The gentle Treefolk race is suddenly trapped in a war of attrition with an aggressive, technologically superior race that they have never seen before. Will they be able to adapt and, more importantly, remain themselves in the maelstrom that is war? The book focuses on the story of Chielo, a young Treefolk hunter that loses all his friends and family to the initial onslaught of the Fuur. Though peaceful at heart he soon finds his entire race looking to him to save them from annihilation. The burden of leadership weighs down on him as he struggles not to crack.