strange one.

5

I sigh in annoyance once I've returned to my hut with the ooman lou-dte kale. How am I supposed to care for this thing? I don't know what it needs much less what it eats. All I know is how to hunt and kill oomans.

I look around at my dimly lit hut. Not much "furniture" as I've heard oomans call such objects. I have my trophy display with built in armor stand, a wash area with a bathing vessel, a rather large bedding with numerous large fur pelts with skin pelts for hotter months, clothes piled neatly on a shelf, and a fire pit in the center for light, heat and to cook anything that is poisonous raw.

I grab a few smaller pelts of my bedding and throw them to her, as well as a stuffed one. I then point to an empty corner of my hut, one where she won't really be seen.

"You bed there, lou-dte kale." I growl. She slinks to the corner as I walk to my trophy stand to take off my armor and hang new heads. I walk into the wash area and begin to fill the bathing vessel with hot water. Over the running water I can hear her chirping.

Suu. Suu. Suu. Suu. Suu.

That same word over and over again. It started to get annoying when I'm distracted by a call.

"Sülka."

"What, kah-leesk?"

"That ooman, has she fed lately?"

I can't help but look at my communication gauntlet in surprise.

"Excuse me?'

"I found that male I was telling you about. He is here. He wishes to see this lou-dte kale tonight."

"Can't he wait till sunrise? The lunar rotation has started!"

"He insists." I groan in annoyance, and drop my head.

" If he does not stay long, fine." I growl in defeat. "But I am bathing now. He will have to wait outside till I am done."

"He has no problem with this." With that, the connection end. I groan and undress, taking a quick bath since I'm sure he will not be long, despite my hut being on the other side of the clan area.

Drying with what humans would call a towel, I then wrap it around my waist and wander to the shelf that has my clothes, going for a simple pair of keelts. Or, sweatpants, as I would later learn them be called by oomans.

Not much longer and there is a being at my hut. I walk over and draw back the coverings, revealing an extremely build male, carrying a wooden basket, filled with an assortment of fruits and wrapped packages of what smells like some kind of smoked meats.

"You are Sülka?"

I nod, and step aside to allow him in. He sets the basket down and looks around, before spotting the ooman in the corner. He kneels down and sticks his hand out, calling to her softly.

"Come here, little one. I have something for you."

He reaches into the basket and pulls an odd, red colored fruit and offers it to her. The ooman pokes her head out, and sees the fruit. Slowly, she creeps out and towards him, her gaze switching from him and the fruit.

"You know this fruit, yes?" He says with a gentle click. It kind of irritated me, the way he spoke so gently to such a creature we hunted, creatures we used as slaves.

I watched the ooman female as she took it, and took a bite from it. The bright red fruit crunched and squirted it's sweet juices everywhere with every bite. She purred between every bite, and within a matter of moments, the fruit was gone. The male slid her the basket, to which she squealed with delight and engorged on the fruits, meats, and even a few chunks of bread down near the bottom of the basket.

"When has she fed last, Sülka?" He clicked, turning towards me. I shrugged.

"Have you not attempted to feed her since she became in your possession?" He rumbled, standing with clenched fists.

"I do not know what she eats. Nor do I really care. If you are so interested in her, you care for her." I snapped. The male took a step forward, but withdrew. His head cocked slightly, brows furrowed.

"What is that noise?" He asks.

"She has been making that noise for a clic now. " I grumble, waiving my hand dismissively. He tilts his head, as if he was trying to understand her strange noises. I was tired and just ready for bed.

"I am going to bed." I grumble, and he nodded and heads for the doorway.

"Come to my hut tomorrow when you can. I will help you." He says before leaving. I stare after him in utter confusion, of both this whole day, especially that male. No wonder he lives so far from the clan. I shake these thoughts from my head and move the basket closer to the ooman females nesting area. Where she followed and curled into the pile of pelts, rolling in them, bundling them around her and under her head. I yawn and settle into my own pelts, exhaustion catching up to me.