Maeve sat down on a large stone as Sokanon cooked some fish from the stream nearby over the fire. Anxious from the supposed 'animal attack', Maeve stayed completely quiet as Sokanon worked.

     Sokanon hummed a soft, melodic, peaceful tune, but it did near nothing to calm Maeve's rising nerves in everything going on.

     Maeve tried to push down the anxious feeling that was rising in her chest, but it was to no avail. She found herself anxiously bouncing her leg—-and when she wasn't doing that, she was drawing her boot right through the dirt, coming up with various patterns to distract herself from her probably irrational worries.

       "Aaaand, done!" Sokanon said, pulling the fish off the spear and letting it fall onto a dish before coming over to Maeve. "Here. Hopefully it's cooked the way you like it."

      Maeve paused, hesitantly taking the dish from the taller woman. Sure, the cooked fish was a... mouthwatering sight to say the least, but there was something else about it that put her off. She squinted, looking at the plate. "...This is one of ours... From my village. Where did you get this?"

      Sokanon paused and told her, "Trading." She fell silent for a moment before saying, "I gave guides through the woods to them. Taught them to navigate. Some gave me something in exchange."

      "Ah," Maeve murmured before starting to eat. She then noted that Sokanon hadn't joined her. "...Why aren't you—-"

       Sokanon immediately jumped right into the conversation, speaking with a very nonchalant tone. "...I already had a bit of something, I must confess. ...so... the fish? It's all yours."

      Maeve nervously swallowed. "T-Thank you."

      "My pleasure," Sokanon replied before her golden eyes raked over Maeve, observing her posture and behavior. She noticed how the redhead's emotion was one of nervousness. She sighed before kneeling down in front of Maeve. "You're weary of me," she noted.

       Maeve swallowed another bite and explained, "Why shouldn't I be? ...You seem secretive... Dodgy. ...Not to mention those eyes... those fangs. What even are you? You're not human. I know that much."

      Sokanon inhaled, slowly... Strangled. She knew she wouldn't be able to tell Maeve the truth without her running for the hills, unfairly. "I'm..." She sucked in another breath, this time far more quickly, pushing out the first excuse she could think of. "I'm..." She repeated once more, knowing she couldn't let the truth out. "...I'm what your people would call a... vampire." Horrible lie, Sokanon's mind cursed her—-even still, she kept up the confident facade.

      Maeve raised an eyebrow, swallowing her last bite. "And last night?"

      "What about last night?"

      "The shaking of the tent after I got hurt?" Maeve further persisted. 

        Sokanon groaned. "I told you the truth about that already. There's animals around here. ...They go into a frenzy when they smell that sort of scent. ...Blood... It's... heaven to them."

       Maeve fell silent, not saying anymore.

      Sokanon sighed, standing, and turning away. "It's okay. You don't have to trust me... Most people don't."

      "--But, I want to—-" Maeve blurted out. "...trust you, I mean."

       Sokanon's body whipped around quickly. "You want to?"

      Maeve nodded, setting the dish aside. "I want to trust you. I mean, you're helping me find Aelod."

      "I will still, if you'll let me," Sokanon murmured, softer, offering her a hand.

       Maeve thought about it for a second before taking Sokanon's hand and being pulled up. "Yes. I will." What is wrong with me?, Maeve began to think to herself. I'm weary of her and she hasn't really done anything to make me trust her yet. I mean, she snuck up on me in the middle of the night, when I was alone and frightened and scared me shitless... But still... Why do I feel a flutter in my chest? What's going on?

     "You okay?" Sokanon asked, softly.

      Maeve blinked out of her daze and faked a smile. "Yes. ...I'm quite alright."

       "Good," Sokanon remarked. "We'll set out for Aelod's trail... and I'll try to win your trust." She paused. "...Now to find Oiguina..."

      Maeve raised an eyebrow. "Who's Oiguina?"

      "A friend," Sokanon told her. "She's to give us coordinates."

       "To where?" Maeve further questioned.

        Sokanon exhaled. "To the main Manitou camp."