Harka has secretly followed his father, the former chief of the Bear Gang, into exile. Now, father and son are fighting for survival in the prairie and the thicket of the forest. They know that they can only survive alone in the wilderness during the summer. For several months, they seek refuge in the cities of the White people. They are taken in by a traveling circus. They find friends among the White people, learning their language and writing. However, living permanently in this world is unimaginable for them. Their journey back to the freedom of the prairies and forests is fraught with dramatic events.