Davina is an herbalist who lives a quiet, self-sufficient life in a remote New Hampshire cabin. Having survived a catastrophic military truck explosion during her time as a nurse in Afghanistan, she bears severe facial scars that sometimes startle strangers. She possesses deep knowledge of local flora, utilizing natural remedies and cultivating a lush garden that attracts rare butterflies to her riverside property.

Marie is a grieving mother determined to sell her inherited wilderness property to fund a fresh start for her family. Following the tragic drowning of her daughter Bee, she relies on rigid structure and forward momentum to manage her emotional pain. Her fixation on relocating frequently distances her from her surviving children and husband.

Leo is the fiercely protective father of the Egide family. Haunted by his absence during Bee's drowning, he adopts a patient approach to life and tries to connect with his emotionally withdrawn son. He serves as a balancing force to his wife's impulsive decisions, attempting to mediate the growing disputes over the property.

Penelope is the imaginative youngest child of the Egide family and the identical twin of the recently deceased Bee. To cope with her profound loss, she engages in magical thinking, believing butterflies act as manifestations of her sister. Though initially terrified of the woods and its inhabitants, she possesses an intuitive understanding of the emotional currents running through her family.

Hannah is the observant teenage daughter of the Egide family. Suffering from severe chronic migraines that frequently leave her bedridden, she doubts her mother's belief that a new environment will cure their emotional wounds. She finds comfort in classic literature and secretly volunteers answering letters for the Juliet Club in Verona.

Brendon is a teenager consumed by secret guilt over the accidental drowning of his sister, having been distracted by his phone during the incident. He reacts to the family's relocation with sullen withdrawal, preferring the company of his dog to human relatives. His internal pain often manifests as hostility toward anything that disrupts his fragile routine.

Rock is a hardworking local young man who helps maintain the large New Hampshire estate. Self-described as dumb, dense, and immovable, he actually possesses a steady loyalty and a quiet sense of humor. He maintains a long-standing friendship with the cabin's occupant and quickly takes an interest in the new teenage arrival at the main house.

Rosalinda is a local herbalist known regionally as a river witch. Approaching the end of her life, she writes down the history of her encounters with a young girl hiding in the woods, having passed on her vast knowledge of natural healing and wilderness survival.

The Colonel is Marie’s grandfather and the former patriarch of the estate. During his life, he was known for quoting Roald Dahl and harboring a hearty sense of humor. He offered refuge to a wounded veteran, permitting her to live indefinitely in a cabin on his land.

Bee is the deceased identical twin of Penelope. Her tragic drowning in the family pool fractures the Egide household, driving their sudden relocation to the wilderness. Though physically absent, her memory influences every major decision her family makes.

Rose is a young girl whose father took her away while her mother was hospitalized with severe injuries sustained in a military explosion. Her absence creates a lifelong, unresolved grief that shadows her mother's isolated existence in the woods.

Banjo is a loyal dog belonging to the Egide family. Unaware of the emotional tensions surrounding him, he provides a silent, non-judgmental presence for a teenager struggling with immense internal guilt.

Teddy is a pet cat living at the wilderness cabin. Territorial of his surroundings, he boldly defends his home space against unfamiliar animals.