Called the wildlife whisperer by folks in tiny Outpost, Arizona, disgruntled park ranger Wade Conrad is inconsolable when his Golden Retriever Abby goes missing. After a month-long search, Wade seeks solace on the Arizona Trail, where he comes upon a lost terrier and then a disaster-prone young 'enviro' on a bike. Surprises and setbacks turn to danger when the dog, a West Highland White Terrier, vanishes.

This loss is deeply personal for Wade-animals come first-and he vows that he will not lose this dog, too. Despairing of any real hope of finding the Westie, Wade hears the recurring calls of a mysterious coyote. Against all reason and safety, Wade follows the calls to a remote boulder field, where he must reach deep within himself and far beyond the typical barriers between man and wildlife to save his new companion.