The Barren Grounds

Morgan has the same dream about her mother, but this time she is the baby and feels her mother’s love. In her dream, she hears a knock on the door, and a man and woman burst inside and take Morgan from her mom. Morgan wakes up screaming, which wakes everyone else up. Ochek, Arik and Eli say she was screaming “Mwach,” which means “no” in Cree. Morgan doesn’t speak Cree and says she wasn’t screaming that. She goes outside because she is upset and spots wolf tracks that circle their tent and then lead back to the mountains. The others look at the tracks, and despite their fear they decide to keep going.

On their way up the mountain, everyone is jumpy because they are looking for the wolf and sometimes catch glimpses of him. When they stop for lunch, Ochek teaches Morgan how to make a fire in the snow. After they eat, they find the wolf blocking their path to the top of the mountain. The wolf tells them to go back to Misewa and die. Ochek calls the wolf a traitor for betraying his kind and going to live with the man. Ochek says there is still time for the wolf to change sides, but the wolf says he prefers living in the Green Time year-round. The wolf gives Ochek, Arik, Eli, and Morgan a choice: He will give them until they reach the summit at nightfall to turn back, and if they don’t, he will kill them. The wolf disappears with these words. The group wonders why the wolf didn’t kill them there, and Ochek suggests that the wolf feels guilty. The group keeps climbing, but they worry about the wolf’s threat.

On the third day of their journey, Ochek, Arik, Morgan, and Eli reach the summit of the mountain, where they make camp under a giant sequoia. From the edge of the summit, they can see the Green Time a few miles away. When they spot the man’s cabin, which is on an island in the middle of a lake, they see light shining from it and know this is where the summer birds are. The group believes that they can free the birds the next day.

In the tent, Ochek tells the story of what he was doing when the summer birds went missing. His father was still alive and was going to take him hunting during the Green Time, but when they woke up everything was white: The man had taken the summer birds and fled. Eli recalls hunting with his father and how proud his father was when Eli caught his first bird. Listening to these stories, Morgan realizes she misses her mom, and she goes to sleep thinking about this.

Morgan wakes up to the wolf dragging Eli out of the tent. Ochek and Arik are barely awake, and Morgan knows she must go after Eli. Morgan follows the wolf into the woods with a piece of firewood in hand. When Morgan reaches the wolf, who is standing on Eli, she hits the wolf with the wood and he lets Eli go. Morgan throws the wood at the wolf to delay him as Eli and she run back to the hut. In the clearing, Ochek and Arik are armed and ready. Ochek and the wolf fight. Arik saves Ochek’s life with her staff, and this gives Ochek the chance to gravely wound the wolf with his hatchet. Ochek gets ready to kill the wolf, but Eli stops him. The wolf asks for forgiveness, but when Ochek hesitates, the wolf tells him to kill him. Ochek shows mercy by not killing the wolf; then he picks up the wolf and takes him inside the hut.

Ochek tends to the wolf’s wounds, and Morgan questions whether Eli and she did the right thing by saving the wolf’s life; the wolf could still stalk them. Eli is terrified from his experience, and Morgan hugs him. Eli says that he doesn’t want anyone to die. Ochek cares for the wolf, who struggles to breathe and loses a lot of blood. Arik applies pressure on the wound, staying put when the wolf tries to swat her away. The wolf asks why they care if he lives and taunts Eli for not wanting him to die. Arik changes the wolf’s dressing, and Ochek gives him tea. The wolf continues to lash out, saying that while he might be mean, he is at least not weak like Eli; the wolf predicts that the world will change Eli. Eli says the wolf himself can still change, and the wolf goes to sleep without replying.

In the morning, the group packs up and leaves the wolf in the hut. Ochek warns the wolf against following them, but the wolf threatens them again. Eli hangs back to talk to the wolf, and Morgan eavesdrops. The wolf threatens Eli’s life, but Eli changes the wolf’s bandages anyway, and the wolf asks for his name. Eli tells him and asks the wolf’s name, which is Mahihkan. Eli leaves the wolf and rejoins the group.

As Ochek, Arik, Morgan, and Eli climb down the mountain, the weather changes from winter to spring. Ochek reminiscences about the old times, and Eli says it feels like home. Traveling further, they see a path and fresh water. When they reach the end of the White Time, Ochek cries. Eli starts a snowball fight, and the group relaxes and has fun. They continue slowly, with Ochek stopping to pull sweetgrass, eat berries, and collect leaves and bark.

When they are close to the lake, Ochek realizes that the man has killed all the game and ruined the land; Ochek remarks that this is what humans do. Morgan gets defensive and says that not all humans are the same. Ochek agrees and says that Indigenous people care for the land. Ochek says Morgan and Eli should go back, where they will be safe and can tell stories of Misewa. Morgan knows they must protect this land—the one place where she’s felt safe and at home—but she’s worried about protecting Eli. Eli says he wants to help, dispelling Morgan’s reluctance. Ochek extends his paw and Morgan takes it.