"No, no touching. They are still very fragile." Chess woke to the sound of young women cooing and a brusk male voice telling them to piss off in a very diplomatic manner.

"But sir!" a young woman complained.

"Don't you Sisters have chores to attend to? Perhaps laundry? You're both filthy. What were you doing? Rolling around in the pig pens? You shouldn't be anywhere near the children in that state."

One girl huffed and the other girl muttered. "We were cleaning up the body of a little girl murdered near Last Lake for the truthseekers."

"That sucks. Still, it's no excuse to pester the newborns. They are very fragile."

"We'll be careful!"

"No."

"But!" the two girls complained in unison.

"No buts. Come back when their mother is awake and you can ask her," the man added in a voice reserved for recalcitrant children.

They continued to pester the man for a while longer in loud whispers.

Murdered girl? This world... No, I guess Earth can be just as bad. Chess shook her head at the thought before listening to the girls pester the man.

Chess tried not to chuckle when he resorted to insulting their dresses but failed and resigned herself to finally opening her eyes.

Although, having a proper bed, if only a down-filled cot, seemed to be the height of decadence, and if not for the growing confrontation lurking nearby, she'd waste the day in it and her bedmate's warmth.

Then the argument ended before she found the wherewithal to rise, and then Amber's cute little snores drew her in again, and Chess changed her mind about moving. Instead, she snuggled closer for a bit and sought sleep again now that the voices had receded.

----------------------------------------

Chess must have succeeded, as in what felt like a blink Amber gently shook her awake. "Move over. You are pressing on my hip."

Chess blinked her sleep away and shifted her weight. She lay there collecting her thoughts for a moment before focusing on the pair talking softly nearby somewhere beyond Amber's head.

"They are limited to twice the lifespan of an actual fox if they don't," Masae was explaining. "Encouraging a fox to learn a language is beyond difficult, and if they don't learn, they'll never receive the proper choices. I have to do that all while keeping them hidden from my tribe. It will be nearly impossible."

"I still don't get that part. Surely they have to understand the position you were placed in?" the strong male voice from before answered.

"In the eyes of my people, what I did out of necessity is tantamount to leaving a newborn alone in the woods to fend for themselves. In a lot of ways that's exactly what's happened. It's not as though I have a safe hunting ground in which to raise them. The predators here are large and wide-ranging. And raising them in society will guarantee they'll be stuck. It's been tried many times before."

"I get the dangers of hunting and raising young without a pack. But there are benefits—you said so yourself. if they are what you suspect, it should help. Hells, Artois here would be more than happy to have you run with the pack for a time if the girls are durable enough."

A soft huff of agreement sounded out from nearby.

Masae sighed. "I know you're just trying to be helpful, but we won't know what—if any—special traits they have for another month at least. I'll admit it's not the worst idea if it's something other than my fire... Sincerely I thank you both for the offer. I knew what I was getting into, and I'm happy to have more options."

"Well, the offer remains open." The man took a long indrawn breath. "That said, I should be about my other duties. I'll be back to check on you later this afternoon."

"Thank you, Lord Donovan, for everything. Without your abilities, I'm afraid I'd have lost them both or died myself," Masae said.

"Of course." Chess could hear the smile in the man's voice.

The sound of clicking claws and heavy footfalls escorted them out, and Chess got a glimpse of a tall broad-shouldered man with dusky hair and an absolutely massive wolf as they passed by. Holy shit! Its paws are like serving platters.

When it was clear they were gone, Amber said, "I think he likes you, Masae."

"I'll admit the boy is handsome, but I'm not sure he's worth more than a roll in the flowers or twelve. He's too tied to the land here and Artois' pack."

"He waited here until you were awake, fending off all the curious people, then offered to help you raise your daughters," Amber persisted.

"He's a tamer specialized in canines."

"And that's a problem?"

"It could be. Now, I need to feed the girls," Masae insisted.

There was a quick flash of blue and orange magic, then the clack of claws on the tiles heralded Masae's return to the corner of the room where Chess determined her children were.

Amber sighed and shook her head before shifting carefully onto her back and meeting Chess's eyes. She frowned.

"What's the matter?" Chess asked.

"Nothing bad. I have a decision to make. I leveled twice last night. The choice is complex, the hardest I've ever had, and I was hoping to discuss it with you.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Chess nodded. She vaguely remembered dismissing the weekly prompt that told her she'd eked her way into level nine the night before. "Show me?"

Amber smiled and the prompt appeared.

Choose one Passive

Unblemished (Mend Flesh)

Improved Liver Function (Vascular, Mend Flesh)

Sturdy (Shield, Mend Flesh)

Minor Regeneration (Mend Flesh, Vascular, Shield)

Linked Heart (Vascular, Sense Emotions, Shield)

Bear's Strength (Power Attack, Mend Flesh, Vascular)

Second Heart (Vascular, Mend Flesh, Shield, Power Attack)

Greater Body Awareness Other (Blood Share)

"What does a second heart have to do with Power Attack? And I think that's the first time I've seen an ability required for another," Chess muttered.

"Likely something to do with mass or a prerequisite for something later. And abilities being required is how classes specialize. It's more common beyond level ten," Amber explained.

"Are you leaning towards anything?"

