Rabe, Jean

Featuring mystical creatures resembling ordinary horses that were sent by the creators to help mankind, each "horse" is assigned to bond with special humans and protect them from harm while guiding them along a virtuous journey. Just before Gallant-Stallion learns who his charge is to be, his mentor dies leaving Gallant-Stallion to care for thirteen-year-old Meven and Meven's younger sister, Kalantha.

Aided by Gallant-Stallion--one of the Finest, a race of telepathic horses charged with protecting humans--but still in grave danger, twelve-year-old orphan Kalantha begins losing her will to fight as she runs from Bishop DeNogaret's assassins, Eyeswide the owl and Nin?on the falcon, struggling to save her fourteen-year-old brother, Meven the boy king, and the entire island of Paard-Peran from the bishop's thirst for power and blood.

Gallant Stallion, one of the "Finest," a group of highly moral, sentient horses created by the gods to protect select humans whose lives are tied to the fate of the world, elects to care for a pair of royal children who have been raised as commoners, teaching them how to survive the perils that come their way.