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Gifa was the only daughter of Grohmul Djun.
Like her brother she was born after her father was deposed from his kingdom by Shuna's rebellion, which was aided by the Wolfriders, and raised in a secluded retreat where her father settled with his surviving followers. Grohmul Djun largely blamed the "demons" helping the rebels for his defeat and Gifa was raised with a great hatred toward Elves.
Gifa had an adventurous spirit and greatly chaffed at the limited domestic role of women in her society. Despite the extreme taboo of mentioning Shuna in her father's presence, Gifa idealized the young rebel as an example of what a strong and independent woman was capable of. In their youth she and her brother were quite close and he privately taught her skills, such as knife throwing, that were generally forbidden to women.
Their father forced Angrif out into the wilderness of the great plains to prove himself by coming back with something of great value to prove that he was worthy of being the heir of Grohmul Djun's kingdom. Unexpectedly, Angrif happened to stumble on a hunting party of Ember's tribe of Wolfriders and followed them back to Howling Rock Holt, stealing Scouter's sword as proof.
Though Angrif wanted to directly assault Howling Rock their father forbade it, feeling that it would repeat their previous mistake, as a smaller party of Wolfriders had helped topple his kingdom. Gifa saw her chance for the adventure that she craved and convinced Grohmul Djun that if the elves helped Shuna, they might have more sympathy towards women and allow her to get close. Seeing her as nothing more than an expendable pawn, he agreed to let her try. This enraged Angrif and soured him toward her despite their previously close relationship.
Angrif privately had one of his escorting guardsman, who was loyal to him, severely beat her and leave her on the plains. This strengthened the ploy to gain the Wolfrider's sympathy as well as avenging her perceived slight against him.
Gifa was spotted by the tenderhearted Tyleet who rescued her and convinced Ember to let the human stay, despite Mender sensing Gifa's heritage and the distrust that caused. To protect the tribe, Ember decided that Gifa would be kept weak by denying her magical healing and would be allowed to stay in an empty wolf den while she recovered rather than be taken directly to the Holt. This would give them time for her to earn their trust.
Tyleet tended to Gifa while she recovered and Gifa slowly gained the Wolfrider's trust, successfully hiding her mission. However their kindness towards her, especially Tyleet's, caused her great guilt and questioning what she had been sent to do. Gifa began to see them as people rather than the "demons" she had been taught they were.
One day, when she was strong enough, they allowed her an excursion to the site where she had been found to recover the possessions that had been left behind when she was rescued. Ember and Tyleet escorted her as both guardians and guards. Unknown to them, the possession Gifa most needed to recover was her vial of the potent poison "widow's wine". While on the trip, Gifa's knife throwing skills saved Ember from a deadly rattletail snake, finally winning the young chieftain over.
That night, the tribe held a Howl for Gifa to celebrate her perceived valour in saving Ember and finally being deemed trustworthy. Despite her growing guilt and feeling towards them, Gifa tearfully poisoned the blade that she used to cut meat to be served at the Howl. The deadly "widow's wine" did its work, badly sickening the tribe, while Gifa fled to the pre arranged meeting point, overcome with grief at her betrayal. Fortunately, Mender's power was enough to prevent death, though he couldn't afford to spend the energy to magically restore strength, leaving them all weakened.
Feeling guilty at having brought the human into the tribe's ranks, Tyleet claimed "pack right" to peruse Gifa. She accepted Ember's order that Gifa was to be executed for what she had done, though during the pursuit she questioned whether she could bring herself to kill a cub that she had cared for. She was spared that heartbreaking choice.
Gifa encountered Angrif at the meeting point and explained that she had gone through with the plan but the elves had survived due to their healer's magic. Angrif laughed at her and cruelly tried to get her to admit that she simply couldn't go through with it and that women were as weak as their father had taught. He also revealed that his escorting guardsman was the one that had beat her, doing so on his orders. This provoked Gifa into attacking the both of them. She killed the guard but her brother knocked her into a rivene, killing her.
He coldly recovered her body and planned to turn her death to his advantage by claiming that the elves had murdered their people's beloved princess, using it as "proof" that the elves were as evil as their father had said. This rallied their people against the "demons".
Tyleet tearfully watched the callous betrayal, wondering if she understood humans at all.