Nora's eyes swept across the gde, her mind buzzing with possibilities. The stream caught the light, fracturing it into diamond sparkles as it tumbled over smooth, moss-covered stones. "We have fresh water," she said. "We can build shelters among those pines, gather supplies from the surrounding forest, and create a sanctuary where people feel safe and loved. This isn't just a campsite—this could be our home."

  She stepped closer to Sumi and hugged her. It was a moment of connection, a silent promise of support and camaraderie.

  "That looks like a great pce!" Nora said. "What made you choose this spot?"

  "Oh, you know, just a little foxkin intuition," Sumi said, flicking her tail pyfully as she twirled in pce. "And maybe the tiny detail that I know these woods like the back of my paw. No one's cimed it, and the nearest vilges are far enough that no one will come bothering us—unless they're curious about the lovely new settlers moving in!"

  "So, what are we waiting for?" asked Lukan. He was slowly moving around the clearing, his eyes already taking the measure of the area. "We'll need sturdy timber for constructing shelter, a stockpile of food provisions, and an array of tools to sustain us."

  "It seems we have plenty tasks for each of us here," said Nora. "And we have half a day left."

  "Between your foraging skills and my hunting, we won't starve," Lukan said, looking at Sumi. He turned to Nora with a pyful glint in his eyes, leaning close enough that his breath ruffled her copper hair. "Though we might need to teach our otherworlder friend here which berries won't turn her insides out," he stage-whispered, one furry eyebrow raised teasingly.

  "I'll reach out to some of the nearby settlements quietly, I have friends there," said Sumi. "We need to find out if there are any prospects for trade. We have to start building connections and trust anyway."

  Nora inhaled deeply, letting the scent of pine sap and rich soil anchor her to the moment. Her vision blurred, the wildflowers around them becoming watercolor smudges. She swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, forcing a ugh that caught in her throat. Sumi's ears perked forward instantly, the foxkin covering the distance between them in three quick strides, her tail held high in alert concern.

  "What is it?" she asked. "Did we say something? Did we do something wrong?"

  "On the contrary!" excimed Nora. "You do too much for a person you didn't know just a few weeks ago! I don't know how to express my gratitude! And my heart… it's swelling with emotions right now!"

  Sumi tilted her head with a sly smile, her golden eyes shimmering. "Duh, Nora. Haven't you figured it out yet? You're stuck with me now! Forever and ever! No returns allowed." She flicked her tail dramatically over Nora's arm as if sealing a deal.

  "Nora, don't even think about gratitude or whatever," said Lukan. "You've changed my life already. You don't even know how much my status of Apprentice means."

  As Nora continued to look around at the vivid surroundings, a feeling of dizziness washed over her. It was hard to believe that she was stuck in her mundane job on Earth just days ago. Now, here she was, building a new home in the forest with beings that resembled a human fox and a mix of wolf and a man—something she could never have imagined before. She couldn't help but wonder if this was all just a dream, the st glitch of her dying brain, or if it was indeed her new reality.

  ***

  The trio started their pnning by wandering across the gde they chose for their camp, taking note of potential building sites and jotting down a list of necessary materials. Sumi bounced around Nora, full of energy and ughter, her tail swishing from side to side and her hands often gently touching Nora's. But when it came to business, she took charge and directed her fellow settlers with precision to get things done efficiently.

  Their first camp would be modest but functional—shelter, food, safety. Nora braced her foot against a fallen pine branch, snapping it with a sharp crack that echoed through the clearing. Nearby, Sumi darted between trees with fox-like grace, her movements fluid as she gathered armfuls of saplings. They worked in tandem as if they'd built shelters together for years rather than hours, their hands passing tools and materials in a silent choreography born of their deepening connection. Whenever Lukan returned with fresh materials, he'd find more progress than seemed possible, evidence of their newfound abilities accelerating what should have been days of work into mere hours.

  Lukan ventured into the forest to hunt and forage. Still, he returned with plenty of time before the sunset and fixed two simple shelters for sleeping. Between them, they constructed a primitive shed for storage, using branches and leaves to keep their supplies safe from the elements. Finally, before the sun dropped below the horizon and the evening breeze came, they constructed a modest hearth in the very heart of the camp. Sumi and Nora encircled it with a ring of smooth stones they'd gathered from the stream.

