Wild Bird

Wren marks her 50th day at camp with 10 groups of five tally marks on her pants—it is also her birthday. Hannah gives her a set of handmade yucca-leaf paintbrushes inside a pouch woven of long grasses, and with Michelle’s permission, the girls hike out together to paint. Wren finds another feather to add to the growing collection of feathers in her braid. In honor of Wren’s desire to be someone who remembers to look up, Hannah finds the perfect thing for them to paint: a pair of trees growing out of opposite sides of the canyon walls, their trunks turning at 90-degree angles toward the sun.

Wren and Hannah return to a surprise birthday cake that was cooked in the Dutch oven. The girls fawn over Wren’s painting of the trees, and John and the Coyotes perform a slam poetry piece in honor of Wren’s birthday. Wren remembers how angry she initially was when she discovered that her birthday would be spent in the wild; now, however, as she blows out her birthday candles, she wishes that every birthday of hers will turn out like this one.

The next day is Hannah’s last day. The group strikes camp and travels to a resupply point, where Hannah and Wren are both thrilled to see Silver Hawk. As Wren collects water, Silver Hawk tells her that he heard about the wild coyotes. He reveals that Mokov was on a ledge above her the entire time, and she earned his respect. Wren realizes that this is why she was immediately moved up to Elk when she returned from her quest. Silver Hawk suggests that perhaps she can influence someone who is currently seated in the cab of his truck; Wren walks around to find Dax there again. He looks pained and worn out, and Wren encourages him to stick it out this time. Dax promises that he will. He reveals that the judge has said this is his last chance, but even as he says this, Wren can tell that he is looking for a way to escape.

The group arrives at camp in the early evening. Hannah’s father arrives as well; as per the ritual, she and her father set up in a side-camp for the night, and Wren misses having her next door. Wren receives a fresh supply of mail, which she has begun looking forward to, and reads through the letters slowly. Mo’s letter expresses his excitement at Wren’s recent adventure. He claims that his friends think Wren is a “warrior” for fighting off the coyotes, which thrills Wren. There is also a birthday card signed by everyone in the family and a handwritten letter from her mother that especially touches Wren.

Wren’s mother offers her own reflections on everything Wren has said and expresses her desire to help Wren find things that she cares about. She has signed Wren up to be a youth counselor at a summer camp, which Mo and his friends will also be attending; this excites Wren. She writes back, accepting the plan for summer camp but declining her mother’s offer to change schools. After seeing Dax, Wren is convinced that running away is not the solution.

Wren feels lonely without Hannah, but the girls have promised to stay in touch, and Wren writes Hannah a letter as soon as the latter girl leaves. Wren finally advances to Falcon, and soon it is her turn to host a member of her family. Wren assumes it will be her father, since he actually enjoys camping, and she spends the day setting up a side-camp in the location that Michelle shows her. To Wren’s surprise and delight, her entire family, including Annabella and Mo, turn up.

Wren’s family is stunned by Wren’s appearance. Annabella and Mo assert that she looks like a “warrior.” Her mother asks her if there was a moment or event that sparked the change, and Wren reflects that it might have been starting her first fire, because when building a bow-drill fire, “it’s the point when you’re sure it won’t light that you need to bear down and keep going” (310). As Wren’s parents talk to Tara, Wren takes in her surroundings and reflects on how grateful she is for her time in the desert. Mo breaks her out of her reverie, asking what they’re going to do. Reflecting on everything she has learned, Wren asserts that they will begin with starting a fire.