A young bear cub (Douce) is left alone, unable to feed or defend itself, when its mother is killed in a rock slide. The cub eventually attempts to bond with a male grizzly (Bart), who initially ignores him. When the grizzly is pursued by hunters and injured, the young cub comes to his aid and wins the grizzly's affection. However, when one of the hunters captures the cub, the grizzly must confront the armed hunters. The tale is told from the cub's perspective.