Actually in the books, I believe it was stated he had a splayed paw, which is a birth defect. Wolves are not domesticated creatures, they live in the harsh wild and can not afford to be weak. That's why a mother wolf might reject the weaker or defected pup of her litter, because something that probably won't survive past infancy doesn't deserve a share of her milk. It's kind of harsh, but that's just the way it is. Survival of the fitest.
But Wolves of the Beyond is a fictional novel. The animals are given human characteristics. The mother still loves her baby even though he has a twisted, useless paw. But her pack follows the "reality" of an actual wolf. They already have enough mouths to feed. Why keep a useless pup that probably won't be able to hunt or protect the pack when it's older? They get rid of it.
Then Faolon is found by a bear. In real life, a bear would probably kill the pup on sight, but, this is a book. She is given the personality of a caring mother. She raises the pup. She trains him to use his twisted paw.
The author is basically saying that disabilities don't always hinder your life, and can become your strong points. A little pick me up to all the kids out there who aren't as fast, strong, or smart as their peers. Something to encourage a reader who may have a disability of their own, rivaling that of Faolon's splayed paw.
The book was alright in my opinion. You don't have to like it, but I hate to see someone misinterpret something someone spent a lot of time and energy on creating. Hope that helps clear up the message. :)
