Sonny's been an outsider all his life.

He has never fit into either world: the Moscondagas on the Reservation see him as white; whites see him as Indian. So far, Sonny's managed to harness his anger — what he calls "the monster" — in the boxing ring. But Sonny wants out of the Res. He's headed for New York City, where nobody can tell him what to do.

Sonny doesn't count on stepping into the middle of a drug war when he gets there

...

Native American Kyle Cloud has always played lacrosse with an ancient stick that belonged to his great-great grandfather, and when it disappears after a game he is naturally upset--but when it comes back to him deliberately broken he must learn where his strength really comes from.