A totally expected journey

First night under the stars

Shania's POV
As everyone started to go to sleep all of us girls migrated together. Bofur and Bombur were on watch. As we lay trying to sleep on the hard ground I finally appreciated what Sam meant. It was fricken hard to sleep on the ground. All the Dwarves seemed to sleep in family piles. It was almost cute to see Fíli and Kíli sleeping a few meters from Thorin. Almost like they wanted to sleep with him, but didn't want to hurt his pride. I smiled and wriggled closer to the other girls. It was fricken cold. I noticed Abi cocooned in her grey cloak shivering. She must be freezing. She's the smallest out of all of us. Then I noticed that she was crying softly. I sat up and shuffled over to her.
"You alright?" I whispered. She jumped at my voice.
"Ye-eah, I-I'm f-fine," she stuttered out. I placed a hand on her back and pulled her into a hug. She hugged back instantly.
"I-I'm s-sorry I just m-miss hom-me," she whispered.
"Hey it's ok, if we got here, we can get back and we're with Gandalf, he's our best bet to get home," Abi nodded. We sat there for quite a while. Until I realised that Abi had fallen asleep holding onto me and she didn't seem like she wanted to let go. I tried to wriggle out of her grasp, but she just clung to me tighter.
"Ahh... Dansoa, you awake?" I got no reply "Laura?" again no reply.
"Need some help there lass?" I looked up to see Bofur standing over me. I nodded.
"Please, I want to sleep tonight," Bofur chuckled. He reached down and gently tugged Abi off me. Abi proceeded to attach herself to Bofur. Wow I didn't realise she was so clingy.
"Ahh... need some help?" I asked. Not really wanting to have Abi attached to me again.
"Na s'alight lass, I'm used to havin' lil' ones clingin' ta me, I am an uncle afta' all," that's right. Bombur has 13 kids.
"Um, ok, if you're sure, I'll be hitting the hay then, night," I quickly bundled myself up and fell asleep.

Bofur's POV
After the little knuckledusters fiasco the night was pretty quiet. I found myself looking over at the girls quite a lot. More specifically a particular little Hobbit lass, she reminded me of my nieces I felt the urge to protect her. Soon everyone decided to go to sleep.
"Bofur, Bombur you're on watch, Dori, Nori you'll take the second and Dwalin and I will take third," we all nodded at Thorin. Soon everyone was either asleep or drifting off. I found myself watching the girls again. I saw Shania sit up and shuffle over to Abi, who I noticed was shivering. I watched as Shania pulled her into a hug and I frowned. Was she crying? I looked over at Bombur who was also watching the exchange. We watched for a while I heard Shania calling the other girls for help. I stood up and walked over. I saw that Abi had fallen asleep holding onto Shania.
"Need some help there lass?" I asked. Shania nodded.
"Please, I want to sleep tonight," she said. I chuckled and walked over the tangle of limbs to the two. I've had a lot of practice at removing little one off my brother. I pulled her off and was somewhat surprised when she clung to me. Shania looked relieved. Then she looked up at me.
"Ahh... need some help?" she asked. Looking like she really didn't want to help.
"Na s'alight lass, I'm used to havin' lil' ones clingin' ta me, I am an uncle afta' all," she nodded.
"Um, ok, if you're sure, I'll be hitting the hay then, night," she said. She bundled herself up and went to sleep. I spent a moment getting Abi off me then slowly walked over to Bombur.
"Seems like you enjoyed holding tha' lil' lass," my older brother quipped.
"She reminds me of your little girl," I said looking over at the little Hobbit sleeping clinging to Laura now. She looked so young.
"Bofur, are you ok?" My head snapped up.
"What?" I asked.
"Did you even hear me?" I blinked and Bombur chuckled.
"What did you say?" I ask.
"Nothing, just you might not want to be seen with that lass clinging to you by Thorin or any of the others, they might get the wrong idea," he said.
"It's nothing like that, like I said she just reminds me of your little one, she can't be older than her," I observed.
"Your probably right, I wonder what Thorin was thinking," I nodded, silence fell over us and we finished our watch. I took one last glance at Abi then I fell into a dreamless sleep.