Noah woke to the soft glow of morning light spilling through his window.
He blinked the sleep from his eyes, stretched, and slowly sat up.
His body still ached from the bird hunt, especially his legs and shoulders, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.
His thoughts immediately went to Arlo.
He got dressed quickly and stepped outside into the crisp morning air.
The campus grounds were quieter than usual, with most students still asleep, enjoying one of their free days of the week.
As he walked toward the infirmary, the hum of conversation and movement slowly picked up. He greeted a few familiar faces along the way, nodding or offering a quiet "morning."
When he reached the infirmary, he stepped inside and made his way to the wing Arlo had been placed in. The nurse gave him a nod and told him that his friend had already woken up.
He walked down the short corridor, then pushed open the door to Arlo's room.
