Back at the base Skandranon's friend, the healer Amberdrake, waits for him to come back. Skandranon was expected to return two days earlier. What was keeping him? Amberdrake did not know. Amberdrake knew this was a dangerous mission, but now he was losing hope; Skandranon might never come back.
At about the same time a female Gryphon, Zhaneel, was about to be rewarded for destroying three Makaar. From the time of her Zhaneel was the brunt of all jokes. She was thought to be a misborn, being very small and having claws that were more like hands than claws than claws. Zhaneel was hated by all because she was different. Now she even hated herself.
Zhaneel's story is very much like mine. When I came to the US I was different and that made a few people hate me. I don't know why people didn't like me, but I think it is because I was different. After reading this book even though it is fiction I realize that there are others who feel the same way.