After moving to Addison, California, thirteen-year-old Johnny Bear Child encounters three bullies who defame his name, tribe, and traditional braids. How can he best deal with this crisis? Should he turn to the teachings of his Blackfeet heritage? Or look for a more traditional means to solve the problem? Distraught and desperate, Johnny seeks a mystical medicine dream and advice from his deceased great-grandfather to overpower the bullies. Great-grandfather gives him a special feather and advises Johnny that he must become the leader of the pack, using the wiles of the coyote.
Sarah, a classmate who lives on a neighboring ranch, befriends Johnny. When Johnny and Sarah, along with Johnny's dog, Whiterobe, embark upon exploring a cave in hopes of finding lost treasure, the unwanted intrusion of the bullies quickly becomes a matter of life or death.
Will the spirit of Johnny's great-grandfather help save him? How can Johnny put his newly achieved medicine dream to use?