Big Salmon Lake I got used to living without you

Some primal part of him felt reassured as Fennec grabbed him by the scruff and began hauling him toward the surface. He slipped from consciousness as one might relax into the arms of a loved one, willingly and peacefully. For the first time in a long time he was quiet and still, and his subconscious didn't plague him with horrific dreams. 

But he jolted back into reality when something cued his body to expel the water from his lungs with a gurgle, followed by hacking coughs. He rolled over onto his belly even though he was barely conscious, and felt his stomach clench. He wretched the lake water from his system until there was nothing left for him to heave up, and still he coughed until his ribs and back protested. He shuddered with each breath, but with each breath came a return to life that was only his to have because Fennec had once again pulled him from the depths of inevitable suffocation. 

He was still quite bewildered and weakened, and hardly aware of what had happened and who was beside him. It was all he could do to keep gasping for air and blink as the blurriness slowly cleared from his vision.