[ It is now, 6:00 am. It is Wednesday, day 3/30 of Summer. Good morning! Your energy has been fully restored. Your health has been fully restored. ]

I awoke refreshed, full of energy, and ready for the day. I checked my cuts and scrapes from last night’s debacle and they had also healed. I can get used to this! As I put on my clothes I realized I never felt this way going to work in the city. I always felt stressed, rushed, and tired from the night before. I often woke up groggy back home. Either I had a few too many drinks the night before, had taken a sleeping pill, or had just been up super late preparing a brief or doing work.

But that wasn’t the case now. No grogginess. No hangovers. No commute. Life was simpler here, and that was kind of a good thing. Since I was stuck here for a while I might as well enjoy it, right? I stretched and looked at the walls of the cabin. It felt warm here. Cozy.

Max wined and I walked over to him, he was sitting in front of his new dog bowl, a gift from Ella. Before bed last night I’d poured it full of food and he’d gorged himself. He’d whined and barked until I gave him seconds. I shook my head at him.

“Too much of a good thing, Max. It’s a lesson for you.” I leaned down and gave him a pet but he didn’t get up. He was deep in a food coma. I knew the feeling. As I stood back up I got a whiff of my body odor and wrinkled my nose.

Right, the shower. I’d best start with that. Especially if I want to see Ella again and not frighten her off.

“Wanna come, Max?” I asked. He raised an eyebrow but did not move. I laughed. “Okay, but don’t lay about all day. We have work to do!”

What work that is is yet to be determined.

I exited the farmhouse and headed around to the back of it. There was a well a bucket and a large washbasin. I resolved to explore the entirety of my property as soon as possible. Who knew what else was hiding here that I had missed? Ella had opened my eyes.

The morning was brisk but not too cold, so I decided to get some water and take a bath as she had suggested to me. First I began to pump water from the well. It wasn’t easy work and it took about five buckets to fill up the washbasin and that whole thing put me at 80/100 energy. I wiped the sweat from my brow and took a second to collect my breath before stepping in.

Man, everything here takes a lot of effort to even start! But this will be worth it. I need this. For a whole multitude of reasons.

There was some privacy afforded in the lee of the house and by the bushes surrounding us, I could only be approached by a narrow corridor between the house and the bushes that surrounded it so I felt confident in stripping down naked. And I did so, enjoying the feel of the morning sun on my skin, Then I stepped into the washbasin, feet first enjoying the cool clean water washing over me. I’d brought a sponge and soap that I’d found in the cupboards of the house but it took me a while to figure out exactly how to bathe myself in this old-fashioned way. It was difficult but I kind of crouched down and began to clean myself by soaking the sponge and pouring it over myself. I washed off grime and dirt and sighed in pleasure as I rubbed my body pink and clean. When it was done I got out and began toweling myself off.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

That was when I heard a familiar sound. The rustling of bushes. I looked to see a trail of my clothing strewn across the lawn. I’d been so lost in my bathing that I’d not paid attention. Whatever animal had bothered us last night had rifled through my clothes! I should have put them in my inventory and not on the ground, that had been stupid. I cursed myself, but I hadn’t expected someone to try to steal from me in broad daylight in my own backyard!

“Hey, you! Yes, you in the bushes!” I called out angrily. “You’d best bring whatever you stole back and show yourself!”

The bushes wiggled and I heard a meowing sound. What the heck?

The first thing I saw emerge from the bushes was a pair of fluffy black ears. Next, I noticed a swishing tail. Then I forgot everything else because a gorgeous naked woman attached to said tail and ears emerged as well. My jaw dropped and I froze. She cocked her head and meowed once more, her tail wagging as she appraised me.

She was short by human standards, maybe a few feet shorter than me, but thin and muscular. Her skin was tan and her eyes yellow. She licked her lips and I noticed two pointed fangs. She put her hands on her hips and I stopped my eyes before they drifted any lower… control yourself George, control yourself.

“Um I’m sorry, I guess you must be searching for something huh? Is that why you went through my clothes?” I asked, doing my best to avoid looking anywhere below her collarbone.

She did not respond. Instead, she dropped to all fours and slowly approached me, her tail on high alert. In her mouth, she held my balled-up shirt. She dropped it at my feet. I grabbed the shirt as she stared up at me.

“Um… thanks,” I said tentatively

I heard a grumbling growling sound from below. The catgirl backed away, hiding her blushing face and clutching her stomach. It took a moment for me to figure it out then I snapped my fingers, chuckling. She was hungry! That was why she’d been rooting around.

“You are hungry aren’t you?” I asked and the catgirl nodded and meowed, shaking her head up and down but hiding her face.

“Well come on, then. Luckily for you today is the first day I can actually help you with that! If you had come yesterday my pantry would have been totally empty!” I paused. "But first, we need to do something about this. As gorgeous as you are, I don’t think I’ll get a lick of work done with you walking around like that."

She tilted her head up at me innocently as if she had no idea what I was talking about. I unfurled my shirt and gave it to her, helping her put it over her head. She twirled, seeming to enjoy the feeling of the fabric on her skin. I chuckled.

“Glad you like it, it is my only shirt so… wear it well!’ I said. For my part, I put on my regular outfit with coveralls, minus the shirt. We were fully clothed but an odd-looking pair, her with just an oversized shirt and me a shirtless farmer.

Imagine if my friends at the firm could see me now! They wouldn’t believe it for a second.

I led her inside. This was a huge mistake. I had forgotten a key element of the equation. Max. As soon as the catgirl stepped inside he freaked out and started barking. She started hissing and climbed up on the table. I thought the two of them would tear each other apart but I managed to grab Max and lead him outside with a few treats from the pantry to calm him down. After he’d relaxed a bit he plodded off into the fields to play, already having forgotten the altercation. That was Max. Easily excited and easily placated.

What a crazy crazy morning.

I headed back inside to deal with our new visitor.