Who Fears Death

Onye notices the sandstorm just in time. She calls to Mwita; they all secure their things, cover themselves as best as they can, and huddle together. As they ride out the storm, Mwita asks Onye if she’s ever heard of the Red People, “People of the sand [… who] travel in a giant dust storm” (250); she tells him that she hasn’t.

After an hour, the wind suddenly dies down, and they find themselves in the eye of the storm, miles wide, and are greeted by the Red People, also known as the Vah. The woman who greets them, Chieftess Sessa, has heard of them and their travels. After introducing themselves, the chieftess tells them that they intend to stay there until the next pregnant moon, three weeks from then, and that the group is welcome to remain with them, as well.

Onye and the others reset their tents as they were before the storm came while the Vah, “like the expert nomads they were,” set their own homes back up into the village of Ssolu. In the evening, the chief and chieftess invite them to their settling feast, though Chief Usson claims it’s an order as much as an invitation.