They rolled silently into the neighborhood. Night had fallen and the streets were barren - not that they'd expected there to be anyone there. Heavy limbs dragged them into the house where they shed weapons and clothing alike. There was a scratching sound at the door, startling Tess from her stupor. She grabbed her Arc-Talons and peered through the small window, surprise turning to relief when she saw a beautiful, furry face staring at her from the other side.
She flung the door open, wrapping Maisy in a strong hug that was returned with enthusiastic head bumping and tail whipping. Tess was in awe at how the unofficial neighborhood pet stray had become a tiger-sized force to be reckoned with. She thought back to when the small Siamese would sit under Zavier's chair, bumping his hand for errant head scratches while he smoked his cigars, yet running off into the woods any time he tried to pick her up. Tess didn't know how long it had been since they'd hunted together, but it was obvious that Maisy hadn't stopped.
"You've certainly gotten bigger." Tess stepped back and eyed the Siamese who could only be recognized as such from her fur coloring. She was the size of a pre-System tiger, her body two feet thick and at least six feet long without even considering the tail. Maisy preened, stretching luxuriously to show claws bigger and more deadly than any kitchen knife.
"I'll tell you all about what happened later, but we desperately need some sleep. Do you mind watching over the place while we get some rest?"
Maisy head butted her chest with a loud purr before stepping back and effortlessly leaping onto the roof.
"I didn't even hear her land," Tess mumbled to herself as she stumbled back to her bedroom.
Her breath caught in her chest when she eyed the bed, realizing that she'd be sleeping in it alone. No time for that. I'll deal with those emotions tomorrow. She fell heavily onto the soft mattress, not even getting underneath the blankets before she was asleep.
The night passed, and so did the next day. Another came and went without incident, any potential intruders smart enough to avoid the house with an apex predator laying vigilant on the roof. Not that any would come from the woods - not anymore.
It had been three days since they'd arrived home and their lives had begun to take on a sense of normalcy, as much as this new world allowed, at any rate. The twins were with the Bouchards and had planned to stay the night, leaving Tess alone in an empty house with nothing but dark thoughts.
She paced. She cleaned. She organized weapons, folded laundry, and inventoried supplies. She did all the normal things a mother and wife might do when they found themselves alone without any world-ending crises to occupy their time.
She stood in the middle of the empty kitchen, the silence bearing down on her like a weight.
She screamed, crushing a glass to powder in her hands. Another shattered against a wall. Sound and noise finally filled the empty space as the refrigerator was pummeled into a dented, twisted mess, then hurled through the kitchen window to carve a deep furrow in the lawn behind the house.
Another scream followed that, quickly picked up by an unearthly yowling from outside.
The cry cut through Tess's fugue, the fog in her mind clearing as her danger sensed exploded. A part of her brain said FINALLY! A TARGET! And she was through the window in a single leap, rolling into a crouch, her ever-present weapons pulled from their spatial storage and into her hands. Her head whipped left and right, searching out the sound of her prey.
Maisy stepped silently out of the woods, head low and tail whipping dangerously. A low sound that was more growl than purr vibrated through the air, calming Tess's beating heart.
Her mind snapped back and she could hear Fara's shrill voice. "Mother! What is happening? Your hormones are off the chart right now and you are being flooded with adrenaline! Are we in danger?"
She took a calming breath. "I'm fine. Hush for now. I'll explain later."
The previous days had been a mental battle. Fara had no concept of privacy or personal space, as odd as that term was in her present state. Twice she'd been woken up to Fara asking her questions that had no need to be answered at that moment. The fights between the two had revealed a few points that both gave Tess hope and filled her with dread:
Tess was able to silence her with a strong force of will, but it took constant thought and a large part of her attention. Fara was able to overcome it with an equal amount of will. Fara was not able to plumb the depths of Tess's memories, although she could recall with perfect clarity anything that had occurred since she'd become integrated with Tess, even while Tess was sleeping. This had led to an uncomfortable explanation on what farting was and why people did it when they slept. Fara was able to control Tess's limbs and reactions, but only when Tess wasn't expecting it or was distracted. This had led to a lot of conversations about personal space and agency. Fara had no concept of 'consent,' as she'd never had a moment in her life where she wasn't able to control anything within her domain.
Their shaky truce had come down to these rules: Help, but don't force. Wait to speak when important things were happening, but give advice and support when Fara deemed it necessary. They had even allotted specific times of the day when Tess and Fara would sit in conversation, Tess teaching Fara everything she needed to know to not be a total psychopath.
For her part, Fara seemed singularly focused on becoming a part of their family, something which still creeped Tess out to no end. For the moment, thankfully, she shut up.
