The odyssey of tree cats from unknown species to pets and ultimately to bonded lifetime partners continues. Stephanie and her friends pursue a possible new fungal hallucinogenic that may be causing a wave of accidents on their heavy world planet. A good entry in this interesting series. ( )

The fourth book in Stephanie Harrington's series, which is a prequel to the Honor Harrington series, concerns keeping some secrets about the treecats to avoid them being massacred as happened to another species on a world when humans settled. It also has to do with a new drug that is being created which is causing a large number of accidents among young adults near where Stephanie lives.

When this story begins, Stephanie is almost sixteen and has been partnered with her treecat Lionheart for almost five years. Some others, including a few people near Stephanie's age, have also been adopted. Reporter Nosey Jones is making it his cause to protect the treecats so they won't be exploited or exterminated like another species on a different world humans settled. Those who have bonded with treecats are part of a conspiracy to conceal just how intelligent the species is. Treecats lack a written and spoken language which makes some believe that they are just "dumb animals." However, they seem to be both telepaths and empaths and also to have about the same level of intelligence as humans. This fact is being concealed by both the treecats and those who have bonded with them.

There is also another problem that is consuming a lot of attention. It is Nosey Jones who first spots the increased number of "accidents" that are plaguing local young adults. It seems as though there is a new drug being developed and being tested on unsuspecting young people. With local law enforcement and the Sphynx Forestry Service stretched because of a lack of personnel and very small budgets, Probationary Ranger Stephanie Harrington and Ranger Karl Zivonik are tasked with looking into these accidents and a possible new drug.

The story was engaging and entertaining. I like the way Stephanie is growing up and expanding her set of friends. I liked that there were some teenage problems regarding relationships in the story too. I liked that part of the story was told from the treecats' points-of-view. ( )