You could try a piece of meat, if you want; making jerky takes a while but frying up a slice will only take a few minutes.

She considers that for a moment and then gives a slightly hesitant nod. Please? ...just a little bit?

Of course. "Daisy?" And a few signs later, she floats a slice from the latest batch over to Daisy's waiting frying pan.

It'll come out a little crispy, that way; if you don't like the texture we can cook it other ways, too.

She nods thoughtfully - so many different ways to cook food! She sits up a bit straighter so that she can watch better, although doesn't expect it to be all that much different to having watched the frying pan being used before.

There's a little more stirring, but it's otherwise very similar. And soon enough the meat is done, and Daisy sets it next to the potatoes and brings the plate over.

Rhoda smiles at her. "Thank you," she says, taking the plate.

She tries the meat first, because that is new. It's rich, not quite too rich, but enough that right now she couldn't eat a lot of it. It's nice though, she thinks. Very different to everything she's eaten so far. (Food comes in so many different flavours, it so strange, and good.)

Good, she signs to Daisy, and then I'm glad you like it. Meat is mostly protein, which is good for healing and physical strength.

Rhoda smiles over at Pradnakt as well, continuing to eat, pauses thoughtfully, tilts her head, thinks. Doubly good for me? the tone is almost managing teasing, but is very unpractised and unsure.

This gets her an especially pleased smile. Mmhmm.

She doesn't stop smiling as she finishes her food. (And she does actually succeed at clearing her plate.)

Good.

Pradnakt finishes up with the chunk of meat and sets the bowl in the fridge to marinate, then starts a steak for herself, sending Daisy off for salad makings while she's at it.

When Rhoda's finished, she'll clean her plate, dry and put it away, before returning to the table, continuing to watch the cooking (more out of habit at this point).

It's pretty straightforward, though the step where she rubs oil and spices on it is new.

Want to try a bit, she asks when it's done, or some spinach?

She thinks about that for a moment, trying to judge how full she is. (Better fed than she's ever been, and not entirely sure of whether or not she can eat more.)

...if you don't mind? Just a small bit of both?

Sure, of course. She moves a couple leaves of spinach and a carefully-selected mouthful of steak to the edge of her plate.

Rhoda is a little hesitant when she reaches for them, but takes them. She tries the spinach first, chews the leaf thoughtfully, decides that she does not, really, like the taste (too strong), but it isn't bad enough that she can't swallow it. The meat, on the other hand, tastes even better with whatever was rubbed on it. (Perhaps a little bit too flavourful for her, but it is nice.)

Thank you.

You're welcome.

You're doing really well with new foods - you might always have to be careful about spicy things, but I'm a lot less worried about you getting enough variety.

She smiles, and rests her chin on her arms on the table. It's. nice? Not having...all the same stuff? All the time?

Yeah, I bet.

That's a pretty awful thing to do to someone, you know, only giving them one thing to eat like that.

Rhoda shrugs. Resources were scarce. I wasn't as important as the rest of the crew.

Yes you were. And anyway it's still awful, even with a reason.

Rhoda makes a quiet sound that agrees with the idea of it being awful. Then she falls silent, trying to wrap her head around being as important as anyone else (it isn't easier, but it doesn't feel as wrong as it might have a few days ago).

Pradnakt scoots over to give her a hug. Thinking about hard things is almost always improved by cuddles.

Rhoda curls into her side, cuddling back. That definitely seems to help some with her current line of thought, because at least one person (two, she reminds herself, Daisy agreed with Pradnakt) thought she mattered.

Yeah. They should have treated you better, you matter just as much as anybody else, but we like you even more than that, really.