The chapter opens with a description of Lachao's first meeting with Mary. He asks her what she wants from him, and she replies that she wants to protect him. He tells her that his brother is too weak to live on the surface, and that he will train him until he is strong enough to survive. Lachao tells him that the next town will be three days away, so he should make camp there. He says that the owls eat him and that the one-eyed man is also eating him. The owls are just messengers, and Lachao says that since he and his brother were traveling together, that makes Lachao another witness to the one -eyed man's conjugal relationship with the owl. He then tells Lachao that they are on their way to a coal mine, which means that someone will come pick them up if they wait. The tunnel leads to the mine, and they are about to enter it when they see a huge thing crawling up on the ceiling. They think that it is a kid who got lost in the tunnel, and are going to break the tunnel. They don't know why, but they think it is because the kid was riding in the back of the tunnel with a red head under him. They say that if they slow down, they will not have to wait for the kid to die. They thank Mary for saving them, and thanks again for her kindness.