As the sun slowly dawned oy suburbs, and warmth filled Alicia’s branches, she let out an immense sigh of relief. Her branches felt as if they were stretg towards the light, and powerful energy flowed through her once more. She let herself rex for another few hours; not quite asleep, but not quite awake, just enjoying the strength of the sun rejuvenatihere was nothing special about this m, teically, but st night had been the first time she’d ever been so far from her Heart Tree. The experience, although exhirating for many different reasons, had also been quite stressful.

  For most of the night, the excitement had kept her focused on all the new experiences. She’d loved seeing all the different people, the ypes of shops that now catered to delvers, and most of all, spending so much time with Katrina. They hadn’t just spent the whole time together, but they’d practically held each other the whole time, and Alicia couldn’t stop thinking about it.

  The fear of being so far from home had abated when she’d leaned on Katrina, and held her arm tight for support. Katrina’s hand squeezing hers whehe crowds grew too thick, and pulling Katrina in for a hug as she grew flowers to try and mask the smell of blood. Returning home, sheddirange new clothes, and jumping at Katrina with joy in her heart. The Vampire’s soft hands holding her waist, their faces just inches apart, wishing desperately that she could muster the strength to move just a little bit closer.

  Alicia shook her head. She had a job to do. Well, two jobs actually. She o clock a few hours at ORetime today, but she also o prepare for her delving exam. And find a site where she could take the exam. And go there to take it.

  Ugh.

  The thought of leaving home again soured her good mood.

  Alicia, this is how to save your home. You probably find an exam site that’s closer than Downtown Chiaybe evehin walking distance!

  Steeling her resolve, Alicia left her Heart Tree and stepped into her bedroom. She started by cheg her phone, which was chargio her puter, and quickly sent a text to Katrina.

  Alicia: SP’s pletely back! Thank you so much for taking me downtown, I had a great time :)

  Am I being too forward? It’s not like st night was a date… As much as I wish it were.

  Her thoughts returo Katrina’s phone, and the strange girl she’d seen on the lock s. Katrina was such a closed off person, what if she had a partner and just hadn’t mentio? Alicia tried to remember the picture, w if she’d missed aails that might help her figure out this mystery, but she’d only looked at it for a few moments.

  Rather than fixate on half-remembered details, she booted up her puter and decided to start doing dungeon research. She started by looking for delving tutorial sites, which thankfully weren’t in short supply. There were a few gover sites that went over dungeon basic, but she also found a site hosted by the Chicago Guild work. It seemed that, while every Guild had their own ue, they had formed a loose coalition to help streamline operations.

  This hub site had plenty of resources for new and experienced delvers alike. She saw a news feed, which seemed to have several articles about important Guild Members that had retly leveled up, but also talked about ret delves, trades between guilds, and other miseous news. At the top of the news feed, featured much more promily than anything else, was an article announg the discovery of the new Key Dungeon. Alicia read through it in its ey, praying that the journalist hadn’t somehow discovered her address, but thankfully her secret was safe.

  Navigating away from the news feed, Alicia found a Forum dedicated to anything and everythied to Delving. A quick search revealed that the busiest forums seemed to be dedicated to discussing builds. Each Css had its own forum, with people discussing the best Css Features to take to optimize their build. They would share results of Level Ups, ask for advice about how certaiures worked, and also debating which Paths were objectively better than others.

  There were also forums dedicated to specific Races. People looking for advi dealing with Race specific issues, sharing cool Features they’d discovered, but also just f unities with others like themselves.

  Knowing she needed all the help she could get, Alicia decided to make herself a profile. Once she’d officially registered as DetDryad, she joiwo forums: one for Dryads, and one for Bulwarks. She made some introductory posts, and shared with the Bulwark forum that she was going to start delving and wanted beginner’s advice.

  Once she’d finished, she could feel the puter s starting to agitate her and decided to shut it down for a while. She didn’t o be at work yet, and she o go for a walk around the neighborhood anyways.

  Her usual route felt strange, mostly because it was pletely unged. Alicia felt like her entire life had been uprooted i 24 hours, though thankfully not literally. She’d learhat every Guild iy desperately wao find her secret Dungeon, traveled to Downtown Chicago to visit the main camp, and it all stemmed from one, spectacur girl.

