It's been a long time since I first read Shapechangers. It's one of those books I've owned, oh, since junior high or so. I decided to reread the series again for sentimental reasons, since these books don't fall into the class of books I reread regularly.

Shapechangers introduce us to the world of the Cheysuli. The Cheysuli each bond with an animal, called a lir, normally somewhere in their teens. They are a hunted race, as one of them eloped with a Muhjar's (king, more or less), daughter. The child from that union is now grown, but does not know her own history or that she belongs to that race. Instead, she has met the Prince and fantasizes about what they could have together.

It is not to be, of course, as a Cheysuli warrior, Finn, steals Alix and the Prince away, intending to keep Alix. His lir, however, will not let him harm her. 

Alix is stubborn throughout the story, refusing to be on the sidelines even when Homana, the country the story takes place in, is invaded and the Prince captured.

The entire series revolves around the tahlmorra of the Cheysuli race and the individual characters' place in it. Tahlmorra speaks of a Cheysuli prophecy, so if prophecy fulfillment type stories annoy you, just stay back! 

On the other hand, it allows me to send you off with a song... "The sun will come out, tahlmorra!" Hope you can get it out of your head.