Connection to Nature
The narrator introduces a tribe of mythical creatures that have a profound connection to the environment. As guardians of the natural world, the Faeran people blend with their surroundings and consider nature as part of them. The imagery of the world through their perspective highlights their sense of duty that aligns with their purpose:
“Willa stopped at the edge of the forest and blended her skin into the surrounding textures of green. Tendrils of leaves wrapped around her. She became all but invisible. The soft sounds of the night’s insects and frogs surrounded her. But she stayed alert, wary of beady-eyed dogs, hidden watchmen, and other dangers. She gazed toward the lair of the homesteaders. They had built it with the cut-up carcasses of murdered trees nailed one to the other in long slabs. The bodies of the dead trees made flat walls with square corners, unlike anything else in the forest.”
Precious Loot
The padaran leader has turned the young people of the Faeran tribe into thieves who steal from the day-folks. They are trained to be clandestine in their activities and gather as many valuable objects as they can. Willa learns about things in the human world that she has never seen or encountered before. In this case, she finds a gold ring that fascinates her as she comprehends its value:
“The book had a short, single-word title that she could not read. Sitting on the book there was a gold ring. She picked up the ring and held it up in the moonlight that shone through the window. It was one of the most beautiful day-folk things she had ever seen. What is this gleaming thing for? she wondered. What is its magic? Noticing a glint of light out of the corner of her eye, she looked over toward the bed. The sleeping man wore an identical gold ring on the third finger of his left hand. She knew she should take the gold ring from the dresser and run as fast as she could.”
Edge of the Lake
During her escapades in the woods, Willa takes notice of the natural world that surrounds her. The narrative highlights the deeper connection that exists with Faeran people particularly Willa since she notices the subtle details. For example, the imagery of bears basking along the edge of the water:
“Noticing a dark shape moving down the slope, she turned to see the old, sickened bear making its way toward the sandy shore of the lake. The bear lumbered into the water, and then sunk its body down into it, grunting air through its nose in sounds of immense relief. The water seemed to soothe the pain of its aching body. Willa looked along the edge of the lake. There were other bears, too, many of them brown or black, but others cinnamon or blue-gray, all up and down the shore, some of them swimming or wallowing in the water, others just sitting in the wet sand at the water’s edge.”
Day-folk Prison
Willa learns the extent of human cruelty the more she observes the reality of their society. The encounter at the prison displays the brutality against their own kind contrary to her former beliefs. These instances allow Willa to sympathize with some of the day-folk towards a common goal:
“But as she made her way up the corridor, she passed many cell doors and caught glimpses of faces in the woven-stick walls. They were strange white faces with blue eyes and brown eyes looking out at her as she passed, their spidery white fingers clinging to the sticks that bound them. Many more day-folk boys and girls had been trapped in tiny, dark prison holes. The faces were dirty with filth and gaunt with hunger. Some of them were bloody or disfigured by wounds. Her stomach churned with tight, twisting confusion as she pushed herself on.”
