A father-and-child pair of wind-up toy mice, mechanically linked at the hands, endure being sold then discarded. Repaired by a tramp, they embark on a quest for autonomy, safety, and family, aspiring to become "self-winding" and free from external control. Their journey includes enslavement by the antagonist Manny Rat, encounters with diverse anthropomorphic animals, and philosophical contemplations of existence. Throughout hardships, the child maintains persistent hope and innocence, while the father evolves from initial uncertainty to determined resilience, driven by protecting his child and fulfilling their shared dream of a peaceful home.