Wild Bird

Wren and Dvorka find a pool of water amongst the rocks near the riverbed. They drink from it using plastic tubing like a straw. Dvorak breaks out canned peaches, crackers, and peanut butter in celebration of Wren’s first water discovery. Afterward, they dig holes in the riverbed to find more water, and Dvorka shows Wren how to collect it in her billypot, filter it through her bandanna, and treat it with purification tablets. Dvorka gives Wren a stash of tablets to keep with her, and when Wren collects more water in the billypot to purify later, Dvorka compliments the smart decision.

On the way back, Wren asks Dvorka how she can advance to Coyote, and Dvorka reveals that Wren must master both water and fire. All the instructions are in the handbook, but mastering fire is particularly challenging. However, Dvorka suggests Wren might be “willful” enough to get it done quickly, and Wren marvels at this new, positive way of viewing herself. Back at the camp, Dvorka provides Wren with enough dry rations for one more night as a reward for her good work that day, and Wren resolves to master fire within a day.

Wren looks through the handbook to find instructions on how to make fire and comes across a calendar. She realizes that she will be in camp on May 22, her 15th birthday. Wren remembers her mother’s 40th birthday in January; her father gave her $40 to buy her mother a gift, asking Wren to be thoughtful for her mother’s big birthday.

Wren intended to buy her mother a nice gift, but Meadow convinced her to get a belly button piercing with the money and shoplift the gift instead. Wren attempted to steal a cheap glass bird, but she got caught, and Meadow ran away, leaving her to deal with the consequences alone. Wren’s parents were furious and disappointed. Back in the present moment, Wren believes that being forced to spend her birthday in camp is her family’s way of getting revenge for the fact that she ruined her mother’s birthday.

Still furious at her parents for sending her to camp, Wren looks through the handbook again, determined to learn how to make fire and shed the lowly status of being a Rabbit. After reading the detailed instructions, she sets out to find supplies for what she will need, and Michelle tags along. Initially grumpy and resistant to the counselor’s attentions, Wren eventually allows Michelle to offer advice so that she can collect and fashion what she needs from the wilderness.

Wren eventually returns to camp with everything she needs except for cordage, which the handbook indicates is already provided. The sun is setting, and Wren knows what the exact time is because the calendar in the handbook details the timings of sunrise and sunset every day; this information makes her feel “anchored.”

Later that evening, the other girls excitedly welcome a man named Mokov, who visits the camp. Dvorka calls Wren to join in, asserting that she will not want to miss “story time” with Mokov. He is of Paiute heritage and often retells the legends of his culture. The girls gather around him as he advises them to let anger go in favor of forgiveness, before retelling shortened versions of traditional Paiute legends. As Wren is lulled into calm by Mokov’s voice while he tells one story after another, she tears up as she remembers how her mother used to sing lullabies to her when she was younger.

Wren wakes up early the next morning, determined to find the cordage she has been issued. For the first time in her life, she cleans and organizes her space without being told, but she is still unable to find any cordage. John refuses to give her any additional supplies, and Wren is frustrated until she realizes that she can use her bootlaces as cordage. She excitedly gathers her things and rushes to make fire, but her first attempt at doing so is a failure. Michelle arrives and offers advice and instruction to improve Wren’s numerous attempts, but Wren gets more and more frustrated with her lack of success. She lashes out at Michelle, who walks away after calmly asserting that Wren will eventually figure it out. She also suggests that Wren eat something.

As Wren sits against a juniper tree and eats cold oatmeal, she suddenly hears footsteps behind her. Dax appears, and after snatching up Wren’s canteen of water, he makes a run for it across camp and into the desert. The other girls are excited to see a boy in their midst, and as they watch John chase after him, Wren tells them his name and relates that she rode with Dax from the airport. One of the Coyotes breaks the rules by talking to Wren, asking her to quickly make a fire and join them because they are waiting for her. Feeling uplifted by the knowledge that the other girls are rooting for her, Wren attempts to make a fire, and the other girls cheer her on by clanging on their billypots like drums. Wren is finally successful, and she yells triumphantly and does “a little dance while the billypot drums go wild” (116).

