Fire Bringer
David Clement-Davies1999

Fire Bringer is a novel about Rannoch, a red deer, born in ancient Scotland on the same night that his father was murdered. But Rannoch is no ordinary deer; he is special, for he bears a white mark on his forehead resembling an oak leaf. To the Herla, as the red deer called themselves, this white mark holds great meaning and power, for it was stated in a prophecy that the deer who was born with the mark would bring freedom to all Herla in the future, and that the bearer of the oak mark would have the ability to communicate with all animals.

First however, Rannoch must survive. Bucks formerly brawled and fought for the leadership, but that way was erased completely, instead replaced by a Lord of Herds, Drail. His helper, Sgorr, who has militarised the herd by making the stags sharpen their horns, training and drilling the young bucks, and will take no resistance. He realises the threat Rannoch poses to his leadership. Rannoch escapes from the herd, but deep down in his heart, he knows that he must return, to unite the deer, and end Sgorr's reign of terror.

Titre original : Fire Bringer (1999)