Warpath

Vickers tracks down Woodson, the first man who helped murder the woman he loved, and shoots him in a tense gunfight. He learns from Woodson that the other two killers have joined the U.S. Army cavalry, setting his hunt on a broader scale. The confrontation confirms his relentless vendetta will continue within the military ranks.

Vickers travels to the upper western Dakota Territory to reenlist in the Army as a buck private, with the goal of continuing his search from inside the cavalry. He seeks out General George Armstrong Custer and makes Fort Abraham Lincoln his base of operations. The move marks the start of his methodical plan to uncover the remaining killers within the Army ranks.

On the way to the fort, Vickers intervenes when Sgt. O'Hara manhandles a young woman. This act of intervention foreshadows O'Hara's cruelty and foreshadows the tension between Vickers and the deserter who will later target him. The encounter sets the stage for the personal conflict to come.

Molly Quade comes to the fort to help her father run a general store, and Sam Quade opposes her attraction to Vickers. The friction between a protective father and an incoming rival creates personal stakes for Vickers’ quest. This dynamic foreshadows the struggle between vengeance and family loyalty.

During a mission, Captain Gregson's detachment is badly outnumbered by Lakota Sioux. General Custer and his troops arrive to rescue the besieged soldiers and drive back the attackers. Custer recognizes Vickers as a former Civil War officer and promotes him to first sergeant.

O'Hara realizes Vickers suspects him of the killings, and an ambush attempt fails. He deserts the Army, fleeing the fort and joining the growing anti-Custer sentiment.

A military wagon train is formed to evacuate civilians from the fort while Custer prepares to engage the Sioux near the Little Bighorn River. The impending battle drives a sense of urgency and danger through the group.

O'Hara, now a prisoner with Molly, Sam, and Vickers, sacrifices his life by running through a gauntlet to distract the Sioux and allow the others to escape. His act, though criminal, becomes a desperate aid to Custer's command in the chaos of the village.

The trio is taken captive by Sioux forces as the wagon train is overtaken. They endure confinement and witness the looming threat of a massacre. The capture tightens the emotional stakes for Vickers’ vendetta and Molly’s loyalties.

Under cover of darkness, they free themselves and steal unguarded horses behind their tents. They ride out and hide in the daylight, evading the Sioux with the arrival of dawn. The escape marks a fragile turning point in the pursuit.

Molly confronts Vickers with the truth that Sam Quade is the third killer he has hunted, and she pleads for restraint. The revelation tests Vickers' vow of vengeance against his remaining ties to Sam and Molly. The confrontation adds a moral dilemma to the hunt.

Ignoring Molly's pleas, Sam Quade rides into the darkness to warn Custer of the impending danger, accepting the risk that he may die. His decision underscores the personal cost of defending others and the unpredictability of survival during wartime.

With the escapees on the run and the traitor within his circle, the narrative builds toward the fateful clash at the Little Bighorn. Vickers wrestles with his vow for vengeance while beginning to confront a broader sense of honor and loyalty.

The famous clash at the Little Bighorn River erupts as Custer's forces meet the Sioux. The events tie together Vickers' quest for vengeance, O'Hara's sacrifice, and the fates of Molly and Sam within the larger tragedy of the battle.