For the first time in awhile Malleus was venturing into Boreas. He wasn't going far and he had no real aim, he just wanted to see how winter was treating his northern neighbors. As he walked he thought about the Abraxas who called Boreas home. He hoped that wherever he was, Archon was doing well. The mobility of a band made it difficult for him to drop in and see so he could only hope that Archon would some day stop by and fill him in on his activities. No doubt he was doing well. Circe too was in Boreas. He'd reconnected with her not that long ago and while his scolding had fallen on deaf ears and left him rather annoyed, she looked well and he was pleased to hear she'd decided to join Archon's band. Hopefully she stuck around this time. After reaching a small plateau Malleus paused to catch his breath. The path into Boreas was steep and the heavily saturated ground made the climb more difficult than usual. Mud coated his legs and hung from his belly in clammy clumps. Many would have found the trek vexing, but Malleus like the challenge. He welcomed the ache in his lungs and growing fatigue in his muscles. It was all too easy to grow soft and flabby in a pack environment.

WAR CHILD ooc.~~liquid time~~ (hope you don't mind my boy being here, and being a ho) Thick greenery surrounded the burly titan as he meandered along the scar that ran along the southern end of the continent. He had no aim, no real desire to ascend to the very top. Not yet, at least. It was cooler under the canopies, and his heavy pelt didn't weigh on him so much in the shade. Pallid paws were coated in a thick layer of muck, squelching between his toes and clinging to the downy fur between them. However, he was content here so far. There wasn't much to look at, and the herbs of the area were long dead. He might have been better off in the southernmost continent, where they were still clinging to life. As he broke into a small clearing where flat ground eased the strain on his muscles, he caught sight of a strange male. Easily his equal in size, but far darker in complexion. Mottled monochrome and brilliant eyes. Handsome, without a doubt. The rank stink of a pack clung to the musk that drifted to him on the breeze. Ah, not a loner. The cosmic titan gave the male a slow once over, going from toes to eyes and down the curve of his broad back. There wasn't much to fear, he had no intention of doing much besides looking- unless another option was presented. "Heil," he grunted, rough vocals marred by a thick accent. A soft dip of the head, expression and body language neutral. Play it cool, see where that went. It seemed a good enough plan. "speech"

A rustling in the underbrush alerted him to the nearing giant and caused his ears to prick forward in interest. It seemed someone else had similar thoughts. He certainly couldn't blame them for seeking out the plateau when their surroundings were so waterlogged and slick a mudslide wasn't out of the question. The cosmic colossus was not at all what Malleus expected. A large wolf sure, but the colors? The tusks? He never would have guessed. It seemed vibrant and unusual creatures were a lot more common here than back home. Perhaps he shouldn't have been so surprised. Nevertheless he was. "Hello," he boomed back before sweeping his gaze pointedly across their surroundings and chuckling. "Not exactly a fine day for a stroll, is it?"

WHAT'S UP DANGER The stranger seemed nonplussed by his arrival, to which the mauve tinted goliath opted to respond in kind. No reason to be aggressive, but neither was there cause to be unnecessarily friendly. Thank the gods for that, he wasn't sure he had the energy to put up such a facade for long. Regardless, the cosmic male was more then pleased to be in the company of another wolf. He tended towards isolation, especially now that he wasn't anchored to one place by family. "Hello," the male greeted in a rumbling baritone. "Not exactly a fine day for a stroll, is it?" there was mirth in his tone. A wry grin toyed at the corner of his lips. "Not particularly," he replied. "but if we waited for fair weather, we might never leave our dens in the winter." the grin teased itself wider, the tips of ivory fangs poking out from under his lips. His own amethyst gaze roved across the thick woodlands surrounding them. Perhaps he could glean some useful information from this encounter, alongside the brief addition of company. "Does anything grow here, besides the trees? It seems like a harsh locale." One browspot would rise in question, crown cocked to one side ever so slightly. "speech"

"...But if we waited for fair weather, we might never leave our dens in the winter." To this Malleus dipped his head in acquiesce, a faint, good-natured smile on his lips. He couldn't disagree with that. Winters in Boreas were very different than those in Auster, and honestly, Malleus wouldn't have traded them if he could. Sure, Auster had its own winter challenges, but they weren't quite on the same level as Boreas'. In response to the stranger's question Malleus glanced around. "To my knowledge a couple useful plants grow here, but it seems to me they are the sort that could grow anywhere - and do. Think dandelion," he said with a chuckle before casting a curious glance the giant's way. "Few wolves care to know what grows where. Are you a healer by chance?"

WHAT’S UP DANGER The smile looked good on the greyscale man, and the titan allowed his gaze to rove appreciatively over his chiseled features for a moment. Not bad indeed. "To my knowledge a couple useful plants grow here, but it seems to me they are the sort that could grow anywhere - and do. Think dandelion," he replied easily, though the response left something to be desired. A harsh grunt was offered in response, expression turning thoughtful. Evidently he'd be better off elsewhere. The celestial beast knew he had been foolish to think this place would be worth anything but for a bit of strenuous climbing on his part, and sore muscles later. What would grow in such terrible conditions? Nothing useful, that was almost certain. He sighed, allowing his expression to shift back to something more neutral. "Few wolves care to know what grows where. Are you a healer by chance?" Amethyst gaze drifted back to the male, and he nodded his head once, a curt gesture of affirmation. "By trade. It's useful where I'm from, we're quite fond of pillaging." he rumbled offhandedly. What would come of it? A fight? Oh heavens no, that would be just terrible! He might get a chance to work out some of his anger on real flesh and blood. "What of you, stranger? What's your trade?" he jerked his chin upward in a demanding sort of way, brows drawn together as he looked to the stranger curiously. Sure, from the stance and the stink, he was likely a high ranking pack member, but it would be nice to have his theory confirmed. "speech"

It seemed his answer displeased the stranger. He had yet to learn why the male was in this place, but Malleus thought if he'd come here in search of useful plants, if he'd scaled the steep walls and slogged through slick mud, all in search of herbs, it was no wonder he was disappointed. A ghost of a smile graced Malleus' lips as the man answered him. Just a few years ago Malleus might have been tempted to give the same answer word for word. Today it was still much the same, but he'd grown fond of the craft and he couldn't say he was only a healer by trade. "A healer," he said wryly. "My people are also fond of pillaging." That was only the half of it.  Of course he wasn't just a healer. He probably shouldn't have answered with that at all given his position and its superiority over the original craft he'd dedicated himself to, but technically, he was a healer by trade. "I'm also the Emperor of the Risen Empire. The name's Malleus."