Finding Sela and Muni spurred a desire in Flat Rocks to send out more scouting parties to search for survivors of the Ash Rain, and find and free anyone who was enslaved. Many opinions were voiced and options discussed about what to do. Should they look for survivors and try to avoid Violent Ones, or try to kill any Violent Ones they found and get rid of them?

Nagar, as much as her health would allow her, and Zura spoke passionately against violence, that it would only bring on more violence. They wanted Flat Rocks to continue to be a place where doing violence to others was not tolerated. Even those most in favour of killing Violent Ones had to agree that what they had at Flat Rocks was a good way to live.

The stories and songs told and sung around the bode fire every night were an inspiring reminder of what they had all been through, how they came together, and the ways of the new bode that they were forming. Though they had only lived together a short time, they already had a sizable repertoire of stories and encouraged new additions. They talked and sang about Tars finding Zura, Dagan, and Esri; finding Barsa and the group's long walk to Flat Rocks; the birth of Wilki-Dumu; Grilu's naming; and the first big, successful eland hunt, which generally prompted an extended retelling with many participants.

Some stories were repeated often and some more rarely, depending on the mood of the teller or the mood of the listeners. Some nights the stories were funny – Kai and Esri were particularly gifted at playing off of each other and giving animated, comical twists to their interactions, such as Kai taking and returning Esri's Huti stone, and their first antelope sighting and successful hunt.

Sometimes the bode spoke of the sad times, such as Dara's death and honoring others who had died and how they came back in dreams to visit. Zura encouraged remembering what gifts those people left behind. It might be knowledge, an object they made, or a story or song that was theirs.

Grilu began telling the story of losing his eye. At first he only spoke a few sentences. As he listened to others' stories, and thought about everything that had happened to him and what it might mean, the story grew longer and more elaborate. In time, it became a favorite at the bode fire. Hearing how Grilu's ghost cat saved his life enthralled listeners. It was a story Grilu would tell until he was old and in his End Days, and then it was retold by others long after he was gone.

Everyone was encouraged to start a new story or song, even the children and the newest to join the bode. One night, Sela spoke. "I want to tell a story."

She and Muni didn't run away anymore but they remained withdrawn and, since their first days at Flat Rocks, never spoke further about what they experienced with the Violent Ones.

Sela held Muni's hand. "I want to tell the story of how Muni and I ran away from the Violent Ones." Like Grilu, the first night she spoke, her story was short. But those first sentences were not about frightened children. It was a story of bravery and gave a glimpse of the spunky girl who, up until now, had been hiding from them.

The bodefire stories and songs spun the story of Flat Rocks. A bode where neither violence nor slavery were tolerated. All of the people had passed through difficult times, losing many loved ones. The bode they were rebuilding out of the remnants of the Ash Rain gave them hope. Living was difficult but less fearful and more joyful. It was a new start. In some ways, living was even better than before the Ash Rain. No one wanted to lose that. And most understood how much they owed to Zura and Nagar for how they began forging together their different bodes.

The bode decided that killing people, even Violent Ones, would not happen. They would look for other survivors, and free any they found who were enslaved. In particular, they wanted to find the two children who were taken from Sela and Muni's bode. But how to deal with Violent Ones? How do you stop people who only know violence?

During one of the discussions Esri said, "We all think slavery is not right. If we find more survivors, we should tell them how we live together, the things we said to Grilu at his Naming. No one is allowed to harm another, even if they are Elders. In my old community, we had some people who were allowed to treat others cruelly because they were keepers of knowledge or were bigger and stronger."

Nagar said, "That was also true at Flat Rocks."

Esri said, "It's better how we are living here now. I don't want that to change."

Barsa said, "The bode I came from was peaceful when I first lived there. It was one of the reasons I stopped my roaming when I was a young man."

Wilki said, "But it was starting to change."

Barsa said, "Yes, that's true. When I first came, there was a Council of three powerful Elders. Their word controlled what happened, and they fixed problems that came up. They did not allow weapons to be used against people, only for hunting. If two people had an argument, the Elders listened to both sides and decided what should happen. They were wise and respected. They did not use their power to acquire more than others or to favor those close to them or make people fearful."

