Daniel begins life inside a covered wagon beneath the limbs of an ancient birthing tree which still stands today. His footloose but well-meaning father abandons the family at the village of Oakville halfway through a journey through the forests of early America. He is raised by his mother, the indomitable Melinda, who cares for him until he reaches maturity. Haunted by nightmarish events in his past and faced by a ruthless enemy, Daniel is further stressed. He is torn between his love for two women and struggles to make a choice before going off to war. On the battlefield he meets a boyhood friend who gives him life-changing news.