Maisy relaxed as Tess did, stretching and turning. She looked back over her shoulder, flipping her tail in a motion that said follow.
Tess did, stepping past the threshold of their property and into the woods that were filled with memories as populous as the trees.
"You are here. You are safe."
Tess's eyes shot open and she spun to look around her. The voice that spoke inside her head wasn't Fara's - the girl didn't even seem to know it had occurred.
"Who are you?"
"Mother? Who are you talking to?"
"Not now Fara. I'll explain later."
"You always say that," the petulance in her voice was clear.
A soft, silky voice responded. "See me."
A character sheet exploded into her vision, carried along with currents of primal emotions. Hunt. Sleep. Grow. Others followed, too primal and deep for human vocabulary to understand.
Maisy, Level: 15
Class: Mystic Predator
Core Stats:
STR: 30 (25)
AGI: 30 (25)
END: 10
INT: 25 (20)
LUC: 6
CHA: 18
Combat Skills:
Melee Combat: Intermediate 3
Ranged Combat: N/A
Defense: Basic 1
Tactics: N/A
Attack: 6 Defense: 4
Magic and Technology:
Magic Affinity: Basic 1
Tech Savvy: N/A
Spellcraft: N/A
Enchantments: N/A
Ancillary Skills:
Leadership: Basic 3
Survival: Intermediate 1
Crafting: N/A
Stealth: Intermediate 4
Enhancements/Impairments:
Regenerative Sleep 1
Achievements:
First kill (Recognized).
Planetary first (Esteemed)
Skills and Abilities
Arcane Sheen 2
Ethereal Claw 2
Hunter's Communion 1
Night Hunter's Domain 1
Enhancements/Impairments:
Name: Regenerative Sleep
Type: Healing Skill
Level: 2
Description: Gain the ability to heal rapidly during sleep. Each hour of sleep restores health, mends minor wounds, and rejuvenates your body, ensuring that you wake fully prepared to face the dangers of your territory.
Skills and Abilities:
Name: Arcane Sheen
Type: Defensive Skill
Level: 3
New Description: Your fur's radiant arcane glow has intensified, further enhancing its defensive properties. At this level, it not only deflects magical energy but can now absorb a portion of it. This absorbed energy can be redirected into your attacks or used to further bolster your defenses. The permanent bonus to Charisma increases to +3, reflecting your enhanced mystical allure.
New Effect:
Energy Absorption: Absorbs 10% of all magical damage taken, which can be used to power your next physical or magical attack.
Reflective Aura: Now deflects lower-level magical projectiles back at their caster with a 20% chance of success.
Charisma Bonus: Increases your Charisma stat by +3 permanently.
Name: Ethereal Claw
Type: Offensive Skill
Level: 3
New Description: Your claws have evolved to manipulate arcane and physical matter at an even deeper level. When fully charged, they can now tear through the very fabric of space, briefly opening small rifts in reality. These rifts can disrupt time and space, allowing you to strike at foes from unexpected angles or bypass otherwise impassable barriers.
New Effect:
Spatial Rifts: Your claws can open small rifts in reality, allowing you to teleport short distances (up to 15 meters) or attack enemies from different angles without them seeing your movement.
Rift Slash: Every 10th strike creates a destabilizing rift, weakening the armor or magical defenses of enemies for 10 seconds.
Name: Hunter's Communion
Type: Communication Skill
Level: 2
New Description: Your bond with those you train has strengthened to a point where you can communicate complex thoughts and strategies almost instantaneously. Now, you can maintain this telepathic link over greater distances and in combat, allowing for better coordination during fast-paced encounters.
New Effect:
Expanded Range: Increases the effective range of the telepathic link to 300 meters.
Combat Coordination: You can now relay split-second commands during combat, providing allies with real-time battle strategies and warnings. They receive a temporary 5% boost to reaction speed and coordination.
Mental Network: When in the Night Hunter's Domain, you can link up to four trained allies, allowing them to communicate with each other through you.
Name: Shadow Pounce
Type: Offensive Skill
Level: 1
Description: The user can blend into shadows and leap from them with deadly precision, striking at enemies from unseen angles. Utilizing darkness as cover, the user becomes an unpredictable predator, enabling swift and powerful ambushes. This ability is particularly effective when targeting larger or more powerful foes, causing confusion and fear due to the unexpected nature of the attack.
Effect:
Surprise Ambush: The user can leap from any shadow within 20 meters, landing an attack that has a 10% increased critical hit chance.
Fear Inducement: Enemies caught unaware by the user's Shadow Pounce have a 25% chance to be momentarily disoriented, reducing their ability to retaliate for a few seconds.
Enhanced Stealth: While hidden in shadows, the user gains a +5 bonus to stealth, making it more difficult to be detected before the attack.