Grank raises the hatchling deep in a forest far from owls that would kill the royal chick named Hoole to end the kingly line. His mother comes to visit, in disguise, and departs again. Not even the chick must know his mother's identity. It would give him away as Hrath's heir. Sent by an evil warlord, a hagsfiend attempts to lure young Hoole away when he first learns to fly. Grank realizes that the same evil forces that killed Hrath are after Hoole, and know where he is. To keep him safe, Grank brings him to Beyond the Beyond, a strange land of fiery volcanoes in a barren, icy landscape. There Hoole will learn of his own powers, and hone his mind and gizzard under Grank's tutelage. A traitor in the Beyond gets word to the spies of the king-killer that a royal owl is living in Beyond the Beyond. Assassins make their way to him, but Queen Siv in hiding has gotten word of these plans and makes her way to the Beyond in time to stop the killers. She saves her son, but she dies in the fight. Hoole learns that she was his mother and grieves. He is mature now, and under Grank's guidance goes for the Ember, retrieves it, and flies with it, and Grank to reclaim his throne from the usurpers.