The suburban neighborhood of Carnish is darkening with rumors of war. Can the Kilndaele sparrows fight off the conquest of the rival Blindoh tribe?
You might not notice the house sparrows all around you; after all, they're only dirty little birds fighting over mates and food--or so you might think. Actually, sparrows have a long history of war and peace, and various tribes have fought each other for the Land of Carnish, a suburban neighborhood filled with trees, houses, and well-stocked birdfeeders.
Bill Spara, the chieftain of the Kilndaele tribe, is just returning to Swink-on-Polt, the capital of Carnish, located in the eaves and gutters and bushes around a human house. Rumors of war are spreading throughout Carnish, and when Bill's sister Gilda is kidnapped, the leaders of the Kilndaele decide there is only one thing they can do to defend themselves: call in a tribe of chimney swifts, the most agile fighters known to birdkind, who live in the wilds of the north in Dol Gammedd.
While Bill and Gutterina travel far into the north to ask the swifts for help, Omar and Guttery remain behind to organize the defense of Carnish. But the Blindoh tribe has grown large, and the Kilndaele cannot hold out long. Can Bill and Gutterina return with the swifts in time?