Chapter 32

As I frown, looking over my place, the first indicator that something is wrong is the smell, a faint known odor coming from the place, followed by a dim light shining past the windows, barely enough to light the place up.

I stay out there for a while, taking in the situation, the sounds and smells, however I do not sense any danger so I have a look inside through the cracks on the roof, and raise an eyebrow at what I see inside.

For a moment I wonder if I should just leave, but I discard that thought the moment that I think that such creature is trying to take my territory from me as bears and wolves tried before, so why should I let such inferior creature win over them? No claws or fangs, what threat is there?

That's why I end up hopping in from the window, disappointed that my sudden appearance doesn't scare the one in the room; Instead the familiar yellow cat eyes turn towards me as he smiles. 

"Hi, sorry to intrude, I just thought…Well, I brought you some things." He says, not standing from his strange kneeling sitting position, and a quick glance shows me that he brought a small table and two pillows with him, which only deepens my frown.

What the hell is he doing here? What it is that he wants? Bringing those things with him…

"Please sit down, I brought some tea with me. See?" At that he extends both his hands, embracing with his long fingers a tea-cup where a warm refreshing smell drifted from, making me crooked my head at it.

"Tea, do you want some? T-E-A." Is he… offering me that? A drink of some sort? And even more… is he trying to teach me its name?

"Why don't you try it? Saying, that is. T-e-a." I watch his lips move slowly, forming each syllable separately, however as clear as it seems his intentions with the tea and the repeating, I do not comply, instead I stay still, away from his reach, sniffing the air and tasting his sweet smell; though it does seem to be sweeter today? Hm…

I start sniffing more loudly, intrigued by that small difference, but suddenly Takamori stands and puts the tea-cup in front of him, that smell of leaves drifting in between us. 

"Don't you want some? Is good for your health." He says, but since I do not react he brings the cup closer to him, without sipping, just letting it rest there.

"My name is Takamori but you can call me Taka if you will. And hm…" He keeps talking while I watch from afar, and after some time, with my ears attentive for any odd sound and my nose trying to pick any weird smells beyond his and that tea, I come to the conclusion that it is just this fool in here, making me loosen my guard a little and walk further into the room and more into the light, enough so that he can see me better now.

And once he does he stops talking and looks me up and down, and even though his expression doesn't change much initially he seems rather… shocked, with a mix of surprise and curiosity.

"Why are you dressed like this? What happened? Did someone bully you? Are you hurt?" He starts approaching all of the sudden, which makes me raise up my chin and narrow my eyes in challenge, but this strange man just ignores me and starts looking around, sometimes even slightly touching over the mud.

I feel annoyed by such touches and close-up inspection, but since I do not feel any threatening aura nor killing intent I do not react at first, and before it can escalate any further he has already stopped, objectively trying to perceive if I was hurt somewhere.

"I should have bought you some spare clothes, now look at your state…" He mumbles, thinking to himself.

For a moment he stays there, thoughtful, as if lost in what to do, and as he licks his dry lips I watch fascinated all the small changes in his expressions, intrigued at the number of muscles that there are present in the face and how such creatures could have so many different smiles and frowns with small fluctuations like this, on how different it is from other animals that, at most, have a tail to wiggle or a growl to express themselves, of how… complex it is.

I wonder what is more intricate and interesting, the way they communicate, how they speak, or how their bodies express themselves, especially the faces…

I guess this is the difference between encountering only prey and having such close contact with them I supposed… at that thought I frown again; am I separating this man from prey? Perhaps because he tastes bad… Yeah, must be that.

 He sighs the building pressure away and says: "Well, that is that, I mean, I can help you, or rather, let me help you out. You look so… worn out…" After stuttering for a moment he looks around and, seeing the small bathroom to the side, pulls me by the arm towards there, but since I stand without moving even after he tries to put some weight in it he turns around and starts speaking again.

…You know, is funny that even after realizing that I do not understand them humans keep trying to speak to me, I mean I'm thankful for it because I end up learning a few words, but still they act like talking will change anything…Well it kind of does since I let him lead me out of curiosity in the end.

Once we reach there he makes me sit on top of the shitter thing and turns around toward the sink, a small smile curving his lips up when he turns the tap and after a gurgling sound water comes out of it.

Is not the cleanest, and has a smell of chemical products, and from someone who had access to clear brooks of water from the forest it almost looks murky, but Taka doesn't hesitate and putts his hand under the small stream.

"Is cold, but will do, though there is no towel around so you will have to bear with it…" He says, scooping a small bucket from the side and filling it with water. "No soap either…" He keeps mumbling, and in the end takes his cloth thick belt off and dips it into the water bucket and starts cleaning up my body, a little bit of the face and chest, but the skin under had barely appeared among the mud when his belt is already dark and dirty.

He cleans the belt up a few times with the water, going back and forth like that, but before he can reach out for me once more I throw myself at him, making us both hit the floor in a loud bang.

For something has interrupted us… and not the friendly kind.