Chapter 109: Clan Leader & Nipple Warfare
The bed was perfect.
It was solid and warm. Firm in a way that supported every ache in her body, but soft enough that her face sank into it like it was made of heated silk. A deep, rhythmic vibration hummed through the surface, steady and soothing, and Tera burrowed deeper into it with a contented sigh.
Her hands shifted and squeezed the two pillows.
She squeezed again, kneading the warm surface with both hands like she was testing the give of high-quality upholstery.
Tera then nuzzled her face deeper against the warm bed and let out a small, happy groan.
Someone laughed.
It was the full, unrestrained cackle of an infant who had just witnessed the funniest thing in her very short life. It was quickly followed by a deeper rumble that made her warm bed shake.
[Father and daughter are laughing over Host’s degenerate ways]
[They are in agreement that Host’s unconscious fondling of her mate’s chest is the morning’s entertainment]
[ಡ ͜ ʖ ಡ]
[This system would like to note that Host has been squeezing for approximately four minutes]
Tera’s eyes flew open.
She was lying face-first in Xavi’s bare chest. Her hands were firmly planted on his pecs, fingers sunk into the thick muscle like she was kneading dough.
She had been groping him in her sleep.
Tera’s head snapped up, and she found Xavi looking down at her with an expression caught between amusement and something far too tender for a man whose chest was being manhandled by a half-conscious woman.
One of his arms was wrapped around her waist, pinning her against his chest. The chest that she had been squeezing.
Nadia was perched on Xavi’s shoulder, one chubby fist wrapped around his ear for balance. Her tiny bear ears were twitching with excitement, and her little face was bright red from laughing.
Tera’s face heated to a temperature that could have melted stone.
"I—" she started.
Xavi’s smile widened.
"You were very comfortable," he said, his voice warm and rumbling with barely contained laughter.
"I was asleep!"
"You were also squeezing."
Tera gasped. "I wasn’t—"
Nadia shrieked with laughter, watching Tera as if waiting to see what her ridiculous mother would do next.
Tera should have let go. Any self-respecting woman would have removed her hands from her mate’s chest and pretended nothing had happened.
Instead, Tera pouted and buried her face back into his pecs.
’Nope. I live here now. This is my home.’
She then wrapped her arms around Xavi, pressing her burning face into the warm muscle, and Xavi’s laughter finally broke free. It rolled through his body in deep, shaking waves that Tera felt all the way down to her toes.
Nadia squealed, bouncing on Xavi’s shoulder. She reached down with her free hand and patted Tera’s head.
She groaned into Xavi’s chest.
"Sorry for waking you," he murmured, his voice softening. "Nadia was the one who started laughing."
He adjusted his arm around her, pulling her closer while being careful not to jostle Nadia on his other side.
Tera felt her chest warm at his worry. She peeked up at him.
He looked down at her with those golden eyes, and the laughter had faded into something gentler. His thumb traced a slow circle on her shoulder.
"You did something incredible," he said quietly. "The water. It flows here because of you."
Tera’s throat tightened. She pressed her face back into his chest, this time not from embarrassment, but from the sudden, overwhelming wave of emotion that hit her.
"I couldn’t have done it without you and the others," she mumbled against his skin.
"But you helped us do it." His hand moved to her hair, stroking through it slowly. "I am very proud of you."
Nadia nodded, as if agreeing, and then promptly shoved Xavi’s ear into her mouth.
Xavi winced. "Nadia—"
The baby gummed his ear with the dedicated ferocity of a creature who had discovered the world’s most satisfying chew toy.
Tera laughed so hard her sides hurt.
- ※ - ※ - ※ -
Xavi had eventually left to bring food. Ermin had gone with a few males earlier to get fruits, and Tera finally had the space to herself for the first time in what felt like weeks.
But nature called, and more urgently, the twins’ feeding schedule waited for no one.
Tera settled against the furs with both babies. Nadia latched onto the left breast immediately, her eyes falling closed in bliss.
Within seconds, she started chewing on Tera’s nipple with great enthusiasm, making soft grunting sounds as if this was the most important meal of her life.
Althea took the right breast. Three short sucks, a pause to examine her surroundings with those sharp little eyes, then three more sucks. She was never in a rush, and she drank milk like someone reviewing a meal at a fine restaurant.
Tera silently moaned at the slight torture she was going through.
Would she be able to even feel her nipples once she was done breastfeeding?
Tera had never exactly seen babies suck milk this way, especially Althea, and she tended to do that a lot.
"You’re both so weird," Tera murmured, smiling down at them. "That’s on me, I guess."
[Host has demonstrated that her offspring are, in fact, 100% her own]
[This system is unsurprised]
[(ᵕ—ᴗ—)]
’Stoooooop...’
Althea paused, looked up at Tera, then she grabbed a fistful of her mother’s hair and yanked.
"Ow— Althea! We do not pull!"
Althea looked unrepentant, only opening her tiny mouth and making a soft cooing sound that was too cute to be annoyed at.
Tera sighed and gently worked her hair free from her daughter’s grip. "You’re lucky you’re cute."
Was this baby hungry or not?!
’Okay. Time to check the stats,’ Tera alerted the system, wanting to keep herself a bit busy and not focus on her sore nipples.
Her body was slightly humming with excitement at finally completing the task. Once these babies were done, she was going to go take a look at her handiwork.
[Host Stats]
[Strength: 42/100]
[Speed: 52/100]
[Charm: 50/100]
[Influence: 34/100]
[Construction: 53/100]
[Agility: 49/100]
[Mates: 2]
[Potential Mates: 0]
[Mate Stats]
[Registered Mate: Ermin]
[Favourability: 100%]
[Registered Mate: Xavi]
[Favourability: 100%]
[Currency: 372 nipples]
[System Shop]
[Tiers Unlocked: 2/21]
[Achievements: Death Defier. Founder. Bear’s Beloved. Panther’s Adored. Clan Leader]
Tera thought she was seeing things.
"What am I looking at here? Clan leader?"
[Yes!]
[(ᕼ✧ᴗ✧ᕼ)]
[Host received a clan status update while in her sleep!]