The Zhirrzh have won a temporary respite in their war with the barbarians. But the Human captive Pheylan Cavanagh has escaped, and for that Thrr-gilag, the young Searcher, finds himself disgraced. His bond-engagement to a female of a rival clan is imperiled. Soon he becomes a target of hidden and powerful forces seeking to remake Zhirrzh society in their own image. His only hope is to prove that the Overclan authorities are wrong and that it was not the Humans who started the war. But time is running short. The forces of the Zhirrzh are overextended and face retaliation. The Zhirrzh have learned to conquer death but even taht awesome power will be no match for the devastating might of the Human-Conqueror armadas. Thrr-gilag soon comes to realize that his people face a two fold threat - destruction by Human technology and destruction from within their own ranks.