Humming As She Worked...

[Jutra 51]

Jutra hummed as she worked. Kneading the bread she was going to bake later that day. Up bright and early she had already harvested and replanted a field of wheat, tended the livestock, culling a few of the cows to get a head start on cooking steaks for the hungry orcs who would be looking for food in the community chests she had sat outside for just that reason. She flitted around the cookery almost dancing as she went about her business. A smile flashed across her face as she remembered last passing with mixed emotions.

Wargoth Craotor had put up a training station for spear throwing in her Valley. He had offered to train Jutra to throw a spear. He broke one down to 1/3 rd it's normal size for her, and went on to explain how to hold the spear, where to aim at the target so it would have a chance to land where she wanted it. He was a very good instructor she thought. Her first attempt landed a foot away from her feet, her second landed in the dirt wall that was along the right side of the training area. Her third try landed in the trees to her left. Jutra's fourth attempt ended with her wrenching her shoulder. The Huntzgoth Jarkarll had joined in the training at this point and carefully carried her into her burrow while the Wargoth went to get a shaman to help heal her. Jarkarll settled her down on her living room's couch, making sure not to jar her shoulder.

Wargoth Craotor brought the Warmistess Mira to her burrow. Now for being the life mate of the Rex and mother to a bunch of cubbies the warmistress wasn't very old, in fact Jutra didn't think there was even a season between their ages. Mira still possessed a lot of child like traits which she decided to show on this occasion. Having spied Jutra and Jarkarll on the couch chatting a few passings prior to this meeting Mira, playing the brat, had shouted at the top of her lungs that the two were playing "kissing face" on the couch. (which was a blatant lie - as they were just chatting!) Poor Jutra was horrified. She didn't want either of them to have a tarnished reputation, she was quite upset with Mira for teasing them. When Mira saw them again on the couch she started chanting "kissing face" over and over again to them. The kicker was Mira had brought along a few of her cubbies and they were listening in on their Momo's teasing.

Jutra, now finished with kneading the bread dough, started pulling the dough apart, creating balls of it to put into the baking pans. She sighed deeply as she worked.

Mira had healed Jutra's shoulder within moments and went on her merry way soon after, leaving Jutra and Jarkarll alone again. Jutra was a nervous wreck about all of this. Didn't these people care how hurtful saying such lies were to one's reputation? She was truly appalled no one seemed to care! She asked the Huntzgoth what he thought about what was being said about them.

When he asked her was a "Kizz" was, she was stunned. Talk about culture shock, Jarkarll had no idea what the Warmistress was saying about them! Jutra carefully tried to explain what a kiss was. It dawned on her that Orcs probably didn't do such things for a variety of reasons - one being their tusks getting in the way and another was probably that the act itself wasn't one of strength so a definitely no go. She knew she had only ever gotten a kiss on the cheek or forehead from her immediate family. She never quite understood what the fuss about them was, clearly she was missing something because she never figured out what made it so important to humans and their kin to partake in as often as she had seen it growing up. Her family had decide against her doing it, for she had on more then one occasion, gouged them while trying.

The Huntzgoth listened to her quiet explanation. When she explained that it made her upset that this was being said, he wanted to know why? Obviously, she thought, they were worlds apart on a lot of things here. She tried to explain about reputations and how important they were in Halfling society, about halfway through her long and detailed explanation, it dawned on her (surprisingly for the first time) that it didn't matter, that everything she was worrying about here really didn't matter because she wasn't dealing with Halflings. When she declared it didn't matter, he thought she meant that he didn't matter. She had some serious backpedaling to do to fix that misunderstanding.

Truth was he did matter to her. He had started telling her of his many trials and tales of battle, over the the last several passings. She thought him a great story teller and felt honoured that he shared them with her. Last passing he confessed to her that she was the only one who ever wanted to listen to his tales. She couldn't understand why. Maybe it was her halfling upbringing but she enjoyed them thoroughly.

Finally done dividing the dough into the pans, she left them to rise while she cleaned up her cookery, humming while she worked.

[Dat Burkester 101]

((nice story, would love to read more. Keep up the good work!))

[char615 41]

((nice story about the cookie woman))

(( That's kinda what I expected from you Burke. ))

[Ugroth the Dunewalker 15]

:) ))

[Jarkarll 314]

(( I really enjoy reading these! Could you make more?)))

[Danny 2232]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.