Now that Etta has reached twelve summers she is hoping that Deet will take her on his winter trading journey. This is something he had promised her each summer since she was a small girl. Knowing that Yani also wanted to go see the Mountains That Are Always White and visit her mother's home village, she hoped she could use this to convince Deet this was the right time. Yani was growing old and this winter may be the last chance she had. Will she be successful?