"Thank you." The attack was a bad one. Ukitake had lived through worse, but that didn't make this particular episode any less unpleasant. He carefully wiped the blood away from his mouth and moved the stained sleeve so the streak of red remained hidden. He accepted the cup from Katrina and drank without hesitation. If she had come to do anything to harm him, all she would have to have done was stand aside and watch him weaken as he breathed in the ash.
Ukitake managed to swallow most of the brew without coughing. As soon as he had, he handed her the cup with one trembling hand and quickly returned his other hand to its place over his mouth.