There were a number of Indians inside 50 or more at least and all talking. The fire in the center had some animal roasting on a spit which people were removing pieces from at leisure. She noticed the seating arrangement too. Plissken was up next to the chief and already glaring at his adversary from earlier. The others she noticed consisted of a few different groups. There was a group of younger men on the far side of the fire that seemed to be commenting on the women. A group of younger women sat near the door next to her giggling as only a group of teenage girls could. Then there were two distinct types of mixed groups. One type was a single woman with a number of men trying to impress her; the other was a man with companions and a woman on his lap or in some cases a woman and a young child. Brazen caught on and looked at Snake. She had a choice Plissken's lap or being harassed by the large number of men who were now staring at her because she was still standing in the doorway. The choices were bad and worse as far as she was concerned.

Reluctantly she joined Plissken sitting in his lap. The smile on his face made her want to slap him but she refrained. Another man joined them and started talking to Snake over a map. Brazen paid attention for quite awhile until it became an annoying dick waving contest of who had crossed the most difficult territory. Brazen instead started watching the crowd of Indians ignoring the man behind her and his hands on her thighs. This was torture.

It was sometime before Plissken started to talk to her.

"Baby, you want a drink?"

He held a cup around to her and she noticed he had a plate of food too. She was starving but took the glass first. Taking a drink she nearly gagged but held in the choking cough. It tasted like… she didn't know what, bad. Snake grinned at her.

"Moonshine." Then he held up a piece of meat in his fingers for her. Some of the others were watching them with interest. Brazen froze up and looked to Plissken for guidance. He smiled and his brow rose as he moved the piece of meat closer. This couldn't be happening. Leaning in she took a bite keeping her lips well away from his finger tips. She didn't need him getting on one of his sex kicks again. The men with the chief who had been watching smiled and pushed at the Indian who had fought Plissken earlier. Brazen wondered what all of this meant.

"Snake?" She whispered close to his ear. "What just happened?"

Snake beamed mischief obvious in his expression as he held up another piece of meat for her. She took another bite and watched him eat the rest. He was keeping something to himself and she wanted to know what. Finishing the bite of food he turned his head to whisper in return.

"Far as I know, they think you're my girl now." The cocky expression on his face when he turned back to the food was the most irritating thing Brazen ever imagined.

"You didn't." Brazen was disappointed. Snake shrugged in return.

"Would you rather I keep fighting for you?"

He had a point. Really was it so bad to be considered his? Brazen looked him over. He was old, 40 maybe older but he certainly didn't look it. He was fit, smart, streetwise and not all that bad looking. He really didn't look much passed his mid thirties. Brazen looked down his shoulders to his arms. Strong, understanding and protective. Despite the anger and constant sarcasm, she could think of worse people to travel with. Brazen forced down another drink of the moonshine or whatever it was then turned away. Her thoughts started to trouble her and she wanted to get away. She needed time to think. Handing the glass to Snake she started to get up but his arms tightened. His expression was questioning and she smiled.

"I need to go to the bathroom."

Snake gave his usual half-laugh and a smile releasing his grasp on her. She noticed him watch her leave and it only made the desire to be away from him that much stronger. The moon was rising full when she stepped out into the compound. The snow was falling heavier and it made everything look pretty compared to what she had thought of the world since LA. She watched the snow as she walked toward the far side and the tree line.

She turned her thoughts inside and tried to fight with all the contradictions. She wanted to be the woman she had been. She was a law abiding citizen and a star member of the Force with a flawless record. Now what? She was a nobody traveling with the world's worst criminal. He'd committed everything she could possibly think of and probably things she couldn't. He was everything she was taught to hate but she didn't hate him.

When it came down to it Plissken was always nice to her even if sometimes it was in his own rough way. He'd saved her life, fought for her and let her come along even if she knew he hated cops. At the time that is what she had been, a cop. Now she didn't know what she was. She was something different. Malloy claimed she was a criminal but she didn't believe it. It was the beginning of her morals breaking. She could feel it. Things did not seem so bad that she would have thought were catastrophic crimes. Stealing and …. Her mind caught in what she had been doing with Plissken. She wanted him and it was a crime both the act and the fact he was a wanted man.

Brazen turned back to look at the big tent. Smoke was curling out of it and she watched it for a long time. Was he really a criminal? He was respected or more likely feared out here but had he done anything wrong since she had started traveling with him? She couldn't think of anything worse then some petty theft and gambling. The rest had been survival for both of them. She struggled with her insides over whether or not he was really a criminal and what that meant for her as his traveling companion. All of her questioning seemed to lead to more questions but they all came back to one place: was he really a criminal?

Having lived with him for over a month, she would say no but knowing his record she would say yes. Then her mind started picking through what she could remember of his police files. Some of it was absurd now that she knew him. Things like killing children and the allegations that he'd abandon his military post just didn't make sense. She was starting to question what the Force had held as truth. Suddenly the alarm rushed back. What was she becoming? There really wasn't an answer other then to wait and see where the road went, that and it was getting too cold to stand out in the snow any longer.

Brazen headed back toward the chiefs teepee and Plissken. She didn't know how long she had been gone but it must not have been too long. Snake hadn't come looking for her. She opened the flap and stepped into the warmth.