He traveled through the United States until he found a military group residing in a cave for shelter and ate all of them. Following this he ventured towards a small military outpost and was greatly injured and almost killed from the blizzard. Once in the military outpost he adopts the identity of a traveler named F.W. Colqhoun and tells all of the troop including the traumatized Mexican–American War veteran Captain John Boyd stationed at Fort Spencer within the Sierra Nevada region of California a fabricated story about how he his heinous cannibalistic leader named Colonel Ives were the sole survivors of a blizzard due to an insanity ridden Ives eating the rest of the group.

He then manipulates the group into investigating the cave that the group resided in including Captain Boyd. Upon entering the cave, it is discovered that this was a trick however the entire group are brutally killed by Ives leaving Boyd as the whole survivor and heavily traumatized by the events, and this confirms what the troop's Native American scout George and his sister Martha's shared belief in the ancient legend of the Native American demon spirit of known as the Wendigo.

When Boyd attempts to explain the story numerous times nobody in the outpost believes him and to make matters worse Ives appears once again this time going by his true identity Colonel Ives. Boyd frantically attempts to explain that the man and Colqhoun are one in the same however once again nobody believes him due to a lack of evidence.

Ives later explains to Boyd the greatness in eating human flesh and is puzzled why he doesn't crave more considering Boyd's previous experience with it upon having blood dripping in his mouth continuously sometime prior. Despite Boyd's numerous refusal Ives still attempts to get him to join his cause.

Soon after the outpost have had enough of Boyd's attempts to call out Ives and keep him isolated. Boyd watches Ives continuously before being beaten by one the outpost's majors for expected murder and is arranged to be arrested. The following day Ives is preparing a stew dish and a puzzled Boyd questions him on how he managed to kill two horses and one man without him noticing due to his vigilant watching much to the anger of the major.

Soon following this it is revealed that Ives has forced one of Boyd's old colleagues Colonel Hart into becoming a cannibal and that he was the one Ives had kill the horses and the trooper. The two finally convince Boyd to eat the stew now containing the major's flesh and Boyd is completely repulsed by it much to the confusion of the men.

The following day Boyd's arresters are approaching much to Ives joy as this meant more food. Colonel Hart unexpectedly has a change of heart and frees Boyd asking him to kill him which Boyd does so reluctantly. Ives notices this and engages Boyd in brutal combat in order to stop his escape.

The fight eventually drives the two into the stables where Boyd knocks Ives unconscious and leaves him tied up in the stables.