Blackbird was born alongside her brother, Dapple, far from the Teekon Wilds. Her mother, River, did her best to feed and protect them, but it was tough because they were rogues. River had to go out on her own to hunt and leave the two youngsters in the den, warning them to be quiet as mice while she was gone. They grew up happily enough, but there was always some element of fear controlling their lives. One day, not far from the time that Blackbird came to the Teekon Wilds, her brother, Dapple, died. Neither she, nor her mother, know what happened. One day they woke up and he was simply dead. This caused River to grow restless in their home, so one day she forced Blackbird to follow her somewhere far away so they could "start over." They found themselves in unfamiliar territory. River had been getting progressively thinner as time went on, losing the will to live after her son died, and eventually, she passed away as well, leaving Blackbird to fend for herself in a new environment. Lost and alone, the yearling will have to learn to survive quickly if she wants to stand a chance.