Kopala's bond with his river defines stewardship through listening and exchange. The Shapers' agreement to keep Orazca hidden is under pressure from outsiders and from Kumena, who wants to use its power rather than preserve the old prohibition.
Tishana accepts that secrecy may no longer be enough without accepting Kumena's solution. She leaves Kopala to rally the tribes and pursues her former student. Her superior control of the storm does not protect her from his sudden physical attack.
The disagreement belongs within the River Heralds, not only between them and foreign claimants. Power can defend a people while tempting its wielder to stop listening. Kopala remains with responsibilities and uncertainty rather than inheriting a clean consensus from his elders.