  The first spark caught, hungry fmes licking up the carefully stacked kindling until a proper fire roared to life at the heart of their camp. The wood popped and hissed, releasing the forest's stored sunshine in waves of heat that painted their faces in amber light. Sumi skewered strips of meat over the fmes, where they sizzled and dripped, filling the air with a primal aroma that made Nora's mouth water. Above them, stars emerged one by one, pinpricks of silver piercing the deepening blue until the night sky resembled a jeweler's velvet cloth scattered with diamonds. Their voices rose and fell like music—Lukan's deep rumble, Sumi's melodic ughter, Nora's thoughtful observations—creating the first verse of their shared story.

  Surveying the tidy camp, Lukan dusted his hands off. With provisions neatly arranged and his tools pced carefully in the temporary shed, the trio exchanged looks of astonishment. In just half a day, they had transformed an empty gde in the middle of the forest into something that looked like the beginning of an actual settlement. Before acquiring their magical skills, each task would have taken hours longer, leaving them exhausted and frustrated. But now, empowered with their newfound abilities, they felt like they could continue for hours and hours more.

  Nora let out a slow breath, stretching her arms above her head as she scanned the clearing. What had been an empty patch of grass just hours ago was now their home—a fire crackling, shelters standing, food waiting. It felt surreal.

  "Not bad for a day's work," she said, letting her fingers trail over the smooth stones circling the fire.

  Sumi plopped down beside her, stretching dramatically across the bnket. "Ugh, if I never lift another log again, it'll be too soon. I should've just used my foxkin charm to make you two do all the work!"

  "Oh? And what exactly would that involve?" Nora smirked, raising a brow.

  Sumi rolled onto her side, propping her head up with one hand. "I don't know… maybe a little more of this?" She flicked her tail, brushing it against Nora's leg. "Or this?" She let her fingers trail teasingly close to Nora's hand before pulling away.

  Nora ughed, swatting her lightly. "You're impossible."

  "Hm… But I'd correct you, if I may," said Lukan with a toothy smile. "Not a day's work, but a half-a-day's work. Which is even more impressive."

  He looked at his giant palms.

  "I knew I wasn't a bad builder," he said. "But this… I can't wait until I start building some proper houses here. It should be… quite amazing!" He reclined, leaning away from the fire, and wistfully looked into the dark sky, covered with countless stars.

  "I stand corrected," said Nora, returning Lukan's smile. "I did a lot of hiking, and some survival stuff in my previous life. But these new abilities… They truly change how you perceive what's possible and what's not. And then… with you two… It feels like nothing is impossible!"

  "Oh…" Sumi leaned closer to Nora and pecked her cheek. "We love you too, Nora!"

  Sumi adjusted her seating on the rough, woven bnket, her fingers brushing against the cool ground beneath. She gazed intently at the flickering fmes that danced and crackled in the dim light, casting pyful shadows across her face.

  "But in all seriousness," she continued. "It's as if everything I once understood has been infused with a deeper, more potent significance. Some things have become so clear and instinctual. When I went to forage for food in the forest… It never felt as effortless as it did today. Each step felt guided, as if the forest itself whispered its secrets to me, making the harvest almost second nature."

  "So, you weren't serious when you told you love me?" asked Nora.

  "What? When? What's happening?" asked Sumi, a shade of fear on her face. "Ah…! You're teasing me! Such a tease!" Then, a serious expression returned to her face. "But no, I was serious when I said that. I never joke about love."

  Lukan, not joining Sumi's and Nora's games, flexed his fingers, then frowned as he rubbed his palm against his forearm. "Weird," he muttered, studying his hand. "I swear my hands didn't get this calloused before I became an Apprentice. Feels like I built half a vilge today."

  Sumi perked up, ears twitching. "That's because you did," she teased, tail flicking as she stretched her arms. "Congratutions, wolf boy. But probably that's another thing we need to focus on with our healing powers. What do you think about it, Nora?"

  "We sure do," said Nora. "We don't want our master builder to have any discomfort! We need him to build lots of things in the upcoming days!"

  Lukan huffed. "I appreciate any help! But honestly, I feel... stronger. Faster, even. It's subtle, but it's there." He flexed his fingers again, watching them as if expecting something more. "Is that how it feels for you, Nora? When you progress with your skills?"

  Nora tilted her head, considering. "Kind of," she admitted. "I don't always notice it right away, but when I check, the progress is there." She hesitated, then swiped her hand through the air, bringing up the familiar glowing letters of the System messages. "Let's see how today's work measured up."

  Sumi scooted closer, leaning on Nora's shoulder. "Ooooh, tell us, tell us! Did you get a additional points for lifting all that wood?" She wiggled her fingers pyfully.

