The Fight Against Sleep

[kevna]

BT - Night of Hatching

Siorreya – Green Amagetith

She was so tired. In fact, she had never been so tired in her life. The buzz of energy that had been her constant companion all of the day, mixed with the adrenaline and dopamine spurred on by the hatching had had her high all day. But the sun had long gone down and she was still awake. Her lids grew heavy, but she dared not let them close all the way, as she kept her watch on her dragon.

But I am not tired. We should go play. I want to go swimming, and running, and rolling down grass…

"You are tired my love, and we have to sleep. We have the rest of our lives to have fun and play. Please go to sleep." She was too tired to mind speak. Truly she was too tired to speak, and yet here she was, in conversation with this energetic little green. Way past her bedtime. 

I don’t have to sleep. Why do you have to sleep?

"Actually, you do have to sleep, and I do too, because it’s just what our bodies need. We eat, and play, but if we don’t sleep, then our body stops working. No eating. No playing."

Nooooo, I don’t feel tired and I don’t have to sleep. No sleeps. I can play, see? 

Her little one pranced around the room, looking chipper and awake. Sio wanted to groan and shake her bonded. But she was too tired. Had she detected a note of fatigue in her bonded? She hoped so, desperately. She dared not fall asleep, because if she slept, she had no idea what kind of mischief Amagetith could get into. She blinked, and had to pry her lids open again with her fingers. As soon as she did, eyes two inches from hers caused her to jump.

"Great Faranth! Ama! You sun-crazed wher!!!" 

Humor not dissimilar to laughter rang through her head. Wait... I am not a wher. I am a dragon.

Amagetith stated chidingly, and Sio rolled her eyes. "Well I know that, I'm not deadglow. It's just a phrase... Can we get back to the topic of sleep? It's way past my bedtime."

Why are you so insistent on sleep? I say we go play outside.

Ama, I am tired, you are tired, just come here!

The small weyrling scooted over to make room on the bed, patting the spot in front of where she laid on her side. Her bonded's displeasure was apparent, but she did as asked, curling up in a ball. Sio began itching the small dragon, starting at the torso and working her way up the neck. She pulled a old memory to her mind, the picture fuzzy, but the sound and feeling were clear. Warmth, comfort, and the hum of a lullaby. She felt her little one's interest piqued. And slowly, ever so slowly, she felt the fatigue amplify in her bonded.

Finally sleep settled over the little green, and Sio continued to watch with heavy lids for little longer, until they no longer stayed open, and sleep finally found her. Warmth not dissimilar to the memory she had drawn up, lying along her body, a reminder ever so slightly of the past..