Ayla is a five-year-old Cro-Magnon girl orphaned by a natural disaster and subsequently adopted by a group of Neanderthals who call themselves the Clan. Possessing a high forehead, blonde hair, and a taller, straighter stature, she physically contrasts with everyone in her new community. She learns the Clan's intricate sign language but struggles to suppress her natural instincts, such as crying or making direct eye contact, which clash with their rigid social codes. Driven by a strong will to survive, she secretly trains herself to use a hunting sling, a practice strictly forbidden for women.

Iza is the pregnant medicine woman of the Clan and the sibling of Brun and Creb. Coming from a revered lineage of healers, she holds unusual authority within the group and uses her status to intervene on Ayla's behalf. She insists on nursing the strange, injured girl back to health and eventually adopts her. Recognizing that Ayla's different appearance will make it difficult for her to find a mate, Iza proactively trains her in the medicinal arts to secure her future value to the community.

Creb is the Clan's Mog-ur, or holy man. He is the brother of Iza and Brun. Disabled from birth and visibly scarred from a cave bear attack, he walks with a limp and lacks his right forearm. Despite his physical limitations, he commands immense respect as the spiritual authority who communicates with the totems. He accepts Iza and her children into his hearth, forming a quiet, affectionate bond with Ayla that softens his lonely existence.

Broud is the son of Brun and Ebra, and the designated heir to the Clan's leadership. He is a capable hunter who fiercely values the traditional patriarchal hierarchy of his people. From the moment Ayla joins the group, Broud resents the attention she receives and views her physical differences and bold behavior as an insult to his status. He frequently abuses his authority to humiliate Ayla and demands absolute submission from the women around him.

Brun is the leader of the Clan and the brother of Iza and Creb. He carries the heavy responsibility of keeping his twenty-member group safe, fed, and unified. He is a traditionalist who strictly enforces the Clan's gender divisions and social hierarchy, but he balances this with a practical mindset. He often finds himself arbitrating conflicts between his volatile son, Broud, and the unconventional Ayla.

Durc is Ayla's son. He exhibits a unique blend of physical traits, possessing both the straighter legs and higher forehead of Ayla's Cro-Magnon heritage and the prominent brow ridges of the Clan's Neanderthal lineage. Because of his mixed appearance, the Clan initially views him as deformed and considers abandoning him according to custom. He possesses the ability to laugh and make spoken words, which further sets him apart from other Clan children.

Uba is Iza's biological daughter. She grows up at Creb's hearth alongside Ayla, treating the older girl as a sister. As the daughter of a medicine woman, Uba receives instruction in herbal remedies and healing practices. She is steadfast and deeply loyal to her family.

Oga is a young woman of the Clan who becomes Broud's mate and the mother of Brac. She adheres strictly to the Clan's expectations for women, displaying proper deference to her mate and the other men. Despite Broud's volatile temper, she occasionally shows quiet resilience and stands her ground on matters involving her rights as a mother.

Zoug is an older, experienced hunter in the Clan. He crafts slings from leather and instructs the young boys in their use. Without his knowledge, his training sessions with the boys provide Ayla with the foundation she needs to teach herself how to hunt.

Dorv is an elderly hunter and respected storyteller within the Clan. He preserves the group's oral traditions, reciting ancient legends about Ice Mountain, Storm Cloud, and the origins of their people to instruct the younger generation on obedience and morality.

Goov is a young man chosen to apprentice under Creb. He learns the complex rituals, spiritual interpretations, and ceremonial preparations required to become the Clan's next Mog-ur. He respects tradition and follows Creb's guidance closely.

Droog is the Clan's primary toolmaker. He carefully crafts hand-axes, scrapers, and flake knives from raw stone. He is methodical in his work and occasionally permits Ayla to watch him shape the flint, eventually gifting her with a set of tools in a rare display of gratitude.

Aga is a woman of the Clan, mated to Droog and mother to Ona. She works alongside the other women in daily gathering and food preparation tasks. She feels a deep sense of gratitude toward Ayla after a near-tragic accident on the coast.

Ebra is the mate of the leader, Brun, and the mother of Broud. As the leader's mate, she holds a respectable position among the women of the Clan and manages the tasks at the central hearth.

Vorn is a young boy in the Clan learning the essential skills of a hunter. He struggles to achieve accuracy with the sling during his lessons, contrasting sharply with Ayla's secret, self-taught proficiency.

Brac is the young son of Broud and Oga. During a busy hunt, he wanders away from the camp and is snatched by a scavenging hyena, an event that forces Ayla to reveal her secret weapon skills to save his life.

Ona is the daughter of Aga and Droog. During a coastal fishing trip, she is swept away by the river current, leading to a dramatic rescue that earns Ayla rare respect from the community.

Ovra is a woman of the Clan who becomes mated to Goov. She struggles with pregnancy loss but forms a close, supportive bond with Ayla, finding comfort in their shared experiences as young women within the strict community.

Oda is a young woman from a different clan who attends the Great Gathering. She is the mother of an infant daughter who shares physical similarities with Ayla's son, Durc. Oda confides her fears about her daughter's future to Ayla.

Ura is Oda's infant daughter. Like Durc, she exhibits mixed physical features that set her apart from typical Neanderthal children. To protect her future, Oda arranges for Ura to be promised as a future mate to Durc.