Rats

Many seasons past, at the dawning of the ages, the birds and the beasts existed without order. No one knew the hunter from the hunted. All creatures struggled for their place in a world without boundaries or laws. Alliances were formed and a battle was waged between the two great kingdoms- the Birds and the Beasts.

Being both but neither, the bats refused to participate in the battle. When the war finally ended, a great treaty was forged at the base of the battlefield: The Treaty of the Birds and Beasts.

Because the bats refused to take sides, the birds and beasts decided that their punishment would be most severe. It was decided that for all eternity, bats would be banished to the darkness of the night.

To even fly in the sun's warmth or merely peer at its glow would be in clear violation of the law. The execution of the law by the owls, the sentries of the sky, would be fast and cruel: banishment- even death.

Instead of being crushed by the weight of such an unjust law, the bats learned to adapt to their circumstances. They developed unique skills, the most important of these being the ability to see their world without the light of day... they learned to see with their ears. This amazing skill was known as "echolocation." It allowed these creatures of the dark the basic right to live and hunt under the cover and safety of the night. They would survive.

They would also believe that one day, they would be returned to their former state of grace, able to soar with the sun on their wings. They called this "Nocturna's Promise." The fulfillment of the Promise was simple: one day, all bats would be free to fly in the sun as they choose.

Over thousands of years, Nocturna-s Promise was altered and reinterpreted to provide an explanation for the unexplained- such as the significance of the humans banding bats- and hope where there was no hope. Then, the birth of an unlikely hero, Shade... and the beginning of our story- Silverwing.

Now, thousands of years after the forging of the treaty, a young Silvewing named Shade dares to break the ancient law, unleashing a chain of events that will change the course of history. Shade... a hero is born.

Silverwing... a new battle begins.

Shade Silverwing, Marina Brightwing, Goth, Throbb, Frieda, Brutus, Bathsheba, Ariel, Zephyr, Ursa, Chinook, Orestes, Remus, Romulous, Luger, Hector, Mercury, Scirocco

The series is based on the first novel of a trilogy of award-winningchildren's books by author Kenneth Oppel. It goes beyond the novel, exploring the characters' interrelationships and inventing new adventures.