"Not exactly. I've eliminated Unblemished and Sturdy. Because it's frivolous and Bear's Strength is better respectively. And I think Linked Heart is out because of the danger often associated with such abilities. Though I've never read of one linked to a core before, my assumptions could be wrong."

"Hmm, yeah, I don't envy you this choice," Chess said. "My knee-jerk choice is Regeneration, because, regeneration."

Amber nodded. "If I knew whether it was bloodborne and not flesh-based I think I would take it for the synergy with Blood Share alone. But I'm in uncharted waters with this class… Second Heart is the only thing I'm confident will have a true benefit to Blood Share."

"Is that necessary?" Chess asked.

"No, but anything that helps me share benefits with you will help me do my duty of protecting you."

Chess shifted uncomfortably. "Please don't make that the sole reason for a choice."

Amber smiled and shook her head. "I want to see if we can source more of my Pyth before I make a final decision, but thanks for your thoughts. It helps. I think we should find something to eat."

"By we you mean me, don't you?" Chess clarified.

Amber kissed the tip of her nose. "Well, I am stuck in this bed until I can talk the Boneweaver into finishing what he started."

"He didn't finish?" Chess frowned as she sat up and shifted her legs off the bed, before rearranging the folds of her green silk dress. She'd slept in the one she'd changed into the night before.

"Well, he did and he didn't. I'll heal just fine like this, my hip will be even stronger than it was with the runes he used, but it will take a couple of painful weeks. There are ways to speed it along that will cost us," Amber explained, scooting back to prop herself up on the headboard.

Chess sighed looking around. Her gaze settled on the small three-tailed fox curled around two tiny feeding forms in a large box stuffed with blankets. The sight brought on some inexplicable feelings for her. "I see. I'm still wondering what all this is going to cost us," she said trying to shake off the strange, longing.

"It appears I've come at the perfect time," a new voice broke into their conversation and Chess looked up to see Abbess Sholer entering the hospital.

"Good morning, Abbess Sholer," Chess greeted her with a dip of her head.

The woman's mouth quirked into a half-smile. "I'm afraid it's well past the noon bell dear.

"Oh," Chess yawned, "I guess we needed the sleep."

"It was a trying night for everyone involved. At least, it had a happy ending," Sholer agreed, her gaze following Chess's back to the kitsune woman and her young.

"It's not all sunshine and roses," Chess murmured. She took a deep breath before turning back to Sholer. "About payment?"

"If you're agreeable we will accept two of the younger gnolls from your share of the captures. They make great guards if raised properly." Sholer waved a hand as though to dismiss the idea.

"What…" Chess began but Amber cut her off with a hand on her forearm.

"I'll want to inspect them before you make your choice. My lady has needs of her own," Amber said, meeting the Abbess' eye.

"Of course, dear. You must be the Amber Lady Stewart mentioned. I'm Abbess Sholer, third priestess of Luminous."

Chess took the silent cue and confirmed, "This is my personal retainer, Amber Lynn."

"Pleasure," they said nearly on top of one another before devolving into pleasantries and questions regarding Amber's health.

Chess let her mind drift as the pair talked and wandered over to where Masae was feeding her newborns and knelt down to watch.

"New life is always a joy to see," Sholer said when she joined Chess.

Chess simply nodded, not turning.

"I came to inform you that some of the mercenaries have been hired to assist Second Step village and are soon to depart. We'd like to know if you planned to accompany them back to your other companions or if you wished to send a message?"

"I'll send a message. Ashley is in good hands, and I don't want to leave Amber before she has a chance to heal properly."

"I'll have writing implements brought," Sholer agreed and nodded to a nearby sister.

"Thank you," Chess yawned. "I think I'm still trying to wrap my head around how we got away without them catching us until we were on your doorstep. I swear I'm missing large chunks of yesterday. Did I talk to you? Or did I dream that?"

Sholer smiled sadly. "You gave me a brief rundown of the circumstances that led to your unexpected arrival at the head of a small horde, then deposited my apprentice's corpse on my coffee table."

Chess winced, though she noted the lack of inflection in the Abbess' tone.

"Good to know. Anything I should be apologizing for?"

"No, you were quite cordial. I'm only bemoaning my lack of foresight in having you present the body in my study. With what's happening here and with the mercenaries and captives, I'm afraid I've lost its use for the day."

"Ah," Chess wasn't sure what to say.

Sholer gave her a gentle smile. "Don't fret dear, we'll persevere. I do need to address another question, however."

"Hmm?"

"Were you the ones to harvest Sister Plinder's body?"

"No, she was empty when we got to her. We did find some Pyth on the bodies of the men we killed but we didn't know what she had. I'm afraid it got added to the pile. I can try and get it sorted out when we get back to our friends. Ashley's great-grandfather has most of it."

"Great grandfather?" Sholer quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, he's a dwarf."

"I see, I do recall she did have a bit of dwarven lineage. How did you not know what sister Plinder had if you spent as long as you did in a rift?"

Chess sighed and sat on the edge of an empty cot, giving herself a moment to go over the song they'd created to outline what she would tell the Abbess with Musical Memory. "I guess I owe you more of the story, don't I?"

“So much for food,” Amber muttered nearby.

“A sister should be along with something shortly,” Sholer reassured her.