Ford winced, then rolled onto his side and pushed himself up to his knees. One of his hands still gripped the reins.
He closed his eyes. The torn, bloody halter he held was useless now. He forced his fingers to release the leather remnants, dropping the object on the ground as the last evidence of the horse it had led so shortly before.
"Ford," Mia's suddenly close voice startled him, and he looked up, directly into her perfect blue eyes.
She was a mix of relieved and panicked, and her fingers came up to gently comb through his wet hair, probing his scalp.
"Where are you hurt?" She whispered desperately, tilting her head to look at the sides of his face.
"I'm fine," He panted, exhausted from the rush of adrenaline that made his heart thunder like a galloping horse.
"Ford, you're covered in blood," Seth's voice joined Mia's as he knelt next to the pair. "You may be in shock."
"I'm fine," He insisted.
