He was unaware of where he was.
He was unaware of the passage of time. He was unaware of the gryphon rubbing her face against his; of the ponies looking mournfully on as Jigano closed the door in their faces; of how he was eventually pulled up halfway onto his lap. Hands pressed against his shoulder.
He was cold.
He was warm.
He was tired.
In a way, he didn't want to take more: he was battered in a way he had never been before, pushed towards a brink that seemed so inviting to simply fall over. A sea of stars—
But though he was tired, he had sustained no more injuries, and with the gentle warmth flowing through his body and knitting together broken veins and torn muscles, life still won out. The deepest punctures closed. Whatever infection had begun to take hold of his blistered skin died.
That didn't mean it came easy, though. He shuddered, there on the borderland of consciousness, but the nightmare cries that left his mouth were weak and hoarse until it was merely his breath hissing in and out.
Vaguely he was aware of the warmth beneath his head and neck. Vaguely he was aware of shadows above him.
Opening his eyes fully seemed like too much of a hassle.
He was unaware of the passage of time. He was unaware of the gryphon rubbing her face against his; of the ponies looking mournfully on as Jigano closed the door in their faces; of how he was eventually pulled up halfway onto his lap. Hands pressed against his shoulder.
He was cold.
He was warm.
He was tired.
In a way, he didn't want to take more: he was battered in a way he had never been before, pushed towards a brink that seemed so inviting to simply fall over. A sea of stars—
But though he was tired, he had sustained no more injuries, and with the gentle warmth flowing through his body and knitting together broken veins and torn muscles, life still won out. The deepest punctures closed. Whatever infection had begun to take hold of his blistered skin died.
That didn't mean it came easy, though. He shuddered, there on the borderland of consciousness, but the nightmare cries that left his mouth were weak and hoarse until it was merely his breath hissing in and out.
Vaguely he was aware of the warmth beneath his head and neck. Vaguely he was aware of shadows above him.
Opening his eyes fully seemed like too much of a hassle.
