Phantom Hollow while you runnin through the banners [m]

Well okay, oops.  That wasn't the result he was expecting -- he was pointedly trying to avoid that in fact.  Oh well.  He bowed his head, ears back for a moment in apology while trying absolutely to stifle a snicker.  But well, he'd tried to prevent that all.  Couldn't really have done more as far as Mal knew.

His brain was now fumbling through a few sub-surface mixed messages, so about all he could think of doing was the normal thing he did when he had no clue -- try to be cool.  He could work out the details later when he had time to think about.  So he'd be cool -- he'd raise his head again, smirk a little (it had been a little funny, c'mon), and generally try to give off the aura of a dude who totally had all his ducks in a row.

There was that moment of silence, and part way through that beat Mal started forward to a more normal conversational volume.  Speaking of, if there was something around, it was probably gone now so he spoke at a much more normal volume.  Just asked if you'd found something.  I haven't had much luck here before, was his reply.  It even sounded kind a pretty good answer to Mal -- he'd think about it later maybe, improve on it a little.