May was already awake when Nova stepped out of the lower shelter. She stood beside the blocked staircase, examining the warning cord she had tied across it the night before. The damaged platform remained out of sight.
"If you're planning to repair that before breakfast, I'll pretend I didn't see you," Nova said.
"I'm checking whether the warning stayed in place. There's a difference." May turned toward him. "And you're leaving before I can put that cat to work paying for what he ate."
Lunaris emerged from behind Nova's boot and looked at her with complete innocence. The Auri followed carefully. Its grey-stained wing remained folded against its side.
"He's a terrible worker," Nova replied. "He'd steal his own wages."
May passed him a small packet of dried roots. "The upper road holds to the cliff for most of the morning. After that, it drops into the gorge. Don't assume the wind you feel up here will be the wind you get below."
