In the summer of 1944, the partisan Ales Bely, whom everyone on the Kovaltsy farm considered missing, came home on leave. His hut was burned down by the Germans, his father died, and there was devastation and famine all around. In order to survive, the villagers decide to unite into a single farm. Ales also joins the collective farm, but his leave ends quickly, and the soldier, calm for his fellow countrymen, leaves to fight again...