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Chapter Four

It doesn't take a lot to find the 'expedition' camp the Peeta spoke of. In fact, it's almost insulting how quickly I find it. The humans are obviously very foolish creatures, taking rest in such an open area. A tiger or other predator could find them as easily as I and rip the place to shreds. The thought of the Peeta creature hurt, bleeding on the floor, makes my stomach lurch. No, that will not happen. I will not allow it. I consider the creature my property now and I will not allow anyone else to take it from me. Not a tiger, or predator, not even that silly Delly creature.

The human camp is fascinating. Their shelters are made of an alien material, supported by poles and held in a roof-like structure. There don't seem to be many humans as I make my way through camp without being spotted effortlessly. I use stealth even though it doesn't seem to be needed. So much space with so little opponents. How odd.

I don't know where to find the Peeta. I don't know whether this is good or bad. It could be considered bad as he is the only human I wish to seek and it could be good because I still don't know what I'm here for. I just wandered away from the others for a while. Kala scolded me the last time but what does she expect? I have found a captivating species, an enchanting male who may well be a future mating consideration. Granted, Kala doesn't know this but if she did she'd probably lose her head anyway.

Kala has always taught me to fight for what I want. I want the Peeta creature, even if he doesn't want me, and I will get what I want. Rules of the jungle. Fight or be fought. I don't care about the Delly creature or whatever ownership she may have. I intend to kill her for her mate. Funny, it's normally the other way around. Male gorillas would battle other males for their mates, not the other way around. However, just because females have never fought before doesn't mean there can't be a first time.

I happen upon a tent that's green in colour. I pause to admire the colour. It's amazing, this fabric, I have never seen anything like it. In the glorious greens of the jungle too! Astounding. Tied to one of the supporting poles is an orange silky material. Wow. It's just like the colour the sky turns at sunset. I wonder how such colours are captured.

There is movement inside the tent and I freeze. I am not afraid. If the Delly animal came out right this moment I would crush her skull in my fist if necessary. I stand in the parting of the tent flaps, interested on who was inside.

My heart soars as I see the Peeta appear. I step closer to the flaps for a better view and watch him in avid curiosity. He walks aimlessly around the interior of his shelter, slipping the tiny connectors out of the black silky top cover that went over the white. He takes it off completely and folds it up, putting it on what looks like a resting place. He proceeds to do the same with the connectors at the end of his sleeves and down the front of the white top cover.

My eyes widen and I step forward, taking hold of the green material and pulling it back for a better look. The Peeta's back is to me now. He is standing before a structure-not unlike one I seen pushed against the wall in the abandoned 'cabin' as he called it-which has an object on top of a spherical shape. The Peeta-still unaware of my presence-takes off the white top cover. In a way, I should be laughing at his inability to notice my being just outside. His instincts must be blunted, putting him at great disadvantage. Another thing I have that he doesn't. I am sharp and he is not.

There's a twinge in my lower stomach as my eyes take in the strong muscles in the Peeta creature's back. My blood heats up and sweat builds up on my lower lip. Why wear such modest top covers when you have such a robust build? I know that my body is strong and I do not mind wearing covers that flaunt this.

I realize that the Peeta is washing. The spherical object holds water, which he dips a cloth into and rubs against his skin. What a peculiar way of doing it. The gorillas and I just go to the river and bathe there.

I lean my weight too much to the right, just the tiniest of bits, and my foot presses against a branch. I am horrified when it snaps, the sound amplified in the silence. I've never broken twigs before. I am not that careless.

The Peeta hears me-the blunted instincts not dumb enough to miss it-and turns around in surprise. His disconcerted gaze softens when he sees me standing on the edge of his shelter. "Hello," he says, his voice warm. "I didn't think you would come."

What makes you say that? I try using my eyes to communicate with him, since he did say that he could sometimes read what I want to say to him through them.

"I don't really know," he shrugs. "I just thought I might have scared you off by offering to show you my world."

I scoff. Scared? He barely made a dent in my armour, let alone scare me!

"Okay, I that was probably the wrong choice of wording," the Peeta admits. "You could probably scare me more before breakfast than I could in a year."

I grin. Damn right I could.

"Don't just stand there, you're welcome to come in," the Peeta tells me.

I nod and step inside, at wonder of the complicated interior of his shelter. There's structures everywhere and I wonder what the function of each one is. I run my finger along the smooth wood of a box-like thing. The Peeta gestures at it and explains. "It's a wardrobe," he explains. "It holds clothes."

Clothes? Does he mean covers? I point at the two top covers he had laid on the sleeping area and Peeta nods. "Yes," he says. "Clothes."

How interesting. I wish I could ask him why he covers himself with such covers. I know my strongest areas are my legs and arms, as they are muscled and sturdy, and that is why I leave them uncovered. A warning to other creatures that I am capable of battle and will win over whoever challenges me. Why doesn't the Peeta do the same? A torso as resilient as his would be an excellent warning to possible predators. Or is that not how the humans work?

I am staring blatantly at him and he flushes pink in confusing embarrassment. I don't understand why. Is my interest too much for him to handle? How different are the humans? I lift my eyes to meet his. "Sorry," he apologizes. "I'm all over the place."

What? No you're not. You're right here.

The Peeta chuckles. "It's a figure of speech."

A what of speech?!

On the structure in which the water's holder sits, there's a captured image in a wooden holder. I lean forward and squint at it. It's an image of all the people I saw when I was in the tree that first day I saw the Peeta. The younger girl draws my attention the most. Was her name Prim? I can't remember all that clearly. The only names I really recall are Peeta and Delly.

"That's Primrose," the Peeta explains. "She's the reason we're all here. That abandoned cabin belongs to her parents. They went on an expedition here sixteen years ago and were killed. Primrose had been left with her auntie at the time because she was only a baby and nearly really knew them. She wanted to come here to have a look at her parent's properly. She still doesn't know why they died to this day."

How tragic. It must be hard to become head of the family before you even learn to walk. I run my thumb along the length of Primrose's image. She's an attractive girl. It's incredible how she has been able to lead her family on her own and arrange an . . . expedition?

"Mind-boggling, isn't it?" asks the Peeta.

I nod. It is. I would never have been able to make it on my own without Kala's help. Maybe the humans are stronger than I first imagined. This only increases my interest. I desperately want to discover more of human customs. I wonder if I went to where they come from for a while and promise Kala that I will return, would she allow me to go? She's always been very overprotective of me but it's about time I discovered this mysterious part of the jungle that houses the humans and has bred such strange customs.

It's about time I made my own decisions.

I turn to the Peeta creature, the twinge sparking in my lower stomach again when we are facing each other. I haven't realized that as soon as I had entered the tent, I had straightened up to mimic the Peeta's posture. It is becoming easier. My lower back aches a little but it is not difficult. I reach out and smooth my hand along his shoulder. The Peeta tenses a little but doesn't remove my hand like he had done a few times before. I think it's because a part of him is still worried that I'll explode and slit his throat.

I slip my hand down and press it against his chest, feeling his heart beating underneath my hand. I hope he gets what I'm trying to tell him.

"You want to come with me?" he asks.

I nod, delighted that he understands.

"Are you sure?"

I nod again. Kala may miss me but I will come back. Eventually. Once I have learned the ways of the humans.

Once I have learned more about the Peeta.

A/N: Please R&R with your thoughts! Thank you!