When the bowl was placed in front of him, Kes’ attention honed in on it like a hawk on its prey. He didn’t go for it immediately, but the urge to lunge at it was there. He forced himself to wait a few moments, until he had himself under control. When he leaned down to the bowl, he shuddered once and lapped quickly at its contents. He swallowed repeatedly, wetting his parched throat. The rest he drank until the bowl was dry.
When she began to add herbs and food to the pile, he looked up at her. He knew very little about her so far, but she had jumped in to rescue him seemingly without a second thought, and in a compromised position. Now, she was tending to his needs, watering and feeding him when he had nothing to offer in return. Nothing that she did not already unknowingly own.
His shivering grew more intense now that he could feel his body a little better. But he didn’t take the food just yet. He felt her settle in behind him, offering her heat to his own. “My name is Kestrel Snowcrest, and I owe you my life.” he said, those words loaded with so much meaning. He reached over and took the fish, chewing slowly. Knowing his stomach was empty, and wouldn’t be able to handle too much.
