Catgirls And Dungeons (Yuri)

"Well, whatever you do," I murmur, tightening my hold on her, "just don't forget your promise, okay?"

That's all I can say for now.

Eris leans down, pressing a soft kiss to my hair, her lips lingering for a heartbeat.

"Don't worry, I won't forget," she whispers. "I will always return to your side."

A weak chuckle escapes me.

"Hehe… that's good."

But even as I say it, my laughter sounds hollow. Even to my own ears.

Yes, Eris has made a promise.

That she would always come back to me.

That she would never risk her own life.

Because I would always be waiting for her.

And right now, this promise is the only thing holding us together.

But sadly… I don't know if I can really count on it.

The world is dangerous.

Like a storm, like a tornado.

And this promise… it's like a house made of paper.

Fragile. So fragile.

We could be blown apart at any moment.

Because… there's an undeniable fact that, at the end of the day, the dungeon will always call to her, trying to steal her away from me.

And then… what?

What should I do?

What can I do to keep her from slipping away?

I don't know…

I'm too weak…

I can't even use magic without hurting myself.

I don't even know what my magic really is…

Thus, the more I love Eris, the more this thought terrifies me.

"Eris… don't leave me…"

I squeeze her tightly, my heart aching, my voice shaking with the sobs I'm trying to hard to hold back.

"Don't leave me…"

"Hey, what's wrong? Why are you suddenly crying?" Eris asks, lifting my face up, wiping my tears, her eyes filled with worries.

"Nothing…"

I answer.

But at that moment, a thought sparks inside my head.

Alright, Felicia.

You can't just cling to a promise and hope for the best.

You can't just stand on the sidelines and wait.

You have to act.

You have to get stronger—strong enough to stand beside her, to walk through the dungeons with her, to never be left behind!

Yes.

I need to change.

I need to be stronger.

I need to start now!

HMMMMPH!

I'm MOTIVATED!

CHOMP!

I bite into Eris' chest.

"Ouch!" Eris yelps. "Hey! Why did you suddenly bite me?! What did I do???"

"NOTHING! NO REASON!" I yell.

CHOMP!

"Aaaaah! Stop! Stop!!!"

I'm mad!

I grip her tight, bite down harder as she tries to squirm away, but the warmth of her laughter settles something inside me.

Alright, with this, I've made up my mind.

I will get stronger.

But then, the question is… how?

How to get stronger?

Well, I guess I need to improve this body first.

And that will start right now, with a good, deep sleep.

After all, sleep deprivation is the enemy of muscle growth!

"Alright, good night!" I curl up beneath the blanket and close my eyes.

"Eh? Why are you going to sleep already?" Eris pouts.

"If you stay up too late, you'll be tired tomorrow!"

"A-alright…"

She sighs and pulls me close, wrapping her arms around me, spooning me from behind, before planting a goodnight kiss on my shoulder. Her warmth melts into my body, her steady breathing lulling me into a calm haze.

The night is quiet.

Safe.

Comforting.

And before I know it, my consciousness fades.

To think I can fall asleep in just seconds like this…

Catgirl genetics.

Aren't they amazing?

——————————————————

However, the next morning…

"AAAAAA, ERIS!!!" I wail, my ears flattening as I frown and pout as hard as I can. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner? Whyyyyyy!???"

Eris chuckles, unfazed by my outrage. "Heh? I tried to wake you up, but you mumbled something about wanting 'five more minutes' and rolled over."

"Grrrrrrrrrr…."

I growl, my tail puffing up in maximum disapproval.

Damn it.

I had everything planned out in my head—I was supposed to wake up early, do some morning exercise, maybe start with push-ups or planks, get my body in shape, start improving myself.

And yet, because of Eris's inability to wake me up properly, I ended up sleeping in until noon!

NOON!!!

Meanwhile, she had already run ten laps around the outpost, finished her entire morning workout, and had a huge breakfast.

I narrow my eyes at her.

"Grrrrrrrr…."

I'm so grumpy right now.

Hungry and grumpy.

A dangerous combination.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry!" Eris laughs, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "I promise I'll wake you up next time."

I cross my arms and huff. "Hmmph! You better!"

Eris grins. "So, what do you want for breakfast? I mean… lunch?"

"Eggs!"

"Bacon!"

"Filoan!"

"PROTEIN!!!"

"Huh?" Eris blinks. "What kind of meat is protein?"

"It's the most important meat!" I declare with conviction.

And with that, we head out for food.

——————

I devour as much meat as I can.

One of the perks of being a catgirl? My protein intake is elite. I can eat a ton of meat without a problem.

However…

"Eh? You don't want your milkshake?" Eris asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Aaaaahhh… No! NOOOO!!!!"

She tilts her head. "Are you sure?"

And then—

Slurpppp!

"Mmmmmmmhhh! Milkshake is the best!" Eris moans dramatically as she takes a long sip, her tail swishing happily.

I click my tongue in frustration.

Tsk…

Eris is getting on my nerves.

As much as I love milkshakes…

I HAVE TO STAY FOCUSED.

I HAVE TO EAT MORE PROTEIN.

CARBS ARE THE ENEMY!

CHOMP!!!

I bite down with all my determination, sinking my fangs into another juicy Filoan leg. Another victory.

"Ehhhh?" Eris watches me eat, eyes wide in amusement. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but you're eating like you're preparing for battle."

I huff, determination burning in my chest.

Just you wait, Eris.

I will eat well.

I will train hard.

I will get strong.

And one day, I'll earn my place beside you—venturing into the most dangerous dungeons, standing as your equal!

After finishing our meal, we head to the main building to check out, returning our Diamond Tier cabin key.

And then—

"Alright, ready to go?" Eris asks, adjusting her gear.

"Nn!" I nod, gripping my sword tighter.

With everything set, Eris and I step forward—perfectly prepared, ready to head toward the unknown.

To Lake Vanessa.

————————————