The irritation in Mallos' face was obvious, but Birch didn't mind - it just proved further that he was, in fact, here. Wherever here was. And after so long, it was good to see his face; not that she would ever dare admit it - just like she'd never admit she actually liked the god. He shrugged her hand away and Birch let it fall, taking advantage of the moment to study him with a more critical eye. Something was wrong with Mallos, that much she could tell. It wasn't just that he'd wound up here, or that he was covered in dust, but something more, something stronger. Had something gone wrong in Shaman? Her heart thudded dully in her chest. Her parents said the kids were there already, so that meant... they had to be safe, right?

She could tell by his expression he had questions for her, but before he could begin he'd become distracted by... something? How he could make out anything in the rolling mists was beyond her, but she stayed just a step or two behind him as he moved further into the fog - there was no way she was letting him out of her sight after all! Birch frowned, studying the little tears in reality (though she had no way of knowing that's what they were) when he turned back to face her.

Now the questions came, and Birch frowned thoughtfully, racking her brain for the answers he sought. While a large part of her wanted to just shrug - how would she know? She had a feeling he needed more than that.

"I was in the Hunting Grounds, but my parents pushed me out of that door," Birch turned and pointed, her frown deepening when her lifted hand pointed in the direction of a blank wall of mist. "Well... there was a door there. They said I had to find someone to talk to, to bring me back to life on Shaman. That couldn't be you that they were talking about, right?" She looked at Mallos doubtfully. He was hardly the sort to have shown up here just because she needed help being brought back to life. No, she was fairly certain it was just a 'happy coincidence.

She cocked her head, frowning at him, at the second bit. How did she remember him? Was she supposed to have forgotten? How could she, when he was so... Mallos-y? She hadn't left behind her memories of Shaman when she found herself in Knell, and she sure as hell couldn't just forget about it now!

"How'm I supposed to have forgotten Shaman? I'm dead, not senile."