Deception

Brutus banishes Ursa to The Eastern Valley as punishment for high treason when she attempts to clear Shade and the Silverwings of the charges against them. Disgusted by Brutus not believing her, Ursa and a group of followers don't argue as they head off, leaving the wolves as the unofficial leaders of the beasts. The Silverwing colony arrives at Stone Hold where the males were supposed to be waiting, but their absence is the final straw for most of the colony. When Mercury discovers that the owls had been there, the colony voices its displeasure with Frieda's migration decisions and elects Bathsheba as their leader. Shade and Marina fly onward with a false sense of security, but the calm of their peaceful flight is shattered when Throbb swoops in and grabs Marina. Shade's arrogant behaviour in the face of their recapture shocks Marina. Her horror turns to relief, however, when Shade engineers their escape by duping Goth and Throbb with a series of increasingly clever bluffs and putting Zephyr's teachings to good use. Thanks to the sleep-inducing leaves, Goth and Throbb are left sound asleep while Shade and Marina continue onward in search of the Silverwings.