Luma eventually woke up crying in pain.
Lin Yao didn't waste a second. Before the system could even open its mouth, she pulled out the herbs and gently fed them to Luma.
She hated that voice.
She made sure Luma only ate part of the pain relief herb. The other one, she crushed carefully and rubbed onto the swollen leg.
Within hours, the swelling went down.
Luma's breathing evened out. The exhaustion faded from her face.
The pain was gone.
It was still night.
Cold. No fire. No clothes for Lin Yao. Luma didn't seem ready to sleep either, her wide eyes fixed on the star-filled sky as she nibbled on the remaining berries.
Lin Yao swallowed.
"Luma?"
"Hm?" Luma tilted her head back to look at her.
"Where are your parents?" Lin Yao asked softly.
The question had been sitting in her chest for a while now. A cub this young shouldn't be alone. She shouldn't have been hunted. She shouldn't have been abandoned.
Luma pressed her lips together. "I… I don't know," she said quietly.
Lin Yao didn't push.
She already knew what that answer meant.
Abandoned.
The word hit too close.
It hadn't even been twenty-four hours since Lin Yao arrived in this world, yet she already knew that no one from her past life would have cared if she died. Her parents hadn't. They kicked her out long ago.
Neither had her ex-husband.
Her life had been a mess of screaming thoughts, blood, self-hate, and silence that hurt worse than noise.
The system cut in sharply.
[Warning]
[Host mental state: Critical.]
[Host must not allow mental instability to affect dependent.]
[Failure will result in punishment.]
Lin Yao let out a dry laugh. "You say it like it's easy."
[Host mental stability must reach 100% to ensure proper judgment.]
[Current mental stability: 12%.]
[Host remains suicidal.]
Something in her chest cracked.
"12 out of 100. Wow." Lin Yao whispered.
The system stayed silent.
She bit down on her lip, then stood, carefully lifting Luma into her arms. Without thinking too much, she raised Luma playfully, spinning her just a little.
Luma gasped then laughed.
Her ears perked up.
She giggled.
Warmth spread through Lin Yao's chest.
She was glad Luma was feeling better.
"Will you help me look for clothes tomorrow?" Lin Yao asked softly as she cradled her. "Maybe… maybe we can go to another tribe."
Luma blinked up at her. "Okay."
Lin Yao smiled. "Good. Now sleep. We'll need lots of energy."
She moved closer to the pile of leaves she'd gathered, laying down carefully with Luma tucked against her chest. Before she knew it, exhaustion dragged her under.
•○○°°●
They woke to the sound of a loud snort.
Then another.
Lin Yao groaned, rubbing her eyes. "Ugh…"
She had never been a morning person. Apparently, this body agreed.
Beside her, Luma pushed herself upright, rubbing her eyes as her white bunny ears twitched sleepily.
"Yao-jie?" she yawned.
Lin Yao smiled despite herself. "Morning, Luma. How do you feel?"
Her gaze dropped to Luma's leg. The vine and splint were still in place, but the swelling was gone.
Luma moved it cautiously. "Be…tter?" she said, unsure.
Before Lin Yao could respond, the system appeared.
[New Task Issued]
[Host must feed self and dependent.]
[Host strength is insufficient.]
[Note: Host is a carnivore. Consuming meat grants bonus rewards.]
Lin Yao's face went pale.
Her head snapped toward the source of the snorting.
Large wild boars rooted through the undergrowth nearby—massive, tusked, and very much alive.
"Nope," she said flatly, rising to her feet. "Absolutely not."
Her tail flicked uneasily. "Those things are enormous. I'm naked. And I am not dying like this."
[Irrational response detected.]
[Host successfully eliminated Apex Predator: Tiger.]
"That was different!" Lin Yao snapped. "That was adrenaline. And desperation."
She shot the screen a glare. "Also, I can't do that in front of Luma. She's a baby. And I thought you were a babysitter system."
She crossed her arms. "I prefer fruits. Thanks."
[Host will remain weak.]
Lin Yao grimaced. "I don't care."
She turned back to Luma and froze.
The cub was staring at her with wide eyes.
Embarrassment flooded her.
Right. Of course.
She was the only one who could hear the system.
To Luma, she probably looked completely insane.
Talking to empty air.
Lin Yao gave a nervous laugh. "Time for breakfast. I think we need bigger fruits."
She carried the cub into her arms, and Luma smiled at the mention of fruit. Lin Yao liked that the little one didn't talk much. She was calm, quiet, observant. Somehow, they fit together perfectly.
They soon found an apple tree.
"Stay here. I'll get more than enough for us." Lin Yao set Luma down beneath the tree. Luma nodded obediently, staring up at her with those beautiful violet eyes, full of trust.
Lin Yao tilted her head back, eyeing the height. "This tree is really tall. Thank goodness heights are my thing. I once jumped off a skyscraper."
"Sk… sky… cra-per?" Luma tried to pronounce it, tilting her head. "Is that a fruit tree?"
Lin Yao laughed. "Yes. But it's a poisonous one."
[Lying to Dependent is not advisable.]
"Get off my back," Lin Yao muttered as she started climbing. She still wasn't used to being naked, but survival didn't leave room for dignity.
Luma watched from below with open curiosity. She was already comfortable with the lioness beast who had saved her life and who occasionally talked to herself.
Lin Yao plucked apple after apple, tossing them down carefully.
Then one slipped.
Thump.
"Ow!" Luma cried, rubbing her head.
Lin Yao froze. "Oh no—"
[Warning: Host has caused harm to Dependent.
Punishment: Dizziness.]
"What?! Wait...no, no—!"
The dizziness hit instantly. The world spun, her grip slipped, and Lin Yao tumbled from the branch, crashing to the ground beside Luma with a low, pained whine.
Despite her own pain, Luma gasped and crawled over, grabbing Lin Yao's hand. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Yao-jie!" she cried, touching Lin Yao's face with trembling fingers.
Lin Yao groaned as the dizziness faded. So that was the goal, she thought bitterly. Make me fall.
Her back ached, but she lifted a hand and gently patted Luma's cheek. "I'm fine, sweetie. Really."
Luma sniffed, nodding hard, still holding onto her.