In the sacred grounds on the west side of Mount Sunala, Alptraum encounters a poacher trying to chase down his two hunting groks, who are chasing a third grok. Alptraum dismisses the youngster and his pets before anyone can be alerted, and earns himself a new friend (of sorts) in the limping old grok that he's helped out.

Yodhgorphat Phlagaea arrives to wish Alptraum a happy birthday, explaining that in Babelite tradition, a holiday starts at sundown. She also explains that she found out about Alptraum's birthday by threatening a Yodhsunala acolyte – and that said acolyte plans to kill herself for divulging such private information to a Yodhgorphat.

This revelation horrifies Alptraum, and he rushes to try to intervene, but fails. However, he has a strange interlude, as he watches the girl fall, in which it seems that a voice might be speaking to him – perhaps the voice of Sunala, or something/someone else? In any case, the girl somehow survives the fall. The Yodhsunala who arrive at the scene bid Alptraum and Phlagaea to leave – and not to speak a word of what they've seen to anyone.

Phlagaea shows Alptraum a secret back entrance into the Temple of Gorphat (not that anyone in their right mind would want to go there), and along the way they pass through a dungeon, where the foppish fox bard (also known as Victor Reynard) is a prisoner. Alptraum is granted a "boon" by Phlagaea and the Yodhgorphat, and he decides to use it to ask for Reynard's freedom. (He gets it, though the Yodhgorphat aren't certain just why he'd ask for such a thing.)