Nat continued, "But, before the Ash Rain came, two of the Elders died and two new Elders were added to the Council. The new Elders were not wise like the old ones, and they began to demand larger portions of food gathered or hunted and decided arguments in favor of those closest to them. It was part of the reason we looked for a new living site. Of course, now they are all gone."

Barsa said, "But, it was good in the bode when the wise ones were alive. I think we now have wise ones on our Elders Council at Flat Rocks." He laughed. "I know that includes me, but I'm thinking about the others. Saba is still young but the rest of us are not. What will happen when we are gone?"

Nagar nodded, "I have been thinking about this. We want to bring more people into Flat Rocks, but we don't want to lose the peace we've found."

Tars said, "Things could have been very different if Zura, Dagan, and Esri had fought us when we found them, or if Dagan had not recognized Barsa and we had fought because we were too frightened to trust each other."

Zura said, "I believe that the Ancients helped us because we needed to find each other in order to survive. But I have no more roaming brothers." She smiled at Barsa. "It might be very different if we find another group of survivors."

Saba spoke, "I want to talk more about what Esri said about a kind of Naming for new people coming into Flat Rocks. Not that we give them a new name, but that we tell them how we live together and what we expect of them."

Barsa said, "And what we expect of each other and our Elders."

Kai said, "And if people don't agree?"

"Then they cannot stay," said Tars.

"If people see how we live, I think that even Violent Ones can change," said Nagar.

Piram said, "You can't change a Violent Ones' bode."

"I agree with Piram," said Tars. "If we find many Violent Ones, it will be difficult."

Nagar looked at Piram. "But not all those living in a Violent Ones' bode may want to stay with violent ways."

Esri noticed Piram make the slightest of nods as Nagar spoke.

Zura said, "We can put Guideposts in the Thinking Circle to show how we live at Flat Rocks, and use those Guideposts when we bring new people into the bode. We need to agree on what the Guideposts should mean. I know what is important to me but I want to hear from all of you." People began calling out many things from having no slaves to deciding who gets to sleep where.

Zura laughed, "So many things! Let's decide which are the most important to us. New people may have different ways of hunting or singing or many other things. If their ways of living don't harm anyone, they can keep doing them. But some things do harm others, like making people slaves or not sharing roots with someone who cannot gather for themselves."

The discussion lasted a long time. People talked for many days. One day, Nagar and Zura sat huddled together and that evening presented the following agreements to the bode:

• All knowledge is for all

• All provide food and warmth

• Those too young, too old, or too sick to provide will receive food and warmth

• Different ways of living are accepted if none are harmed

Nagar said, "These are the things we talked about the most, that people feel most strongly about. In time, there may be other Agreements we want to add."

Zura repeated the Agreements several times. People were quiet and listened closely. Everyone wanted assurance that what was most important to them was included.

Tars said, "These are good. If we live by these Agreements, the Flat Rocks bode will be a safe place for people."

Grilu pouted. "Safe, maybe, but what about singing? And, and stories?"

They looked at Grilu, many nodded. Nagar smiled, "Do we need another agreement?"

Esri sat next to Grilu. She cupped his head in her hands and said to him, "Not everyone sings or tells stories, Grilu, but what if we make an agreement about bringing smiles to others? Like you do. This could happen in many ways."

Grilu turned to Nagar. "Can we have an agreement that everyone brings smiles to the bode?"

Nagar looked around the group. Smiles turned to laughter and all agreed to include Grilu's agreement about bringing smiles to the bode.

When the group quieted, Nat spoke, "The Agreements are good, but I still worry if later we have bad Elders."

"Yes, you're right. We need to all watch that this doesn't happen," Nagar said.

Zura said, "I will put a marker in the Thinking Circle for each Agreement. Grilu, Sela, and Muni, as the youngest, you will live with the Agreements the longest. You can help me find good stones to mark our Agreements. We'll use them as Guideposts to tell new people about how we live at Flat Rocks and to receive their pledge to live by the Agreements."

Barsa said, "I want each of us to give our pledge too. We need to be strong together."

The next day they made a special feast and one-by-one, everyone vowed to follow the Agreements. While Wilki-Dumu couldn't promise he did burble and say "Mama" as Wilki made her pledge. His time would come with his Naming. They told stories, sang, and laughed well into the night.