A Whale of the Wild

The narrative shifts to Deneb’s perspective. Seeing the majestic blue whale gives him courage, and he’s certain that Vega is the bravest wayfinder ever because she dares to explore the ocean’s depths. He’s ravenous, but he remains confident that his sister will find salmon. After a few days of traveling alone, they detect a group of orcas in the distance. Deneb thinks the whales are their relatives and wants to go to them, but Vega hesitates. He suppresses his impatience and instead encourages his sister to take deep breaths. She recalls Greatmother telling her a story about the Vanished Ones, a branch of their family “who strayed into the wild and never came back” (131). She wonders if this pod could be them. Vega and Deneb exchange introductions with the other orcas, who invite the siblings to travel with them. Deneb befriends one of the younglings and plays with him.

The narrative moves back to Vega’s point of view. She’s relieved to be surrounded by other wayfinders even though she doesn’t quite understand the language her long-lost relatives speak.