Maka was having a nightmare.
It wasn't entirely surprising; she'd been traveling for two days straight without much sleep, and she was physically, mentally, an emotionally drained. These thick trees were nothing like the bamboo forests of her childhood, and were much harder to navigate than she'd originally anticipated.
An hour or so before she'd managed to set up a makeshift camp in the massive, tangled roots of a tree and attempted to bed down for some long overdue rest. Of course, her subconscious decided that wasn't going to be an option.
Images of flames and glinting metal flickered behind her eyelids to a soundtrack of fearful cries and shouted accusations. Witch. Freak. Devil child.
She frowned, twitching in her sleep. Her breath grew quick and shallow, then she suddenly bolted up, a cry half caught in her throat as she instinctively fought to keep herself quiet even before she was fully conscious. Panting, she looked around wildly for a few moments before remembering where she was and letting her body sag wearily, running a hand through her hair.
Gods, I hope I wasn't making any noise, she thought as she peered into the jungle. All she needed now was for some predator to have heard her.