Chapter 13: Freedom
The last few days he tried to get Cat out of his mind. Returning to training the unbloods helped, but it didn't seem to be enough. He would not see her at all, he would only stand in front of her door when he relieved Ek'tan of the task for a few hours, but he would not enter her quarters to speak or see her. He heard that she was getting restless from the Elder, that she asked about him from Ek'tan and that she was healing steadily from Mir'en. At each time he only grunted dismissing the topic or changing it. In his mind it was for the best.
Entering the communal bathing chamber he moved to one of the pegs near the wall removing his loincloth and other items hanging them there, turning he walked to one of the large baths. Stopping for a moment he looked around carefully, the feeling that someone was watching him strong. Some glanced his way but there was nothing to confirm the instinct. Moving down the steps into the water he instantly started to feel more relaxed.
A female approached him slowly purring at him. "she is attractive and well built but she isn't…" he squelched that thought before it could be finished. Instead he turned to the female and purred back inviting her over. Her purring growing she complied and started to wash his back and shoulders, but still the nagging suspicion of being watched persisted and he found out why, as the ooman fell almost seemingly from the sky screaming and waving her arms! Hearing that scream and splash, every Yautja in the room turned to it in surprise.
Surfacing Cat coughed and spluttered for a second before she realized the place was as quiet as a tomb, swallowing nervously "I hope it's not my tomb" Looking around herself she saw twenty if not more Yautjas staring at her with their mandibles hanging, mustering a nervous smile she said "umm hi… I hope you don't mind me uh dropping in like this…" when she still didn't get any reactions she added hesitantly "… the water's really nice huh?"
Ke'varde was the first one to snap out of his shock lunging at her before anyone else even though it. Grabbing her by the waist he threw her over his shoulder knocking the wind out of her in an instant. She didn't even have time to take a breath or anything, he was already moving out of the pool and through the door. As naked as a newborn! Her mind catching up to her she started kicking and pounding on his back "Let me go you neanderthal! I'm sick and tired of that damn room! If you take me there, so help me god I will bite you on the ass!" As they were leaving some of the Yautja started clicking and growling, mostly in curiosity and incredulity.
Getting an idea he swatted hers a few times "Quiet!" slap "You are going back" slap "and you will stay there" slap "until the Elder says otherwise!" slap. Each time he did it he could hear a squeak come from her, fingernails digging into his back. At least it made her stop tickling his back with her small fists. "Paya only knows what the Elder will do when he finds out about this"
Sighing "ow" she leaned her arm on his back and supported her head on it, sporting a bored expression and silently fuming. Passing a few astonished Yautja she waved at them. "Hi. Bye" Getting an idea of her own Cat wriggled forward a little. Though his ass was a sight to behold "damn it, focus" shaking her head, she stretched her hands to it muttering "almost there…" wiggling a little more she could finally reach and with that she pinched both his cheeks as hard as she could.
Roaring "Cjit! Stop it!" Ke'varde almost dropped her, at the last second he instead threw her over his other shoulder holding her more securely, hearing an "Oomph! Watch the ribs Tarzan!" he had the suspicion that if he'd dropped her she would have bolted in a heartbeat.
When her idea didn't work she had no choice but to hang there bouncing slightly as he walked. She slapped his back once in frustration regretting the action instantly when her palm started stinging "ouch damnation! I's like hitting a brick wall"
Observing the broken air circulator cover on the floor next to the bent eating tray, he had to give her credit for her intelligence "You are a sly one, female" chuckling he moved away from the wall and sat down at the table to wait. Hearing the door open he watched as his naked honored hunter came in carrying a wet ooman on his shoulder.
Seeing the Elder by the table, Ke'varde nodded to him and kept going to the sleeping room. Reaching it, he dropped her on the bed, turned and left growling "I will wait outside with the Elder. Make yourself presentable" with that he closed the door.
Glaring at the closed door Cat mimicked disdainfully "Make yourself presentable" giving her own version of a growl she yelled "I'd like to present my foot up your ass!" Moving off the bed, she took off the soaked fur dropping it to the floor and reached for another one on the bed. Bending over she used this one to dry her hair a little, dropping this one as well she straightened and took another one and covered herself. To be honest she didn't know why she was annoyed with him so much, he just pushed her buttons easily. Seeing him with that female obviously didn't help matters either. Sighing she decided to make them wait for her, picking up the wet furs she took them to the bathroom walking very slowly.
Meanwhile Ke'varde explained what happened. Hearing that she fell into a pool of Yautja and her yelling behind the door, the Elder worked hard to keep a straight face and not let loose a bellowing laugh. Shaking his head he said "I see. I think it is time for the ooman to join the rest of the clan in the eating hall later, otherwise she will find other ways to entertain herself again. Go dress yourself, return later to escort her with Ek'tan"
The door opening to the sleeping room the ooman entered glaring at Ke'varde and smiling fondly at the Elder. Walking past the hunter she stepped on his foot on purpose, disappointed when he only gave a slight grunt more of acknowledgment then pain. Reaching the Elders side she made the mistake of looking at Ke'varde in all his glory muttering an "oh my" she stared dumbly with wide eyes at his lower region, forgetting the Elder was even there, stuttering "It's…ah…I…green…yes…amm…big….uh…" the only thought in her head "I almost had sex with THAT"
Tilting his head to the side Ke'varde didn't know what to think about her reaction. When she took a step forward still staring at him he nearly did the same, having the almost uncontrollable urge to purr and grab her running to the sleeping chamber, but the Elders presence stopped him. Shaking his head to clear it, he turned swiftly and left before he did something stupid.
