L. Warren Douglas Knihy

In a time when genengineered humans inhabit alien worlds, the bors, humans with bear genes, and the mantee, a human/otter mix, reach the brink of war when a man and a woman break the strongest taboo of their clans--and only the Arbiter has the answer.

When a genetically altered race of simplified humans experiences intolerable mutation rates, a sorcerer starts to repair the damage. But someone doesn't want him to succeed.