Swiftcurrent Creek Pulcinella

With each nudge, life crept back into the little girl. A heart, too weak to beat on its own for a moment or two, began to fight again, and as oxygen was pushed back into her lungs with each compression, she grew stronger. She lurched when Arlette's insistent nudging caught her in the ribs, and she inhaled with an awful gasp, eyes blinking open and mouth dry, but agape. She flopped back to her side a moment later, but had begun to breathe independently. Her heart settled into a quick, but thundering patter. The girl shivered as adrenaline surged through her. 

She blinked again, and her eyes shifted back, spotting Arric hovering nearby. In his features, she saw no concern- only resentment. She whimpered and feebly tried to scramble closer to Arlette, trembling like a leaf.