It is a lucky thing that the puma did not have another with which to share it's life for that very thing could have been the downfall of the two star crossed lovers. After all they left a mighty easy trail of blood in the wake of their passing, his own figure obsidian and ruby and her face dripping down to fleck across the grass. Malleah, later, might ponder on the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. Might even call it divine intervention since Carnifex would have left her far in the dust but the gods above had saw fit to turn his course back around. To save the wretch that she was. Even now as she walks with him her eyes flick across his figure in a singular sort of possession, craving to be closer to him, desperate not to lose him. Hungering, desiring, coveting. All these deadly sins in one tiny figure - when had she ever become so warped? It figures that she would use all the males before him without even a glimmer of care but the one male that was both frightening and unattainable had stolen her reason. She wanted to hate him but there simply was no room for it. Even if she was bitter and disappointed, conflicting with her inner sense of peace in his presence.

She can tell that he is growing more pained with each step. Honestly his wounds were ten times worse than hers but Malleah, selfish creature that she is, measures his own stamina against hers and decides that she is the one worse for the ware. He had left HER - he had accused HER. He had started this. Still, she feels pity for him as he moves to lie down, clearly finding very little comfort in any position but she remains at the entrance, seating herself and demanding things from him. Solitaire had taught her about healing before he had upped and vanished and she would go find some of those herbs to induce faster healing and prevent infection in the morning. She would, to say the least, make herself useful with her plant lore.

I was gone. The words cause her ears to snap back and her eyes to narrow, nostrils flaring as if she is taking in a deep breath to scream at him, but it is let out in a huff as her suddenly straight posture crumbles and she hangs her head down, looking dejected. The one male she didn't want to leave wanted to go. Had only come back to save her despite constantly talking about how he should have killed her. Actions speak louder than words Malleah, she thinks to herself, looking up once more into the abyss of his eyes. "But you came back," she said as if that settled all matters. As if that made up for everything and showed Carnifex where he truly needed to be.

His next words cause a glimmer of that fire to reignite within her and she abruptly stands, stiff and wincing once in pain at the movement. "I did not want them last winter because I did not know you Carnifex and let us face it, the children you have sired then will not have a father. They will not know you. Those females were fools to create such offspring with only themselves to depend on. I have you. I am ready, I am willing and I know you will be there for me." Because he wouldn't have a choice - she would track him down everywhere if he left, she decided with a firm gaze and locked jaw. "I pledge to you now that I will stay with you. I will bear you children next spring. I..." she chokes on the words love you. She cannot say them. Not when he has almost left her.

"I swear this to you. If you will swear to remain only with me. You can break this commitment in spring if I do not have your pups. Please, Carnifex, consider it." Her voice falls at the end, trying not to be too needy, too enticing, but she looks almost lost, a puppy without a home or a master. "I can heal you, you know. I learned some things about healing."