The livestock stake rose through its floor ring before the goats began falling.
Nessa reached the animal deck with Todd's staff across her shoulders. Six workers already hung from waist cords around the pens, pulling feed gates toward the pantry wall as the roadback changed down.
The stake's third iron ring had split. Its pale shaft leaned through the crack toward Ty's handless left arm one deck above.
A goat struck the ceiling net and tangled one horn. The herd keeper cut the animal's neck loop, caught its rear legs, and passed it to two workers without looking away from the stake.
"Pens three through six take the east rail, and nobody uses the cracked ring."
The order came from a woman sitting astride the stake well with both boots under a brace. Her direction tags carried kitchen soot, nursery thread, and a strip of hide from the animal deck.
Dellin reached her from the other side and locked one of his brass tags over the crack.
