They were among the longest and most sustained military campaigns in American history, and they were fought against one of the most capable light-cavalry forces in the world.

Lozen grew up in this world.

She came of age during a period when the pressure on Apache territorial autonomy was increasing and when the specific skills that the tradition recognized and honored in warriors were not merely cultural achievements but survival necessities.

The Education of a Warrior

Apache children of both sexes were trained in the physical skills that survival in their environment required.

Riding, running, tracking, archery, the management of weapons — these were not gender-specific in the early stages.