The Falconer. The Heartland Series, #2

Ages 8-12She strode out of the north and into legend. Britt and her falcon, Tatty Mog, are partners in life, hunting, and growing up together. Together, they will face the challenge of leaving behind all they know and searching for a way to stop the fierce Zendi who have invaded the Heartland. Her grandfather, Winchal Eldras (the main character of the companion book, THE WAYFINDER) is a Wayfinder, someone who can Find anything: a missing ring, the best melon in the market, or a lost child.
He gives Britt a Finding for a missing Bell. The Zendi know that the Finder's Bell holds the key to their victory in the Heartland. Britt mustn't let them know that she can Find it. But to Find the Bell, she must travel across the Heartland with just Tatty Mog at her side. In the tradition of Tamora Pierce, this fantasy presents a heroine of wit, strength, and savvy. This is the story of a falconer, a courageous girl who strides out of the north country and into legend.