(POV Sylvia)

After my last words Karina seems to calm down a bit. She still seems quite tense to me, but that should subside with time. I slowly sit down on the floor and wait a moment. While I wait, I monitor the processing of the lizard via the swarm consciousness and take a closer look at her in parallel. Karina has brown hair that reaches her shoulders. Her clothes seem to have components of the skin of creatures unknown to me, I think Elise called it leather armor. She also has some shiny silver areas on her stomach, back, shoulders and knees. Looks like the metal Mark works with.

My guest seems to be slowly calming down, her breathing is getting slower and steady. She seems thoughtful for a moment and then says in a firm voice, "I have never heard of the Sylv, but have heard of other humanoid species like the elves. I want to apologize for my previous behavior, but I was in a life-threatening situation just a moment ago. I would very much like to accept your offer and rest here until I recover."

With a smile I reply, "That's fine, if you don't mind I'd like to talk with you further. How did you get into the position I found you in?"

She changes her position to sit across from me in the same manner. She looks at me with her green eyes, exhausted and still a little pale. She describes to me how she and her group left for the Everglade Forest to complete an Adventurers Guild mission, how they got lost and got too deep into the forest. Karina and her comrades couldn't handle the stronger creatures here deep in the forest and her group was completely wiped out. She was the last to survive and was hunted by one predator after another until she ran into me. She is grateful for my help and finally asks me if I know where we are in the forest right now.

I answer: "I don't know where we are exactly. But I know the rough direction I need to turn in order to find my way back to Westerville. I can point you in that direction or you can accompany me. You are free to leave at any time, if you have rested sufficiently and you wish to set out alone." With the last words I make a gesture to the locked door, whereupon it opens again. I had closed it only because Karina was in a panic at the time.

Karina turns her head to the open door and seems to consider for a moment whether she should try to escape. But she decides against it and turns back to me. Then she replies, "I'm not going to survive out in the woods by myself. You seem to be doing well here. Therefore, I would like to accept your offer to accompany you." She pauses for a moment and asks, "How long have you lived here? How do you know Westerville and do any other Sylv live here besides you?"

I think about the questions for a moment before answering and decide to continue to keep a few points quiet for now. I remember how shocked Elise was when she saw the inside of a hive complex. I don't want to panic my guest again and should slowly teach her the details about the Sylv. Furthermore, I don't know if I can trust Karina, I don't know her well enough yet. So I better not reveal that Elise and Mark have taken me in. Otherwise, word might get around and cause problems for my parents when I successfully bring Karina back to Westerville. With that plan, I answer the questions, "I've only lived here for a few weeks. I lived somewhere else before and got this deep into the woods through unfortunate circumstances. I know Westerville because I was told about the settlement and yes, there are other Sylv living here with me. The others have taken care of the predator on the surface and are busy taking care of the meat right now." An awkward silence follows my last words, and if I am not mistaken, Karina is eyeing me with suspicious looks. Before I am sure, she seems to notice it herself and hides her thoughts behind a smile.

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(POV Karina)

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There is something wrong! Why didn't I see anyone else besides Sylvia? Besides, she introduced herself as a Sylv Queen. Does she belong to the nobility of her society? But then why is she living in a hole here in the middle of the forest? I would love to escape from here, but out in the forest I won't last an hour. I have no choice but to accept Sylvia's help.

I take a closer look at my counterpart, I now notice the sharp claws and the bulging muscles just under the skin, in addition to the armor. She wears no clothing and doesn't seem to need it. The Sylv seem to be natural hunters and it worries me that there seem to be more of them here and that I am at their mercy.

Sylvia tilts her head sideways and moves her antennae around slightly. She seems to have noticed something. Oh damn! I shouldn't show my suspicions openly, it's very rude. I immediately correct my mistake and put on a friendly smile. If I don't upset her, I should be fine. After all, she saved me and stated that she would help me find my way back to a settlement. There are some suspicious things going on, but considering the circumstances, I will overlook them for now. I cannot afford to do without her help.

A low growl can be heard in the room. It reminds me that I haven't eaten dinner yet. My hostess smiles kindly at me and says, "If you're hungry, you can consume some of the biomass over there," as she points to a depression in the floor with one of her claws. Curious, I move to the indicated position and see a yellowish slime in one depression while there is water in the adjacent depression. I cautiously smell the yellowish slime, which has a faint sweet smell. Just to be sure, I ask again, "This substance here," I point to the well with the slime, "is edible and compatible for a human being?"

Sylvia begins to walk slowly toward me and answers, "This is processed biomass. It contains various plant and organic compounds. The processed biomass is very nutritious and should be tolerable for a human. However, I am not sure since I have insufficient information about the biological makeup of your species. I would recommend starting with a small portion and wait to see how your body tolerates it."

That doesn't exactly reassure me, but I'm hungry and the suggestion sounds reasonable. Before I try any of this processed biomass though, I launch another attempt, "So is that some kind of jam? Anyway, is there anything else I could eat and do you have a bowl or cutlery?"

Sylvia has reached me by now and replies, "The predator hasn't been fully processed yet. I could have a piece of meat brought from the carcass. However, it is not possible to start a fire in here. Alternatively, I could have unprocessed plants brought. I don't have any bowls or cutlery." With the last words, she scoops up some of the viscous processed biomass with the help of one of her hands and brings it to her mouth. She opens her mouth just a tiny bit in order to eat, whereupon I catch a glimpse of the rows of teeth inside. A cold shiver runs down my spine, but I control myself. If she can stomach the stuff, I probably will too.

I hesitate no longer and imitate Sylvia. With my hand I scoop some of the viscous fluid food and taste it carefully. It tastes slightly sweet with a consistency like honey, but not as intense. It's a strange taste that I can't quite place yet. Anyway, it doesn't taste bad and I let the rest slide from my hand into my mouth. I stop at this point to follow the advice to eat only a small portion at first. Then I scoop up some water to drink. I notice that through a small opening on the side of the depression new water flows in and through another water flows out. Thus the water remains in motion and is constantly renewed. I suspect a similar concept with the recess for the processed biomass.

I inquire from Sylvia, where I can relieve myself and whether there is a certain place, where I should sleep. She tells me that she will see to it that another depression is dug in the corridor outside the chamber for biological waste products and that I can look for any place inside the chamber in order to sleep. It's nicely warm in here, so I don't have to worry about freezing and the coating along the walls is a soft padding. With that, I give in to exhaustion and try to get some sleep.

I notice that something is wrong and open my eyes, whereupon I see that Sylvia is sitting right in front of me. Her posture seems dejected and as I look at her, her antennae move around nervously. With a small sigh I wave her over to me and say, "Come here, you can sleep together with me." This seems to please her visibly and directly after that she has snuggled herself between my arms. A contented purr emanates from Sylvia, which elicits a grin from me before I try to continue my sleep. My instinct was right, she indeed seems to be still a child who does not like to sleep alone. Kinda cute how she behaves.