Pa wrestles for his life against a feisty mountain lion, but that is only the beginning of more worries for the Ingalls clan. A fire takes hold of the family's farm and talk around town seems to indicate that the Indians are behind it. The Ingalls and Edwards (who has had his home destroyed by the Indians while in it) brace themselves for the feared and anticipated war by boarding up the Scotts' house and moving in for an interesting night.