The cloth plopped into the basin the instant Juna caught the movement beside her pillow.
Water slopped over her fingers while she stared at the open eyes above the pillow, the cloth forgotten between them. Her ears shot upright and trembled as she held her breath, wearing a greeting that seemed scared to become real.
Her mouth shaped a word that needed one more breath before it finally reached him.
"You're awake," she whispered, the dripping cloth hanging above his bandaged side.
He tried to answer and found his throat full of gravel and zero interest in cooperating.
"Apparently," he croaked, dragging a crooked smile past the ache, "but you look like the one who wrestled a mountain bear."
The cloth slipped from her hand and slapped beside the chair, spattering water across the floorboards.
