Cascade

Fetch!

The days went by and slowly I began to recover. The cannibal kept bringing me fish, showing up dripping wet and seeming a bit annoyed. I guess it still hadn't improved its fishing skill despite all its practice.

I wrinkled my nose at the catfish, but it was food and it was edible.

Fish wasn't always the only thing the cannibal brought me. Even though I didn't accept the chili it had started bringing me canned goods. It also brought me little trinkets and seemingly random other things. Over the course of four days I had gained a spoon, some duct tape, a ruthless raspberry flavored dark confectionary brand soda bottle cap, a hair pin, a bishop chess piece, and a severely chewed on scallop shell.

The cannibal had still been keeping a respectable distance, but it was starting to creep closer again. I would scoot away only to have it follow. It seemed to still want me as its mate, but it was taking things slower now... I wasn't sure what to make of it. I could feel a bit of horror bubbling in my stomach whenever the creature brought me something that was obviously a courting gift. I still accepted them, but I wasn't really sure that I had a choice if I didn't want to make the creature mad. I kept as much distance between it and myself as I could though. Not that it was much.

I sniffed, my nose was still stopped up. I felt better, but still not well. I grimaced at the catfish I was nibbling on. I'd been on catfish for a week. Bleh! I'd kill for something different, even catfish soup!

The cannibal gave me a strange look from its place next to the fish scrap bucket. It had taken to picking through them for anything it deemed edible. It seemed to have a liking for the organs...

I raised an eyebrow at the creature only to have it snort at me. Maybe I had been making a face?

My gaze stayed on the cannibal for a bit longer. It had been bringing me things... Maybe I could find a way to ask it to bring me a pot? The creature was definitely intelligent enough, but we seemed to have a language barrier... Still worth a shot though.

I put my fish down and clicked my tongue to get its attention. "Hey, next time you go into town, do you think you could bring me back a pot?" My throat felt dry from disuse.

The cannibal's expression looked surprised and somewhat questioning, but it didn't seem to understand.

"So you don't understand me?"

It blinked at me before uttering a stream of growling gibberish.

I just looked at it. I couldn't understand it either. "I'll take that as a no then."

Its brow furrowed in what I assumed to be confusion.

Right. Well how could I get it to understand? I looked around for a moment. There was a small patch of dirt at the edge of the patio. Maybe I could draw it?

I picked up a stick from the pile of 'firewood' I'd been gathering over the week, and made my way over. I traced out the image of a pot and looked back at the cannibal.

It blinked at me with wide eyes as I motioned for it to come over. It started, looking surprised at the gesture, before quickly getting up and slinking to my side.

I jumped and stepped aside as it rubbed against my leg. The creature whined at me before letting out a huff, shoulders sagging.

I felt my throat tighten and I cleared it to get back the cannibal's attention. I tapped the drawing with the end of the stick.

The cannibal squinted at it for a moment before turning its gaze back to me. Yeah, I guess this wasn't quite going to cut it. Now what?

Maybe?

I rummaged through my bag until I found the spoon the cannibal had given me. I held it up and pointed to the cannibal.

It raised an eyebrow and frowned.

Next I pointed out towards the general direction of town before pointing at the spoon. I then pointed at myself.

The cannibal regarded me with a blank look, so I repeated the process. It didn't seem to help.

Regardless, I once again made the gestures, but I pointed at the drawing of the pot instead. I did this once more and watched the cannibal.

Its eyes were wide and it seemed to comprehend what I meant. Something must have clicked then?

I blinked as the cannibal immediately dashed off in the direction of the woods. Huh? It was going to go that soon? Just because I'd asked it to? That seemed a little... Wait... Oh. Right.

Well, if it brought me back a pot I couldn't complain. Still, though. It seemed to understand what I meant, but it might of actually thought I meant something else. I'd just have to see...

~ ~ ~

It was nearing evening now and I put out the fire. I'd pretty much spent the day bored and reduced to coloring aliens again...

A loud clanking filled the air and I jumped. I whipped my head around to find the source. I blinked and relaxed slightly when I found it. I raised an eyebrow.

The cannibal had returned and was galloping towards me. It seemed to have a small sauce pan in its mouth. Huh. Close enough. So it did understand? What was making that clanging though?

The cannibal skidded to a stop in front of me and proudly presented the pan to me. It was panting heavily, but still managed to purr as it looked up at me with a hopeful expression.

I took hold of the handle and the creature let me have it. I looked the pan over and found that there was a spoon at the bottom of it. Huh. That explained the clanking. The cannibal had apparently thought I wanted another spoon as well?

I looked up at the creature to see that it seemed rather pleased with itself, chest puffed forward and a steady purr from its throat.

It seemed happy enough to fetch me something so perhaps it wouldn't mind if I occasionally asked it to?

Either way, I had a pot now and I could make soup. My culinary choices had increased. Now if only the creature would bring me something other than catfish.