Four years after the events of Owlflight, Darian and the group of Tayledras and Kaled'a'in finally return to their home vale of k'Vala, where a great party is held to celebrate Snowfire and Nightwind's marriage. Darian continues his training as a Healing Mage, while waiting for his next teacher to arrive. However, they soon receive word that another group of northern barbarians are heading towards Errold's Grove, so they quickly move to set up the k'Valdemar vale, at the site of the temporary camp where Darian had first met the expedition.