"Are you lost?" a voice called out from behind Maeve as she continued to sit on her rock, submerged in the total darkness of the heart of the forest.

Maeve jumped in her seat, heart skipping a beat upon hearing the words spoken behind her. She wanted to speak out and question who was there with her, but the words had caught in her throat, seemingly stuck there for an indefinite amount of time.

"We don't typically get your kind around here," the voice said.

Finally, Maeve was able to get the words out. She raised a dark red eyebrow. "...'my kind'? What in the hell is that supposed to mean?" She questioned the person she could not yet see. She kept one fist to the side, small flames weaving in and out of her fingers just in case she was in any danger. The protocol was clear in Maeve's mind: fight, then flight.

The figure that was once approaching from behind her slipped out in front of Maeve. It was a young woman—--most likely from Hassun's tribe, or so Maeve had thought. "I mean witches. Your kind."

Maeve choked at the pure notion of it. Witch, she began to think. As true as that might be, I've been trying to keep that very detail underwraps... I've only been out on this quest to find Aelod for a few hours now and I've already been caught? What in the actual hell? Maeve anxiously tapped the tips of her worn-out, dusty, leather boots to the ground as her mind continued to war internally. The plan was to originally do everything in my power to keep anyone finding out about my magic, but it seems like I've already fucked that part up. Maeve slowly exhaled. "Seriously?"

"Of course," the young woman said to her. "I saw that little light you put off... Little bits of flame. Impressive, really."

Maeve choked once more, suddenly closing her semi open fist completely, extinguishing the flames conjured up there when she did. "Y-You—-- You saw them?"

The young woman nodded. "Yes... I've seen magic like that only rarely—--though, I suppose I have seen a witch or two in my lifetime. You came from the settlement to the north, didn't you? The one ran by that reverend... Henry something?"

"Richard Henry," Maeve told her in clarification. "...but, yes—--I did come from that settlement." She ran her palms back and forth over each other, heating them up a little bit. "Have you been there?"

The young woman replied, "Once... On a trade route..."

Maeve took a deep breath. "So, chances are, you've talked to Richard in the past... Do you intend to go to him now? ...Now that you've found out that I'm a witch?" Her voice wavered a little, but she tried to keep firm and hide her rising anxiety. She stood up, looking the young woman up and down.

The young woman raised her hands—--palms out—--in surrender. "Of course not. I understand the plights your people go through."

Maeve raised an eyebrow. "You do?"

The other woman nodded. "I know how they treat you all if they are to find out... Burning, hanging, and drowning. The punishments are quite cruel, as I've heard."

Maeve nodded. "They are... Quite so."

The other woman then reassured her, "You're safe though... With me. I do not attend to consult this... Mr. Henry about who you really are."

Maeve held her breath for a brief moment when she saw the fangs in the other woman's mouth, thanks to the moonlight that had crept slowly through the trees. "...A-Are you with Hassun's tribe?"

"My ancestors were," the woman told her. "I am not. The Manitou, actually," she said.

"The Manitou," Maeve murmured.

"Exactly... It seems that you have heard of us."

Maeve swallowed with a quick nod. "A little bit, yes. Chief Hassun came by the settlement earlier and brought your people up. He said that your people might be able to help us."

The woman raised a dark eyebrow. "Oh? Help with what exactly?"

Maeve explained, "One of our people, Aelod, went missing prior... We thought you might know where he might be."

"Aelod," the woman repeated. "Aelod... Yeah, it seems a little familiar actually... I'd have to ask around more at camp though if I am to help."

"You're serious?" Maeve asked. "...You'd help?"

"Why not?" the woman began. "...seems like the right thing to do." She started off, clearly in the direction of her camp.

Maeve sped up to follow the woman. "I'm, uh, Maeve, by the way. You?"

The woman replied, "Sokanon."