels leading into no man's land for their planned operation to provide sneak attacks.
- Elijah goes out alone and comes back with three more kills.
- Canadian Artillery barrages signal the beginning of the operation, Xavier successfully eliminates another german machine gun nest.
- Canadians rush past them pushing up the hill.
- Xavier joins the battle where he gets shot and goes on to kill two germans, he finds himself being strangled when McCaan saves him.
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Chapter 21: Turning (part one)
Xavier's point of view:
- They have successfully taken Vimy Ridge
- Xavier, Elijah, Fat, Graves and Grey Eyes are the only remaining original privates.
- Xavier has another moment; wondering why Elijah is getting all of the fame and he remains unknown.
- Infront of the squadron; Elijah attempts to shoot and misses and duck swimming in a nearby creek; Xavier takes his shot and kills the duck, the squad looks at him in awe as he walks away.
- Xavier becomes home sick
- He plans to go visit Lisette -
Chapter 21: Turning (part two)
- Xavier's story takes an explanetory point of view, showing lines where he mentions Niska like he is talking to her.
- Xavier fakes injury and smuggles himself onto a lorry that will take him back to the town where he can see Lisette.
- Elijah sees him go and seems to be at a loss being the one left behind for the first time.
- Xavier arrives to find that Lisette is with another man.
- Elijah explains that she was a whore.
- Xavier is threatened with execution for desertion.
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Chapter 21: Turning (part three)
- Elijah saves his life by lying about his whereabouts the previous night aswell as telling him that Xavier was concussed in the assault on Vimy Ridge.- Xavier is given three days of confinement under watch of nurses
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Capter 22: Windigo Killer
Niska's point of view:
- She finds hope when Xavier laughs when she tells him about the time she smacked the nun with a paddle to rescue him from the residential school.
- Niska tells a story of another camp having a man go windigo, Xavier was there but very young at the time.
- Niska strangles the Windigo to death.
- Xavier had witnessed everything.
- Upon their return, Xavier asked for a friend (who would be Elijah)
- Elijah had stolen a rifle from a nun
- Both of them excelled as marksmen. -
Chapter 23: Snaring (part one)
Xavier's point of view:
- Xavier only has enough morphine to last him another day.
- He is wondering what became of Elijah.
- We learn about details of Elijah from a personal point of view; how he became addicted to morphine and mad with killing.
- In a battle at the town of lens, Graves is killed by a german flame thrower.
- The whole group is nearly killed by a single grenade. -
Chapter 23: Snaring (part two)
- After the battle, at a pub in lens, celebration takes place. -- Xavier saves Elijah's and the the Corporals life when he heres the drone of a bomber above the city.
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Chapter 24: Writing
Niska's point of view:
- Xavier warns Niska that he has almost run out of morphine.
-- He says he will become very difficult; like a child; when this happens.
- Gives a brief summary of Elijah and Xavier as young men and their enlistment for the war.
-- They had difficulties due to their Native heritage. -
Chapter 25: Feeding
Xavier's point of view:
- Riding in the back of a Lorrie towards paschendale.
- sent into the crombling city as scouts.
- Elijah shoots a child by mistake.
- The battle in paschendale is won within months.
- Xavier is losing his hearing, he plays it off as not understanding english. -
Chapter 26: The Letter
Xavier's point of view:
- Elijah meets with the french men during Crhistmas, they seem nervous around him when he shows them his scalps.
- Xavier and his squad walk into a German trap.
- McCaan and Tompson are killed.
- Xavier recieves a letter saying that his aunt has passed away.
- Elijah asks Xavier to "read" the shoulder blade of a german.
- Xavier attempts to kill Elijah with an overdose of morphine. -
Chapter 27: Flying
Xavier's point of view:
- Xavier uses his last needle of morphine.
- Elijah is awarded a medallion for his accomplishments in the war; like always, Xavier remains unknown.
- Elijah's wishes are granted and he is put in a plane with another pilot.
- his experience is unpleasant; suffuring from vertigo, and popping ears. -
Chapter 28: Murder
- Elijah has gone ahead of the group, missing for two days he had been hunting germans on his own.
- On his return trip, he finds a canadian camp where he is given water, food and steals morphine.
- He kills a man in the canadian camp with an overdose of morphine.
- Elijah murders Grey Eyes and Breech to save himself and Xavier from the firing squad.
- Elijah finally decides he wants to return home, Xavier tells him that Niska is dead.
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Chapter 29: Hero
Xavier's point of view:
- Xavier begins going through the process of quitting morphine cold turkey.
- Xavier begins flashing back and forth between the past and the present.
- They spend their remaining days in Europe liberating villages.
- Elijah explains that he realizes that he had gone of the deep end for awhile and claims that e has returned.
- Xavier discovers that his hearing loss could buy him a ride home. -
Chapter 30: Little Bird Dancer
Niska's point of view:
- Xavier is fading.
- Niska is doing everything she can to nirture him to health.
- She sleeps with him to join his dream to find that in his nightmares he is running from Elijah. -
Chapter 31: Dying
Xavier's point of view:
- Xavier's squad has been caught in no man's land my a german michine gun position.
- Xavier strangles Elijah to death.
- Xavier is going between the past, present and dreams; it is hard to tell what is real at this point.- Elijah wakes up in a hospital bed, Xavier is dead.
- Elijah is going in and out of conciousness with morphine.
- Xavier wakes up on a ship, taking him home.
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Chapter 32: Home
Niska's point of view:
- Niska is waiting for Xavier to return to her.
- She remembers when they left to join the war.
- She is conducting a ceremony of cleansing to help Xavier.
- Using her gift, she witnesses his dreams and learns what happened over seas.
- Xavier begs for forgiveness for what he has done.
- He has began the road of recovery.
- They will be home in one more day.
