He leaned his head against Ryker's chest. He wanted to sleep. He was tired. He didnt know the dangers of going to sleep after nearly drowning like that.

He felt his head loll a bit as he fought to stay awake.

"I.." his voice was barely there.

"Im t-tired" his teeth chattered as he forced the words out.

Eke tried hard to stay awake, but he was feeling faint, and the fire was warm.

He shivered less. He leaned against the small couch next to the fire.

He couoghed as he curled up, his tail wrapped around one of his legs.

His eyes close and his head leaned against the couch.

He looked over with half opened eyes, exhausted, red rings under his eyes. He coughed a deep cough before speaking in a soft hoarse voice.

"Im sorry..." he winced some as he leaned back.

He closed his eyes, and just liek that he was out like a light. His breathing came in gentle soft whheezes as his lung tried to regain strength. His cheeks had begun to flush, but it was impossible to tell if that was from the river and cold, or from the heat of the fire.

He shivered here and there all night. He tossed and turned. He coughed and wheezed.

The workers in the inn took turns stayiing up to keep the fire stoked. They felt bad for the kid who did not look well.

When the first morning light shone through the windows, eke woke up, but he felt like trash. He coughed and sat up breathing heavily. He had had a nightmare of the friver all night.

He rubbed his eyes his cheeks bright red. He wiped his sniffly nose and sat there. He couldnt wake ryker.

He looked around not really knowing where he was. He didnt really remember much except the river, and rykers face. He remembered the cold, the fire. Everything just sort of melded together.

He felt hot and weak. It felt hard to breathe and his hands trembled. He was sure he had some sort of cold or something.

"I...i feel like trash..." he took a drink.

"I dont really remember much...how...how is he?" he nodded to ryker.

He wasnt hungry, he really didnt wanty the tea but his throat hurt and he wanted to hug ryker. He had caused so much trouble in just a few hours.

"I..." he tried to remember holding his head dropping the mug.

"I think...the river..." he winced as he got flashes of his traumatic event.

He curled up and began crying. He was muttering about the cold and how hard it was to breathe.

He whimpered and trembled. He wanted to say he was okay but he really couldnt.

He just lay down and tried hard to calm down hiding his face as he tried to stop crying.

He took a few deep breaths before sitting back up.

"im okay...im okay..." he sat up and wiped his face.

"Im just...im fine" his voice was hoarse from his sore throat.

He took off his long sleeved shirt, as he was getting hot. His torso was bony and emaciated. He looked like the poster child for anorexia.

"Im okay. Ive always looked like this. Its my hyperthyroidism." he yawned and sighed.

"But i do think i have some sort of cold..." he was now acutely aware of the murmurs about how thin he was.

He wanted to cover up, but he was hot so he sat there with his arms in the sleeves of his shirt.