The Sight (novel)

infobox Book |
name = The Sight
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = David-Clement Davies
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country =
language = English
series =
genre = Fantasy
publisher = Macmillan Children's Books
pub_date = 7 Jun 2002
english_pub_date =
media_type = Paperback
pages = 512
isbn = ISBN
preceded_by = Fire Bringer
followed_by = Fell

"The Sight" is a novel written by David Clement-Davies. The sequel to "The Sight" is "Fell". "The Sight" is about a pack of wolves. The pack members are: Huttser, Palla, Khaz, Kipcha, Brassa, Bran, Larka, Fell, and Kar.

Plot Introduction

At the beginning of the novel, a "Dragga" (the term a wolf uses for the Alpha male of a pack) named Huttser, and his mate, the "Drappa" (The term for Alpha female), Palla, seek a cave in the side of a mountain in which Palla had grown up, and where she could nurse the cubs that were growing in her belly. They are trying to find this cave to raise their cubs in secret from Morgra, Palla's evil sister.

Plot Summary

After a while, Huttser and Palla find the cave, called the Stone Den, and settle in. When the litter of cubs is born to Palla, she realizes that sadly, two of the cubs are stillborn, but two had survived - a little white she-wolf and her black-pelted brother. They are named Larka (white) and Fell (black).

When the cubs are still very young Palla's sister, a savage she-wolf named Morgra, pays the small pack a visit. Many years ago Morgra had been thrown out of her pack, for the pack believed she had committed the crime of killing a cub. (It is later revealed that she had been trying to save the cub, but the cub had ended up dying. The one witness to this, Morgra's own mother, the storyeller Brassa, did not speak up or defend her. She knew Morgra was barren and always wanted cubs of her own, which was not the real reason she had taken the cub.) Morgra became extremely bitter and angry, causing her to join a pack called the "Night Hunters" (also known as the Balkar). The Night Hunters are a pack that most wolves considered to be evil and would try to avoid. The pack is made up of strong Dragga wolves, until Morgra became their only female member and eventually leader. They had previously been lead by an old wolf by the name of Tratto - whom Morgra murdered in order to gain power over the legions of Balkar. When Morgra came upon Huttser and Palla's pack, she asked to see the new cubs, but Palla and Huttser refused. Morgra told the pack they had two full moons to change their minds, or else.

Meanwhile, Fell feels that he is not getting the attention he deserves as Larka seems to like Kar (an orphaned cub that got dropped of by Palla's brother, Skop) more than him. Fell believes that this is unfair, as he thinks he is superior to the orphan. When Fell's father, Huttser, shakes him by the neck in what Huttser thought was play, Fell gets slightly hurt and believes that Huttser did it to punish him, driving him further from his family.

The promised moons pass and Morgra returns, and when she asks to see the cubs she is once again turned down. Angered by this, Morgra puts a curse on the pack. The whole pack is fearful of Morgra because Varg (what the wolves call their species) lore states that a wolf with the Sight can control another's mind. It terrifies them, but the Alphas try to remain rational and to get the pack to remain firm in their belief that it was just a way of tricking them into submission. To the pack's horror, one by one, they start to die off. The Alpha's are struggling to keep their wits.

As Larka gets older and starts learning more about the Sight, a battle heats up between Larka and Morgra to get the human child that is also talked about in an ancient prophecy. The prophecy speaks of a wolf with a white pelt and a secret all Lera (wild animals) should know. Only when the human cub has been put on the altar of Harja will the true power of the Sight be shown....and the secret of Man all Lera should know will be revealed.

With this in motion, the story is set and the battle between the two for the future of all Lera is played out.

The Searchers

The Searchers are the ghosts of wolves that have died. They can be summoned by the Summoning Howl, which can only be used by one with the power of the Sight. If the Searchers touch a living wolf, then that wolf can have its mind read and controlled by the one that used the Summoning Howl. The Searchers are neither good nor evil, but they have to do what the Summoner commands. These wolves are found in the "Red Meadow" that can only be reached when a wolf who possesses the Sight howls to them and then can walk the pathways of death.

The Powers of the Sight

The Sight is a power that very few wolves have, and it is difficult to control. Only a very small amount is known about the Sight, and most wolves consider it to be a myth. Wolves who have the gift of the Sight have potential to have these powers:
# The ability to see though the eyes of Lera.
# The ability to look into still water and see visons of the past, present and future.
# The ability to talk to birds and to see through the eyes of a bird. (Goes with the first power)
# It is believed by some that the true power of the Sight is to heal one's mind and body.
# To bring forth the Vision, by looking through the eyes of a human at the citadel of Harja. The wolf to use this power has the power to enslave all the Lera to their will.
# To howl to the Searchers, and either summon them to do one's bidding, or enter the Red Meadow (or field of the dead) and speak with the dead.

The Prophecy

The prophecy from page(s) 95/96 in the book "The Sight":

As a she-cub is whelped with a coat that is white,
And a human child stolen to suckle the sight
From a place where injustice was secretly done
Then the Marked One is here and a legend begun.
When Wolfbane is dreamt of with terror and dread,
And untamed are tamed, prepare for the dead.
For the Shape Changer's pact with the birds will come true,
When the blood of the Varg blends with Man in the dew,
As the Searchers are tempted, who hunger and prowl,
Down the pathways of Death, by the summoning howl.

Then the truest of powers will be fleshed on the bone.
As the searchers tempt nature to prey on its own.
With blood at the alter, the Vision shall come
When the eye of the moon is as round as the sun.
In the citadel raised by the lords of before,
The stone twins await-- both the power and law.
Then the past and the future shall finally show,
To the wounded, the secret the Lera must know.
And all shall be witness to that which will be,
In the mind of the Man Varg, who shall be free?

And only a family both loving and true,
May conquer this evil, so ancient so new.
As they fight to uncover what secrets they share
And see in their journey how painful is care.
Beware the Betrayer, whose meaning is strife.
For their faith shall be tried by the makers of life,
And who shall divine, in the dead of the night,
The lies from the truth, the darkness from light?
Like the cry of the scavenger, torn through the air
A courage is needed, as deep as despair.