Good news for Chesterfield: A return to Fort Bow is scheduled and the prospect of seeing his dear Amélie rejoices him. Colonel Appletown, who commands the fort, is suffering and Blutch and Chesterfield are assigned the pleasant mission of escorting Captain Nepel to the fort, the officer who will be in charge of the interim. At the fort, Captain Nepel's behaviour changes literally to the sight of Indian people present in the Fort. These Indians are accustomed to coming to the fort, the result of a long and fragile peace between the tribe and the white men. But Nepel has nothing to do with it and he will quickly have to hunt the red skins, thus unleashing the anger of Plume d'Argent and Loup gris. He will even go so far as to fire Lin-Fu, the Chinese whitener and the African cook from the fort. Soon, the situation degenerates and the Indians learn to dig up the axe of war. Blutch and Chesterfield will try everything to avoid a bloodbath.