  She was even pnning on being a Delver, of all things. After years of ign her css, of happily ign Dungeons, she now o learn how to fight. If nothing else, she was thankful that her Css seemed retively simple. She didn’t have to learn dozens of spells, or spend years mastering plicated teiques or crafting recipes. She just had to look at the dangerous thing and stop it from ing closer. Still, she was gd to have found a forum for her css, it would be helpful to hear how everyone else approached delving.

  Being outside, thankfully, was a nice distra. All her floral friends were doing quite well, but that was hardly surprising. When she reached her river, she eagerly dipped her feet ier and started drinking. Leaning back, she rested her hands on the warm ground, and forced herself to slow down.

  She focused on the warmth of the sun, the breeze that rustled her hair, the water casg around her legs. This had been her life for years, co-existing with nature, and she still found great pea it. Her thoughts drifted back to Katrina, the strahat had actally flown into her branches and ged everything. She remembered her outfit st night, a form fitting tank top that had atuated her rge bust. On a few occasions, as she’d leaned on the Vampire for support, her tank top had been pulled down slightly, giving Alicia small peaks at Katrina’s impressive cleavage. At the time, she’d tried to avert her eyes, but those memories returned now strohan ever. She remembered stopping at small patches of grass to rest and recover her Stamina, but also ending up at eye level with Katrina’s phenomenal backside. Her tight jeans hugged her frame perfectly, cupping her ass so immacutely that Alicia had found herself jealous of the clothing.

  Without even realizing it, the soft breeze began to resemble the Vampire’s hands. Just like the night they met, when they gently caressed Alicia’s brahey were now pying with her hair, moving it away to expose her neck. The warmth of the sun became the warmth of Katrina’s breath. She was kissing Alicia, her soft lips brushing against the Dryad’s neck while she gasped in anticipation. The water around Alicia’s legs suddenly felt like raging rapids, surging with passion, and they seemed eager to push Alicia’s legs apart.

  Her roots shifted, her legs separating as she imagined Katrina’s lips leaving her neck, moving further down. They kissed her chest, the tops of her breasts, eventually finding her sensitive nipples. She felt Katrina’s sharp fangs against her skin, but no fear apahem, only tender bites that pushed Alicia into moaning aloud. Her hips were tense, and she felt a heat between her legs that she hadn’t felt in years. She twitched iement, her body redisc the idea of passion. The little pnt life that usually covered her body slowly receded, and the geumn breeze now had access to even more sensitive parts of her. Something grew from the ground underh her, and she instinctually began grinding against it, quietly moaning to herself as the sensations flowed through her body. The warmth of Katrina’s breath returhis time between her legs, and she imagined what the Vampire’s tongue might feel like, how she might react if it tasted her.

  Without warning, the warmth surging from between her legs overtook her, and her entire body tensed with pleasure. Alicia bit her lip hard, wishing Katrihe oing her instead, and her moans grew louder as she experienced her first asm in years.

  When she opened her eyes, the daydream vahe warmth on her privates was just sunlight, the sensual caress traveling her body nothing more than an idle breeze. She looked down at her naked body, a sight she rarely saw, and realized that she’d unsciously grown a small vine from the grouh her. It had curled up o her sex, and grinding against it had givehe pleasure she’d apparently wanted. When she looked to the sky, she saw the sun had moved more than expected; she’d likely just spent hours taking care of herself.

  Alicia immediately blushed with shame. She had nothing against masturbation, but she hadn’t bothered seeking out that kind of pleasure in years. Had being close to Katrina really uhed that part of her? Was she now some horny teenager, desperately wishing she could hook up with the first girl to pay attention to her?

  She regrew her usual outfit, her privates once again covered, and pulled her legs from the water.

  I just o get back to work, right? I’ll check my forum posts, clo at ORd give myself something to focus on. This was just a fluke, an idle fanothing more. Once I’m in my room, at my desk, I focus on what’s important. Katrina is just a friend, helping me learn about delving. She’s so excited for this, I get to give her real delving experience! Maybe, as thanks, she’ll delve underh my desk and— No! Bad Alicia! Why am I like this?!

  Returning bae, Alicia mao cloto work and start making calls. The distra helped a little bit, but most of her efforts were spent trying to avoid picturing herself in bed with a Vampire.

  Wait, my bed was destroyed in the ge… Maybe I should fix that.