Last year, Chi' and her Temma had come to the lake to watch the birds but now Temma is gone and none of the birds pay any attention to her. And the sound of a loon especially makes Chi' feel like crying. The cranes come back in their season, but Temma is never coming back. Her momma is soon to have a baby, but Chi' is having a hard time being happy about it. Chi' misses her grandmother. Her parents help ease the pain of losing Temma and help Chi' to understand life and death as a part of nature. Chi' soon finds herself feeling comforted, knowing Temma will always be a part of her and looking forward to the new baby who will be a part of their lives. The new baby will arrive with the spring migration of the cranes and Chi' now anticipates both. The cranes that come back every year may not all be the same individual cranes.