With zeal Malleus tore into the belly of a freshly killed groundhog. He'd gotten lucky. The giant wasn't built for speed, but patience and forethought had allowed him to outsmart the chuck. Usually the portly little piggies were fast as lightning and quick to flee, but this particular one had been just careless enough for Malleus to creep up undetected. By the time he realized he was in danger it was too late and Malleus had been between him and the nearest burrow. A shadow passed over his face as a breeze blew through the Nook and caused the redbuds to sway. Somewhere overhead a bird was singing and a pair of squirrels were bickering, but Malleus was oblivious. This was his first meal since arriving in the east. He'd gone just long enough without eating to really appreciate the tang of blood on his tongue and the feeling of bones cracking between his teeth. He would make quick work of the groundhog. After that it was probably time to move on. He had a decent little herb store built up in case he needed it and with a belly full of meat, he was ready to go. Malleus paused to lick his lips and to give his surroundings a casual once over. Carelessness had been this groundhog's downfall and he had no intention of repeating its mistake. He wouldn't be caught unaware.

She hadn't ever ventured east, but now that her family was close to impossible to find, she had decided to leave the south and head out on her own adventure. Sitting around waiting for them to return one day got boring after so long, and she found no reason to keep waiting. She had her own life to live, and now that she was two years old she didn't fear venturing beyond what she had called home since her arrival in Boreas. The place she had wandered into was quite interesting, it was an escape from the summer heat that plagued the south, and the coolness here was very welcome on her fiery coat. The young woman would eventually catch the smell of something...fresh blood. Her stomach grumbled a bit, the fae hungry now that she had caught a whiff of freshly caught prey. In her rush to find the source, the girl stumbled and tripped, a shockwave of pain rushing up her left foreleg. Falling awkwardly forward with both forelegs crumpled beneath her, she yelped with both surprise and pain. And when she looked to see what had tripped her up, her ears laid flat on her head. A gopher hole. Of all things, she had stepped into a gopher hole! Her left wrist hurt like hell, so she'd take a moment to rest and wait for the pain to go away. "Talk" "You" Think

Malleus' head snapped around as a series of soft thuds reached his ears. He laid eyes on the woman just in time to see her catch herself. It seemed she'd gotten hung up on something, perhaps a branch or one of the many little burrows scattered around the clearing. The fall was simple, but once down the woman stayed down so he couldn't help but wonder if she'd hurt herself somehow. He eyed her a moment before doing anything. When it came to mortals Malleus was largely unconcerned with their well being. The useful ones served their purpose, but until they proved their worth they weren't his concern. This woman though... Her eye-catching coat and golden eyes piqued his interest. She wasn't as fiery as Iskra, but her coat reminded him of a low burning fire, which got him thinking. Maybe this was a test. With the gods came a host of spirits with a host of divine purposes. Could it really just be coincidence this woman happened to injure herself in his presence? Perhaps she had been placed in his path for a reason. After standing Malleus turned to face the woman. "Don't you hate it when those pesky gopher holes jump out in front of you?" His expression open and concerned, he then asked, "In all seriousness, though, are you alright?" Aware of a trickle of blood on his cheek, the titan quickly wiped it off on the inside of his foreleg in the hopes of making himself more presentable before returning his attention to the woman.

She was embarrassed, and she was probably doing a shitty job of hiding that fact. So desperate to find some food, she hadn't taken into consideration her surroundings until it was too late. But of course, he she was laying on the ground with her foot stuck in a gopher hole. What were the odds of that? She pouted, ears splayed as she tried to pry her foot out, but her mission abruptly ground to a halt when someone spoke up. A male, a very large male was practically towering over her, and she didn't think she had ever seen someone so big before. He was handsome, she had to give him that. "Erm, yeah they're just cropping up everywhere like weeds!" She chuckled, then sighed. Well, since she had been found like this then there was no point in trying to hide it. She couldn't pull her foot free either, and she came to the conclusion that she had managed to wedge her foot in there pretty good. Her wrist was twisted in an awkwardly painful position, and everytime she moved, she could feel a shock of pain. She didn't want to admit it, let alone ask...but she needed his help. "Well, normally I'd say yes and then this would be the part where you go on your merry way. But in all seriousness, I think I need some help. My paw is wedged in there pretty good." She tilted her head up to look at him, craning her head all the way back until her golden gaze rested on his handsome face. "You look strong, help a lady out?" "Talk" "You" Think

"It would be my pleasure," he said with a chuckle as he abandoned his kill and padded over to her. Once at her side he cocked his head and eyed her leg as he tried to decide the best course of action. He'd assumed he would be able to simply pull it out, but now that he looked at it he wasn't sure that was such a great idea. The angle she was forced to hold her leg at looked painful and he was very certain that if he pulled on it he would end up hurting her. "I'm impressed," he said with a smile. "I don't think you could have done a better job of plugging that hole. No gophers are going to get loose on your watch." Knowing she was at the very least uncomfortable, Malleus got to work immediately. Careful to avoid scratching her leg, he started to dig at the side of the gopher hole. After a few moments he stepped back. "There. How's that?" If it was hurt bad enough he'd help her lift it out, but he wasn't going to assume the damage was that severe and invade her personal space unnecessarily.