Story outline:
An 18 year-old shepherd has a special talent when it comes to handling animals but his limited grasp of sorcery brings ruin on his village and he is forced to flee with his brother across a war-torn land.
He helps rescue survivors from other villages but as winter descends he is forced to retreat to the mountains in search of a lasting source of food and shelter.
He goes to a settlement called Itherdale where pine log cabins are scattered among a vast pine forest. There are many children there, orphans from other villages.