“Children! Come to me!” she shouted, heedless of the noise, while she raised both of her wings in invitation.

The Cubs ran to her and instinctively huddled underneath. Mara wrapped her wings around them all, like a mother hen protecting her brood.

Mara painfully ground her teeth together as wave after wave of burning hot rubble began to pound themselves into her back, neck, wings and tail. For just a moment, her wings retracted in response.

‘NO!’ she silently screamed when she remembered her duty.