With a three meter wingspan and talons to rival those of a tiger, hokioi dives on the giant moa, knocking it to the ground and crushing its skull with a powerful grip. A family group of Polynesian people settles in an area rich in moa and other large ground living birds. However this is also the home of a pair of giant eagles -the hokioi. Peering down from the clouds, the hokioi observes strange creatures taking precious food stocks they need to maintain their large bodies and to feed their growing chick. But are these soft-bodied, featherless creatures also food for a hokioi? Hema, a boy of only five winters, has the first frightening encounter with the giant bird. He becomes the devoted pupil of Te Reko, the stern tohunga priest, and longs to play the koauau. A young girl (Matakino), handicapped by severe burns that have left her badly scarred, joins the hapu. Because of her deformity she is resented by the man chosen to be her partner, and is an object of curiosity to the hapu. Attitudes towards Matakino soften as her true value emerges. The women conspire to make her appear attractive to her young husband. The men hunt moa, the main food of the hokioi. The bird dives on them to signal its disapproval. The women trek into the mountains to paint the story of their arrival and settlement into the walls of a sacred cave. On the way down the mountainside Grandmother Hinahina, alarmed by the cry of the hokioi, falls and is injured. The old kuia now experiences upsetting episodes of confusion. Wanui manages to rescue her from a dangerous encounter with a family of seals. Wanui, a healer and the beautiful daughter of a tohunga priest, falls in love with Rakopi from the seed canoe. Baby Toi is attacked and is gravely wounded. In return his mother (Wanui)) kills a chick. Now, intent upon revenge, the female hokioi stalks the hapu. Resentment is directed at Wanui who begins to regret her actions. Gardens are planted, food gathered and stories told, but always with an eye to the sky, fear in the heart and a spear close to hand. Various snares and traps are tried but the hokioi evades them all. A young girl is left in a whare with Grandma Hinahina. They are both terrified as the female hokioi attempts to break through the walls. The women, away gathering firewood, arrive back just in time to drive it off. One morning Hinahina leaves her sleeping mat before dawn, wanders away from the kainga alone and is killed by the hokioi. The implication is that she intended this to happen believing that her sacrifice will satisfy the bird and it will then leave her people alone. All are saddened by the loss of a much loved and wise old woman and Wanui is the object of heightened resentment. Burdened by guilt, Wanui determines that it is she who must rid the skies of the demon bird that has caused such fear and suffering. Alone, she enters its mountainous domain. 'Today one of us will die.' Her plan works and she succeeds in ending the bird's life. The seed canoe returns and this time Wanui's lover, Rakopi remains behind when the canoe sails away. The women return to the sacred mountain cave and paint the story of the hokioi and Wanui onto the cave walls. In some chapters the story is also told from the point of view of the eagle.