Page 37 of Lonely Orcish Girl

Katuri hesitated for a moment, then on her lips appeared a mysterious smirk, "How about… Hope?"

Reed looked at her curiously, thinking how unusual the name Hope was for an all-black horse. He tended to associate that word with something colorful like rainbow, but after a moment's thought, he realized that perhaps such an unexpected name was fitting. In a way, it reflected his and Katuri's journey—coming out of the shadows of their past, finding hope for a better future in the most unlikely circumstances.

"That's a great choice, Katuri. So, we need to build our Hope a home," he said with an all-knowing smile, pleased with the double meaning of his words.

Katuri nodded with a matching expression.

As they approached the chicken coop, the soft clucking of the hens could be heard inside. He opened the door, and Katuri peeked inside, chuckling at the sight of the fluffy birds pecking at the ground. Reed reached into the nesting boxes and gently collected the eggs.

Walking back to the house, eggs in hand, Reed realized this was what he had been missing—sharing his life with someone he loved and enjoying the simple pleasures of farm life together.

Suddenly, Katuri turned to a spot under a nearby tree. She stopped, her eyes fixed on something. "What's that?"

Reed followed her gaze, his expression softening. "That's my mother's grave."

Katuri's mouth parted in surprise, and she looked at Reed with a mixture of curiosity and respect. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "Can I see it?"

Reed nodded, flooded with memories. "Yes."

Together, they walked to the tree. The grave was marked by a simple stone monument, with a few dandelions blooming around it. Reed knelt on the soft grass, and Katuri followed suit.

For a moment, they stayed in silence until Katuri leaned forward and touched the tombstone. Reed heard her muttering something in Orcish, words he didn’t understand but sensed were Katuri’s way of paying respect to his late mother.

He took a deep breath and said, "I know she’s not here, but I hope that somehow she knows I’m happy—that I’ve found someone like you."

Katuri met Reed's eyes and smiled softly. She reached out and took his hand, her touch warm and comforting.

"I’m sure she does, Reed. And she’s happy knowing she succeeded in raising you to be a wonderful, fair man." Katuri’s voice was filled with emotion.

Reed softly sighed and felt a reassuring squeeze from Katuri’s fingers. He wasn’t sure what to say, or if anything needed to be said at all. Instead, he stood up, and they walked back to the house.

There, a surprise awaited them in the form of an unexpected guest.

It was… Martha! The older woman was incessantly knocking on the door and flinched slightly when she saw them approaching from behind the house. Her expression was apprehensive.

“Good morning, Reed,” she said, nodding at the orcess with some caution. “Katuri.”

“Hello, Martha. What brings you here so early?” Reed tried to sound friendly, surprised that Martha dared to come after all she had said yesterday. However, her expression seemed to be a mix of guilt and shame, so he restrained himself from being too harsh.

“I’m sorry if I’m interrupting, but I came to see Katuri.” Martha glanced uncertainly at the orcish girl.

“How can I help you, Martha?” Katuri asked politely.

The woman darted a glance at Reed, and he realized she had come to Katuri with some kind of health issue.

“Marga was sick for so long that now people want to swarm there with their problems. I thought I could ask you something, as I simply can’t afford to wait in line all day—my farm needs me.”

“I’ll go chop some wood for the furnace.” Reed stepped away quickly, giving them space.

As he grabbed his axe and headed toward the woodpile, he overheard Martha mentioning that something had popped up on her big toe, and Katuri asked her to show it.

Reed began chopping logs, glancing occasionally at their interaction. Martha removed her shoe, and Katuri knelt to examine her foot attentively. After a moment, the orcess stood up and began explaining something, even using a stick to draw in the soft soil. The older woman listened carefully, and when Katuri finished, Martha grabbed her forearm, saying something emphatically, and thanking her earnestly. At first, Katuri’s expression was hard to read, but then she nodded, eventually smiling. Afterward, Martha said goodbye, waved to Reed, and left.

Reed gathered the logs he’d chopped and hurried to join Katuri, who was standing in front of the house, gazing into the distance. He tossed the wood onto the ground and stepped closer to her.

“You won’t believe what she said.” Katuri turned to him with a smile.

“That she grew claws on her toes like a gargoyle?” he joked, touching her arm.

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