Pava blocked the spill mouth with a cavefish.
She held it by the tail, oily and smaller than Jiang wanted, directly in front of his cracked beak. Green water ran around her knees. Below her hand, a wounded tide ray dragged two living roads toward the drain.
"Eat before you attempt anything stupid."
Jiang reached around the fish.
Pava moved it with him. "That was not a difficult sentence."
He clicked at the water.
"Your objection is noted and malnourished."
The fish smelled of old stone and clean fat. Hunger made his throat work before dignity found a counteroffer. Pava placed the head where his beak could close without twisting the wider crack.
Jiang swallowed. Pain followed the fish down and warmth failed to follow it back.
One mouthful could not refill a body that had bled through three wraps. It did stop the empty clench under his breast long enough for him to notice how badly he was shaking.
Pava noticed before he did.
