Chapter 103: Task Failed
Althea’s small fist found its way to her mouth. Her chubby fingers were slick with drool as she shoved them past her gums as if she had just discovered the world’s greatest delicacy. The wet, squelching sounds of a baby determinedly eating her own hand filled the quiet shelter.
Drool ran down her chin in a steady stream, pooling in the crease of her neck before dripping onto Xavi’s chest.
He sighed, and Tera laughed, her infectious smile reaching both Xavi and Althea.
"Look at you," Tera whispered, tracing a finger along the soft curve of Althea’s cheek. She was so darn soft!
Althea responded by removing her fist from her mouth with a wet pop, grabbing Tera’s finger, and immediately trying to stuff that into her mouth instead.
Her grip was surprisingly firm, and her gums clamped down with a pressure that made Tera wince.
"Ow. What an impressive jaw strength."
Xavi rumbled a quiet laugh behind her, and the vibration of it travelled through his chest into Tera’s face. His chin rested on top of her head, and she could feel him watching Althea with the same helpless adoration that was currently making her own chest ache.
One of his massive hands came up to gently cup the back of Althea’s head, his palm so large it cradled her entire skull.
His thumb traced the edge of one of her pink ears, and Althea’s eyes drifted toward the sensation. She released Tera’s finger and reached for Xavi’s thumb instead, wrapping both tiny hands around it and holding on as if she had found something far more interesting than her mother.
Another giggle bubbled out of her, wet and delighted, and she kicked her stubby legs against Xavi’s chest in excitement.
Tera’s cheek and lips hurt from smiling, but she didn’t mind.
She was going to do her best to finish this task before the deadline, and without wearing anyone out. At least she was guaranteed something. If there was still time remaining out of the initial time frame of the task, she wouldn’t get any tasks during that period.
And she didn’t know what time frame was set between each major task, but she would find out.
Althea yawned. Her whole face stretched with the effort of it, her tiny mouth opening so wide her eyes nearly disappeared into her cheeks. She blinked once, twice, and then her grip on Xavi’s thumb loosened as her eyelids grew heavy.
Within seconds, she was asleep, her small body going boneless across Xavi’s chest. One fist was still curled loosely near her mouth, glistening with drool. Her pink ears had gone soft and floppy against her head.
Tera pressed a kiss to her daughter’s forehead and closed her eyes.
Xavi’s arms settled around both of them, and his breathing slowed against her.
Ermin’s tail swept across Tera’s thigh and lay still while she slept deeply, and without a single thought about the water channels.
- ※ - ※ - ※ -
The nursery was finished by the end of the third week.
It was nearly as large as the very first shelter they had built, and it was reinforced with double layers of silk leaves and supports that Tera had specifically designed to withstand both the weather and the inevitable chaos of multiple cubs sharing a space.
The flooring was layered with dense, thick moss, which had been hell to find and put together, and after it was covered by woven silk leaves, the flooring was further cushioned with furs.
Tera was proud. The clan was prouder.
The beast men who had built it stood around the finished structure with the satisfied expressions of males who had just completed something monumental. They were even more impressed than when they had built the other shelters.
Tera was happy it had come together really well. The blueprint feature had made the design process smoother, and the males’ experience from building the other shelters made them understand her instructions faster.
What would have taken weeks of frustration months ago had been completed with only moderate frustration this time.
Tera watched from a distance, waiting for this first task to be marked as completed.
[Scanning structure...]
Tera kissed Nadia, bobbing the baby on her hip as she awaited the release of one workload off her shoulders.
[Task 1 status: Incomplete]
Tera blinked.
’Excuse me? What the fuck?!’
[The structure does not yet meet all requirements for the task]
Tera’s smile vanished. She looked at the nursery then back at the screen.
’What do you mean, incomplete? It is built! It is standing! It has walls, a floor, a roof, and enough cushioning to pad a fall from a tree! What is wrong with it?!’
[The structure is not yet suitable for newborn cubs]
[( ˘•ω•˘ )]
’HOW?! I reinforced everything! There are no sharp edges or gaps—’
[This system did not say it was unsafe]
[(ᵕ—ᴗ—)]
[This system only said it was not suitable]
Tera’s eye twitched.
’What is the difference?!’
Tera was spiralling. Had she missed something? There was no structural weakness, unless there was a hazard she hadn’t noticed?
Her eyes narrowed.
’Hold on. Let me see that task again.’
[Task 1: Establish a Secure Nursery / Cub Den]
[Create a safe, reinforced, and comfortable space specifically for the newborn cubs of the clan]
Tera frowned.
’What’s this? I have already completed it.’
Who wouldn’t be comfortable in that place?!
[(ᵕ—ᴗ—)]
[Host has not yet tested the shelter with the intended occupants]
[The parameter requires the space to be comfortable for newborn cubs]
[This has not been verified]
[Comfort is subjective and must be confirmed by the intended occupants]
[(づ￣ ³￣)づ]
’The intended occupants are BABIES. They can’t TALK.’
[Their behaviour will indicate comfort or discomfort]
[This system cannot mark the task as complete until cubs have been placed inside and their response has been assessed]
Tera found this crazy. The cubs could react any way. Babies were literally unpredictable, how was that a parameter?!
What were the babies going to do?
Suddenly burst into tears unanimously when they were all in there?