The House of Rust

Aisha lives with her father Ali, a fisherman, and her grandmother, Hababa Swafiya. Two crows named Whitebreast and Gololi observe her life, commenting on Aisha and her interactions with other citizens of Mombasa. One day, Ali fails to return from a fishing trip. Hababa Swafiya believes that he has died; she plans to declare him dead after five days.

Hamza, a talking cat, offers to help Aisha find her father. Hamza sings to the ocean, summoning a ship made of bones. They set sail and a sea serpent who was once Ali's fishing companion. The serpent discusses its friendship and sometimes-contentious relationship with Ali. Next, they meet the Sunken King, a creature made from sunken ships who speaks with the voices of those drowned at sea. Finally, they encounter Baba wa Papa, the monstrous father of sharks.

Baba wa Papa taunts Aisha. She cuts him with a piece of her bone ship, and the blood in the water causes his own shark children to turn and attack him. Aisha finds a fishing net; inside is an unconscious Ali. She and Hamza sail back past the Sunken King and the sea serpent. They are attacked by sea creatures including disembodied eyeballs, but Aisha fights them off. They return to Mombasa.

As they return to shore, Hamza asks Aisha to leave her father and accompany him to the House of Rust. He declares that he will never ask again; this is her only chance to accept his offer. Aisha declines, preferring to stay with her father.

Aisha and Ali are found by a local shark hunter named Zubair. Zubair offers to save Ali by cutting open his heart and removing his love for the sea. Aisha agrees. When Zubair cuts open Ali's heart, he releases a school of feathered fish. Ali recovers, becoming a carpenter. Zubair and Hababa Swafiya marry. Aisha keeps a feathered fish and a disembodied eyeball under her bed. She determines to track down Hamza and find the House of Rust.

Aisha rejects a marriage proposal from a local boy, angering her grandmother. Meanwhile, local animals become concerned about the cursed eyeball kept by Aisha. They determine to awaken Almassi, a snake demon, to neutralize the threat. Crows break into Aisha's bedroom, releasing the trapped eyeball. The eyeball kills Gololi. Whitebreast eats it and is severely injured. He is rescued by Almassi.

Aisha and Almassi engage in a contest of riddles, which she fails. Almassi separates Aisha from her shadow. The shadow behaves perfectly, fooling Hababa Swafiya into believing that it is the real Aisha. Aisha plans to leave Mombasa to search for the House of Rust. Hababa Swafiya realizes that the shadow is not truly her granddaughter. She puts aside her disapproval of Aisha's plans and wishes her a safe journey. Aisha's shadow reattaches itself. Almassi gives Whitebreast to Aisha as a companion for her journey. They sail off to search for the House of Rust.