As part of the ritual for advancing from Rabbit to Coyote, Wren treks blindfolded with the other Coyotes and Michelle to a secret spot and finds three older girls who introduce themselves and share their stories. Seventeen-year-old Mia was abandoned by her mother and abused by her uncle before getting into drugs and trying to kill her uncle; her church pastor took up a collection to send her to camp. Shalayne’s parents are divorced and used her to fight battles between them, leading her to start drinking and smoking marijuana at age 13; she was sent to camp after she tried to burn down her father’s new house when he got remarried. Hannah, who is 16, grew up with a mother who is addicted to alcohol; this led her to start drinking when she was only eight, she eventually started abusing drugs as well. Her father came back into her life some months ago, and when nothing else worked, he sent her to camp.

Wren is terrified of sharing her story. The girls encourage her, noting that everyone present, including Michelle, was once in her position. Wren finally recounts her tale and realizes that her experience does not reflect the level of tragedy that the other girls have endured. She relates the loneliness she felt when her family relocated, along with her decision to start smoking weed in the sixth grade and the progression to abusing alcohol, stealing, and lying. The narrative reveals that when her sister told on her, Wren went “ballistic,” and was sent to camp as a result. After finally confessing the truth, Wren is disgusted by how weak she feels.

As part of the ritual, Mia asks Wren what she brings to the group. She is confused about what to say, but Michelle asserts that she is “tenacious, determined, and strong” (122), and reminds her of her close relationship with Mo. Wren tentatively reveals that she used to entertain her brother by reading him Disney stories, and the girls get excited, sharing their own favorite ones. Michelle points out that Wren’s talent is telling stories, and Mia offers Wren a sprig of sage, inviting her to walk with the Coyotes and be their “storyteller.” Wren is given a corded necklace with a white bead; she will someday get a yellow bead when she advances to Elk, and an orange for Falcon. As the girls eat chocolate together, Wren reflects on how labels like “willful” and “storyteller” are considered good things here, as opposed to the negative connotations they had back home.

The narrative relates Wren’s memories of the first time her mother accused her of “telling stories.” In the flashback, Wren’s mother asks if she has borrowed her diamond necklace. Because Wren has stolen and sold it, there is no chance of it being returned, so Wren lies and accuses Annabella, who wants to wear it to her winter formal. Realizing that it is too risky to steal her parents’ things, Wren takes Meadow’s advice and starts stealing small amounts of money from her parents instead.

The narrative relates an earlier time in Wren’s life. After the move to Los Angeles, the family begins drifting apart. Both parents now work longer hours, her brother is in after-school daycare, and Annabella is busy with her friends. Wren’s parents are too busy to do home-cooked family dinners anymore, and they do not notice that Wren and Annabella are fighting, or that Mo is waking up crying every night in his new room. Wren goes into Mo’s room and soothes him with a story every time.

The narrative also relates another moment from Wren’s past. After first time Wren’s mother notices that money is missing, Wren stops stealing for a while and is more careful when she resumes her thefts. However, one day, Annabella points out that Wren is wearing an expensive new hoodie. Although Wren claims that Meadow lent it to her, Annabella is not convinced and is determined to prove that Wren has been stealing money.

The same day in the past, Meadow tells Wren that her parents know she has been stealing their marijuana; consequently, they have hidden their supply. Meadow knows a different way to find more marijuana but insists that Wren must start paying for it. Unable to bear the thought of not being able to smoke, Wren decides to keep stealing, but she has to be careful because Annabella is watching her closely. Wren suspects that Annabella is setting a trap for her and decides to turn the tables on her sister. She pretends to slip down to the alcove where their mother keeps her purse, then doubles back when Annabella rushes down after her. Wren then calls out to her parents when Annabella is checking the wallet, making it look like Annabella has been stealing the money.