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He made a move for the door, but the crested Xerocle cut him off, and he recalled the raptors hunted in packs. He dropped to the floor again, avoiding the pair of swinging beaks, then rolled this way and that as their claws swiped.

Break me!He was screwed.

A shrill whistle echoed through the room capturing the Xerocles’ attention mid-attack, their heads popping up. Horror filled him seeing Nadzia standing inside the open passage.

“Nadzia,run!” he bellowed as he leapt to his feet.

The crested Xerocle hissed and swung its head toward him.

“No!” Nadzia cried as she darted forward.

He dropped to avoid the attack, but his focus was on Nadzia. Agony shot through him as the Xerocle’s sharp beak pierced his shoulder. He swung for the crested beast’s eyes as it lifted him off the floor, but stopped short, noticing its mate poised to make the killing blow.

“Oh God!’ Tears burst from Nadzia’s eyes.

“Weakness, please, go,” he pleaded with her.

Panic filled him as Nadzia continued to approach. Horror swam in her eyes as she looked from his shoulder to the beast spearing him. The pain radiating through his body was nothing compared to his terror as Nadzia pushed between the raptors.

“No, please!” he begged when the massive female swung toward Nadzia, its sharp beak aimed for her chest.

“Quiet,” she urged him, teary-eyed.

His eyes widened in shock when instead of attacking, the Xerocle pushed Nadzia back with the blunt top of its beak.

“No, Momma, you’re hurtingmymate,” she insisted and shoved the giant head aside.

Momma?

Stranger still the massive bird relented with a warble.

“Easy, big guy.” Nadzia put a hand on the crested male’s long neck.

The eerily intelligent black eyes that pinned him, much like the beak imbedded in his shoulder, diverted to look at Nadzia. He groaned as the beast jostled him when it moved. The crested male instantly looked back at him and huffed. Hot air sprayed from its nostrils, hitting him in the face.

“Come on. Put him down.” Nadzia wrapped her arms around the male’s neck.

Aculus slowed his breathing, attempting to calm himself. He had no clue how Nadzia was doing this, but whatever she was doing was working. Slowly, with Nadzia’s urging, the crested Xerocle lowered him to the floor. He ignored his pain, refusing to move a muscle and startle the raptor.

“How do we get you free?” Nadzia frowned at the spot where the beast’s beak was hooked into his shoulder.

“I don’t know,” he mouthed then clenched his jaw. The way the sharp curved tip pierced his quick and scraped against the inside of his shell posed a serious problem.

“What is going on? I heard a noise. Is everything all right, Nadzia?” Umerus’ voice echoed through the comm panel by the door.

Hearing the sudden sound, the crested male pulled its head back, jerking him with it. He clenched his jaw against the pain. Any harder and it would’ve shredded his shoulder completely. To add to the problem, the female shoved her beak in between him and Nadzia, goading her back, bumping them in the process.

“Fuck! Stop!” Nadzia gripped the male’s neck and it halted, then she shoved the female back.

“What?” Umerus said through the door, confusion, concern and hurt lacing her voice.

“Sorry. Not you.” Nadzia cringed.

The Xerocles’ feathers ruffled, they warbled and hissed, picking up the stress in Nadzia’s voice.

“What was that?” Umerus questioned.

“Nothing. Silence, Umerus,” Aculus said as calmly as he could, raising his voice only as loud as necessary.