Paul waits alone on the sand for the wild maker he has summoned for his riding test. Remembering Stilgar’s instructions, Paul places his maker hooks into a ring segment at the crucial moment, mounts the worm, and forces the creature to roll upward instead of crushing him. Once Paul is upright on the worm, the rest of the troop climbs aboard behind him.

Stilgar immediately undercuts Paul’s triumph by pointing out that Paul waited too near drumsand and failed to assign a secondary rider to take over if the worm turned badly. Paul’s anger rises, but Paul accepts the criticism because Stilgar is right: the Fremen survive by working together. Paul then demonstrates that Paul can read the worm’s scales, shift its direction, and command steersmen, earning recognition as a sandrider.

Because Paul is now the mudir of the sandride, Paul claims the right to choose their destination and orders the troop south for twenty thumpers. Stilgar expects a raid against nearby Harkonnen targets and recognizes that Paul’s decision touches the growing unrest among younger Fremen who want Paul to challenge Stilgar. When Stilgar speaks of a Gathering, Paul understands that Stilgar believes Paul may call him out, though Paul wants to avoid killing Stilgar if any other path can help prevent the jihad Paul foresees.

As they approach Habbanya Ridge, Paul and Stilgar discuss camping at the Cave of Birds. Stilgar admits the tension between knowing Paul as Usul, a trusted sietch companion, and seeing him as Paul-Muad’Dib, Duke and Lisan al-Gaib. Their exchange confirms that Fremen custom makes leadership succession a deadly matter, even between friends.

An unmarked ornithopter appears in the distance, and Stilgar orders the troop to scatter from the worm and hide beneath the sand. After the craft passes beyond the ridge, Paul and the others regroup. Paul reasons that smugglers operating this deep in the desert could discover southern Fremen secrets and sell the information, so Paul proposes baiting a spice patch to catch them and give Fremen fighters practice with new weapons, even as Paul feels the larger storm of his purpose gathering.