Peter is a twelve-year-old boy who shares an intense, nearly psychic connection with his pet fox. Crushed by his father's demand to abandon the animal due to an impending war, he packs a backpack and sneaks out to begin a 300-mile rescue mission. He carries a gold phoenix bracelet that belonged to his deceased mother, using her memory as a moral compass.

Pax is a tame fox who has lived entirely alongside humans since he was a kit. He relies heavily on scent to understand the emotions of his boy. Suddenly thrust into the wild, he must interpret unfamiliar surroundings and interact with wild animals while waiting for his human to return.

Vola is a former military medic living alone in a secluded wooden cabin. She wears a carved wooden prosthetic leg and spends her time meticulously building detailed marionettes, including characters from the story of Sinbad. She maintains a gruff exterior but offers critical medical assistance and survival guidance.

A thirty-six-year-old man who enlists in the military to fight in a brewing war. He insists on practicality over sentimentality, believing a fox belongs in the wild during dangerous times. He grew up with a beloved childhood dog but sets those feelings aside to fulfill his perceived duties.

Bristle is a wild vixen who fiercely patrols her hunting grounds. She harbors an intense fear and hatred of humans following a traumatic past encounter with steel traps. She relies on sharp instincts to protect her small family unit from any perceived threats.

Runt is a young, energetic wild fox kit. He lacks the deep-seated fears of his older sister and approaches strangers with eager curiosity. He attempts to bring offerings of worms and eggs to win over new acquaintances in the forest.

Gray is an older, experienced fox who holds dominance over his local territory. He has past experience living near humans and understands their tendency toward contradictory behavior. He acts as a calm communicator, gathering information from crows about approaching dangers.

An older man living near the foothills who takes his grandson in when the boy's father deploys for the military. He keeps old family photographs in a cookie tin, preserving memories of his son's childhood. He provides a temporary home but maintains a distant approach to supervision.

A dedicated youth baseball player who encounters a tired stranger near his field. He is highly focused on his sport and wary of outsiders, quickly growing suspicious that the newcomer might be a scout for a rival team named Hampton.

A wild raccoon that spends time near human habitation. He is named after the famous historical thief Francois Villon and serves as a living example of the blurred boundary between the wild and the tame.

Peter's deceased mother who wore a gold bracelet featuring an enameled phoenix charm. Her sudden death deeply impacted her family, and her memory heavily influences her son's understanding of right and wrong regarding animals.