Kedra's carrying board dropped through solid stone.
One runner vanished first. The board tipped toward the feather-width slit, taking Kedra's bound shoulder and Aylin's supporting arm with it.
Hest caught the crosspiece on his bent gate bar.
Iron bowed between his hands. His bruised ribs struck the road wall, but he kept the board from rolling over the two penguins resting below it.
The unnamed male gave a harsh alarm call and turned his back to the fall. Egg, brood fold, and bleeding foot disappeared behind the width of his body.
Jiang shoved himself against the male's exposed flank.
Not warmth. Not command. One low body keeping a larger body from being knocked across the egg.
Varn drove his short hook beneath the remaining board runner. The point hit stone and scraped. A joint opened under the iron without cracking, and the hook lost every surface it could catch.
"There is no hole," he said.
