The Marrow Thieves

Frenchie helps Dad to his living space. He lives in a corner of the cave, so two walls are stone and the other two are blankets. Frenchie looks around while Dad changes for bed. He finds Mom's health card and studies her photo. Dad comes out from behind his sheet and invites Frenchie to stay the night. Frenchie declines and tells Dad that Mitch sacrificed himself so he could get away. He says that Mom couldn't handle being alone. Dad hangs his head and agrees that they can talk about Mom and Mitch later.

Outside, Frenchie's family is around the fire. Slopper is already asleep. Tree and Zheegwon seem surprised and relieved that Frenchie chose to sleep with them, not with Dad, and Frenchie asks Miig if they need to figure things out. Miig agrees that they need a plan, but he's sold on going to get Minerva; Frenchie's instincts are good, and finding his dad is a good sign. Frenchie is somewhat surprised and feels like Miig seems tired and faded. Frenchie presses and asks if they need to discuss that Minerva found the key to beating the residential schools, but Miig insists that Minerva had the key all along—they just needed to listen better. Miig says that they can make a plan with the Council tomorrow and excuses himself to bed. Tree and Zheegwon follow.

Frenchie notices that the twins seem more content, and Wab seems to be feeling the same thing. He turns to his tent when Rose asks Frenchie to come to hers for a moment. Rose asks if Frenchie is okay, remarks on how crazy it is that Frenchie found Dad, and says that Miig seems worried about Frenchie, not finding Minerva. She points out that Frenchie has changed and drops her gaze when she says that people change when they find family.

Frenchie wants to kiss her and tell her that he'll never leave, but he thinks of his memories of Mom, Dad, and Mitch. In those memories, Frenchie feels like there was always an understanding that his only job was to be himself. Now, he thinks that his job is to hunt and protect his new family, but he's failed at doing that and so is failing at being himself. He wonders if the only way to stay sane is to stay with Dad. Rose scoots in front of Frenchie and he still feels like all he wants to do is kiss her. They kiss, lie down together, and fall asleep.

They wake up in the middle of the night, listening to Miig singing and shaking a rattle. His voice moans and sounds pained. Frenchie leaves the tent and watches Miig sitting with a candle and a smudge, singing. When he finishes, he invites Frenchie to him. He asks Frenchie why he's up, and Frenchie nonchalantly says that he hasn't been in his tent yet. He blushes, and Miig kindly says that babies are important for the future and need to be born to families that want them. Frenchie squirms and then asks Miig if he's okay, since he's been strange since they arrived. Miig jokes, sighs, and says he's just tired of missing Isaac. Frenchie thinks of Miig pouring vials into the ground and says that after they get Minerva, they'll shut down the schools. Miig tells Frenchie that he knows he'll do that.