Neverwinter Forest You can come and go and still be here

Mal was feeling a bit antsy and was contemplating heading out to confirm that the scents of those who'd endangered them weren't coming anywhere near the pack -- however the fact that the weather had gone and turned back to pretending to be winter today, snow and all, pretty much killed that idea before it was entirely formulated. There would always be tomorrow. So what would he do today? Stay in the forest, obviously, where the snow was less. Ehh. Well, maybe he'd go pester a few people again. So, after going through a mental list of who was around, he went looking for @Aibreann. Look, after whatever the hell weirdness between himself and Cupid (and where was Miriam hiding?), he definitely wanted to make sure that wasn't gonna happen with her.

He wandered a little while before he found her scent trail, and it was only a little longer after that before he glimpsed her through the brush. At least in this pack, her colors were fairly distinctive, so there was very little question who it was he spotted up ahead. But like in every forest, there wasn't the cleanest line of sight, so he couldn't entirely tell what she was up to. Looking for something maybe? Yeah, that was totally specific. He called out, wearing his usual grin, How are things going?

The snow has her in a terrible mood, though one would never guess by looking at her; the kind of god-awful mood that makes everything you say sound annoyed, and all the doors you close seem to slam no matter how gentle you try to be. Not a great place to be for quickly gathering what undamaged herbs she can find, but that's where she's at. She has it mostly under control, except...
A sigh bursts from her as she pulls too hard for what feels like the dozenth time now, shredding the plant she'd been trying to collect. She takes a step back, breathing deeply as it falls to the ground. Worthless. Thankfully, Mal interrupts her frustration, and she takes the opportunity to latch onto the distraction, feeling a little relieved.
Mal, She greets as she turns to him, voice weary but otherwise collected. She almost responds in her usual manner, the way everyone expects regardless of how things are actually going; it's good, I'm good, how are things for you? It'd probably be polite. But Aibreann has always valued honesty over politeness, and if Mal is going to father her children, she doesn't want to be stuck in polite formality with him forever. Not well today. She admits, glancing briefly at her ruined pile of plant. The snow is... inconvenient. I've been a bit too stressed about it.

Ah, was his initial response, an ear tipping back slightly. Okay, so not a good day. So part of his job as alpha was to go and make that not so bad. But how? Well, he'd be a bit positive, see if that'd help a little. Yeah, it's getting a little old. Won't mind when it stops. A slight grin there. He'd almost take it being hot out at this point. Sounded better than this.

He came a bit closer then, a slow wag of his tail, Can't have you stressing out over it, though. What can I do to help? The one problem with their future agreement was that it sort of messed up how Mal would act to her. Should he be more familiar? Less? He took the chance and bumped his muzzle to her shoulder and took a closer look at what she'd been fussing with. A kinda crumpled plant? Wasn't like he'd recognize it.

Mal's response doesn't annoy her, which is a good sign. Her mood even starts to settle into something a little more neutral, and she prepares to find some task to assign them both to fill the time and distract her; it'd be the most helpful thing right now. The touch catches her off-guard, though, and she pauses for a moment. It isn't unwelcome — but it's certainly unexpected. She collects herself and offers a brief smile, a touch warmer than usual, then focuses on the conversation as the expression fades. She's still a little unsettled, though, and it shows in the uncharacteristic vagueness of her response. Well... this is useless, She gestures toward the ruined plant. It might be best to find something else to do. She'd had some ideas for that something else a moment ago, but they're gone now.

He leaned forward a bit more, sniffing at it a moment longer before he looked back to her. It did seem like she'd brightened a little. He smiled again. It meant it worked. And she hadn't gone and turned on him when he'd touched her, so good choice there. Mal wanted his packmates to be happy, so whatever he could do to make that happen, that was what he was going to do.

Do you need to find some plants that are in better shape? Or do you think all of them would be that way? Like how much of something different did she want to try? Maybe he should actually say that, I mean, if you don't think you'll have luck we really can find something else -- I'm on board for whatever you want. A slightly goofy grin there. After whatever weirdness existed between himself and Cupid, he really wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to allow the same thing to happen again. He was here, he was reliable, count on him, people should want him to be around.

Perhaps you can help me organize what I've already collected, She offers when he finishes, finding a middle ground of sorts. She isn't ready to get back to collecting herbs just yet, but it'd be best to keep busy. Feeling a little more collected, she steps away from her failed project. I found a more suitable place to keep my herbs recently, and the move has them all in disarray.

Well, you tell me what to do and I'm pretty sure I can make it happen. Where's the new place at? Lead the way. He took half a step back to sort of allow her to do so if he was in the way. It'd give them another chance to get to know each other better -- maybe a bit more abstractly than the whole, "yes this is how I see a family being" thing. Point Mal at things and he would do them. Rather reminiscent of a few comics of Freefall where Helix states he is programmed to pick things up, move them, and put them down again. Totally doable for the man.

And so they headed off. He'd probably get a little bit more insight into things. Anything to break down walls so they could feel comfortable around each other was good in his opinion.