NOVEL NEXT Chapter 30: Catacombs
I wake up and find myself embraced and pulled against Sam’s warm body. Apparently she’d pulled me against her in her sleep, not that I mind that at all. It does look like I’ll be stuck like this for a while though because I don’t want to disturb her sleep. Pocky and Mochi have also made themselves comfortable, both of them cuddling up to Mr. Snuggles on the side of the bed next to the wall. I reach for my phone, but just before I can get it, I’m pulled back again by a sleepy Sam.
“Noooo... Cute catgirl… More snuggles… More purring…” She says in her sleep, making me blush horrendously.
“Making me blush even when she’s sleeping…” I pout. Guess I can’t help it and cuddle up closer to Sam and just enjoy her embrace for as long as I can. It doesn’t take long for the comfort to make me start purring again, but this is the first time I’m doing it consciously and just letting it out. I close my eyes and rest for a bit longer while waiting for Sam to wake up by herself. After an hour or so I can finally feel Sam starting to move.
I turn myself over to face Sam and see her lying there with her eyes half open. “Morning sweetie…”
“G’morning Amicia.” Sam gives me a squeeze.
“Want to get up?”
“Mye, but first let me cuddle you up for a little bit longer, ok?”
I nod and give her a kiss. “Ok.”
She holds me even tighter and gently breathes down my neck. Her warm breath sending shivers down my spine all the way up to the tip of my tail.
“Isn’t it weird that just last week I didn’t even know you?” Sam suddenly breaks the silence.
“Do you think we are going too fast?”
Sam shakes her head. “I don’t know, even though it should feel like that, I doesn’t for me, in any way. It honestly feels like a match made in heaven.”
“It could be.” I nuzzle my nose into her neck.
“A match made in heaven?”
I nod. “I was actually chasing the person who did this to me, when I ran into you at uni.”
“Oh… So that person might have been setting us up.” She holds me close and starts softly brushing her hand through my hair, occasionally scratching behind my ear.
“I think so… well… After you told me about your leg I’m even more suspicious.”
“Heh?”
“That old lady you told me about.”
“Are you insinuating it was her who did all this?”
“It could be a coincidence… but…”
Sam thinks for a bit. “After realizing magic is a real thing yesterday, I guess it wouldn’t be too far-fetched… Do you think she’s a benevolent Goddess or something?”
“Yeah, something like that. I think her name might be Veanya.”
“It would be interesting to have a chat with her.”
I nod again. “Yeah, but she’s been pretty illusive.”
“Gods be Gods I guess.”
“Mhmm.”
Sam gives me one last squeeze before she sits herself upright.
“Hey Amy, I was thinking…”
“Mhmm? What’s up? I think it’s still a bit early for a marriage proposal, don’t you think?”
“Shut up you idiot.” She laughs. “I was just thinking... if you could try healing my leg?”
“Hmm… Well I could definitely try if you really want me to.”
Sam nods. “I’d like that.”
I sit on my knees next to Sam as she puts her leg in front of her.
“Are you ready?”
Sam nods again.
“Tell me if it starts hurting ok? I don’t really know what it feels like to get healed…”
Sam nods once more and smiles gently “I will.”
I start focusing my energy, a warm glow spreading from the center of my body to my hands, hovering above Sam’s leg. A blue and green orb of light starts emanating from my hands and begins to flow into Sam’s body but even after a while nothing else appears to be happening.
I close my eyes to put more of my focus into it, taking even more energy from my core and channeling it into Sam. But still, nothing. I’m starting to get dizzy but I don’t want to give up yet, but Sam stops me.
“I don’t think it’s going to work Amy, and I don’t want you to hurt yourself for me.”
An annoyed grunt leaves my mouth. “I really don’t know what’s happening. It’s like something is missing.”
“I think it’s definitely working, but not the way we thought it would.”
I tilt my head sideways, questioningly.
“I’ve never felt better, like ever. The soreness in my muscles from yesterday's match, all gone, and the general exhaustion I’ve been feeling lately, nowhere to be found.”
