Final answer:
The context suggests that characters may not have sheltered Nathan from the rain because they were preoccupied with their own survival and fear during intense moments, emphasizing themes of self-preservation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks why no one, including Rukmani, shelters Nathan from the rain after he has fallen. Based on the context provided, which includes fear and concern for personal safety during a storm, it seems that the characters may have been too afraid or preoccupied with their own survival to notice or attend to Nathan. In literature, such scenes often highlight the instinctive self-preservation that can take over during moments of intense fear.
Notably, the extracts provided speak to the all-consuming nature of fear and survival instincts, both in the celestial beings who cower from the storm and in the man running for his life in the snow. These narratives suggest that when faced with immediate threats to their existence, characters may become unaware of or indifferent to others' plights.
Sometimes it pushed itself forward and demanded to be heard, but he thrust it back and strove to think of other things.' The characters believed that Nathan was beyond help, so they did not take any action to shelter him from the rain.
Therefore answer is c) They thought he was already dead.