 one who is too old to breed, and so devotes her time to caring for the young of others, both guarding them and seeing to their education .In the society of the natives Nest Guardians are sacred, and so Ofelia is safe from attack, and if anything is revered by the natives.They learn from her, as she learns from them, and it soon becomes apparent to her that they are fully sapient, and very, very, intelligent, from a very young age.