Summary

In "Nina, Age 16," Nina recorded another St0ryte11er video, this time relaying her favorite of Grandma’s stories. In the story, "a coyote girl trapped the world's most beautiful ballad in a locket" (159). Eventually the coyote "learned how to survive without her mother's voice in the world" (164). Recounting the story made Nina cry.

In "Cottonmouth Meets the Scribes," Oli's ancestors "gave up living on Earth" generations before (165). When life on Earth became "too dangerous, too heartbreaking," they slithered back "through the burrow between worlds" (165). Because they had not lived there in so long, Oli often "forgot that Earth existed" (165). However, he also knew that he was still linked to life on Earth. Given Ami’s condition, this connection worried Oli. The healer had told Oli that there was little they could do for Ami. Oli realized he...