[Winter. World War II. 1944]

Rudolph Becker, a former field cook (a baker in civilian life), now a deserter with a baby (Nastya) in his arms. He wounded a Sturmbannführer in the leg when he refused to kill the little girl for "an insignificant sacrifice in exchange for strength."

Walking through meter-deep snowdrifts, without provisions, he wandered into a village where he managed to milk a cow and feed the baby, but the Germans (once his comrades, now his enemies) were even there. He was forced to forget his helmet and flee the village, practically blindly venturing into the forest. The baby in Rudolph's arms slept peacefully. Now he doesn't know where to go... It's as if he's walking in circles, unable to figure out where to go.