Nine year-old Lora arrives at a secluded monastery by the mountains together with her dog, Hound. The nun, Sister Esperanza, has escorted them there and she promises Lora that she will now arrive at a better place.

As soon as they are inside the great wall surrounding the monastery, Lora and Hound are separated, and Lora is sent off and cleaned and dressed in uniform as the rules of the monastery prescribe.

That same night Hound is killed and Lora must now through her friendship with the shepherd-boy Nick and a lively imagination, find out to survive the strict rules of the monastery that does not leave room for emotion, individuality and breaking of the house rules that have been carried out for generations.