It was not that the boy was unprepared for whichever task Andras desired to hand down to him - it was simply the fact that he was not going alone that threw him off kilter at first. Perhaps he shouldn't have assumed that he would be trusted with going alone to another pack to try and schmooze his way through, it was no lie that Malum was certainly not into that such business. He was calm, intelligent, and calculative. He knew all that went on around Iromar without having to speak to a single individual - it was his gift to know such things and to sneak about in the way that he does. It was not his talent to make acquaintances with strangers from another realm, rare was it that he even spoke to his own pack mates of his age, he was just never so much of a talker.

At Andras' command, Malum's jade and pink eyes re-positioned to view the auburn and obsidian girl he was assigned with. She seemed as hesitant as he initially, although she was likely more dutiful due to her relation to the Bloodmouth, their once-queen. It did not surprise Malum very much that the one-time princess returned, seeing as she has her lineage to uphold just as many of these other demons in Iromar do. They all seemed to be quite prideful when it came to their blood relations and though their presence here seems to have been diluted since Malum's first year, they are on the path for infamy, it was assured.

Little hesitation was given after the Demon Lord had finished his piece and Hepzibah was nudging the pale boy to follow as she headed out of Iromar and north to their destination. It was not that he was entirely opposed to another's company entirely, he could endure such things as she had already done, though his time in such social situations had their limits. He grew tired of their stale conversations and pointless arguments; only seeking to gather what he desired to know and to move on as a ghost in the still air. He would accept the dark girl's presence alongside of him as they traveled together but his friendliness ended there; he was not cut out for such relationships, he was far too strange and introverted to have someone pursue him further than simply knowing his name.

As they began to make their way upward through the territory, he took the chance to properly introduce himself, not relying on the idea that she may already know who he was. "Hepzibah. Daughter of Ishtar and Haedes. Former royal of Iromar. You had abandoned us and then returned." He spoke in a flat tone as his brightly hued eyes continued on the scenery before them. "Malum." He finished as he turned to cast his gaze upon her for a moment as they maneuvered their way through the bog. He was an oddity and it was likely that she would not accept his form of introduction so kindly, but there was little he could do to sway her otherwise if she so chose. He is who he is and always will be. The mentally scarred, introverted, son of Lurid.

They paused momentarily at the furthest border of Iromar before pushing onward towards the forest territory with confidence. It was clear, jogging beside of Hepzibah, that their lineage was quite distanced from one another. Where the girl was sturdy and created for battle - Malum was leggy and streamlined. Together, they were quite the odd couple, surely Taviora would laugh in his face for living amongst such beings.

As it were, he followed her without thought of abandoning the mission, their young paws carrying them quickly through the wilderness outside of the home he had come to know so well. Out here, he was not the wolf who knew all and heard all. Here, he was out of his element, but he would soon learn these things as they visited their distant neighbors.

It was only when they were upon Taviora's doorstep did she choose to speak of her plans, first spouting off something about submissiveness that meant little to the liver-nosed child, and then delivering what ideas she had in store. He simply nodded in agreement. "It is the most inconspicuous, yes." He backed her plan up with words as they awaited the sure arrival of one of Taviora's wolves.