Bez leads a small group into Farmplace in “the dead of night” (354), dividing them into teams to rob food stores rather than houses. Using stealth, they silence dogs and break into the storage huts, stealing wheat, cheese, apples, and meat. Bez’s group narrowly avoids detection and escapes after encountering a wild aurochs. The stolen food is shared with the vulnerable remnants of the tribe living in the last patch of West Wood, while the rest is carried back to the woodlanders’ hidden refuge. 

The thefts devastate the farmers. Pia hears that three families have lost winter stores, including precious wheat earned through exhausting labor. Troon is “coldly furious and determined” (358). He arms the Young Dogs, though he keeps his plans secret. Duff openly challenges Troon, accusing him of causing the crisis by destroying the woodlanders’ land. Troon silences him at knifepoint.

Bez’s tribe raids again, farther east, successfully stealing large quantities of food. However, as they return west in a sudden heavy rainstorm, they encounter a guarded cattle herd near the Break. Herders and dogs ambush them. The woodlanders flee into the wood, abandoning their stolen goods. Several are killed by arrows and the group scatters. Bez escapes with only a handful of survivors, realizing that living by theft is no longer sustainable. 

At dawn, Bez returns to the remnant of West Wood and discovers a massacre. The old people, children, pregnant woman, nursing mother, and baby who had remained there have all been murdered. Some were clubbed to death; others had their throats cut. Naro, the elder woman, lies dead with a wound over her heart. Bez is stunned by the “unbearably tragic” (363) sight and organizes the bodies respectfully in the clearing. 

Amid the devastation, Bez discovers that the nursing woman’s infant son is still alive, kept warm by his mother’s body. Overwhelmed but resolute, Bez takes the baby in his arms and feeds him from the dead mother’s breast to keep him alive. He decides to take the child to the neighboring Round Wood tribe, hoping they will accept him.

The surviving members of Bez’s tribe gather in the remnant of West Wood, grieving the massacre of their children and elders by the farmers’ Young Dogs. Bez argues that the balance of the world has been “destroyed” (366). He declares both herders and farmers guilty and concludes that restoring balance now requires killing both. He points out that all groups will be gathered at the Monument for the Midwinter Rite.

That same day, Joia prepares the Monument ceremony, acting as High Priestess due to Ello’s illness. Optimism briefly returns to the Great Plain. Rain has fallen, cattle are healthier, trade resumes, and people hope the drought is ending. Rumors of the massacre circulate widely, though the farmers claim to “know nothing about it” (368). 

During the Rite, Joia senses unease beneath the celebrations. A poet tells a story warning against human arrogance, emphasizing that cleverness, not domination, is humanity’s proper place. The tale resonates deeply with the audience. After the feast, Joia discovers that woodlanders have attacked the Monument. Two priestesses lie dead and the wooden structures are on fire. Bez leads the attackers. Joia confronts him directly and narrowly avoids being killed. Bez orders the woodlanders to withdraw and declares that the gods demand balance. They rush toward Riverbend. Joia tries in vain to extinguish the fire, realizing the Monument cannot be saved.

In Riverbend, the woodlanders attack those taking part in the revel. Seft kills a woodlander in blind fury while defending himself, then fights alongside Neen to protect their children. By dawn, the woodlanders have retreated, leaving dead on both sides. The elders meet amid smoke from cremations. Scagga calls for extermination of the remaining woodlanders and Ani, with no alternative left, cannot stop him. Bez, mortally wounded during the raid, lies dying with Gida in West Wood. He reflects on the joy and freedom of woodlander life and accepts its end. He dies quietly, leaving only memories and his necklace of bear’s teeth. 

Scagga leads an armed march to annihilate the surviving woodlanders. Joia follows, feeling that the “festive mood [is] grotesquely inappropriate” (381). They find no one alive. Joia explains the massacre that occurred there and shows Bez’s necklace, proving he is already dead. She leads the herders in a mourning song, a “lament for the people who now lay, silent forever, beneath the soil of their ruined homeland” (383).

For Joia, the sight of the burned Monument is “heartbreaking” (384). Although it was not completely destroyed, its scorched timbers threaten the continuity of ritual life. Joia recognizes three urgent needs: repair the Monument quickly, resume ceremonies, and reaffirm its central role in the society of the Great Plains. She remains convinced that rebuilding it in stone is essential to prevent future destruction. 

Ello, still High Priestess but weak and disengaged, resists Joia’s urgency. She is willing to let ceremonies lapse temporarily, a suggestion Joia finds dangerous. Joia argues that neglecting ritual will erode the priestesses’ authority and social purpose. Though Ello remains unenthusiastic, she allows Joia to proceed. Joia immediately rallies the priestesses, who respond with energy and relief. Together they begin salvaging and re-erecting usable timbers, restoring order from chaos. 

During this work Joia discovers a hidden sophistication in the Monument’s design: Each crossbar was individually fitted to specific uprights. The damage makes reassembly difficult, but Seft provides a practical solution by reversing the crossbars and cutting new sockets. With his help and that of his son Ilian, repairs continue.

