Massacre

When an Indian princess is murdered on her wedding day, the entire tribe is plunged into danger. Her marriage was to cement relations with local aggressors and bring protection. Now the tribe might be invaded from three sides. Ugly-duckling SAD OTTER pines for an Indian prince accused of the murder. She ventures to a sinister "sorcerer" for help, offering to be his slave. THE PANTHER hides from humanity due to a shameful and mysterious past, but the girl's plea drags him back to society where he's shunned. NINE KILLER is the weary war-chief desperate to stave off invasion with few warriors, and now he's tasked with watching over the outcasts... Adding to complications are an aspiring warlord, an invalid tribal chief, and her sex-as-a-weapon daughter, the heir to the throne. All have conflicting agendas and keep sticking in their oars... Panther, trailed by Sad Otter, and Nine Killer conduct a proto-CSI investigation into the murder, collecting clues, interviewing suspects, and uncovering old grievances. It becomes clear that several people have been murdered over the years, and new bodies start to stack up. While raiders from neighboring tribes stir up trouble in the woods... The three unlikely heroes dodge assassinations, poisonings, politics, and more as they persevere... Events crash together as a bloody raid ravages the village and more murders are attempted in the dark... In the end, Sad Otter comes into her own as a proud warrior woman. The Panther stops a war when he reveals his dark origins and unexpected legacy. Nine Killer survives to become tribal chief. And the multiple murderer is exposed as another shocking secret surfaces. Sad Otter laments, "Nobody got what they wanted." The Panther assures her, "But the tribe gets what's best."

At 150 pages, the script could also be a 3x50 miniseries, and backdoor pilot to ongoing series.