Page 7 of Lonely Orcish Girl

"That's too bad; you got nothing out of it." Katuri sighed. "So, what was the plan to go to Larrant? That's the only thing I'm missing here."

"Um, that probably won't sound very smart either, but whatever."

Struggling how to explain his impulsive decisions, he finally told her about his plans to go to Larrant and return with a gift for Jolene to win back her heart. As those words were leaving his mouth, it occurred to him more and more how naive and pointless the idea was in the first place. This only deepened his self-frustration.

Katuri shook her head and snorted as if in disbelief. "Oh, Reed, that was so naive of you."

Reed looked at her with resentment at first, but at the same time, he knew she was right. He averted his eyes and mumbled, "See? I knew you'd think I was stupid."

"No, Reed, I didn't say you were naive. I just think what you did was unwise. Romantic, I admit, but very rash and reckless. You obviously didn’t think it through. Look where it got you. You got lost in the woods, barely survived the storm, and now you've got swamp fever. It could have ended even much worse if you hadn't come across my house. And you know that little silly goose is going to marry another man anyway, Reed. That's her choice, no gifts would help," Katuri said firmly, gazing intensely at Reed.

He was silent, trying to digest what she just said. It wasn't easy to accept how Katuri described Jolene, but it was a different feeling to hear another person come to similar conclusions as he had, deep down inside. Reed looked at Katuri again and noticed that her expression was full of true compassion.

"Please, don't be mad at me for saying this. I just want you to know that I understand how you feel. I know what it's like to feel betrayed and abandoned. But eventually, it'll wear off, Reed."

"How can you be so sure? You don't know everything about that situation," he replied with a miffed tone.

"Because I've been there, Reed!" Katuri leaned in, her voice filled with emotion. "I know what it's like to do silly things for someone who makes you think they care about you, someone who acts like they love you but doesn't mean it!"

Abruptly, Katuri fell silent and turned her face toward the window. Reed observed her profile, stunned at her sudden outburst of emotions. He saw her jaw clench, and her full lips twitch slightly.

"So… it didn't quite wear off for you?" he asked softly, trying to be empathetic. He knew Katuri revealed her vulnerability, and he was grateful for that. It made him feel like they connected on a deeper level.

The orcish girl grunted softly and faced him with a soulful smile. "The love disappeared quickly because my situation left me with no doubts or choices. But what remained was anger and pain. However, I suspect my spite is due to the fierce nature of my orcish blood. You do not have to follow in my footsteps," she said, turning her head back to the window.

"Will you tell me your story? I’m a good listener too," Reed asked.

"I will, Reed. However, not today. The sun is high, and I have some errands to run around the house. And you'd better get some rest; it seems the fever is back." She knelt over him again, touched his forehead, then let her hand slide to his cheek and kept it there for a moment. This time her gesture was caressing; of that, Reed had no doubt.

This strangely intimate moment lasted only a few seconds before Katuri smiled ruefully again and left Reed alone. It appeared to him, she was right again—the sickness hit him full force, and he quickly fell into a slumber.

CHAPTER TWO

Reed woke up feeling better. It seemed the fever had disappeared, at least for a while. Judging by the light, he figured he must have slept only a few hours, as it looked like late afternoon.

His bladder was painfully full, so he strenuously sat up. For a moment, he struggled with dizziness but decided to free himself from under the heavy furs. Then, remembering he was naked, he froze in place.

"Katuri, are you here?" Reed called out, but there was only silence, so he slowly moved out of the inglenook and got to his feet.

For a while, he just stood there, leaning against the furnace wall, panting heavily as if he had just climbed to the top of a mountain. He looked around, seeing the inside of Katuri's house for the first time. It was cramped and rather modestly furnished, but it had everything that a person living alone could need. A stove, a table, a chair, a chest, and a few shelves with cooking utensils and jars. There were also strings of dried herbs and mushrooms hanging from the ceiling. He spotted two doors, one of which was obviously the front entrance leading to the porch. Reed wobbled as he approached the second door, which led outside to the backyard. A few feet away stood a tiny outhouse and Reed got there using a small path running through the grass.

After relieving himself, he was about to return to the house when he heard noises. Curious, he peered out through the little hole in the latrine door. When he realized what he was looking at, he decided to stay in the outhouse for a moment. He knew this was weird of him, but reacted purely on instinct.

Katuri was only a couple of yards from the house, but because of her position, she hadn't noticed Reed. The opening in the door was tiny, so the chance of her seeing him was slim. He knew it was rather silly to hide, but he couldn't help it. For reasons unknown, he wanted to see what she was doing.

The young orcish girl was chopping wood with a large two-handed ax. Reed's eyes nearly popped out of his head because, at first, he thought she was topless. But upon closer inspection, he spotted that she was only wearing a pale green cotton band over her breasts. Still, that was enough to ignite Reed's imagination.

Apart from that, there was a second shocking and… stunning sight – Katuri's silhouette, with chiseled muscles and round, perfect buttocks, which Reed could see in all their glory for the first time. The torso of the orcish girl was built like that of a warrior, her skin shining with sweat, except for her breasts, which were a deliciously soft part of her physique. Her belly looked like a cobblestone wall, her waist slim, and her arm muscles prominent. A few times Katuri turned to toss aside a few logs or pick up another, and then Reed could see her back and the striking contrast between her broad shoulders, narrow waist, and wide, ample hips. Her silhouette truly was like the epitome of an hourglass.

Katuri was impressively built but lean at the same time. It seemed as if there was not a single ounce of excess fat on her body, except for on her hips, round buttocks, and, of course, breasts. The rest of her physique was smooth muscle.

And she was strong as an ox – Reed had been chopping wood since he was ten, so he knew how strenuous this workcould be even for a robust guy like him. But Katuri made it all look as easy as child's play. The orcish girl could toss heavy wood as if it weighed nothing—one-handed, she lifted pieces that at first glance weighed at least forty pounds, some maybe even more, and put them onto the trunk, only to break them into smaller billets. Moreover, she never needed to strike twice, for each of her blows was strong and precise enough to shatter even the largest logs.

Reed found it kind of mesmerizing to see her unique body in motion. It was almost like a spectacle. Despite her size and strength, Katuri moved with grace. Her movements were efficient and agile, not just full of strength.

He let out a muffled cough and decided that he should go back to bed, but at that moment, Katuri stopped chopping wood and changed her position! She was facing the house now! Surely, she would notice him now if he tried to sneak into the house, and for some reason, he thought that would be wrong, so he chose to stay in the outhouse a little longer.

The girl picked up a flask and drank a lot. The water ran down her chest in rivulets. And then, quite unexpectedly, Katuri did something that made Reed almost faint with surprise. She took the ribbon from her breasts and threw it on the pile of wood. Her breasts were completely exposed to Reed's equally shocked and eager eyes. Then Katuri poured more water from the vial onto her face and chest, washing away the sweat and splinters. Her skin glowed like an emerald.

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