Kaya pushed herself up, joints stiff, and rolled her shoulders once. The bandage Cutie had tied sat snug around her palm, a little too clean for everything else on her.
Veer was still a dark heap of feathers at the edge of the ledge, looking like someone had dropped a whole vulture rug and forgotten to pick it up.
"We need him up," she said quietly.
Cutie followed her gaze, then nodded. His hair was a mess, scar on his scalp just a thin line now, but his eyes were clear and soft as always. He got to his feet more slowly than she had, but with less wince in it.
Kaya walked over first.
Kaya bent down, knees pulling tight in protest, and reached out toward Veer's shoulder. Up close he really looked dead—huge vulture body folded awkward, beak tucked down, wings half open like he'd just fallen there and never bothered to fix himself. His feathers stirred a little with every breath, that was all.
She lifted her bandaged hand, ready to shake him awake.
