Only birds would survive this sort of apocalypse. birds, some snakes, any beast that could find higher ground ahead of the rising tide. he looked for fish. if he was floating atop water shared with the lake, surely fish had been swept into the city. and, on cue, he saw a murky form darting between submerged tree branches. what is happening in the excerpt? zeitoun is considering the religious nature of the flood. zeitoun rejoices at the sight of birds in the trees. zeitoun spots fish swimming in the flood waters. zeitoun is contemplating the survival of domestic pets.