Dance of the Drums — Daphne Murrell

With all odds stacked against him, David Harris tackles the position of Band Director in a school that has practically killed its Arts programs. For the Chauchesz tribe, sports is the closest one can come to being a warrior; everything else is worthless in their eyes. As he steps up to the task, he realizes there are many who want the music to return, but so much has already died that it seems almost impossible. With an unexected ally in the despondent Art teacher, Sierra Windsong, he takes on the intimidating forces that will stop at nothing to hinder his meddling in the tribe's traditions. His time is limited, his life is stressed, but there are many in the shadows hoping he can prevail before he is forced to leave. As he tries to navigate within the regulations of the tribe to resurrect its music, he struggles to define his friendship with the opinionated, hard-headed Sierra, with whom he manages to butt heads on a regular basis. If he is pushed too hard, will he finally give up or will he just dig his heels in deeper? That's a question for which even he himself has no answer.