Still following him with her eyes she finally snapped out of it when the door closed behind him. Blinking she noticed the Elder looking at her in amusement, blushing and looking away she said "Sorry, I don't know what came over me"
Selt'ox knew exactly what came over her "Mir'en was right" taking her by the elbow he moved them to the table seating them both, he clicked "Today you will eat with us in the dining hall Cat" watching her snap her head up and give him a wide grin exclaiming "Thank you! You have no idea how hard it was being cooped up in here" giving a slight nodhe continued "I understand. Now about Ke'varde, do you want him as your mate?"
Squirming at the question Cat hadn't felt this uncomfortable since her father tried explaining the birds and the bees by watching the mating of lions on the Discovery channel when she was twelve! That was an hour she'd love to have erased from her memory. Looking down and fiddling with the fur she was wearing she said hesitantly "I suppose I like him…a little…when he isn't acting like a complete caveman" smiling the Elder clicked "That doesn't answer my question little one" sighing she knew he wouldn't let it slide "I'm not sure…yet…I' mean it crossed my mind, but he ignores me mostly" standing up and pacing around she continued "Besides I'm human and he's Yautja, how could that even work?"
Thinking for a minute he clicked "Many seasons ago, a young warrior fell in love as you call it with a female who was not of his species. He too had doubts the same as you, more so because of his traditions and upbringing. After some time passed in her company, he realized that she was more important then what others of his kind thought. He decided nothing would stop him from being by her side not even her stubbornness in pushing him away at first."
Watching him go she stopped him as he reached the door "What happened next?" Walking through the door the Elder clicked before it closed "She was killed by a badblood"
She couldn't help but wonder who they were. "Was the warrior the Elder or someone else? Who was the female? Was she human or something different? And who killed her? Who was the badblood?" Slapping a hand over her eyes she groaned "Leave it alone Cathrine. You know that curiosity killed the cat and you ain't got nine lives" but she also knew this wouldn't leave her alone "Why can't I listen to my own advice at least once"
Reaching the oomans quarters he was about to push the button to open them when he hesitated… instead he growled "Are you ready ooman?" Opening the door she grinned up at him "Hello Brownie. Yes I'm ready, lets go" grunting he turned and started walking down the hallway. He was startled when he felt her hand on the inside of his arm. Tilting his head to the side he stopped, clicking "What are you doing?" Hiding her grin, she answered with a frown "You are my escort aren't you?" when he gave a slight nod she continued pleasantly "Well that is how you escort a female to dinner. Arm in arm" He was about to say how ridicules that sounded when she cut him off tugging on his arm "Come on, I'm hungry" sighing he allowed her to move him forward.
Reaching the eating hall Cat was a little nervous going in, gripping Ek'tans arm a little more tightly. There were Yautja everywhere, more then she could count at the moment and every single one turned to look at her as she entered clicking to each other. Stopping for a second "This was a bad idea" she had the urge to turn around and run to her quarters, locking herself in there forever "Boredom sounds wonderful right now…NO! You are not a coward, you belong here now" Squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath she released Ek'tan and followed him to the table where Ke'varde was already eating with a few other hunters. Sitting down between him and Ek'tan, she noticed the Elder was sitting at the end of the hall on a raised platform with some older Yautjas she didn't recognize. Well she didn't recognize anyone actually, except the female at another table from the pool and a few of the unbloods she met on the smaller ship who were serving the food.
Some of the hunters at her table were looking at her oddly, two picked up their trays and left. Shrugging her shoulder she started to eat from the tray an unblood dropped in front of her in passing, when one of the hunters at the table clicked "You are not welcomed here ooman. Why do you stay?" since his tone was curious and not hostile Cat stopped eating, swallowed and smiled at him "Because the Elder asked me to and because this was an opportunity an adventurer like me wouldn't miss. Besides I like it here" grunting the hunter turned back to his meal. Keeping a friendly demeanor, she thought "so far so good"
Suddenly a shadow fell over the table, looking up Cat saw a huge Yautja with light green skin and brown spots standing in front of the table and glaring directly at her, growling "Filthy ooman, you have no value to this clan except for your scull on my wall!" The hunters on either side of her stood, Ek'tan growling "Leave now Lo'qe" the hunter ignored Ek'tan, completely, focused on her still growling "You do not deserve a position among superior beings ooman whore!" hearing that Ke'varde growled viciously at the larger predator stepping forward. Cat stood up as well and stepped on the table getting everyone's attention. She'd had enough, yelling at the big hunter "I have earned my position here fairly, with the mark to prove it! So if you have a problem with that you can kiss my boots when I jam them in your thick scull!" Roaring the predator lunged at her, bending over the table to get her. Thinking fast she jumped up and forward avoiding his swipe and landing on his back slamming him into the table with her weight. Turing swiftly she dropped, smashing her knees into his shoulders and grabbed his dreads pulling them with all her might. The predator roared in pain trying to throw her off, but she held on leaning her body back and avoided being swatted off.
The hunter beneath her levered his hands on the table to get up when the weight on his back disappeared suddenly. Righting himself and turning around he saw the ooman kicking and screaming in the Elders arms trying to get to him "Let me go! I had him! I'm gonna rip off his mandibles and mount them on MY wall!" Lo'qe was starting to like this ooman.