“Hmm.”
“Have you ever played games like Catacombs and Chimeras?”
“The tabletop game?”
Sam nods.
“I know my sis plays them but I haven’t really played them myself.”
“Well, in the game there are healing spells but they often can’t restore lost body parts.”
“So you think it works like that?”
“That’d be my guess. But hey, I’m no magician or a witch.” She sticks out her tongue.
“That’s true.” I giggle. “I’ll try to experiment a bit with it when I’m in the game.”
“Anyway, thanks for trying cutie.” She kisses my cheek.
“Anything for you.” I lick her cheek, leaving her a bit perplexed. “I’m a catgirl after all.” and give her a wink.
I jump out of bed and head towards her clothes when the door swings a bit wider open. Sam quickly covers herself with my bed sheets as my sister peeks in.
“Amicia are you awa...Oh sorry!”
“Sis, please.”
“I just wanted to say breakfast is ready… Is that a leg there?” Élise looks perplexed at the cabinet with Sam’s clothes.
“Yeah, it’s mine.” Sam raises her from behind the sheets.
“Oh, is it bionic?”
She nods.
“That’s pretty neat! Nikki interests herself quite a lot in animatronics and stuff like that. Would she be allowed to take a closer look at it?”
Sam smiles “Of course! I’ve seen her work with the ears and tails you wore to the mall, I was pretty impressed.”
“Oh right! She’ll be happy to hear that.”
“Indeed I am.” Nikki pokes in her head as well and smiles. “I would hurry up though, the eggs are getting cold.” and she gives my sis a peck on her cheek.
“Alright, we’ll be over in a minute.”
My sister gives me a head pat and leaves the room together with Nikki so we can finally get dressed.
“Want to wear my lazy clothes to laze around in or do you just want to wear your clothes?”
“Eh, it’s a sunday anyway, so lazy clothes please.” Sam smiles.
I quickly take some of my comfy clothes out of the closet, consisting out of a pair of shorts and a sweater and throw them at Sam. “I think these should fit you.”
Sam grabs them and starts putting them on. I take a pair of cute PJ’s out of the closet for myself that my sister bought at the store without me knowing. It’s a pink top with gray tigger cats printed on it and a gray pants with little pink catpaws.
“You had PJ’s lying around?” Sam says with a blush once she’s done getting dressed.
“Well, you didn’t ask and you pulled me on top of you before I could even grab you some.”
Sam’s head becomes even more red.
“T-that’s fair. The PJ’s look really cute on you by the way.”
“T-thanks.” I bring Sam her leg.
“Okay. So this is basically the same as we did yesterday. Just line it up on my thigh and twist the bottom ring to the right now.” She leans on my shoulder to steady herself and to make shoving her leg on her thigh easier for me.
It doesn’t take as long as yesterday to find the right amount of tension to twist the ring into place.
“That’s that. Thanks sweetie.” She says as she also locks her ring in place and gives me a quick kiss.
“No problem.” I smile and help her stand upright.
We head towards the living room after giving Pocky and Mochi a quick pet. They must still be super tired from yesterday. As we enter the room we see my sister and Nikki already sitting down and chomping down on some eggs. My sister eating them between bread with ketchup.
“Eggs with ketchup? Really?” Sam asks, waiting for me to pick a chair.
“Hey, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, young padawan.” She replies with a grin while I take my seat in front of her.
“Ok, ok.” Sam takes some bread, puts eggs and ketchup on it and starts eating. My sister ogling her for a reaction. “Not bad, not bad.”
“Told ya.” She smiles. “Oh, Amicia, Hilda is coming over in a bit to start a new campaign of Catacombs and Chimeras, if you two would like to join, feel free to do so.”
Sam almost chokes on her food and I start laughing as well.
“What’s wrong, the egg wasn’t bad was it?”
“Oh, nothing, it’s nothing. I think we’d like that.”
“Yeah, that could be fun.” Sam says after catching her breath.