It is 1650 in New France. The tragic fire that destroyed their home has left twelve-year-old Justine and her younger brother, Denis, orphaned and at the mercy of their neighbour, the brutal Monsieur Gaudin. He wants Justine for his wife and she will do anything to escape that fate; Denis will do anything to stay with Justine. They decide they must flee to a place Monsieur Gaudin will never find them. But how will they survive in the treacherous Quebec wilderness?