A touching YA fantasy for fans of A QUIET PLACE and PRINCESS MONONOKE. Els never wanted to marry. Her calling was to protect her village from the feline beasts that prowl the forest at night, and love had no part in it. But after a fever steals much of her hearing, she is forced to decide between exile and marrying a stranger. Samuel, Els' new betrothed, is adjusting after an injury leaves him disabled. Never again will he be the great hunter and leader that his father expects, and after the girl he loves abandons him, he flees his village to escape scrutiny. Before Els and Samuel can adapt to their life as a married couple, the very beasts that Els fended off spill more innocent blood, sending the village into a panic. Now, there's only one choice: hunt the beasts and kill every last one. And do it together. Finding strength in their new disabilities, Els and Samuel must learn to listen with their hearts. Their home and their lives depend on it.