"Why next to me, of course."

"I... hardly think that's necessary. Or appropriate, Ms. Allison," I replied, with an uncomfortable cough in my throat. Looking around, I found a spot on her Floor. "There will suit me just fine. Like you said. One night's break from routine won't do too much harm."

"Actually Mr. Mckay, it will," she countered off-handedly, bunching up some furs into a ball-like shape, before fixing me a stern look. "I did not spend all this time, and my stock, on healing you, just for you to waste all that by catching your **** of chill on my Floor. Or on the rare chance that a scorpion or spider suddenly found you to be particularly delicious." Dropping the furs and laying out the others as a blanket, she turned on me, put her hands to her hips and continued, "And it's too late to speak of 'appropriate'. You and I have slept on this Bed, in separate blankets, since you came here. That was the arrangement, and so shall it be until otherwise. Is that clear?"

It is rare that I find myself intimidated by a woman, but it was evident that Ms. Allison would not waver, and would probably find some way to render me incapable and drag me onto the Bed if I declined. I narrowed my eyes at her, took a breath and said, "Crystal clear. Ms. Allison."

Her lips were held tight and she raised an eyebrow at me, before nodding sharply. "Good. Then there will be no further discussion about this matter. Now throw me your Jacket, and take your Socks and Shoes off."

Holding my tongue, I did as asked, and as I sat on the Bed to remove my Footwear, I heard her drape my Jacket over the ball of furs. It took me a moment to realize what it was that she had built. "There we are," she declared proudly, patting the top of the faux Wall she had erected between us. "You stay on your side, Mr. Mckay, and I'll stay on mine. Is that proper enough for you?"

Given the size of the thing, I had barely enough space to lay down on my side, but it was better than nothing. Though I had to sleep facing the light of the dying fire. "It will suffice, Ms. Allison. Thank you and... good night."

"Good night... Mr. Mckay," she yawned loudly before settling in. Unfortunately, she had turned and jostled the faux wall, nearly tipping me over the edge.

I managed to catch myself before that happened, and just as I did, I spied a massive insect, about the size of a thumb, crawl from one end of her home to the other. "Um, Ms. Allison, those spiders and scorpions you mentioned? How big are they?"

She turned again, almost knocking me over once more, and grunted sleepily while holding her hand out over me, "About this big. But you don't have to worry 'bout those ones. It's the small ones that'll kill you. Now go to sleep."

With great difficulty, did I.