The first beam struck Jiang across the back.
His belly hit stone. The gray hatchling squealed against his brood patch, claws closing in the wet feathers along his breast.
Above them, Mottle and Aylin held opposite rails while the rest of the bed came apart between their hands.
Jiang tucked his cracked beak over the hatchling's head.
Two rainfish sat inside him. So did the warmth he had hated in the vent and begged for after the water. His body had kept enough of both to spend.
By choice, the hatchling pressed closer.
Jiang chose with it.
[Broodguard I active - warmth and impact shared | Cost: body heat and hunger; unavailable on release]
Warmth left the bare skin below his breast.
It entered the shaking body against him as the bed dropped.
Wood hit Jiang's spine. Part of the blow spread through their contact. The hatchling cried and flattened; Jiang's bad shoulder folded until his beak struck the floor. Neither body escaped the impact. Neither took all of it alone.
