Hana politely averted her gaze when Rio splashed out of the barrel. The water sprayed her bare feet. When she looked up, he was back in the barrel, chewing on the ice. His expression was of blank curiosity as he crunched. Answering his theorizing, she said, "You pretty much summed up the process. Only freshwater can freeze, the salt in the ocean keeps it from freezing. You're alive, so you make warmth. Freezing living things is [i]possible,[/i] but it's also possible that I could beat Wheel in a fistfight." Holding out the sweet smelling soap, she said "Okay, time to clean."

--

Wheel shook his head, leaned to the side, and spat. It caught on his lips, and the spittle hung on the side of his mouth. He chuckled, and started to stand up. His limbs felt like jelly, and he slumped down again. Lying on his back, he shaded his face with his hands. Uban hadn't stopped laughing. Hells. Groaning, he took the proffered flask. Propping himself on a arm, he drank. Holding onto it, he said, "Uban. Don't do that to someone you want to live."