Alice Endischee: hosting the Kinaalda, where Leaphorn speaks directly with Margaret Cigarette.

George Witover: FBI agent in Albuquerque who is eager to resolve several cases following from a robbery of an armored car in Santa Fe a few years earlier.

Rosemary Rita Ovileras: Woman in Washington DC with whom Hoski fell in love, unexpectedly to him.

Under surveillance, fooled the FBI surveillance by changing clothes with an accomplice in a laundromat, and left his Washington DC home for the caves near his grandfather's hogan.

Hoski: another man in the Sante Fe robbery, of many aliases known to the FBI, born as James Tso, older brother of Father Benjamin Tso, but the two were raised in separate homes.

He is driven to help his people through the violence of the Buffalo Society.

As first born son, he learned of the secret cave and the gift of Standing Medicine. Jimmy (James) Tso: wayward grandson of Hosteen Tso older brother of Father Benjamin, Gold Rims to Leaphorn, and Hoski to the police long tracking him.He is motivated to help his people by living among them as a priest. Benjamin Tso: Catholic priest in Franciscan order, grandson to Hosteen Tso.Theodora Adams: young woman from Washington, D.C.John 'Shorty' McGinnis: owner of Short Mountain Trading Post for the last forty years.Emerson Begay: escaped prisoner taken at Kinaalda ceremony by Leaphorn, then got away again when a driver tried to kill Leaphorn with a speeding car.Captain Largo: Navajo Tribal Police captain based in Tuba City, who directs Leaphorn as to responsibility for the safety of Theodora Adams, who the Navajo Police are asked to keep safe.Margaret Cigarette, the Listening Woman: blind older woman who knows the sings to help specific problems.

Hosteen Tso: old Navajo man with illnesses, seeking his grandson Tso is the great grandson of the famous Navajo Standing Medicine, lost in the era of Kit Carson leading the army to annihilate the Navajo people, in the Long Walk of the Navajo.Cigaret, about 16 years old, learning from her aunt. Joe Leaphorn: Lieutenant in the Navajo Tribal Police, police officer with a masters degree in anthropology.

Hillerman listening woman