Willodeen

Before Chapter 28 begins, the section from the screecher’s perspective matches Quinby’s current experience. Quinby wakes in the middle of the night, snuggled with Willodeen and Duuzuu and feeling content. At first, the strange creatures frightened her, but they gave her food, water, and kindness, so she decides to trust them. Being alive is difficult, but “it seems to be full of possibilities” that she wants to experience (166).

After a difficult morning trying to unearth more peacock snails, Connor builds a harness so they can bring Quinby out to hunt her own food. Quinby is much better at finding and digging up the snails, and she eats until she’s full. Connor and Willodeen watch, amazed at how efficient the process is. They aren’t sure how to tell what a happy screecher looks like, but they’re “pretty sure we carried one home that afternoon” (176).

Willodeen and Connor develop a morning routine of taking Quinby snail hunting. Quinby grows quickly and starts to look like a fierce creature and not a cute baby. Willodeen wonders why Quinby doesn’t screech at night. One day, there’s a family of hummingbears in their willow grove, chewing the leaves and blowing bubbles to make their nests.