So sorrowful. That warmth, the soft touch who brought me closer and closer. The covers parted and brought terrible cold to my body. And those arms, they stretched and reached for the missing body.

My clothes were put on with ease, I had to blink the gunk from my eyes and part from the inn with naught but a tiny sip of water. A stomach filled with absolutely nothing, the stars still high in the sky far from the coming dawn. I walked through the streets. Each step brought me closer to the dungeon.

Babel. The whole structure brought a sense of awe and majesty to the eye, yet when I gazed upon it only the small sputtering of golden hair came to mind, knowing that I wouldn't delve alone today. Ais would wait for me. Under the cloak with a small sword stuck from her side. As if a reminder I tightened the bow over my shoulder and checked and rechecked my arrows. They were sharp, they were numerous.
Enough for this delve.

Eventually the inner sanctum approached my vision, through the doors and into the grand staircase I waited.

"Hello." I turned and smiled a greeting back. She did the same and off we went. There wasn't anything else to be said.

The corridors were completely bereft of monsters. Further and further we went, even coming across many corpses. But like some storm had struck through the dungeon, there wasn't a single goblin for us to combat.
I could tell, just from some light observation, that this grated on Ais's nerves. The unflappable and inexpressive girl. Her lips curled into a light snarl, something even she hadn't noticed yet.

It was only in the deep reaches of the dungeon, past dozens of similar chambers and corridors that a target finally showed its disgusting self.

Like Ais, I too grew impatient, so much so that the moment the dog headed beast showed, I had an arrow nocked and ready to fire at the slightest twitch. Yet before I could twitch my finger to release the arrow Ais was already there.
Like a gale, a tempest of wind, she had thrown herself towards the beast. It snarled and howled in rage but I was enraptured by the beauty and savagery of it all.
Her form was like that of a beast, she knew only to swing the sharp end. But it was the power and reach that showed true. Ais pounced upon the dog-headed beast, a kobold if memory served me right.
Her sword came down in a savage downward slash. It both carved and caved the kobolds head in. Dead, yes. But the form, the savagery. I couldn't help but find it so utterly inefficient. But it wasn't my place to pull. She had her own story, her own hatred. I would push her towards a more refined form.

But that could come later.

The arrow was placed back into the crevices of my finger, my bow held low at my side. Ais frowned and carved the stone from the kobold's body and threw it at me.

I was prepared this time. It wasn't much, but I carried a small bag tied to my waist. It had about as much space as a small woman's purse. But if stuffed it could probably carry all the stones we gathered.

And if not, I shrugged, then that was a future problem for future me.

"Ais." She turned and that same absent expression had fallen over the errant rage she had felt. Where had it gone… and so quickly at that? Was her savage display enough to sate that thirst?
I shook my head and gestured for us to continue.
"Mmn" She nodded.

Arrows flew. I flipped over the errant dagger of a goblin, in a last ditch effort to avoid death it had sent its weapon towards me. Yet the speed, the power, and even the deadliness paled in comparison to the arrows I had grown used to yesterday.
My hands nocked another arrow.
In. Hold. Out.

The arrow flew true and the goblin's body stilled before plummeting to the ground in a still motion. My feet touched the ground. I pulled for another arrow.

None. Am I out?
'Yes'
I threw my bow to the ground, my fingers curled into a stretched claw. A savage snarl flew against the raging horde. Each tried in their own way to stop the tide of blood and gore.
One had run head first and tried to tackle my body to the ground in order to leave me vulnerable for its comrades.

As if.

I snarled and crouched low to the ground. One of my hands caught the neck of that goblin and cracked it with force. I turned and used the body as a shield. Flesh met rusty dagger. Flesh won. The dagger stuck and couldn't be pulled from its fleshy prison.

I threw the body to the ground and clawed out the eyes of the next goblin. Ais flew past me and slammed her improper form against another. Our dance was one of savagery and imprecise slaughter.

And when the last goblin fell to the ground, our bodies were covered completely in red gore and blood. But that smile.
It was so beautiful. Ais seemed so refreshed, she brashly took my arm and pulled me for another battle, ignorant of the wobble her legs imparted to the ground.
I dug my feet into the ground. My sanity… my rational thought. It was back. I couldn't in good faith let us fight another battle. Our bag was full and healthy with cores, I was completely out of arrows, even our bodies were protesting the slight movement she forced upon it.

"No. Too tired, out of ammo." Even breathing that small muttering was too much for my lungs. I shook her hand off and hobbled over to my bow.

I placed it in a comfortable manner and gestured for her to follow. She did, if reluctant and with a small pout.
"You know why."
Her eyes screamed that she knew but wanted more. Wanted to slaughter if even for a moment more. But I couldn't allow that.

