Far away in the upper Yukon River area of Alaska, a nomadic tribe known as The People is preparing for the coming brutal winter. Hunting has been poor and there will be little to eat. In a land that is both starkly beautiful and merciless, the chief makes a difficult decision: in order to improve the tribe's chance of surviving, two old women must be left behind. Based on an Athabascan legend, this suspenseful and inspirational tale tells the story of how two determined heroines find a new way of life through friendship, community, and forgiveness.