Tao is a bad-footed orphan boy who befriends a wolf-dog named Ram. Tao and Ram work together to hunt and bring food back to their clan, earning their respect. Tao shows an interest in painting and becomes the apprentice of Graybeard, a shaman who teaches Tao the ways of magic. However, the clan's hunters still do not fully accept Ram and try to kill him during a hunting trip, forcing Ram to flee across the river with Tao trying to cover his tracks.