When a western dog shows up outside the caves where Aman, a boy from Afghanistan, fleeing the horror of the Afghan war, lives with his mother, he is initially repulsed. It is not customary for people to keep dogs as pets in his part of the world. But when Aman and his mother finally decide to make a bid for freedom, the dog Aman has called Shadow will not leave their side. Soon it becomes clear: the destinies of boy and dog are linked, and always will be