In a feral twist on crime fiction, Cal, a mutt with a criminal past, must step back into the world of animal violence to avenge the death of his wife and protect his pups from the inherent darkness of nature. His journey leads him out of the woods and into the dump where he spent his youth, a dump run by Maurice and his ferocious gang of rats, weasels, stoats - murderers all. Cal has to face up to his past to save his children, and protect the woods from the violence on the borders. Meanwhile the woodland community is fraying at the seams as talk of infection and sickness is spreading like wildfire. Anyone could be rabid, and turn violent at a moment's notice. And the local trader, that should be bringing much needed supplies to the community has vanished. With a long winter ahead, and their protector, the great brown bear, asleep on the mountainside, can the town stop their own fears destroying them?