Young Razo travels from Bayern to Tira at war's end as part of a diplomatic corps, but mysterious events in the Tiran capital fuel simmering suspicions and anger, and Razo must spy out who is responsible before it is too late and he becomes trapped in an enemy land.

"In an alternate past--or possible future--a mighty tree stands on the banks of a winding river, bearing silent witness to the flow of time and change. A family farms the fertile valley. Soon, a village sprouts, and not long after, a town. Residents learn to harness the water, the wind, and the animals in order to survive and thrive. The growing population becomes ever more industrious and clever, bending nature itself to their will and their ambition:...

When the people have deep questions about life, death, and how to find happiness, they journey to find Old Turtle, and she answers their questions with wisdom and love.

"A group of friends discovers a neglected pond in the woods and decides to fix it up together"--

Like busy moles, we humans dig an awful lot of holes to get things done, in the ground, in our oceans, and even in our bathrooms! We dig holes in sandboxes to play games with friends, on ancient sites to discover awesome treasure and fossils, and on farms to plant the food we eat. Unfortunately, we also dig holes that aren't so wholesome--holes that rip apart the ground, spill dangerous chemicals, and permanently damage the earth. Going on this way...