19 Build A Wattle and Daub Hut

I feel like things are becoming beyond control. It is unforeseen that apart from a thylacine, I could be a kangaroo's destined mate at the same time.

Doesn't fate decide a one and only mate for the beasts?

...Hold on, or maybe this mate thing for beasts is a one-way street: I am the only one for them, but it could be more than one for me.

What an unfair fate!

Through this period of time, I have gradually known Kruger better and actually started to consider him as my life partner in the future. However, since there's only one destined mate in the world for each of them, what if I reject Duncan? Should I give him a chance?

Maybe it's too early to put this thing on the table.

But, what am I going to do to handle this situation right now?

After Duncan left, I kept a standstill and looked at the herb medicine which shows his kindness — this is such a thoughtful gift for me, and then I began to contemplate again.

"LuLu..."

Kruger ran back and stopped a few steps away, calling my name subconsciously at the same time. Seeing me staring at the herb in a daze, his facial expressions became fearful and anxious:

"You have already accepted my invitation to live with us in the thylacine tribe... Are you going to abandon me? Do you prefer the appearance of that kangaroo? I can make my body shape as same as his!"

Kruger stepped forward and kept talking nervously:

"LuLu! Please give me some more time... You know, I am a carnivore, as long as I eat more and do more exercise, it is easy for me to build muscle mass."

Wait! This is definitely not about the physique! Kruger, you got the wrong point.

By the way, I figure that maybe Kruger is not fit for an overdeveloped muscular body, he might look like King Kong with a Barbie Doll's face...

Anyway, appearance is not the only aspect we need to think about when we are looking for a spouse, even though Duncan does look handsome and hot as well, and even in a different style, I am not going to accept anyone only because he is good-looking.

I explained my concerns to Kruger, telling him that I am analyzing the uniqueness of the destined mate. Meanwhile, I feel worried because no matter what I choose, someone might get hurt.

To my surprise, Kruger doesn't think this is a problem:

"What's the matter? Just so you know, many beasts spend their whole lives but fail to find their mates. What's worse, even if they find the one, that female might not accept their love eventually. So this is the last thing you should worry about."

"As I told you before, LuLu, all you need to do is follow your heart and make the decision that makes you happy."

"Additionally, it is not an exclusive relationship between beasts and humans — some females do have more than one beast mate at once. In this case, those people will break away from their prior tribe and form a clan in which the female will be the chief."

"Unquestionably, that kangaroo won't give up easily, because I just temporarily drove him out of our domain before. So you can wait and see how he will woo you and choose whatever seems right for you."

"All in all, no matter what the result would be, we can take it."

Kruger was saying things with his mouth, but telling me something more in tears with his eyes, this cute handsome stared at me, wearing a wretched look, "LuLu, you like me, do you? Am I still the closest one to you?"

Yes, and yes.

Living with Kruger is happy and joyful indeed.

After hearing Kruger's revelation, I decided to stop tangling my mind and let things unfold naturally.

This is my first time overwintering in the jungle, I am sure there are lots of things needed to be prepared. It's hard for me to adapt to the moist environment in the cave, and I'm afraid that it will become even colder in this humid place in the upcoming winter.

Now the weather is getting more and more freezing day by day. Even though I sleep in the tent,  wrapping in a thick sleeping bag and covering myself with a weighted blanket, the thin fabric of the tent can't completely prevent me from the howling wind outside — I still keep losing my temperature.

It is time to build a hut.

Of course, with the assistance of Kruger.

By recalling the memories of watching the YouTube videos showing primitive technologies, considering that time is limited, and this is my first time trying to build an architecture — it's better to start with a simple one — a wattle and daub hut seems like a good choice.

This is a hut built of leaves and mud mixture, using some wattles and branches weaving together to form the wall. All the materials are effortless to reach since the creek and trees, as well as bushes, are within the walking distance. Over and above that, according to the working process, I guess it is the easiest one to successfully accomplished by beginners.

As the wall will be daubed with mud on both sides, the hut should have a certain thickness to keep me apart from the wind and cold.

Finding out the axe from the trunk, I asked Kruger to help me cut some timbers while I put on my gloves to collect some flexible stems.

...

Pulling out the stems and cutting them with a knife, at the time when I only grabbed half of a bundle, Kruger ran back to my side, holding several boughs and tree trunks that are as thick as his thigh.

"Lulululu, are these enough for the hut? The tool you gave me is really handy, I can cut a tree within three movements."

How speedy his work is?!

Is this the efficiency of a powerful beast?

RESPECT.

In less than half an hour, Kruger has cut and carried and finished preparing all the boughs of different thicknesses that needed to be set as pillars and beams. So I invited him to collect stems with me, and when I was about to pass him a knife to help cut the stem, Kruger waved his hand:

"Can these stems be of any length?"

"Yes, it is... Wha..."

Before I finished my words, Kruger grabbed some stems in his hands, fiercely pulled them out and twisted his wrists to roll the stems on his hands, and then savagely lifted them straight away — all the stems were immediately cut. Kruger kept ongoing these actions, and within another half an hour, a huge bundle of stems were ready to use.

What an incredible scene!

Maybe I should say, a powerful beast made a miracle.