The first storm bell tore half its crown out of Widow's Needle.
Red stone split around it. Its anchor dropped, caught on three storm chains, and swung over the nursery road with Mottle still clinging to the outer copper.
Ilex slapped both palms against the bridge.
Mottle answered by driving one rear claw into a crack. The other foot slipped. Her bleeding mouth opened around nothing, and the flight feather torn from her wing spun below her into cloud.
Rill and Slate emerged through the red dust.
Slate caught the highest storm chain with both rear claws. His reopened flank painted one dark wing. Rill hooked the chain above him and took the return through his bleeding hand.
They could keep the bell from falling straight down.
They could not move the nursery out from under it.
