Chapter Fourteen: Leah and Falada. Help Her. A Meeting on the Road. Wolfies. Two Moons.

Summary

• The chapter begins with the author describing his conversation with Leah, the ventriloquist farm girl who communicates using a horse called Falada as a voice. The author has fallen in love with her and wishes he could kiss her, despite her lack of mouth.
• Leah and Falada reveal themselves, their background and subtly interrogate the author about his journey and motives. Leah, despite her appearance, was a princess and is the last of her family left after a tragedy. Leah instructs the author to follow specific marks if he wishes to reach the city where he can potentially rejuvenate his friend’s dog.
• After speaking with Leah, the author encounters a gray man and woman who are traveling. They ask him for a token which they could exchange for new shoes as they’ve given theirs to Dora to repair. He provides them with the shoe-token and they tell him the name of the land is Empis.
• Upon his return to Dora’s House of Shoes, he shares the details of his interaction with Leah. Dora approves of his plan to follow the network of Leah and her ‘tokens’ to try and rejuvenate his friend’s dog. However, he plans to improve his strategy before setting out again.
• The author ends the day with dinner, during which wolves howl in the distance and Dora can’t unlock the door to her room so the author takes on this task. He discovers that there are two moons in this world. After dinner, Dora goes to bed while the author curls up with Radar by the fireplace, contemplating his newfound realities and conflict of interests.

• The main character is shown a framed photo of Mr. Bowditch and Radar, a puppy, by Dora who reverently places it next to the sneakers that the character observed earlier.
• The character explores the neat, clean privy in Dora's house, washing up and noting the absence of any unpleasant smells. The house emits a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
• When the character finishes, they find Dora and Radar asleep and gets settled onto their own bed, made from a series of blankets. They observe the warmth from the fireplace embers and the calming noises outside.
• The character reflects on the strangeness of their situation - being in a different land, Empis, with two moons and a place filled with magic and suffering. They speculate on a potential curse causing illness amongst the inhabitants.
• The character ponders on the reasons behind the direction from which people approach Dora's house and the potential dangers of a speculated 'rolling curse' or radiation from the city- potentially causing skin and voice ailments.
• There are speculations about the safety of the character's journey with Rades, particularly in relation to the potential dangers of the 'rolling curse'.
• The character remembers being told to 'help her' and wonders how they could possibly help a mouthless princess. They admit they have no ideas to help her, and they're not a prince who could potentially work magic in fairy tales.
• As the character falls asleep watching the fireplace embers, Radar moves to sleep next to them, providing warmth.