They are all asleep by then, so Helen doesn't notice until the next morning.

She shouts. She cries. She hugs the parts of Kas that are not too close to icy Petaal. She inventively boils the kettle and pours hot water over them. It freezes.

She curls up in bed with Kalavar as a fluffy viscacha, and she tries to think.

She wishes Ranata were here. Ranata could protect her from the scary witches, and maybe even fix what happened to Kas and Petaal, or bring them to the clan and find someone else who could.

She closes her eyes, and—listens...