Cave of Departure — Nikki Tate

Twelve-year-old Dominique fails to complete a deadly serious ritual and is banished from his place with the Estorian people, a tribe of nomadic storytellers. He must travel alone to a distant cave where, it is believed, he will find the voice he has always longed for. His quest takes him to far-off lands where he must do battle with a mighty river serpent, outwit pungent yagabonos, and survive capture by a group of powerful leranons. Inspired by the creatures and legends of a variety of mythologies, Nikki Tate has created a world where there is no greater honour-and no greater challenge-than being a magnificent storyteller. The first novel in the Estorian Chronicles Trilogy, Cave of Departure introduces a feisty young word warrior and his female counterpart, Amana, the Campriano, whose relentless search for the truth is destined to change Dominique's life forever.