When a gamekeeper steals his eggs and kidnaps his partner, a young falcon is forced to recruit unwilling allies to help him rescue his family.

SYNOPSIS:

A family of peregrine falcons nests on chalk cliffs where Ryker’s partner is having their first set of chicks. His parents nest nearby. Ryker’s relationship with his father is strained because he hasn’t learned to hunt for himself.

In the woods opposite, ravens plan to steal the valuable eggs on behalf of Nigel, the gamekeeper. He wants to sell them to use the money to save his farm. When the ravens attack, Ryker is injured. His parents, his mate and the eggs are all captured.

A farmer finds Ryker and nurses him back to health. The falcon tries to persuade the animals on the farm to help him rescue his family but they don’t trust a bird of prey. Ryker eventually proves his worth by saving the farm animals from a fox.

Ryker returns to the cliffs and learns that Nigel trades in falcon eggs. He convinces the animals to unite against the gamekeeper but the ravens launch another attack and overrun the forest. Ryker and his friends fight back, liberate Nigel’s farm and eventually banish the ravens from the forest.

Having learned to hunt during his adventure, Ryker rescues his family, but there’s still no sign of the eggs. Nigel tries to burn down his farm for the insurance money before escaping with the falcon eggs, but he is eventually captured by the farmer and the police. The eggs break in the confrontation but the chicks were ready to hatch and survive.

Ryker has grown from shy, hesitant youth into mature, responsible adult. He commands respect from all the animals in the forest. The birds are immortalised on the local town’s new coat of arms, and the farmer’s application to have the area declared a nature reserve is accepted.

Harmony is restored to the forest.

THE BATTLE OF BOXHILL