A Pair to End The War

Sleepless nights

I groaned and got on my knees, slamming my fist into the ground softly, as to not wake up Hjan, "Come on, just let me sleep!" I whispered harshly. I groaned and buried my head into my arm, laying on my stomach.

"Ugh!" I craned my neck and looked at Hjan, sleeping peacefully in the embers of the fire. I curled into a tight ball, "What I would give to have fireproof scales that help keep me warm," I shivered and exhaled into my body, heating up my chest and stomach for a slight moment.

I knew Hjan was warm, but I didn't want to wake him up to ask him to sleep next to me, and because I didn't want to admit that I was wrong about being able to sleep.

Eventually, after a lot of shivering, and a grace period of silent air, no wind, I managed to fall asleep, not a deep sleep, but a sleep. I don't know how long I slept but when I woke up I felt something moving near my stomach; instinct kicked in and I kicked out, sending Hjan flying into the wall of the tethered tree. "Hjan I'm so sorry!" I scrambled to my feet and helped them up, "Are you ok?"

He nodded his head, "Ya, I'm fine, but why did you kick me?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you, I just kicked out of instinct,"

"But how did you not know it was me? What else would it be?"

I picked him up and set him in my lap, checking to see if I had damaged any of his scales "We're in the wilderness Hjan, I didn't know if you were a wild critter, goblin, or something else,"

Hjan, already forgetting about what just happened snuggled into me, "Oh ok, I'm sorry,"

"It's not problem, did I hurt you?" I asked, stroking my hand along his spine like I would a cat. He was so warm, and it was nice to feel his warmth after shivering for the entire night.

He shook his head, "No, I didn't feel much, and it certainly didn't hurt,"

I lifted him off my lap and set him on the ground, "That's good, now what were you doing curling into my stomach?"

Hjan yawned and stretched out his claws, digging them into my leg, "Well you were shivering, so I figured you needed heat, and I had been sleeping on the embers of the fire, so I knew I was warm, so I figured I would share my body heat with you,"

I smiled at Hjan's thoughtful gesture and laid down, using my arm as a pillow, "Are you sure? I'm sure the fire was warmer, I'll be fine,"

Hjan shook his head and curled into my stomach crevice, "No, I woke up because the fire got cold,"

"Do you want me to start another fire?" I asked.

"Is there a reason you don't want me to sleep with you? I know you're cold, I saw you shivering before."

I shook my head, "No, actually I'd love it, you're very warm, but I want you to be comfortable, you probably haven't gotten a good night sleep for millennia, so you deserve at least one good night sleep," I closed my eyes and left my other arm relax on the ground.

"I'm comfortable right here, a fire is nice, but you're squishy. Plus you make me feel safe," He said laying against my stomach. Hearing Hjan say that he felt safe around me calmed nerves I didn't even know I had.

I smiled and whispered, "As long as you're comfortable,"

I felt Hjan slide under my arm and lay down his head down next to my neck, "Now I'm comfortable,"

I scratched his head and set my hand back on the ground, "Get some sleep,"

"Good night," he told me.

"Good night,"

It was still cold that night, but having Hjan warming me made the night much easier to combat.