Natalia is a young, dedicated doctor who travels on a volunteer medical mission in a neighboring country following the recent passing of her beloved grandfather. Seeking to process her grief and the puzzling circumstances of his death, she keeps his passing a secret from her traveling companion. She relies on her medical training and her grandfather's teachings to treat orphans in a war-torn environment while confronting the superstitious beliefs of the rural villagers.

Natalia's Grandfather is a prominent doctor and a formative figure in Natalia's life who dies in a remote village under mysterious circumstances. Raised in the small, isolated village of Galina by his grandmother, he goes on to have a highly respected medical career in the city. He shares profound life lessons with Natalia through captivating stories, particularly the folktales of a deathless man and a tiger's wife, which blend his scientific worldview with rural mysticism.

The Tiger's Wife is a deaf-mute woman brought to the insular village of Galina by Luka the Butcher after a deceptive marriage arrangement. Isolated by her disability, her religion, and the villagers' deep-seated prejudices, she endures severe domestic abuse in silence. When a tiger arrives near the village, the locals superstitiously believe she holds a demonic connection to the beast, casting her as the focal point of their worst fears.

Gavran Gailé is a mysterious traveler who claims to be the nephew of Death, cursed with immortality after breaking an agreement to save the woman he loved. He travels the countryside interacting with the dead and dying, offering strange comfort by reading their fates in coffee dregs. He crosses paths with Natalia's Grandfather several times over the decades, striking up an unusual wager involving a battered copy of *The Jungle Book*.

Luka is Galina's butcher, a frustrated and resentful man whose dreams of becoming a professional musician in the city are dashed by family obligations and romantic betrayal. Tricked into marrying a stranger instead of his intended bride, he traps himself in a life he despises. He channels his bitter disappointment into brutal violence against his silent, defenseless wife.

Gaiša is a formidable hunter and skilled taxidermist who visits Galina annually to trade pelts. Raised by an Austrian engineer, he spent his youth caring for his ailing sister, leading to a lifelong obsession with finding life in death through taxidermy. The frightened villagers commission him to hunt the tiger, testing his legendary tracking abilities against an unusual opponent.

The Apothecary is a calm and authoritative healer in Galina who originally arrived in the village after surviving a violent childhood. Despite his scientific methods and educated approach to medicine, he remains an outsider to the highly superstitious locals. He provides a model of rational thought and medical discipline that profoundly influences the career path of Natalia's Grandfather.

The Tiger exists both as a captive animal in the city zoo and a legendary beast that wanders into the rural village of Galina after escaping a bombing raid. A traumatized survivor of war, the tiger takes refuge in the mountains above the village. To the superstitious villagers, the animal is a demonic presence, while to others, it represents an awe-inspiring connection to the natural world.

Zóra is Natalia's childhood best friend and a fellow medical professional. She joins Natalia on the volunteer trip to Brejevina partly to escape a professional dilemma involving a powerful doctor at her hospital. Unaware initially of the recent death of Natalia's grandfather, Zóra provides steadfast friendship and practical support as they treat the local orphans.

Natalia's Grandmother is a traditional woman who adheres strictly to local customs, particularly the belief in the forty days of the soul after a death. She lives with her family in the city and relies on her granddaughter to retrieve her late husband's belongings so she can properly observe the mourning rituals.

Barba Ivan is an accommodating and gentle host who provides lodging for Natalia and Zóra during their volunteer mission. He is the father of the local monk and allows a displaced family to dig in his vineyard, showing a quiet tolerance for the strange occurrences happening on his property to keep peace in the community.

Nada is Barba Ivan's wife, a hospitable woman living in the seaside village of Brejevina. She helps host Natalia and Zóra during their medical mission, though she carries a profound, lasting grief from a tragic family loss that occurred just before the war began.

Fra Antun is the dedicated son of Barba and Nada Ivan. He operates a local orphanage out of a converted monastery, caring for children displaced by the war. He coordinates with visiting doctors to ensure the children receive necessary medical care and vaccinations.

Duré is the head of a family temporarily staying in Brejevina. He firmly believes that the restless spirit of his dead cousin is causing a severe illness among his children. To cure his family, he focuses entirely on completing a complex ritual to put the spirit to rest, initially refusing modern medical intervention.

Mother Vera is the town midwife in Galina who raises Natalia's Grandfather after his parents die. She provides a stable, practical upbringing for the young boy and encourages him to pursue a reliable trade, acting as a voice of reason in an otherwise deeply superstitious and isolated community.

Amana is a headstrong, beautiful young woman from the city who becomes inseparable friends with Luka before their engagement. However, she falls in love with another man who heals her from a severe illness, prompting her to flee on the eve of her wedding to Luka and setting off a chain of tragic events.