Ash Narro can name things and not just choose names; she can give them their true names. She has a blanket named Nester and a bottle named Aisling. The names whisper to her. She can change anything into what she wants it to become just by naming it.

     Every child in Ash's dried-up little village knows what the warning bells mean. One means a storm is coming, two means the dao fora enemies who live in the forest are attacking, and three means an illwen has been spotted. Illwen are destructive forest spirits that can take any shape. No one has ever seen one and lived to tell the tale. When an illwen comes, the best thing to do is hide and wait for it to pass. 

     One day, a dao fora boy finds his way into Ash's village. Everyone is afraid. In fact, it seems to Ash like a spell of fear has been cast over everyone, especially her mother. All the villagers decide to lock the dao fora boy up and avoid him. Even so, Ash can't help but make friends with the boy.

     Soon, another illwen comes to the village, and everyone hurries out of harm's way, except the dao fora boy. Ash runs to the dao fora boy to free him, but something still stands in her way: the illwen. Somehow, Ash is able to tame the raging forest spirit and help the boy escape, using her naming power to change the illwen into a playful puppy.

     But Ash has no choice but to leave with with the boy and her new puppy because her village now distrusts her for freeing the dao fora boy and taming an illwen. Ash's last hope is to leave her only home and break the fearful spell cast on her village. Will she and her new friends be able to do the impossible?