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"I'm fine Cassidy, really..." Malik fibbed. He wouldn't tell her one of his legs kinda ached, it was okay, it would be okay anyway. Plus, if he did say he was hurt, she might tell Phib, and she could get in trouble on his own stupidity. His eyes then darted to the ledge as he padded over to it, trying not to limp.

"How about this?" he asked with curiousity. The ledge wouldn't be too high when he got bigger, and it would be close to teh river, yet well protected because of the ledge. But maybe it wasn't good...he wasn't sure, surely Cassidy would have a better feel for what would be safe for him.

Malik's ears twitched to teh side as Cassidy still looked over his tiny body, now he couldn't limp..he just couldn't. If she saw,Cassidy would be worried, then Phib would get mad, he couldn't say he was hurt...not at all. He'd just have to bear with it and not show any pain or anything.
"Would this be a good place though? Safe for when I'm older?" he asked, walking closer to it now, sniffing it with his nose.

He pawed at it with his right paw, scratching away some of the dirt. Cassidy was right, it wasn't too hard to dig at, and if he was lucky and there was dirt here, maybe there was stone on the inside...like a den that was filled in. And if it was lined by stone, it would certainly be strong and last a long while.

His eyes peered towards the river for a moment, his stomach growling at him for he was getting a bit hungry. But you couldn't hear it, Malik could feel it. He swayed his tail back and forth, looking over everything around him. He had never seen a place like this...it looked so much better than anywhere he had gone to before. But enough of looking at the area, he would have to help Cassidy dig.

He turned his head to Cassidy and smiled, his red eyes blinking showing no signs of ache from his leg,
"What can I do to help?" he asked enthusiastically, this would be fun...least, thats what he thought.

Malik tilted his head and watched Cassidy begin to go ahead and work. He could help right? Wouldn't be too hard. He padded over to the side of the ledge, an area Cassidy had not yet touched...but he went a bit fast, and fell over. Quickly he scrambled back up, hoping she did not hear him fall, her vision was focused on digging for now. But that fall hurt him and bit, and he winced as he took the final few steps closer.

He began to paw and scratch at the ledge, starting to dig away at it, but not as fast as Cassidy. But something she had said before confused him,
"Why would I need a bigger den?" He asked in between pawing and digging, crimson eyes focused at the task in front of him,
"So...that I could have a den to share? Like Phib and Amelie's maybe?" he sounded enthusiastic about it, both of them would need a fairly large den for both of them. Yet Malik was still so young as to not know why Phib and Amelie shared a den...he only knew because of friendship perhaps. His tail swayed back and forth as he dug next to Cassidy, hoping to help somewhat without hurting himself again.

((Malik continued though it was hard. He flinched a few times, his paws scarping against some hidden stones and sticks in the dirt that was now coming into a not-so-neat pile behind both him and Cassidy. The den was actually taking shape now, Cassidy digging and now going into teh ledge rather than widening it. Malik could help with that, but it couldn't be too wide, he at least knew that fact.

He kept going, glancing up every few moments at Cassidy smiling, thinking over what she had said before,
"True though...I will get bigger..." But in time... he thought to himself. He was glad he could at least help a little bit, he didn't want to feel like he was making Cassidy work harder than she was.

Malik wondered if he would share a den with a friend, besides when he was young, but that caught him for a moment...would he stay here alone even when he was so small? Perhaps Cassidy's den was not far...but what if it was? Would she stay or would she go?
"Ummm....Cassidy?" he asked almost quietly, still digging but now speaking between each lunge of his paw, "Once its finished...am I going to stay here...by myself?" he asked with a flick of his tail. It was an honest question though, Malik was never used to being alone for very long.

Malik nodded, half understanding Cassidy's words. The den had taken shape now, pretty deep into the ledge too, it should be finshed soon if both worked hard on it.

Malik smiled, now knowing he would not have to stay here alone,
"Thanks Cassidy..." he said as he snuggled her shoulder and got back to digging, he didn't really have any other way to show thanks or affection other than snuggling someone's shoulder, he was still so small.

"So when I'm older...I can have a friend stay here too...like Ame and Phib?" Malik asked, in between pawing at the ledge, making it take a better shape as his tail swayed.