Ronja wakes up with a fever and the robbers are worried since it's the first time she's been sick in her life. Mattis becomes emotional and dramatic, saying she's going to die and Ronja reassures him it's nothing and could have been worse, not mentioning getting stuck and nearly freezing to death. Lovis nurses Ronja back to health after three days in bed. In the meantime Ronja thinks about Birk, her sworn brother and keeps him secret for fear of breaking her father Mattis' heart as well as enraging him. Snowed in Ronja misses Birk and the robbers grow restless due to cabin fever, picking fights until Lovis delegates chores. Ronja explores beneath the castle, examining the dungeon and the blocked passage below Hell's Gap. Ronja decides to clear away the rubble so she can see Birk on the other side, wanting to know if he really meant he'd be her brother.