> Unicuddling
>  by pubbyrot
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> This is How A Unicorn Snuggles
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm looking out for you!"

The two mares grinned at each other after they finished their song. As happy as Izzy Moonbow felt while journeying with Sunny Starscout, the energy she expended was beginning to take its toll. Even though she wanted to keep smiling stupendously at Sunny, her face eventually gave in to natural impulses, and scrunched up in a loud yawn.

"Oh! Izzy," Sunny looked surprised, "are you tired?"

"Mhmm," Izzy hummed. "Unicorns are very sleepy creatures." Izzy perked up a little, suddenly curious. "Wait a minute, are Earth ponies very sleepy creatures, too? Or do you not need any sleep?"

A not-that-sleepy-seeming Sunny giggled. "We definitely need sleep. Any hard worker does. I'm a bit tired myself."

Izzy tipped her head towards the supposedly-sleepy Sunny. "Well, we certainly have been working hard. You're a good voyager."

"Thanks. I used to love going camping with my dad. It wasn't far out of town, but still." Sunny stared wistfully at the sky. "Sometimes I used to imagine I would meet a unicorn while camping out."

Sunny turned to face Izzy with a smile, and Izzy felt all warm and fuzzy and happy about the fact that the two had met one another.

Then she yawned again, but with doubly as much muzzle crinkling.

"Um, do we need to set camp for the night?" Sunny asked.

"Gee, I'd love that, but I didn't know we had to have camping gear on us," Izzy shook her middle, "See? No saddle bag."

Sunny frowned. "Oh, I meant it metaphorically. I don't think I have anything useful in here either," She hooved open her bag and scrutionized the contents. "Uh, granola bar?"

Izzy shook her head, making her hair and hairband swish from side to side. "Thanks, but I had a good helping of oats this morning."

Sunny put the snack back in her pack. "Good idea, I'll save it for breakfast. We should rest now, since we still look a good distance from the Heights."

"Got it," Izzy settled down on her haunches, tucking her hooves under her body and wrapping her tail around her side. Almost immediately, she began sleep murmuring.

"Wait..." Sunny stepped forward to stand by Izzy, prodding the unicorn with one hoof. "Uh, Izzy, I don't think you should sleep right there."

Izzy snorted as she groggily lifted her head. "Whuzzat? Why not?"

"Because we're out in the open. We should find someplace safer."

"Why would we be in danger?"

"Well... as much as I hope the pegasi are friendly, we are getting close to their territory. Being visible and defenseless from the sky is probably not the best idea."

"Hmmm... that's true," Izzy replied. "I've been told that pegasi are super scary. Oh, but, I guess it could be wrong... since some stuff they taught me about earth ponies was wrong."

"Exactly. The ideal scenario is that the pegasi are friendly. And my hypothesis is that they are, which is further supported by the fact that you're nothing like the unicorns my fellow earth ponies warned me about." Sunny puntuated her sentence with a giggle.

Izzy rolled over on her back so she could peer up at Sunny. "I'm glad I made this journey. Even if I just got you out of it- that's one more friend to have. I'm sure the pegasi will like you too."

"I hope so." Sunny leaned down to gently headbutt Izzy's head. "Let's rest up."

Izzy slowly got to her hooves. "Alright, alright. Where are we slumbering, my Sunny Starry friend?"

Sunny pointed ahead at the view before them. "Let's just head down the peak and sleep below it. It's not the best cover, but it will keep us out of sight from the sky. The vulture-rats are probably more of a threat than the pegasi, but otherwise this place is too barren for much else."

"Aye-aye!"

The pair carefully made their way down the peak. Izzy stumbled a few times due to being tired, but they thankfully got down safely.

Under the shade of the rocks, it was noticibly colder. But the corner furthest beneath the ledge was the safest place to camp out, so Sunny insisted they stay there.

Not only was the corner quite cramped, but the rock against Izzy's back was cold and far from cozy. Izzy yiped, inching forward to get away from the chill. "C-cold."

"I know, I know, but this is the best we can do," Sunny sighed. "I wish I brought a blanket. Or any camping gear for that matter..."

"It's not your fault we had to gallop off."