Like the trip down, the dungeon threw no bone. No quarter. Numerous monsters blocked our way, the goblins had their necks snapped and their eyes gouged. Their spines crushed under the force of a bludgeoned sword.
The kobolds roared and charged at us with vigor but despite our tired bodies their charges were nothing more than a slight obstacle. I was determined, and even with the lack of arrows I was nothing if not deadly.
They were given the same treatment, eyes gouged and necks crushed. Soon… soon this would all be over. Our path would cross the main and be met by the butchered corpses of exploring adventurers, those with a purpose far beyond the first floor.

"Finally~" I sang. Our paths crossed. The floor was filled with freshly carved carcasses, each turning to smoke within the moment. I practically jogged to the exit, stairs would soon reach my eyes and they were loathsome. Yet far preferable to another battle, no matter the songs my blood sang.
I wanted to rest. My body yearned for food, and I wouldn't be denied. Ais seemed the same. Despite the relative silence, I had heard her stomach growl several times. Food was promised to me.

Maybe not verbally but her eyes spoke of some favorite food she seemed enraptured with. I hoped her eyes lived up to their hype.
The stairs were crossed. Another lazy eyed employee counted our haul, and a sputtering of coins was our reward. It was more an afterthought as my stomach demanded more attention.

"Lead." I demanded.
She tilted her head in askance.
"Food. I know that's what you're looking for, so lead." My voice may've been imperious but… but… eh- there wasn't any denying it. I was so hungry and her eyes gave a promise my stomach was keen on redeeming.
"Oh… you're hungry too."
I followed her. The streets were finally filled with people. But we passed each and every one of them. North we went, through several streets and towards the edge of the wall. My stomach growled in protest at each footfall.
But then the smell hit me. There were stalls galore. Each of them hawked a different type of food but Ais had eyes for one and one thing only. A stall that seemed to sell some sort of potato puff.

I walked behind her, curiously. She stood and reached for the bag at under her cloak, pulled out some coin and placed it on the counter. I matched the currency with the same coins and quantity.
And soon we sat in the noon sun, our backs against some wooden bench. Ais munched on the jagamarukun. I did the same. It was good, and most of all it filled my stomach. It was light and fluffy, with a bit of crunch.
Soon I had devoured the rest. A couple wrappers sat next to me and even more sat next to Ais. I furrowed my brows and just stared. She blushed a little red.
"I was… hungry."

I just snorted and laughed a little giggle. Something that Ais took a bit of offense to, huffing and crossing her arms under her chest. An action I just found adorable.

"Tomorrow, same time?"
She finally deigned to look at me and only to nod slightly.

"Yeah. tomorrow…"

Reluctant… why?
It didn't matter, I wasn't close enough to push, not that I found that course of action to be pleasant either way.
I waved her goodbye and retraced our steps, soon I found myself outside Babel. Apparently that was what the giant tower was called. Either way I really only needed the tower in order to find my way back to the inn.

"Have fun?"

My gaze was directed to her voice. It was an… almost teasing edge that greeted me. Atalanta stalked from her chair, put down the book she was reading, and placed me in her lap. I nuzzled the back of my head to her stomach. All the while she pet me into oblivion, somehow she knew just when and where to pet and scratch to make me feel just… oh so good.

Involuntarily, I purred a bit. A side effect of whatever this physiology did to me. Besides the ear and tail. I let myself sit in that embrace for a while. How long was it? A minute, an hour, only half. I didn't quite know.

But by the time I was well and truly relaxed, she took me by the scruff and threw me into the bath after stripping me with a surprisingly nimble hand. And like a cat, I startled and tried to skitter my way out of it. It wasn't even that I disliked baths, quite the contrary. No, it was the sudden nature of the bath.

"Now are you ready to answer me~" Atalanta was still content teasing me, 'cept this time she wasn't reading, no, she busied herself scrubbing my hair and washing me off. Like a mother would to a newborn babe.
"I…" The words refused to appear. For some reason I wasn't able to talk. Was it the embarrassment of suddenly being washed…? Probably. "Ais was nice. Her form was really barbaric though. She was flinging her sword like a club."
"Mmm?" There was a question in that hum of hers. And so I answered.
"Oh. She's… a partner? Something like that, Ais kinda found me when I first entered the dungeon and decided… decided that we were going to delve together I guess."
Atalanta hummed again.
"Has she no training." It was less of a question and more of a remark.
"Don't know…" I mumbled.
"That is fine. Monsters can be felled by strength, especially those weak beasts at the forefront of the dungeon. I do worry that you will outgrow her."
I turned. Uncaring of my current state of dress. Neither did Atalanta. My face blushed yet my eyes were firm.
"I don't quite care…" My eyes drifted to her brilliant green orbs. "I'm your partner. Once I can hold my own, I'll delve with you. Not her."
Atalanta smiled… oh so gently. Her hand formed a gentle curve whose blades rested against my wet hair. She pet my ears gently and hugged me oh so closely. My body wet her clothes, those pristine and beautiful clothes.
Yet she didn't care, instead choosing to coo over me and coddle me into her breasts. I was intoxicated. It was the first… not the first as she had given me plenty of affection. But she, Atalanta, there was something so intoxicating about that affection of hers. The first to truly care about me… and the first to ever give me this love.

