Sejanus is supportive of Coriolanus's test results, which have been sent to the Capitol for grading.
Coriolanus spends his guard duty shift contemplating his relationship with Lucy Gray, feeling jealous about Billy Taupe, and wishing to be with her instead of his dull duty.
Coriolanus writes thank-you notes to Ma and Pluribus, asks for strings for Lucy Gray, and then sleeps deeply.
Due to the summer heat, Coriolanus faces discomfort in daily tasks like kitchen duty and worries about smelling of onions for Lucy Gray.
During training drills, Coriolanus deals with a heat rash and Beanpole collapses, leading Coriolanus to visit the clinic.
Coriolanus feels relieved working with birds in the afternoon because they do not leave a lingering smell.
In the forest, Coriolanus learns that his partner Bug has impressed Dr. Kay with his agility, so he has to work in tandem with her.
Dr. Kay quizzes Coriolanus about his thoughts on the districts and they discuss the jabberjays and the history of their use in the war.
Dr. Kay demonstrates how jabberjays record and mimic human speech but not background noises, impressing Coriolanus.
Coriolanus learns about the jabberjays' capabilities, limitations, and how the rebels might have discovered their purpose during the war.
While discussing the new species, mockingjays, Dr. Kay hints at wanting to study them, disturbing Coriolanus who feels they are unnatural and should be eliminated.
Dr. Kay and Coriolanus converse about mockingjays' ability to mimic tunes and discuss a potential experiment to see if they can reproduce with each other.
Despite catching many jabberjays, they fail to trap any mockingjays, which Dr. Kay attributes to their wild nature.
Coriolanus and Bug assist the scientists with setting up a temporary home for the birds and agree to help care for them.
During a hailstorm, Coriolanus and Sejanus engage in a playful ice ball fight before heading to breakfast.
Coriolanus and Bug spend the afternoon caring for the jabberjays in a surprisingly cooler environment, which eases Coriolanus's heat rash.
After realizing the jabberjays retain the ability to respond to audio commands, Bug questions if that is good for them, and Coriolanus reassures him about the scientists' care.
Coriolanus struggles with whether to continue seeing Lucy Gray after her performance or to return to the base for curfew, ultimately deciding against waiting.
Coriolanus is invited by Lucy Gray to join her and Sejanus for a swim at the lake the next day.
Maude Ivory performs a special song, entitled after Lucy Gray, which seems to concern a lost child in a storm and Coriolanus initially misunderstands the meaning.
Coriolanus feels frustrated trying to interpret Maude Ivory's song but resigns himself to praising it tomorrow, while Sejanus disappears.