A new day, a new quest

Something is nudging your back. But right now you have your front pressed against Mrs. Patterson, your breasts pressing against her warm skin and one arm draped over her side and resting against her freshly-inseminated tummy. **** to move away from the incredible housewife you're snuggled against, you try to ignore the prodding for a time; but as it persists, eventually you roll over to see what it is. Verita is poking you with her snout, patiently persisting until she's sure you're awake.

"[Doffson is crying for you,]" she growls quietly.

That brings you awake in an instant. You roll out of the bed, hoping the movement won't disturb the sleeping couple, and make your way down the hall to the room Doffson was in. You find him sitting up in the middle of the bed, but with the blanket pulled completely over his head to hide him. "Doffson? What's the matter, baby?" you call out gently.

The blanket lifts up and he peeks out. "Mama!" he cries, seeing you. He jumps out of the bed and runs over to you, almost tripping in his haste, then attaches himself to your leg.

You aren't sure what brought this on. You bend down and scoop him up in your arms, holding your boy against your chest. "Did you miss me while you were sleeping?"

"It was... I had a nightmare. You left, and Skoll was being chased by these giant bears, and I couldn't do anything!"

Oh. Wow. "That sounds terrible!" you exclaim, hugging him tighter. "I never want to leave. If you kids are in danger, even if I have to fight an army of giant bears, I'd still be there to protect you."

"Mm. Yeah," he says, wrapping his arms around you and enjoying the comfort of his mama's warmth.

A light bark interrupts your moment. "[Others are waking. Clothes.]"

Oh, right. You undid those for the fun last night and haven't redressed yet. Clothes are still something you aren't used to. "Thanks, Verita," you say as your chest dyes blue and a skirt stretches down your legs. Hm, will Mienna praise you for remembering without her having to tell you this time? Or would she just be more upset if she learned you were naked earlier?

Your boots click back into place just as you hear the next door over open. Skoll comes wandering in, rubbing her droopy eyes in an attempt to wake up. When she sees you holding Doffson in the room, her ears perk up. She blinks twice... and doesn't say anything.

"C'mon, you too." You squat down and extend your left arm. Skoll happily runs into it, and you stand with one of your babies in each arm. They both lean against you, letting your generous bust be their pillows. You wish you could somehow capture this moment for eternity; it's everything you wished you could have when you were locked in that house.

A couple more doors open and the two youngest Patterson girls dash down the hall toward the kitchen. An excited cry of, "I win!" echoes back shortly after. The family's day is beginning. With a child in each arm, you head to the kitchen to see what you might do to help.

* * * * * * *

Mr. Patterson walks back to his shop with you and your family. Once he gets there, he makes a quick inventory to be sure nothing went missing during the night, then comes back to give out quests for the day.

"It's too early for me to send out deliveries, but it looks like I am running low on stock. Could you go hunt down five Bristle Boars and bring back the meat they drop?"

Mienna frowns as she thinks it over. "Bristle Boars aren't... particularly strong, but Skoll and Doffson are still..."

"Is it too dangerous?" you ask your eldest.

"For now, it probably is. My only weapon is this knife. Verita could probably handle it, but then we wouldn't get any of the xp."

"Is that so," Mr. Patterson sighs. "Sorry. I don't have anything else right now."

"No, that's fine," you assure him. He's already done a lot for your family.

"Yeah, we'll just find someone else with a q-"

"YOU THERE!" a sudden shriek interrupts Mienna. She jumps a foot in the air, then turns around to see who made such an unearthly cry. And she freezes stiff when she recognizes who it is.

An old woman in a tattered cloak, leaning on a wooden staff, is pointing right at Mienna. The grandma has three warts visible on her face and a long, crooked nose, plus enough hair on her chin to qualify as having a beard. "You will be a magician!" she declares, her voice a high-pitched cackle. "A witch! My apprentice! I sense the potential in you."

"N-n-n-no thanks! I've got... I'm too young!" Mienna snaps out of her fright and hides behind your legs, **** to have a physical barrier between herself and the old woman.

"Mienna, who...?" you ask, curious.

"Whitney," Mr. Patterson answers instead. "This girl's far too young to take a role, Ms. Whitney. You're only scaring her."

"Bah! Role! Class! All worthless, worthless! I mean magic! The lifeblood of the world, the creative power itself! She needs no role to learn the truth! Why, in a single day, she could learn to wield power you could never hope to understand, butcher!"

"Ms. Whitney, please leave. You're scaring the kids, and you're scaring away customers."

Mienna looks terrified, that much is true. But Skoll is watching with great interest, and even Doffson is staring at the woman curiously. With a snort, the witch turns away and hobbles into a side alley, occasionally pausing to cackle maniacally for a moment before continuing on.

Once she is out of sight, Mr. Patterson breathes out a sigh of relief. "Sorry about that. Ms. Whitney is technically a citizen here, but... Well, rumor says she's on the side of monsters. I'd try to avoid her, ma'am, for you and your family's safety."

"She didn't seem all that dangerous to me," you ponder aloud, looking at where she disappeared to.

"Well, maybe not to you, ma'am. You're rather... resilient. But these young ones don't share that trait." That earns him a sly smile as you remember how far his wife went to prove your resiliency.

More of the NHCs are opening their shops now. Maybe they had quests your kids could accomplish. Or maybe... Maybe that witch had something.