His mother sent into exile with a curse of death by a jealous and hateful leader, Durc is left behind to keep him from suffering the same fate. Durc is faced with hatred, animosity, and ill will as he finds the leader focusing his hatred of Durc's mother on him. But Durc isn't so easily intimidated or bullied, retaliating the only way a small boy can as the traits dominant in the bloodline of his mother begin to surface, unlike the passive nature of the clan he's raised with. Rebelling against the unreasonable rules and laws of the clan, Durc breaks away from the clan and starts his own clan with his own rules, which include his love of animals, as he rescues a pair of lion cubs against clan rules and keeps them regardless of what the clan's rules are. Durc refuses to tolerate cannibal tribes, and they become enemies, just as bad as the leader and his two sons.