The cub's wailing hitched. Sniffled. Those crystal-blue eyes blinked up at Felicity's face, and something shifted, some primal recognition, some instinct that told the tiny creature this was safety, this was warmth, this was hers. The furious fists unclenched. One tiny hand reached up and grabbed a fistful of Felicity's honey-blonde hair, tugging with surprising strength. A wet, gurgling sound bubbled from the cub's lips, not a cry anymore, but something almost like a giggle, a hiccupping little noise of contentment.
Felicity laughed through her tears, a watery, broken sound. She carefully unwrapped the blanket, peeling it away until the cub was pressed skin-to-skin against her chest, that warm little body nestled right over her heartbeat. The tiny wings fluttered once against her collarbone, then stilled, tucking close.