"Of course. Of course…"
There was no measure of time in my mind. But at some point my hair had dried, rubbed by a fluffy towel that wiped the last edges of crimson blood from it, and clothed by even gentler hands.

Was this what a mother was like? This… this just unconditional love… unconditional affection that kept on giving more and more love. More affection until it drowned out any other negative emotions.

If it was… or if it wasn't. I cherished each and every second. Each and every second, I can't quite impart how important I felt those seconds were.

She hugged me closer until I had dried completely, and when the sun faded back into the moon, the covers parted. She hugged me once more. Suffocating me in that gentle warmth of hers.

So that when morning came, when I was pushed from the bed. A gentle smile on Atalanta's face as she beckoned me towards my partner. Ais, who would delve back into the dungeon once more.

I felt so dejected. Like an abandoned kitten being thrown into the street. I still went. But those soft fingers playing with my ears, those gentle whispers. Each sensation still echoed in my senses.

So distracting was it that when Babel appeared in my eyes, when the doors parted and I sat waiting on a nearby bench that I barely noticed the encroaching pout of my partner on this hunt of ours.

Ais stood in front of me. The slight scent of her soap wafted into my nose and brought me out of that trance-like state. I cast my gaze over her golden eyes, she tilted her head curiously and held out her hand to me.
I stifled a giggle and took her hand. Ais dragged me from my seat and gestured to the empty pack of arrows at my side.

"Yeah… that's what this's for." I showed her the bag of valis, the local currency, and had her point me to the nearest shop, one that would hopefully carry all the arrows I needed.

The second floor of Babel was lit by a warm orange light, each wall was marked by swords and spears, axes and crossbows. Jewels lined the bottom of those glass displays. Each meant to draw the eye and pocket of the errant adventurer.

But I continued on, Ais trailing beside me, until one shop caught my attention. It wasn't as fancy as the others, nor were there pristine swords lining its display. No, in place of those attention drawing weapons was a grand bow. It was made of great wood lacquered by some unknown oil and surrounded by an arrow that looked larger than my own body.

My tail swished behind me in excitement, I looked to my bow and then to the grand one in the display. I wanted that.
The door opened with a slight ding and led me through displays of all sorts of other bows. Short ones that seemed designed for speed rather than range, great war bows with drawage that needed the strength of a dozen men.
I wanted them all. Each of them were perfect in their own way but when I looked at the small bag of money I had, I could really only pout in disappointment. Mark the bows I wanted for later, and grab an assortment of wooden arrows with steel tipped edges.
I paid for them, quite cheap compared to the outrageous prices those other bows were quoted for, maybe only a dozen dollars if my conversion was true. I shook my head and placed the arrows back in their rightful place.

My gaze turned to Ais who looked oh so bored. Only then did my gaze reach her sword.
"Let me see that." I forced her cloak open and unsheathed her sword. It was… Mmm… saying that it was damaged would be an understatement. I leveled Ais with a glare, one to her and another to the sword.
"You need another."
She sheepishly looked away and hummed an acknowledgement.
Sighing, we made our way out of the store. All of the other shops were filled with expensive weapons, and no matter how far we went there really wasn't anything we could afford.

Eventually I grew tired of walking around, my stomach growling for food it wasn't given in the early morn. And so had Ais's. She held her stomach and blushed, looking to me for guidance. A small smile parted its way onto my face. Ais found it far too teasing for her liking.

I was getting quite adept at reading her expressions. Ais might be quite doll-like, but there were signs, the slight quiver of her lips as they upturned into the barest of snarls, or the edges of her eyes uplifting in a slight smile. Even the barest movement of her neck 'cause she was embarrassed at some nascent emotion.

It may not be perfect, and it still may never be. But I could see and sometimes read the emotions those slight movements made. And so it was with that same teasing smile that I dragged Ais towards the grand tower of shops Atalanta had obtained my bow from.

If along the way we passed some nice restaurant or stall to eat from. Well…. That might just be a merry coincidence. Wouldn't it?