  "Let me see..." She scanned her mental interface, her eyes widening slightly. "Oh! This is interesting." Her finger traced invisible patterns in the air as she read the glowing text only she could see:

  ========== Updated Skills ==========Empathic Sensing: 5.31% (+0.31%)Enhanced Physical Strength: 7.34% (+2.34%)Healing: 4.73% (+0.73%)Sensory Enhancement: 5.27% (+0.27%)

  ========== Skills ==========Aura Defences: 5.0%Dream Manipution: 5.0%Emotional Influence: 6.0%Empathic Sensing: 5.3%Energy Sharing: 5.0%Enhanced Physical Strength: 7.3%Healing: 4.7%Sensory Enhancement: 5.2%Sexual Magic: 5.0%Telepathic Communication: 5.0%

  "Hey! When did you use Empathic Sensing and Sensory Enhancement?" asked Lukan. "I remember the effect they had during the trials and I don't think I felt anything like that today!"

  "If you ask for my guess, and I don't have anything besides guesses yet, they are just working in the background," Nora said. "I agree, I don't think I did much to explore these skills today, but still, they improved."

  Nora rechecked the numbers and continued her thought. "Enhanced Physical Strength and Healing, I have in common with you, Lukan, and you, Sumi, respectively."

  "And we all had some minor cuts and other things that needed healing today!" excimed Sumi. "Did we just… fix them on the go? I didn't even sense anything!"

  "Well, there's only one way to be sure," said Nora. "If you remember where you had any cuts or bruises, let's check if you still have them. My guess that they may have disappeared!"

  "You are right!" excimed Lukan. "I slightly hit my finger with one of the stones you've got for the fire pit." He looked at the finger with incredulity. "I forgot about it because we were so busy. But there are no signs I ever hit it there! No bruising, no nothing!"

  "Good," said Nora with a smile. "Maybe we should notice more of these things we do. That would help us learn and become better and better. At least that's how I'd do these things. And as the load of work was pretty simir for all of us, I'd make an educated guess that the changes in these skills should also be within a simir range for you as well. Even if we don't have a way to check that."

  "You are right! It isn't much different from learning without magic," Sumi said. "But probably the changes aren't that significant yet. So, I can't confirm anything just by sensing how my skill abilities feel."

  As the st remnants of their meal vanished and the fire dwindled to glowing embers, each team member felt the weight of the day's exertions settling heavily upon them. Nora, now sitting cross-legged close to the dying fire, gnced at Sumi. Her eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief, and a pyful smile danced across her lips. "You know," she mused, stretching her arms above her head, "I think it's finally time to see if these so-called foxkin rexation techniques are as good as you cim."

  Sumi's ears perked up, her tail giving an excited flick. "Oh-ho, so you do listen when I talk about the important things in life!" She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a pyful whisper. "But be warned, my dear Nora, once you experience my magic touch, you'll never want to sleep alone again."

  Nora's lips parted into a pyful, husky ugh as she leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Well, that sounds intriguing," she said, her voice soft yet charged with interest. A warm flush spread across her cheeks, deepening their color, a reaction not at all prompted by the cool evening breeze.

  Lukan groaned, rubbing his temples. "Look, just… keep it down, alright? Some of us actually want sleep, not to be serenaded by you two whispering sweet nothings all night."

  Sumi gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. "Sweet nothings? Lukan, you wound me! I would never whisper! My decrations of love are meant to be shouted from the treetops!" She paused, grinning mischievously. "Or, you know, moaned into a pillow. Depends on the night. By the way… do we even have pillows?!?"

  The fire colpsed into a bed of crimson embers, each one a tiny heartbeat of warmth in the deepening night. Lukan retreated to his shelter with a theatrical yawn, leaving Nora and Sumi to slip hand-in-hand into their own. The forest's symphony continued around them—owl calls echoing from distant branches, the soft percussion of nocturnal creatures moving through the underbrush, and the stream's continuous melody over smooth stones.

  Within their shelter, Sumi's lips found Nora's in the darkness, their shared passion awakening something deeper than desire—a connection that sent ripples of strange energy dancing across their skin, too faint to notice but powerful enough to sink into the very soil beneath them. Their whispered endearments and soft gasps of pleasure joined the night's chorus, eventually fading into the steady rhythm of peaceful sleep.

  As the three dreamers rested, the gde itself seemed to exhale and settle around them. Something had changed in these few hours—not just shelters built or fires lit, but a ciming. A beginning. Magic, as old as the stars above, recognized their presence and accepted their intention. The forest had harbored many travelers, but these three were different.

  These three were home.