The Misfits meet System-san

Alice:

That evening, Alice and Bronsen were highly interested in seeing the increase in their [Regeneration] and other stats.

"Look at that! They must also have had a nasty accident with some horrible creature!" said Alice.

Ding! Due to the increased [Regeneration] ability, your arms will be whole again in about nine days.

"Well, thank you for that, System-san!"

Ding! It is System-san's pleasure. It will be amusing to see what further disasters you will blunder into.

"Maybe I'll take that thanks back again," said Alice.

She watched as Bronsen made the entrance secure for the night and tidied up inside. Then he picked her up, gently laid her in the middle of the sleeping rug, and folded it over. He snuggled up to her as he tucked in the hide on the other side of him.

I'm perfectly capable of getting into bed all by myself, even if I don't have hands.

But I'm going to make him work! Keep on reminding him of his stupid mistake.

Besides, it is so wonderful to be held by him.

Tails around each other, his arms around her, she drifted off to sleep.

Bronsen:

It was now two days after the big disaster. They were sitting just out from the cave entrance.

"Not much left of the carcass now, is there?" said Alice.

Only a lot of large bones were scattered around, plus small scraps of hide.

"No, there isn't. And, let's see how much of your arms have regrown now."

Alice held out her arms. The regrown bits looked weird. The missing elbow was restored, and two skinny extensions of her arms went from the elbows to where her wrists should be.

"I guess the radius and the ulna forearm bones have to grow out to the wrist first to provide the scaffolding for the forearm muscles to regrow," said Bronsen.

"I suppose."

I had better hug her again. It certainly helps to keep her calm. Besides which, I like it.

Cassy:

Four days afterwards, Cassy was at the base of their tree. She shouted up to the treehouse.

"OK, there are none of those swarming vermin otters around now!"

So Dryaden, currently hanging by his arms from a branch close to their platform, let go. He landed with a thump and went to his knees to stabilise himself.

Cassy took his hand and led him to the current toilet hole. While waiting for him to finish, she almost absently mindedly skewered a couple of otters.

"Uck, I'm sure those two were getting ready to mate."

"Well, if we can't mate, then I see no need to make any effort to let them do so," said Drayden.

He sounds bitter. Yeah, being blind and sexless can sour a person's mood.

Cassy let Dryaden climb up first, just in case of any accidents. She rapidly climbed up after him. Within an hour, Cassy reduced the two otters to a substantial meal of flame-singed steaks plus a big pile of bloody scraps. She tossed the scraps as far as possible from the tree and then added some roasted spudnips to their meal. Cassy piled up on a flattish rock she had found, and they ate their fill. Drayden ate most of it.

"Well, that food didn't last very long. Say, Drayden, would you like another massage..."

While it's not quite the same, the practice from all those massages I gave my little sister is becoming very handy.

And he never says anything about being the alpha male leader. What a relief.

Drayden:

Seven days later, Drayden asked Cassy how his eyes were going.

"Hmm," she said, gently running her fingers across his face, "It now looks as if you just have your eyes closed. So, you can't open them yet?"

"No, they're stuck closed."

His head was on her lap, and he could feel the breeze gently wafting across them. The rain had eased, and they were reasonably dry due to the much-improved roof that Cassy had constructed. But it was still hot.

"Ah, Cassy?"

"Hmm?"

He flicked his tail so that the tip was stroking her back. Then, reaching up with his closest hand, he stroked the ears on her head.

"This isn't so bad, after all. I guess it was my fault, wasn't it?"

"Well, it was also my fault. I might have seen that attack earlier if I hadn't been so engrossed in my angry thoughts."

"Cassy, you're kind-hearted, aren't you? Trying to make my ego feel better by shouldering the blame for my mistake."

"Ahh, well..."

"And, in the last seven days, you have also clearly demonstrated that you can deal with things alone. So, when I'm better, I will have to try and not be so hung up on the alpha male business."

Cassy held his hands and flicked her tail down his body.

Did she deliberately caress me right between my legs?

Maybe dumping the alpha male stuff won't be much of a hardship, after all.