In the world of Emperor Penguins, the female lays the egg and then leaves the male to incubate it. The chick’s only protection from the brutal Antarctic winter is its father’s brood pouch. It’s unlikely that parent and chick could survive this alone.
I love the idea of a creative huddle!
Have you seen March of the Penguins? It’s been a few years, and reading your description brought Morgan Freeman’s voice a narrator right back to me!