Jerrar smiled, not replying because the hot, dry air began to dry out Jerrar' s throat and he coughed when he opened his mouth to speak. After this he found his mouth had become reasonably more moist, he assumed that it was only saliva, but it was in fact blood that filled his jaws instead. The red lined his lips. He would have instantly recognized the taste of blood, but his tongue was numb from not tasting anything but warm air and sand for a while.<br/><br/>Jerrar continued to cough every now and again, his throat beginning to worsen every time, but he found that it eased his growing thirst a bit. The blood on his lips dried quickly, leaving a red stain at the corners of his mouth.