Avery rubbed the back of her neck with her left hand and reached out to pick up her coffee cup again, taking a slow burning mouthful. She felt it burning all the way down her throat and she put the cup back down.
"Yeah," she reassured Dove. The bruises would fade within the next hour or so, as would the pain. She just had to take it careful for the next little while. At least it wasn't internal bruising. She had Bear for that delight. If he darkened her doorway again she would probably end up unconscious somewhere. She was already feeling pretty exhausted. "I'm fine." She was used to it.
She shifted in the chair, pulled her sleeves down over her hands and looked at Dove. "You said you had questions, too? About being here?" She knew the younger girl was a newer arrival, only here for a little while and was still adjusting. The adjustment period was always a little weird, and if Avery could help she wanted to.