Apocalypse

12

Liz 

When I woke up the next morning, I was still pressed into Kate's side. I was too groggy to register that though, so I took a deep breath as I opened my eyes to look around. The first thing I noticed was that I could see my breath, but I am warm and comfortable and I feel safe. This is new. I almost always wake up cold and uncomfortable and nervous. The thin white cloud that used to be my breath rose up in front of my face and then dissipated after a few seconds of hovering in front of my face. I noticed how the tip of my nose felt cold as well, and how frost coated everything that wasn't under the boulder we were taking shelter under. As I slowly gained my conscience, I remembered that I was propped semi-upright. My pillow moved ever so slightly in time with my breath, and I could hear a faint heartbeat thrumming in my ear but I wasn't sure if it was my own or not. It suddenly dawned on me that Kate had offered to share the blanket last night. It had taken me a moment to give in and accept the offer, and I'd been so comfortable that I'd just fallen asleep there, using her shoulder to rest my head. Too tired to care. My thoughts were still sluggish though, the cold just made me want to tug the blanket closer against  me and huddle closer to Kate-- Nope.  

I was up and away from her a second later, running my hand through my hair as I tried desperately to wake up and snap out of it. I wanted to, but logic told me that was weird and I shouldn't. I must have elbowed Kate in my quick motion to get up, because she was now groaning tiredly as she rubbed her side sorely. I seldom knew Kate to admit to pain, so I must have jostled her pretty hard. I felt a twinge of guilt. She opened her eyes after another moment or so, and I could see exactly when she remembered that I'd fallen asleep on her. Confusion settled on her face, along with something else that was too hard to identify, and she looked around until she found me sitting a few feet away. I felt suddenly awkward as we made eye contact, and I smiled sheepishly and brushed my arms off to try and rid them of the goose bumps that I was trying to convince myself came from the cold. I was still wearing her sweater.  It smelled of Kate. 

Kate cleared her throat and I could see her rubbing her shoulder, the one I'd slept on, out of the corner of my eye as I made my way over to the still drowsy Aztec. I stroked his neck fur and felt a small amount of affection for the paint as I felt how thick his fur was beginning to get. His hide felt warm and comfortably under my chilled fingers. I pushed my hands into them and sighed as the horsey scent washed away the pleasant Kate smell. 

"Did you sleep okay?" I hear her ask, her voice rough and a little husky like it usually is this early in the morning, and she's not properly awake yet.  

I consider her question for a moment, and then I nod. "I slept ... Good." I say hesitantly. I didn't wake up halfway through the night crying. The first time since my parent's became rabid, cannibalistic animals and tried to eat me. I smiled faintly despite myself and shook my head.  

"Did you?" I say quickly, because in my realization I forgot that Kate was still looking at me and I felt too awkward to not say anything. 

"Fine." She snips. Short as always, but I noticed it doesn't have the usual icy coating her answers usually held when I asked her a question about herself.  

I risked a glance away from the lightly frosted coat of the gelding and towards Kate. She was still staring at me and I was thankful for the cold already making my cheeks pink. Something in her expression made my face warm a little and I couldn't force back the smile that wormed it's way onto my mouth.  

"We're going to work on your vocabulary, okay? Fine doesn't tell me much." I tell her, shaking my head out of amusement.  

"You just said 'good'." She retorts, looking a little smug. "It's basically the same thing."