The Immortals (series)
The Immortals quartet, by Tamora Pierce, is the story of Veralidaine Sarrasri (known as Daine), an orphan with an unusual talent: she can speak with animals.
Books
1. Wild Magic
2. Wolf-Speaker
3. Emperor Mage
4. The Realms of the Gods
Brief Summary
The orphan Daine applies for a job that takes her and her trusty pony Cloud from her birthcountry of Galla to the kingdom of Tortall. Here she finds a new life and a new family, and learns that she has the magical ability known as "Wild Magic," which enables her to speak to animals, heal them, and take their shape as well as bend them to her will. She makes friends with a lineup of characters and creatures, including the black-robe mage Numair Salmalin, a young dragon named Skysong (nicknamed Kitten), the legendary Lioness, Alanna of Trebond, King Jonathan, and Queen Thayet of Tortall.
Characters
Main
Veralidaine "Daine" Sarrasri: The main character of the quartet, she is a young woman possessing "wild magic," and has the power to speak to, heal, and shapeshift into animals. Born in the village of Snowsdale in Galla, her father is Weiryn, a minor god of the hunt who fell in love with Daine's mother, Sarra. Despite her original fear of her wild magic overpowering her, she learns to control her power. She is shown to hate Stormwings, magical creatures who prey on fear and warfare, in the first books, but later changes her mind when she realizes that Stormwings are simply what they are. She even develops a tentative friendship with a Stormwing named Rikash. Daine (along with other characters of the series) also appears briefly in the Protector of the Small and Daughter of the Lioness series.