The wind's harshness had ended, and the blizzard passed over. All was calm in the neko tribe that morning, and the first to awake was Angie, who was sitting beside the fire eating some bread.
"I am glad you enjoy the bread, Angie," Nobutaki stated with great pride. The bread was result of the wheat they harvested in their acres of farmland, but the brutal winter made it difficult to keep the crops thriving long enough for them to grow to their entirety. Luckily, they were able to harvest enough wheat before the storm hit to keep them fed for the week.
"Yes, it's very good," was Angie's reply. She nibbled on it politely, though she was very hungry. Nobutaki smiled at her, and she looked at him in confusion.
"Oh, I am sorry. It's just that, you look similar to my wife. I am afraid she passed away when she gave birth to Nobutanaki…" he explained, a frown playing on his face.
"That's terribly awful… I'm so sorry…" Angie said quietly.
They spoke for many minutes, talking about the tribe in general and how the tribe connected with the outside world. Nobutaki explained that human resources took notice of them and offered aid, and that the tribe graciously accepted. Though they could not give them much, something that was surplus was clothing, which is why the entire tribe was dressed casually and not savagely which would have been highly expected.
Still, clothing was just about all that could be offered. Everything else had to be hand made, including the shelters and the blankets. The shelters were similar to cabins, made of wood and stone. To keep the heat in and the cold out, animal hides were pressed against the walls. Blankets were made of the animal fur, and the women of the tribe fabricated them using animal fangs and such as knitting needles. They certainly used the resources they had to their advantage. Nothing was taken for granted, and the quality of life was high for the nekos because, though they knew what they were without, they did not let it bother them. Having the chance to raise their families and live in peace was something humans did not often get to have.
"I understand you need to leave this village, Ms. Thompson, but we are quite far from civilization. This village is in a very private location. However, humanitarian groups will be passing through here again soon, I would say in about two weeks, and you can return home with them. They bring planes and all that, so bringing you to where you need to go should be no problem. You will just have to deal with us until then," explained Nobutaki. Angie thanked him and continued to eat her breakfast.
She and the group had been supplied with wind-breakers, and it was enough to keep them warm. The temperature was stabilizing, and it was a warm day for winter.
Though Angie had the ability to wake from sleep well rested and at her will, the remaining four were rudely awakened by Tyler, who was singing at an annoyingly high volume as he bathed in the hot spring.
Bathing was not often something that neko civilizations had the ability to do, but for this fortunate tribe, they discovered a large hot spring beneath the ground and dug it up, creating a bathing pool. The luxury of bathing alone was a rare privilege, but Tyler was one of the exceptional few. Everyone was kept at bay with his terrible singing, even the neko men who dearly needed to bathe. They were willing to suffer the wait until the human was finished.
"Dr. Chase, please do us all a favor and stop that horrible racket," Sydney said with a sigh as he entered the hot spring to bathe. He took off his glasses and set them on the ground beside him.
"Aw, you don't like my singing Chief?" asked Tyler disappointingly. Derek also stepped into the hot spring, copying Sydney by taking off his glasses and setting them down.
"Nobody likes your singing, Tyler," answered Derek with a laugh.
"Man, you're just jealous," said Tyler with a scoff. He was thoroughly convinced he had the most irresistible voice on the planet. "Anyway, what's the curtain for?"
"That curtain is what separates the men's side from the women's side," Sydney told him. The curtain was also fabricated by the women, using fine animal hides. It served its purpose well. It was hung between two trees whose branches spread out over the hot spring, and it was tied so tightly to those branches that not even the strongest winds could take it down.
A smile crept across Tyler's face. Sydney automatically knew what had brought it on.
"Chase, don't you dare," he warned with a glare.
"Don't dare what? I'm afraid I don't have a clue what you're talking about," Tyler answered as if he was innocent. Though he was professional, no one could go as far to say he was mature.
"C'mon, Tyler, don't get us into trouble," Derek pleaded. He already knew his pleads wouldn't change a thing.
"Just a teensy weensy little peek…" he said as he clenched the end of the curtain in his hand.
"I'm warning you Chase!" Sydney yelled.
Tyler looked like he was about to expose the bathing neko women on the other side of the curtain when a large silhouette cast over them. The shadow belonged to Sgorr, one of the neko men. He had a build that any body-builder in his right mind would die to have. His frame was very large, leveling out his massive body which was covered in inches of muscle. He was a lady-killer, and whenever he passed by the women would sigh and stop what they were doing just to watch him. He wore a black muscle shirt and sweat pants, which made him appear he'd just come from the gym, had there been one for nekos of course.
Tyler sank deep into the water at the sight of the man. His unfriendly eyes stared him down. He was huge, towering over all the men of the tribe. It was no question that he was to be well-respected by all.
"We do not take kindly to pigs," Sgorr said harshly. "Men that witness a woman naked before marriage answer to me, and none of you are married, correct? Any man who commits this taboo will be prosecuted immediately, and the prosecution is not a pleasant one, am I understood?"
"Y-yes, sir…" he answered with a high-pitched voice. Sgorr spat on the ground and walked away. Justice had been paid.
"Gee, nice going Tyler," Derek said scornfully. Sydney just shook his head.
After their frightening encounter with Sgorr, the humans did not dare do anything to disturb their way of life again. That was the first thing they learned: not to tamper with their laws and justices.
It had been a few minutes and still the men hadn't left the bathing pool. It was so warm and cozy that they didn't want to get out and brave the cold. Victor at this time had finally gotten out of bed, and he came over to join them.
He waited impatiently, a towel provided by Nobutaki in hand. He stood by the hot spring, tapping his foot and waiting for them to leave.
"The water isn't going to bite you, Victor," said Derek.
"I know it's not going to bite me, idiot, I'm just waiting for you guys to get out," he retorted.
"Niguel, get your ass in the water now or don't get in at all," ordered Sydney. Victor was acting quite childish, and his stubborn-ness always got him into trouble with the director.
"I can wait," Victor replied sheepishly.
"Homophobic much? Dude, just get in. You don't have to worry about us, I tried to sneak a peek at the ladies and I got in trouble, so there's your proof," said Tyler.
"Well… I don't need an audience," he growled, motioning for them to turn away as he undressed. They did as commanded with a sigh. Victor was so difficult at times.
With a sharp cry of surprise as he stepped into the "scorching" water, Victor got in and sank into the hot spring. He grimaced at the water.
"Ugh, who knows what vile things are swimming in this water…" he said in disgust.
"Yeah, who knows what's swimming in it now that you're in here!" shouted Tyler playfully. Victor just snorted and turned away. Imbeciles… He thought.
Their means of being transported to their destination was already settled and wasn't within their reach yet, so the team decided they might as well relax and try to think of their stay as a vacation. They were already adjusting to their surroundings, and life in the neko tribe may not be so bad. For Victor, one thing was for sure: this would be an educational experience, and it could even, perhaps, be fun.
A/N: Well, there's chapter two for ya! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. It isn't often that I find myself writing humorous chapters. Until next time, Trauma Center fans!