"Yeah... but... I wish what I said could've gotten through to the ponies back home. Those Sheriffs aren't doing anypony good if they act so alarmist."

Izzy didn't seem to understand, but agreed all the same. "Yeah! Those... uh, those lousy Sheriffs! You tell 'em Sunny!"

Sunny curled her hooves tighter around herself. "I just wish Hitch could see what I'm trying to say. I've known him since foalhood, and I'd like to think he can change, but..."

Izzy wrapped her hooves around Sunny in a reassuring hug. Sunny gratefully leaned into it, the two pressed together warmly.

And then Izzy didn't move.

Sunny tried pulling away, but Izzy only kept holding onto her. "Lets keep warm like this. Isn't this much nicer? I've never been taught about how warm earth ponies are!"

Sunny blinked. "While I've never thought unicorns were particularly cold... this is nice. Are you sure we can sleep like this?"

"I don't see why not. This is really comfy. And unicorns like comfy!"

"They do?"

"Yep. I mean, I certainly enjoy it, and I am a unicorn," Izzy reasoned most reasonably.

"I suppose that checks out."

"See, we unicorns like to get all cuddly."

"Cuddly?"

Izzy nodded affirmatively. "Yes, cuddly. We like getting cuddly, and we like getting snuggly."

"Snuggly?"

"Yes. And cozy. That's how we like sleeping."

Sunny was quiet for a moment, likely making mental notes about unicorns in her head.

"Earth ponies cuddle too..." Sunny said quietly. "It's just... it's a little embarrassing, so we only do it with ponies we're close to."

"Then it's a good thing we've become best friends, new best friend!" Izzy cheered. "Unless..." Izzy's ears drooped at a new thought. "Unless you don't think we're best friends..."

Sunny held onto Izzy tighter. "N-no, that's not it! Like I said, this is nice. I haven't been this close to anypony in awhile."

Sunny gingerly placed her neck over Izzy's which spread a burst of happiness inside Izzy's chest. Izzy hugged her own free hoof close to her barrel to savor the feeling. "You're good at this, Sunny."

"Really? I'm glad to hear it..." Sunny said, sounding a little shy.

Izzy giggled because there was really no reason to be embarrassed. It was cute that Sunny was like that, and especially cute because Izzy shifted to nuzzle Sunny's cheeks, and could feel how they were extra warm.

"Um, Izzy...?"

"Yes?" Izzy was currently doing a very good job of snuggling Sunny. She kept moving her head in nuzzles and moved her hooves in cuddles, and shifted her body so that both mares were more cozy. It was peak sleeping, if Izzy could say so herself. It was sleeping in the manner that a unicorn should.

"Izzy, this is pleasant and all, but... errr, how are we supposed to sleep like this?"

Oh. Right. The sleeping part. You could not actively engage in snuggling while you were asleep. And with all Izzy's squirming, how were the both of them supposed to nap? That checked out.

"Right! We just gotta find a good position to cuddle in. We could try sleeping side by side," Izzy surmised, "but there is something I've always wanted to try when it comes to snuggling."

"What's that?"

"Spooning!" Izzy exclaimed. "And don't worry, we don't actually need any spoons."

Sunny seemed to grow more flustered. "I know what spooning is."

"Okay, then let's try it! You start!"

Sunny slowly shifted so that her hooves were wrapped around Izzy's torso. "Um... Like this?"

"Yes! Good!" Izzy nestled into Sunny's grasp, feeling very snug and cozy and content.

Sunny began to close her eyes, until–

"My turn!" Izzy sprung to her hooves. "Now I get to spoon you!"

"Izzy," Sunny groaned, "when do we get to sleep?"

"Once we determine the comfiest position!"

Izzy turned so that she was hugging Sunny around the torso, with Sunny turned away from her. "Aaah... this is nice. I think we should try this one."

"A-alright..." Sunny replied. "This is good."

Izzy beamed. Unicorns really knew the best ways to sleep! Oh, but... hm. It was hard to tell which one was optimal...

"Hey Sunny?"

"Yes?"

"Can we try the first sleeping position again?"

Sunny groaned.