In the quiet town of Painted Post, the Ernst clan has long been known for their coonhounds and knowledge of the forest. Mead Ernst is a kind but firm man, struggling with the loss of his father and brother. With the help of his wife, Sarah, they raise their children-Lill, John, and Mattie-chasing behind coonhounds in their hometown's forests. Lill Ernst, beautiful but bullied by schoolmates, retreats into the forests. Beneath the trees, she seeks the comfort of being alone. With a rescued bluetick coonhound named Judge, Lill meets a mysterious woman in the forests who teaches her about life and her own potential. Teenaged Andrew Renthro comes from a different world. He's the son of a long-dead father whose death he believes the Ernsts are responsible for causing. Sent by his drug kingpin stepfather to prove his worthiness, Andrew goes to Painted Post to avenge a parent he can't remember. However, the forests of Painted Post don't belong solely to the realm of man.