When we reach the inn, we’re greeted by the sight of Blossom and Aurora waiting for us in the common area. Blossom’s tail wags eagerly as she spots us, and she leaps over to me with a joyful energy that immediately lifts my damaged spirits. The exhaustion from the grueling training (pummeling) session momentarily fades as she jumps into my embrace, her warmth and happiness is overwhelmingly infectious. I hold her close, letting her nuzzle against me as I stroke her soft head, savoring the simple, loving comfort she provides.
As she nestles against my chest, her nose twitches, and before I can react, she sniffs intently, her expression shifting from joy to concern. Without warning, Blossom grabs my neck and pulls herself up to be face to face with me and licks my cheeks as her tongue leaves a rich trail along my skin.
But as she does, her body goes rigid, sensing the injuries I’ve sustained throughout the day. Her eyes widen, and she pulls back with her gaze narrowing as she catches sight of the bruises peeking out from beneath my clothes.
Blossom’s protective instincts flare instantly, and she snaps her head sharply, locking onto Ayame with a glare that could only be described as murderous. Her ears perk threateningly and the usual playful glint in her eyes is replaced with a fierce inquisitiveness. Ayame, the woman who is always so composed, grimaces under Blossom’s intense scrutiny, clearly uncomfortable with the unspoken accusation in Blossom’s gaze.
"Blossom, it’s okay..." I say softly, trying to soothe her as I gently stroke her cheeks. "It’s nothing, just a few bruises from training. I’m fine, really."
But Blossom isn’t easily convinced this time. She continues to glare at Ayame as her small frame becomes incredibly tense with the urge to protect me.
Ayame, for her part, shifts awkwardly, clearly relieved when I finally manage to somewhat pacify Blossom. After a few more gentle strokes, Blossom’s tension begins to ease, though she remains wary as her eyes flick back to Ayame with a hint of strong hostility.
"I can’t have my own mate protect me against a future member of my harem, or I’m a complete failure as a man. I’ll be the one who deals with Ayame, so calm yourself."
Blossom begins to relax at long last by settling back into my lap with a soft sigh, though her eyes flick back to Ayame one last time before she focuses on me again and begins licking my bruises.
Ayame lets out a small sigh of relief, clearly grateful that Blossom’s intense scrutiny has finally eased, though she still avoids Blossom’s gaze.
After a few more moments of petting Blossom, I motion for everyone to sit down, and we all settle on the ground in a circle. Blossom, however, refuses to leave my lap and instead curls up comfortably against me while continuing her healing licking session. Aurora sits beside Ayame and I see that her expression is curious as she glances between the three of us, sensing the subtle tension that lingers in the air.
With everyone settled, I turn my attention to Blossom. "Alright, Blossom, tell us what you found out about that mysterious outpost."
Blossom’s ears perk up, and she tilts her head back with her big eyes looking up at me from below. She angles her head to look up into my gaze with a playful glint in her eyes. "Blossom found it!" she declares proudly as her voice brims with excitement.
"It took Blossom a few hours..." she continues while her tail swishes in my lap. "The place was hidden behind some sort of a protective magical veil, something that made it hard for Blossom to sense at first." She tilts her head even more, almost as if trying to see deeper into my eyes. Her expression is uncharacteristically thoughtful. "But once Blossom found it, it wasn’t so hard to look around."
"They don’t have many traps or fancy defenses, they’re relying on people, lots of them. Blossom saw at least a few hundred strong soldiers there. The outpost looks like it’s been there for a long, long time."
I nod, considering her words. "If this outpost has been kept secret, and we only know about it because of that note Aurora’s parents found in an old tome, then the kingdom has probably been guarding the [Geimroot] source for centuries."
Blossom’s ears twitch as she adds, "Blossom thinks the [Geimroot] might be inside a cave. Blossom saw a cave entrance that was guarded even more than the outpost itself."
Her observation makes perfect sense, and I can’t help but feel a swell of pride at her thoroughness. I glance around at the others, seeing the gravity of this information settle in. This hidden outpost, guarded for so long, is now within our reach, but getting our bounty won’t be simple. Locating the place that holds it was just the first and probably easiest part of the task.
As Blossom finishes her report, I gently stroke her head, feeling the soft fur beneath my fingers. "Good job, Blossom..." I say warmly, and she beams up at me as she nestles closer.
I turn to Aurora, curious about how her day went. "So, Aurora, was your shopping spree successful?"
Aurora’s eyes light up as she responds, "Yes, dadd-" She catches herself just in time, after which her cheeks flush a healthy rosy color before quickly correcting, "Yes, Quinlan."
The white-haired plump alchemist beams with excitement as she says, "I got all the ingredients I needed and even managed to find the tools to set up a very basic alchemy lab in my and Ayame’s inn room."
"That sounds great, Aurora, let’s just hope you don’t burn the inn down in the process."
It is but a simple wooden building, after all. Not exactly the ideal setting for alchemy.
Her eyes widen and she quickly reassures me, "I will be very careful!"
"Good to hear," I nod, my tone becoming more serious as I shift the conversation to our plans. "Based on the information available to us, I’ve come up with the best plan I could. It will require the input of all four of us, so let’s do our best."