On the freezing outskirts of Netheryn, the narrator explains the exact conditions needed for a Moonplume egg to hatch. The egg must remain in the cold until it starts to rock, and then it must be packed with clumps of ice until the hatchling breaks free. The narrator must manage this process alone because Haedeon is unable to help.

The narrator found Haedeon at the bottom of a crevice, asleep while clutching his stolen Moonplume egg, with no use of his legs. When the narrator tried to go for Mahmi and Pahpi, Haedeon warned that taking the sleigh home alone would kill the narrator and doom the egg. Because of that warning, the narrator stays and takes responsibility for both Haedeon and the egg.

To keep them alive, the narrator builds a snow hut to shelter Haedeon while he sleeps and makes three solo trips to the hatching hut to move their supplies. Afterward, the narrator wakes Haedeon again and promises to drag him into the cold when the Moonplume begins to hatch so he can still bond with it. Haedeon touches the narrator’s face, says he loves the narrator, and says he is glad the narrator snuck onto his sleigh before falling back into a deep sleep.

As Haedeon keeps sleeping, the narrator grows afraid that he may never wake and may simply stop breathing. Although the fear nearly makes the narrator cry, the narrator forces themself to stay strong because Haedeon cannot. The chapter ends with the narrator deciding that if Haedeon dies, the narrator will not go home and will not leave him alone in the cold and dark, while quietly missing Mahmi and Pahpi.