# Chapter 5: The Morning After

Amelia and John leaned against the kitchen counter, eating their cereal in silence. The only sounds were the crunch of flakes and the occasional clink of a spoon against a bowl. The morning sun streamed through the cabin windows, casting long rectangles of light across the wooden floor.

Neither of them wanted to talk about what had happened. The egg. The nest. The uncontrollable arousal. The way John's deer penis had emerged on its own. It was all too fresh, too raw.

"There's a TV in the living room," John finally said, his voice rough. "Want to... I don't know, see if anything's on?"

Amelia nodded, grateful for the suggestion. Something normal. Something human.

They carried their bowls to the small living area, where a dusty television sat on a wooden stand. John eyed the furniture—a worn armchair and a faded sofa—and sighed.

"I'm going to try the armchair," he said, setting his bowl on the end table.

He approached it carefully, then lowered himself onto the cushion. His deer legs bent at strange angles, and his tail pressed uncomfortably against the fabric, but he managed to sit. Sort of. He had to lean forward, his weight shifted awkwardly, and his legs splayed open in a way that felt deeply unnatural.

But it worked. He was sitting.

"Huh," he said, testing his balance. "This actually sort of works."

Amelia watched him, then turned her attention to the sofa. She set her cereal bowl on the cushion, then considered her options. Sitting like a human was out—her tail feathers and cloaca made that impossible. But maybe she could lie on her belly like she'd done before? She climbed onto the sofa on all fours, then slowly lowered herself onto her stomach. Her feathered torso pressed against the fabric, and her powerful bird legs stretched out behind her, talons dangling over the edge.

It was surprisingly comfortable. She rested her chin on her forearms and watched the TV.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, the only sound the crunch of cereal and the soft hum of the television. John had turned it on, and a local news channel was playing.

"Just a freak snowstorm moving through the northern regions..."

Amelia set her empty bowl aside and rested her chin on her arms, watching the screen. Thirty or so minutes passed. The news droned on. …