A spectacularly illustrated story about war and friendship. Tortot is a cold-hearted field cook who goes off to war. Soldiers drop like flies around him but Tortot just doesn't care. Until, that is, he finds a deserter in his kitchen: a boy who has lost his brothers and his legs in battle. Tortot feels no real sympathy for him, but decides to shelter him for one night. It's a decision that will change him for ever...