Ratha's Challenge (The Named Book 4)

The Named series continues with this fourth book from PEN Award–winning author Clare Bell. Set twenty-five million years in the past, the story follows Ratha, a female leader of the Named—a clan of sentient, prehistoric big cats with their own language, traditions, and law. Ratha brought fire to her clan and now leads them. In this installment, Ratha encounters a rival clan of hunter cats led by True-of-voice, whose telepathic song entrances his followers. When the two clans' futures become intertwined, Ratha must determine the fate of both groups. She turns to her daughter, Thistle-Chaser, for guidance, but Thistle-Chaser struggles with nightmares involving the "Dreambiter," a fragmented memory threatening her sanity. The novel combines adventure and coming-of-age elements as Ratha grapples with the demands of leadership and motherhood. Bell explores themes of maturity and difficult choices through the story of these large, noble cats.