Rei sat and watched the fire late into the night. The animals came close, attracted by the flames, but unwilling to approach them. She didn't feel like sleeping.
Things were strange. She felt at home in the wilds of Earth, similar in many ways to those of Mars. But things weren't the same. Civilization had followed her home. These people were here, people she had learned the rules of civilization with. She had acclimated, as best she could, to their world, but now they were in hers, and she felt responsible. They, that is, some of them, had helped her survive in their world, and could she do less? This was a strange thing speaking, she did not recognize it, though it came from within her. On Mars she had expected everyone to be able to take care of themselves. Her brothers did not need her help. Her father did nothing but supply her with meat until she was old enough to hold a bow, you learned to survive, or you died, but it was different here. She could not help but recall a wild yell and a swinging chandelier, pulling her out of the midst of a battle she might have lost.
And that was another problem in itself! When Rei had spotted the forests and mountains of Earth she had hoped for one second that when she returned to the wild she would be able to lose all these confusing civilized thoughts. But it didn't work. She was here, and Rei wanted to kill her, but couldn't let her die. And what was worse was her ability. Perhaps this world was foreign and strange to her, but Minako was adjusting quickly, too quickly for Rei's liking. In the civilized world she was stronger and more comfortable, Rei had only managed to compete once, at the masquerade ball, and that backfired dreadfully. Here Rei was stronger, but for how long? Would Minako end up being stronger than her in her own environment, beat her on her turf? She couldn't get that chance. Rei sharpened her knife methodically and broodingly. This was war.