Mayfal didn't see the wink. Mayfal didn't see Kaimana looking at them with gears turning in her head. All that Mayfal knew was that Kaimana seemed to have truly forgotten their first interaction.

They didn't know why, but Mayfal's heart felt like it was sinking to the bottom of their chest. Their face fell and their eyebrows hung own over their eye sockets. Mayfal felt...sad? More than sad, disappointed even. They shouldn't feel this way! It was just a transaction after all. But Mayfal couldn't stop feeling so hurt, couldn't bring themself to lift their head again.

What had they come here for?

Mayfal supposed that this would be a way to reintroduce themself so that Comet wouldn't have to worry. That was one positive result at least.

"hello." The sound was flat, uninterested. Muffled by the angle and the emotions.

@Kaimana @Comet

Comet

Arctic Wolf

Comet was confused as to why Mayfal looked so sad after Kaimana responded that she didn't know the fox. Something was going on here, but she didn't quite know what. Not saying anything, she cast a weird look at the jaguar. And when she listened to the fox's flat "hello." she saw something was really wrong. "Is everything okay, Mayfal? You seem really sad."

@Kaimana

Mayfal's reaction was... surprising, to say the very least.

They looked sad. Deflated! As if Kaimana's words and subsequent wink had acted as a needle to their balloon!

Kaimana's confusion immediately came back, this time with a worried tone. "Mayfal?" That was a really sudden change in attitude! Luckily, Kaimana wasn't the only one who noticed. Comet gave her a strange look, yes, but on a more positive note, asked Mayfal if something was wrong. Kaimana wasn't the worry-wart type, but this sudden shift made her just a little bit fretful. "Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry if I did, I did not intend to offend." So much for a restart on the right paw. Being met with sadness wasn't much better than being met with anger... no, in fact it felt worse.

@Mayfal

No! Mayfal had let emotion get the better of them! Now Comet and Kaimana were suspicious. They changed their demeanor immediately. They lifted their head up, their ears up, their tail up! Maybe a little too up but better than its previously drooped nature.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What's up?" Their voice! Mayfal's voice was still flat. They needed to play this off somehow. "I'm just a little tired, I guess."

This web of fibs was starting to get a little complicated. And Mayfal was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. As long as Comet wasn't caused any extra worry about their safety, it would all be worth it.

@Comet @Kaimana

Comet

Arctic Wolf

"Sure, why don't you rest a bit?" Comet shot a glance at Kaimana, who would hopefully offer for Mayfal to rest in their cave for a bit. Their voice was still flat, but she attributed it to the lack of rest. Maybe while she was here she could check up on that rock too! She wondered how long it would be until it hatched.

@Kaimana

Kaimana's eyes became scrutinizing for a moment as she tried to read Mayfal's facial expression, their tone, their posture. Something seemed very deeply off but Kaimana couldn't tell what. Tired...? Kaimana knew Mayfal lied about names, but... did that extend to other things too? no, it would be rude to suspect. Kaimana quit her suspicious staring in favor of registering Comet's words and subsequent glare at her. Oh? Had Comet drawn the line of blame for this... to her? Kaimana supposed such an assumption would not be so adventitious. Her words -- however they'd affected Mayfal -- did seem... deliberately connected to the situation. Did Comet know how exactly? Because Kaimana sure was stumped.

REST! Oh, rest! That's right. Whatever three-dimensional chess was being played on the plane that overlapped the physical could be considered later. Kaimana could not get too wrapped up in this detective story to ignore everyone's blatant, clear desires. A place of rest. Now where might they find that...?

"We could go to my current den, if you would like. Both of you could meet my stone! But we don't have to. There are comfortable places closer by. What would make you feel better, Mayfal?"

Kaimana's tone fluctuated in a way she couldn't expect, didn't know how to control. Crap! Now that last question just sounded out of place. Mildly embarrassing, but surely overlookable?

@Mayfal @Comet

~~~
OOC:

What Kaimana was trying to Wheedle [roll failed]:
1.) How can I make it up to you, Mayfal? ["What would make you feel better, Mayfal?"]

In context, the phrase "What would make you feel better, Mayfal?" just sounds like a weird way of asking Mayfal which of the two options presented would they prefer. Kaimana intended it to have a double meaning which would've been IMPLIED BY TONE; to ask Mayfal if there was something Kaimana could do to help them feel better.

However, BECAUSE THE ROLL FAILED, Mayfal probably will not understand that Kaimana was trying to ask 2 questions in one, and might just respond to the question as if it were just a weird way of saying 'What option would you prefer?'

Mayfal wondered if this was the same Kaimana that they had met before. Why was her voice so weird? And why did she say 'feel better'?

Maybe she had eaten some bad fish. Whatever it was, Mayfal was intrigued at the idea of meeting the little rock that they had found some flat bumpy plants for. They wanted to get to know this rock a little better.

Mayfal didn't bother changing their inflection. The situation was tense enough already. With a rather lax tone, they said, "Let's go meet your stone, Kaimana. I'd like to rest there."

@Kaimana @Comet

"Yeah! Let's go see the rock." Comet hoped to release the tenseness of the conversation by going inside Kaimana's cave. This whole situation was getting very complicated, but she just couldn't figure out what was happening since she didn't exactly have all the parts of it.

@Kaimana

Alright... even though Mayfal had not caught Kaimana's double meaning (and now she sounded... awkward), they were still willing to come to her den and meet her stone. Maybe that would help them with whatever had happened in the metaphysical dimensions of this secret reunion.

She led the canine and vulpine to her den, where her stone sat, lonely amidst very little clutter. Some shells, some fish, a slowly growing nest; these made up the rest of the composition of the furnishings in Kaimana's den. "Here we are." She would move to the side for them to enter in front of her. Both of them were very small, being children, but she still worried the den would feel cramped if she entered first. It was only really big enough for her and any items she desired to keep.

"Inside is my stone, gifted to me by the ocean..." She almost lost herself in the memory that felt so clear. The night at the beach, the tower she'd built. Was it still standing, or had the ocean claimed it in turn? "I hope it is comfortable in there. Either one of you are free to curl up in my nest if you so desire. You could both fit in there, actually." Maybe they wanted to cuddle for warmth. Kaimana wouldn't mind one way or another.

@mayfal

Kaimana was acting weird. Why would a stranger offer their nest to another stranger? Then again, Kaimana was rather weird when they had first met as well. Maybe she was just weird.

Either way, the offer itself was kind, and Mayfal wouldn't mind curling up for a bit.

"Where is your stone?" They asked as if they would be able to see it. Mayfal doubted that it made noise or gave off heat. The only way that they'd be able to confirm its existence would be to touch it or taste it, and that would probably leave an even worse first impression than last time.

@Comet