In the remote hill country of Texas, Samantha Shreve, the young daughter of a former slave, and her half-brother are terrorised by a ferocious panther. Orphaned, without protection or money, the pair must fight to survive against the odds.

But this twelve year old girl has more than survival in mind: she wants revenge on the beast that killed her mother. Headstrong and relentless, she vows to stalk and kill the panther.

Setting out on a quest across an untamed and lawless land, the Shreves enlist the help of a charismatic Tejano outlaw, a haunted preacher, and an ancient tracking dog. But as this unlikely posse closes in on the panther, they find themselves pursued in turn by a sadistic Confederate soldier who has a score to settle with Samantha.