Susanna Mae and Catherine are used to spending vacations at their grandparents' house in the mountains. There's so much room to explore and so many things to see. On one particular September exploration, they make a host of interesting discoveries,

most especially a rusted tin of money. And soon after, when they find evidence of bears in the area, they decide it might be wise to take the money and head home, but before they can leash their border collie, Atticus, he spies a bear cub and takes off after it. Should they obey their grandfather's warning not to enter forbidden territory, or should they try and rescue Atticus before the bear cub reaches its mother? This is only the first of many difficult decisions the sisters will be forced to make. For two young girls, an innocent day of wandering becomes a day that could change the course of their lives forever.