Sara Elizabeth Ryan lives an idyllic life in rural Oklahoma, where she and her two cousins are shaped by unbridled nature and the handed down traditions of their Cherokee heritage. Raised on Grandma Janie's farm, Sara, Gunner, and Mitch form a seemingly unbreakable bond. But when Gunner returns from the Vietnam War, a breach of trust pushes the family to the brink of collapse. As the lure of easy money and threats from a local crime ring infiltrate her close-knit family, Sara must assume the role of protector in the search for truth and justice.

The Keepers tells the story of Sara, who is thrust out of her overprotected youth onto the uncertain path of young adulthood. Sara discovers the beauty and fagility of family structure, and how hope lives in the footprints of her elders.