[ as wanda slides off her horse, steve does the same, though he does still feel on guard, there’s less intense worry. instead, he steps a little closer to the ones nearest to the back of the cart and watches them - almost in sync with wanda’s words - point and gesture to the supplies.

food. okay, that’s not exactly dire. if the little things just hungry, that’s something they can work with, right?

steve, slowly and carefully so as not to startle the creatures, takes one and then another step towards them. ] They can’t want much, not with how small they are. [ steve asks, trying to remember what dustin had told him a couple years back about baiting. about the demodogs.

please don’t be like dart steve thinks to himself as he slowly squats down next to the closest one, taking his time to slip his hand into the pouch at his side and pull out half a piece of jerky of his own rations he hadn’t finished and holding it out to see if the creature thing is even interested, or if they’re dealing with more vegetarian type…rock things. ]

They for sure can’t understand us, right? [ steve asks, maybe a few seconds too late, as the closest one to him takes a couple of steps forward, sniffing at the offered dried meat. as if the survival instinct finally reaches him, steve sets the piece of jerky down and steps back away, just in case they have some kind of secret collection of super sharp teeth. ] Because we could just leave a little behind and and while they’re distracted book it out of here…