Neverwinter Forest and they weren’t too keen on compromising with a nice lemon pie

Unsurprisingly, Mal was still not himself. But he was going to do his chores so he could pretend that things were totally okay to those who didn't get too close to him. That was the best solution. It was more out of habit than anything, which was why it took him a moment to place why the scent was familiar. But he'd come to a stop and was thinking about it at the borders rather than going after it aggressively like he otherwise would have. It just took a bit for the pieces to click into place.

Phillip? Was he just back like nothing happened? Ok, Mal wouldn't mind that but he would have expected a howl. Briefly broken out of the robotic state he was in, he followed after, curious. It didn't take him particularly long to pop up behind the familiar dark figure, asking, Phillip? Mal was happy to see him, but it was particularly subdued. Curious too. Probably an expression more befitting Phillip himself than Mal, in most cases.