Taken over by enemy forces, the northwestern United States is trying to cope with life under a very different regime. In the town of New Hope, the brutality of some of the soldiers and the perversions of the occupation commander keep residents in a state of constant fear and dread. Families are separated and conscripted to labor camps to support the occupiers. Who will remain a patriot, and who will become a collaborator? The patriots are inspired by a solitary figure the local Indians call "Wendigo," a forest demon with a heart of ice wreaking havoc on the enemy by his relentless attacks on their infrastructure. He carries on an inhuman effort, hunted by the enemy counterinsurgency chief. But events find the Wendigo merging his cause with that of a growing group of partisans who will fight or die for the freedom they once took for granted. A young girl, a bereaved father, and the wife of a local physician all become entangled in the life-or-death struggle to free their countrymen...and the Wendigo''s heart of ice is melted by love.