Ouroboros Spine momentum

He brought water in the shell of a turtle, walking carefully despite his slight limp. Sore paw pads left tiny freckles of blood on the stone, but he felt rejuvenated to be able to provide something for his wife once more.

"Here," he said as he set the water down before her. He stepped over her then, settling at her back to help prop her up enough to drink. As soon as he lay down, Valiant knew he would not be getting back up for a long while. Not unless he was forced to. But after so long apart, he couldn't stand the idea of falling asleep.

Naively, he believed this to be the beginning of her recovery.

"I won't leave you again," he promised her, his voice hushed. If ever the need arose again, they would go out only together. Hadn't the world proven again and again how willing it was to tear them apart? Holding fast was the only option. He would hang on with everything he had.