North Caucasus, XIX century. Abrek-Ossetian Jigo learns that only two men remain in his family — he and his nephew Akhsar. The highlander decides to take revenge on the Dudarov’s family, whose representative killed his brother. However, the difficult financial situation forces Jigo to go to Mozdok, where he is going to exchange cheese for grain with his kunak, the Terek Cossack Stepan. He loads the cart and, together with his nephew, goes to the Russian fortress.