(Winnie the Horse Gentler) Chapter 7: Savior

Disclaimer: I wrote this, but the backstory to it is all Mackall's. Blah, blah. Okay, we're done! Read, read, read...
                                                     - Hope :)
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  I sat up fast, and literally banged my face into Catmans. 

  We both yelped. Catman rubbed his nose. I caressed my forehead. 

  Catman raised his eyebrows at me, but he didn't seem really annoyed. More like... amused. 

  "Oops." I said. 

  Catman just grinned a little. 

  "Is your nose okay?" I asked awkwardly. 

  "Yeah, man, it's chill. Far out, waking up like that! What's the skinny?" He sat down cross-legged on the ground to the right of me. 

  "Er- well..." I hesitated. Things had worked out in reality, but in my sleep, it had turned to... a nightmare. My dreams had slurred  together, one in which the girl had gotten hurt; the next one involved somebody burning, but I couldn't see who. 

  The family sentenced me to the fire for not saving their daughter, in the next one.

  After that, it got even worse. The fire wasn't just fire anymore: it was Hell. The girl turned into a formerly sinful sort of devil, and everyone I had loved turned away from me, for saving her. 

  This morphed into an ugly scene in which fire demons appeared, everyone I had ever even seen was present, and the devil himself challenged me to a duel. He fought with ice, and I fought with fire, which, of course, makes no sense.  

  Then he froze everyone with his ice powers, and I tried to free them, but the fire somehow broke them apart, and soon, there was nothing left but one million pieces of ice, scattered all over the floor, and I was alone. 

  Note to self: Don't go through that mess again. It already fried your brain for the day.

  Then I realized that Catman was still waiting for an answer.

  "Nope. All good," I said.

  I was surprised when he didn't question me. Maybe he believed me, or maybe he was just that good of a guy.

  I hoped for the latter.

  

  Note to self: Never forget to bring both sleeping bags. Or it could turn out... awkward.

  We had spent the day searching, but we hadn't found anything, so we'd made camp. We were both preparing to get into the same sleeping bag, but it hadn't just worked out like that.Catman and I had tried to argue why the other one should get the sleeping bag, but we had both had valid pleas, so it had gotten difficult. This was how it had worked out:

  Me: I slept in it last night, now it's your turn.

  Catman: Chill, man, you still need to rest and heal.

  Me: I have nothing to heal from!

  Catman: Man, you're still in shock.

  Me: Do I look shocked?

  Catman: Ya don't always look your feelings.

  Me: How do you think I'm feeling?

  Catman: Exasperated?

  Me: Mm-hm.

  Catman: If it kills you, man, I'll crash in it. On one condition.

  Me: What...

  Catman: If we both crash in it.

  Me: We're not at that age, Catman...

  Catman: As buds, I meant.

  Me: Are you sure it wouldn't be... ya know... awkward?

  Catman: I'm down with it. 

  Me: How about you just sleep in it?

  Catman: Either we both do, or you do. You need to crash in there tonight, so I dig whatever makes you do it.

  Me: There's no convincing you, is there?

  Catman: Nope.

  

  So that's how it happened that we were both getting ready to sleep inside the exact same sleeping bag. Awkward, yes, but I suppose it made it safer. There were bears after all, and I had heard of bearcats. I wasn't sure if they were dangerous or not, but you can never be to careful.

  I slid inside. It was warm, even warmer than last night, because Catman had found a tree to nestle it against. He had also covered it thickly with pine needles for camouflage. To add one more illusion of security, he had placed it between to big bushes Altogether, cozy.

  Catman slid in next to me. 

  It wasn't a small sleeping bag, but it definitely wasn't big enough to be considered comfortable. It had room, but it felt uncomfortable to sleep next to someone who wasn't of your gender.

  At least we're just friends, I thought, trying to psyche myself into forgetting about the situation.

  After about an hour, we were still both awake. I finally realized that I was tense and barely breathing; I was beginning to feel light-headed. I relaxed and breathed deep breaths of air. 

  Catman did the same, and once we could both breathe again, we looked at each other. Neither of us was sure what to say. Now we both knew that the other had been tense and uncomfortable with the other. 

  The silence was broken by a howl. We jumped at the same time, and I think I whimpered. I shrank against Catman, who put his arm around me. 

  The howl came again, closer this time. Catman got up and stood over me. I got up, too, and looked for the source. And I found it.

  I nudged Catman, who was looking around on the ground. 

  "Look up, Catman. And he saw what I saw: an owl. We laughed, relieved. When we got back in the sleeping bag, we weren't tense or uncomfortable. We were just - there. 

  And that was fine with me.
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  I know this chapter is pretty anti-climatic, compared to the last one, but Catman and Winnie needed to wind down a bit. Everyone has limits...

  So, remember, comment as always! I need ideas, and I don't care if that's the thousandth time I've said that. Please do!

  Love you all, and thanks for reading! Bye!

                                                       - Hope :)