The body of a trapper from the community of Swan Landing washes up on the banks of Lynx River while the two towns are in bitter negotiations over a new gas pipeline. The near violent discussions have rekindled an ancient feud between the bands over land boundaries and trapping rights. At the same time, a strange illness sweeps through the homes of Lynx River, only affecting the children. Sarah Birkett’s skill as a nurse proves to be no match for the mass hysteria that results.