Since time immemorial the people of the Clan have lived on the Slopes overlooking the Greenlands, hunting only for food and respecting the Greenlands' unwritten laws. But when the Clan's cattle become the prey of an unknown attacker, and the elders begin to murmer the name of Shadroth, the young chief Kulok blames the Fein - huge cattle animals whom it is forbidden to kill - and orders their extermination. In this gripping novel, the author, a master of the art of storytelling, combines high adventure with a profound psychological exploration of the roots of violence and evil.