Book Three by international writing phenomenon David Weber. Two young settlers on a pioneer planet seeks to stop a war and to save the intelligent alien treecats from exploitation by unscrupulous humans.

The fires are out, but the trouble's just beginning for the treecats.

On pioneer planet Sphinx, ruined lands and the approach of winter force the now Landless Clan to seek new territory. They have one big problem―there's nowhere to go. Worse, their efforts to find a new home awaken the enmity of the closest treecat clan―a stronger group who's not giving up a single branch without a fight.

Stephanie Harrington, the treecats' greatest advocate, is off to Manticore for extensive training―and up to her ears in challenges there. That leaves only Stephanie's best friends, Jessica and Anders, to save the treecats from themselves. And now a group of xenoanthropologists is once again after the great secret of the treecats―that they are intelligent, empathic telepaths―and their agenda will lead to nothing less that treecat exploitation.

Finally, Jessica and Anders face problems of their own, including their growing attraction to each other. It is an attraction that seems a betrayal of Stephanie Harrington, the best friend either of them have ever had.