Heart of the Beast

Retired Special Forces Command Sergeant Major James Belmont and his combat dog Odin land their plane on a remote Alaskan lake and make camp for the night. Both veterans suffer from PTSD and nightmares. While exploring the surrounding forest, Belmont cautiously encounters Watkins, an outgoing stranger. Watkins sets up camp next to Belmont and they talk into the night. The next morning, Watkins departs and leaves Belmont a book in exchange for a beer he had taken from the camp overnight, highlighting a particular passage.

Belmont and Odin pack up and depart by plane, but Belmont suffers a heart attack mid-flight and crashes into a body of water. Odin is ejected from the Cessna Skywagon during the crash. Belmont finds Odin nearby, weak but alive, and returns to the wreckage to salvage his gear. When Odin's condition improves, the pair set out on foot to hike back to civilization which is about 58 miles away, according to Belmont's calculations.

During their trek, they are confronted by a grizzly bear, which Odin faces down until it retreats. They later reach a precarious wooden bridge spanning a valley. Belmont slips and Odin has to be swung to safety; Belmont, however, falls into the rapids below, wedging his arm between rocks and breaking it. Odin locates Belmont in the river and drags him to shore, then helps him reset the broken bone.

In the distance, they spot a pack of gray wolves attacking a moose calf, so they prudently retreat. The pair are subsequently ambushed by the pack of wolves. Belmont fights off the wolves using a spear and a knife, while Odin attacks the wolves in self defense; Belmont eventually kills all the wolves (except one who fled), but is shown to have been fatally bitten in the stomach in the process.

Belmont and Odin then wade through a swamp, where Belmont gets fatally caught under submerged branches but manages to free himself by diving underwater.

As his condition deteriorates, Belmont repeatedly stumbles until he reaches the top of a hill, where he rests and points to a nearby road, instructing Odin to run to it since he cannot go with him. Weakened and unable to continue, Belmont writes a letter recording his final wishes for Odin, along with an account of their ordeal, and leaves all of his money for whomever takes Odin in. Belmont dies, and Odin leaves his side and reaches the road, where he is found and taken in by Amber.