Shade, a yearling Silverwing and the runt of the colony, has broken an ancient law by daring to look at the sun. A law made long ago after the battle of birds and beasts; a war the bats refused to participate in. After the bat elder refuses to give Shade up, the owls bring fire and destroy the bats old tree home. Because of this, the bats are force to fly to Hibernaculum early, fearful of further reprisals. During the journey Shade is separated from the colony in a storm. He meets Marina a Brightwing with a mysterious band on her wing. With the aid of Shade’s sound-map, they make their way to Hibernaculum. However Goth, a giant, powerful bat from across the world, has escaped the confines of the zoo, his hunting of birds threatening to bring all out war between the birds and bats.