Selma, 12 and Elliot, 6 are in summer holiday. Selma is jealous of her little brother, because he is getting more attention from Mother. In the forest behind the house, there are wild animals. One evening, Selma tells Elliot that the neighbour has seen a bear just near the house. Selma watches Elliot's growing fascination for the forest, at the same time as she is yearning to get rid of him, since she always has to look after him. One evening she tells him again about the bears, and deliberately feeds his fascination. That night, Elliot sneaks out into the forest.

Elliot’s anxiety grows as he’s observing the brutal landscape and the mystical, village of his Basque grandparents. As a Norwegian, he struggles to adapt, unlike his sharp-witted French cousins. And who is Brouillarta?