During a cold, windy night, Roz sits inside the Nest with a fire burning. Roz hears footsteps in the snow, and Chitchat crawls in freezing and covered with ice. Roz places Chitchat on a warm stone so the squirrel can sleep and recover.

More animals soon arrive, including hares, Pinktail, Swooper, chickadees, a magpie, Fink, Digdown, and Crag, who is carried in by the Fuzzy Bandits. The brutal weather has awakened animals that should have been hibernating, and many exhausted creatures crowd into the Nest for warmth and shelter.

Because many of the animals have never seen fire, they react with both fear and hope. Roz teaches the lodgers how fire is built, showing smaller animals how to arrange kindling and larger animals how to arrange logs. Bumpkin, Lumpkin, and Rumpkin strike firestones until they make a spark, and the group cheers.

Roz notices predators and prey resting peacefully side by side, but Roz worries that the peace may not last. To protect everyone, Roz proposes a truce like the Dawn Truce, requiring all animals to avoid hunting or harming one another inside the lodge. Swooper agrees on behalf of the hunters, and Roz declares the Nest a safe place for all.

The lodgers sleep through the night while Roz tends the fire. In the morning, Roz welcomes everyone to stay as long as needed. Fink thanks Roz and admits he might not have survived alone, but Roz realizes the Nest was completely full and decides she must find a way to shelter any more animals who come seeking help.