Zhaneel grew up in a new large hold named Bavaria, a nearby neighbor to to Fire Ridge Weyr and under it's protection. She was considered an outcast by the rest of the hold and that was worsened when she became friends (and later lover) with an elf, brother though he was to the new Weyrwoman. When she was old enough she had asked her parents if she could go to the Weyr and help out the beastmaster Loreli, at first they refused, but when Copper herself came as a favor from her brother and asked for Zhaneels help they consented. She had always had a strong empathy with animals and when she bonded Kin'iro her bondbird the empthay became stronger.

Soon after she discovered a Fire lizard clutch, which she was able to keep one egg. That egg hatched into her lizard Lled, the search dragons at Fire Ridge liked her a lot but when the hatching came about none of the little dragonets looked her way. She was very disappointed but hid it well. Today she is happily a candidate at Tripaldi Weyr.