Contaminated

The Beginning

The medical staff came running.

They attempted to calm me, but with no effect. My breathing grew faster and louder.

I was starting to hyperventilate.

The infirmary doors burst open, and Asgard came running into the room.

He didn't say a word, but ran to my cot, motioning at the doctors to disperse.

He crawled up next to me and put a wing over my back. The second he touched me, I collapsed onto the cot in a fit of sobs.

He licked me between the horns, murmuring quietly to me as he did so.

Slowly, I managed to get control of my breathing again.

"What happened?" he asked, cocking his head at me.

I swallowed. "I-I don't want to talk about it."

"Please," he said, his expression soft. "let me help you."

I reluctantly told him about my dream.

He was silent for a moment. Then he whispered, "Go back to sleep. I'll be right here. You're perfectly safe."

I lowered my head onto the cot and closed my eyes. Asgard mirrored my movements and drew his wing tighter around me.

He was right; I did feel safe.

My body was encased in a cocoon of drowsiness.

I didn't want to open my eyes. I was nice and warm right where I was. A content smile spread across my muzzle.

But the happy feeling was not to last.

Asgard stretched right next to me and jumped out of bed, leaving me with scales unaccustomed to the sudden cold.

"Nooo," I muttered sleepily. "come back, I'm freezing."

He licked the top of my head. "Ha, ha." I opened my eyes to find that he was smiling at me.

It had been two weeks since my nightmare, and I had since been released from the infirmary. I had been admitted to basic combat training with a slew of other recruits. Recruits for what? Well, the basic gist was that we were fighting off a huge criminal empire that had a stranglehold on the already ruined continent. Asgard and I just shared a bunk. This place didn't have enough room for all of its trainees.

"Time to get up, sleepyhead. we've got another wonderful day of basic to look forward to."

I groaned. "Even more of a reason to stay right where I am."

"If you won't get up by yourself," he grinned evilly, "then I'll just get you up myself." he grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and attempted to pull me out of bed, but I resisted. We fought back and forth for a few moments before he won, and yanked me off of the mattress onto him.

We both stared at each other for a moment with surprised expressions on our muzzles. Then we busted out laughing.

It took us a few minutes, but we managed to calm down enough to breathe normally again.

By then it was too late.

"Would you two get your scaly lizard rears out here?!"

The shout came from Parker, our drill instructor, who was standing in the doorway looking like a scaled-down-and-not-green version of the Hulk.

"Oh, dear." Asgard squeaked. Of all the humans on base, Parker was the only one who genuinely scared him.

We untied ourselves and stood up straight faster than you could say "Crap, here comes the DS."

"You maggots had better get yourselves out here before I put you on KP for a week. Move it!"