Despite these efforts, the Spring Rite is poorly attended. Traders stay away, fearing further violence, and rumors spread that the Monument is “cursed” (389). Ani grows alarmed as both trade and ritual prestige decline. Meanwhile, Troon exploits the moment by announcing a separate farmer feast at Midsummer, challenging the herders’ gathering. He sends women, including Pia, to spread the word, forcing them to leave their children behind as leverage. 

Pia begins to open her heart to Duff, acknowledging that while she will always love Han, she may be able to love again “in a different way” (392). Their relationship begins gently. As the herders’ Midsummer Rite approaches, attendance is thin, but the ceremony itself is beautiful, especially the refined singing Joia has trained. 

Soon after, Ello dies peacefully. The priestesses unanimously turn to Joia. She accepts only on her own terms, insisting that they commit to rebuilding the Monument into something “spectacular” (400). Her speech galvanizes them. With shared resolve and courage, the priestesses acclaim Joia as the new High Priestess.

Seft reflects on his contentment in Riverbend, his love for Neen and their children, and his deep respect for Joia, whose intelligence and courage he admires. When Joia, newly installed as High Priestess, asks him to meet at the Monument, she states plainly that the damaged structure is costing the priestesses respect, so she wants to launch a “holy mission” (402). She announces that the time has come to begin work with stone. 

Seft is elated and immediately begins considering the technical requirements, from digging deeper post holes to recruiting large numbers of volunteers. Joia outlines her plan to appeal for volunteers at the next Midsummer Rite, framing the project as both sacred duty and adventure. Seft cautions that the elders’ consent is essential, since opposition could undermine participation. Joia reluctantly agrees and asks Ani to present the proposal. 

At the elders’ meeting, Ani argues that rebuilding the Monument in stone would restore prestige, trade, and unity. However, Keff and the others reject the plan, citing “too many uncertainties” (406), including time, labor, and logistics. Seft is deeply disappointed, but Joia refuses to abandon the idea. She proposes a compromise: moving just one stone to prove feasibility and answer the elders’ questions. This time, the elders consent.

Preparation begins immediately. Joia organizes the priestesses to make ropes from honeysuckle vines under the supervision of expert ropemakers Ev and Fee. They carefully calculate rope length and thickness based on the size of the stones and the number of pullers required. Meanwhile, Joia and Seft travel to Stony Valley to survey the route and plan stopping points, food supply, and path improvements. The settlement at Stony Valley has grown, with timber stockpiled and tools prepared. 

Seft shows Joia the completed sled, an enormous wooden structure designed to carry a stone smoothly across uneven ground. He believes it can transport a stone to the Monument in two days. They test lifting and shaping a stone, confirming that flattening its surfaces is possible, though time-consuming. Woodland survivors observe the work with awe, including Lali, who translates Joia’s explanation of the project to her new tribe. 

Scagga and Jara arrive to challenge the undertaking, arguing that the people are “wasting their time” (417). Seft firmly defends the project and Joia boldly claims the stone can be moved in four days. Scagga storms off to the elders, but Joia follows and successfully defends the plan. With Scagga unable to counter her evidence, Keff confirms that the work may continue, allowing the project to move forward.

In the days before the Rite, Joia anxiously counts arrivals, knowing that at least 200 strong adults are needed. Attendance steadily increases, suggesting that curiosity about the Monument has revived interest after the farmer feast challenge. Seft completes the prepared track from the Monument toward Stony Valley, reinforcing steep sections with embedded logs. Chack and Melly organize food supplies and cooking stations along the route, ensuring that volunteers can be fed for four demanding days. 

Joia carefully plans her appeal. She instructs the priestesses to stir excitement without revealing details, making people “curious and expectant” (422). On the morning of the Rite, she estimates the crowd at around 600 people. After leading a flawless sunrise ceremony, she takes an unprecedented step by climbing onto a crossbar and addressing the assembly directly. She announces the discovery of the “biggest stone in the world” (426) and invites fit, adventurous people to join her on a sacred journey to see it and bring it back to the Monument. Her speech builds momentum, transforming curiosity into enthusiasm, and she ends by calling for volunteers to gather at dawn the next day. The response is loud and encouraging, though Joia privately worries whether commitment will hold.

Behind the scenes, Scagga moves to hinder the project. He confronts Ani and Keff, arguing that Joia’s plan risks removing too many workers from daily labor. The elders agree to impose a limit of 90 volunteers, far fewer than needed. Scagga delivers the restriction to Joia that evening, clearly pleased. Joia outwardly protests mildly but quickly realizes that enforcement will be nearly impossible once hundreds of eager volunteers assemble. She decides not to challenge the order immediately, instead planning to let events overwhelm Scagga’s authority. 

As preparations continue, Joia roasts a salted pig to support goodwill and seeks out Seft. She tells him of the imposed limit. Seft immediately understands her strategy and agrees that they should “just ignore them” (431).