((crawls out of the ground)).

Gaven found himself nodding reluctantly. Sure, he was hungry, but he also wanted to stay out in the sun some more. He didn't even remember the last time that he saw the sun, let alone feel its rays in his face. Though his time in Hell was brief, he had already been defeated mentally, already resigning himself to his fate that he would never see it again. This was purely Heaven for him. Heaven on Earth.

He followed after Miriam, surely he could enjoy the sun as much as he wanted once he got the stone back from her. Even though he had the stone for such a small amount of time he was able to leech enough of its power to become more human. He felt hungry, and as he yawned he felt tired as well. Human traits indeed. While most people would have seen these things as a hindrance, needing to feed and sleep, he relished the sensations of both hunger and fatigue. As he continued to walk he heard her ask him if she could chop some wood for him. He nodded his head, this would mean that he would be able to spend more time outside as he basked in the light. "Sure," he murmured. "Just show me where the wood pile and ax are." This was a good sign indeed, it showed him that she trusted him with things that could be used as weapons. Then again, maybe she was even wiser than he had given her credit for. Maybe if he was outside it would give her more time to hide the stone. He growled at this thought. She was crafty indeed.

Her eyes went to Gaven as he agreed to chop wood for her. Miriam smiled at him as she carried her basket and lead him over to the wood pile and the axe that was stuck in a stump of a larger tree. "Here, it is." She said to him. As she heard him growl though, the angel grew a bit scared and looked at the man, with a worried expression. "Um...Gaven...why are you growling?" Miriam asked softly as she stepped back a little bit. His growl sounded demonic and it just further proved that he was a demon. She had to get inside the house and contact the other angels. There was time while he was chopping the wood to do that.

Miriam just had to get back in the house and up to her room where her summoning circle was to send a message to the others. She had to try to play it cool as she moved back towards the house. "I'm going in the house so when you're done come in." The angel said, trying to hide the nerves in her voice.

Gaven saw the wood pile. He could make quick work of this easily. He already had his hunch that the angel knew what he was, and quite frankly he could care less. What could she do to him?! He was a demon, and she was some cowering little angel that raised animals and grew herbs. As he walked to the woodpile it dawned on him. She wasn't a threat, but surely someone of her caliber knew people or at least knew how to get to people that could be a threat to him and his mission. The sooner he got this wood chopped the quicker he could get into the house to keep an eye on her. He had to be constantly vigilant. As he went through his mental musings he barely heard what the other had said. Something about going into the house. "You can't!" he blurted out. He cleared his throat as he looked around as if he could somehow pretend that someone else had said that. " I mean-" Crud! How the heck was he going to fix this one!? "J-Just never mind." By now he knew that he must look like a total idiot.

Going towards the woodpile again, he picked up the ax, and began swinging it onto the logs that were already there. At least he could take some his frustration out. He was a demon for god sake, at least for the time being he was, he should at least pretend to act the part. Deep in thought, and in his splintering of wood phase, he hoped that Miriam would go back into the house without thinking a thought of the complete idiocy on his part that was displayed.

((Threw ya a curve ball, catch))

Miriam watched him walk over to the woodpile and started walk towards her cabin, trying to remain calm. She stopped and looked back at him as he called out to her. Worry spelled out in her eyes as she looked at the man she thought was human. "Why not?" Her eyes on him as he cleared his throat and looked around for an unknown reason. The purple-haired angel stood there as she held onto her basket and waited for him to answer her. When he told her never mind, surprise spread across her face before he turned back to the woodpile. As the sounds of the axe meeting the wood sounded, she walked back to her house.

But her mind was not at ease as she walked back. What should I do? I am convinced he is a demon. But why hasn't he attacked me then? Miriam entered the house still thinking to herself as she set the basket down on the counter in the kitchen. She tried to decide what would be the right decision. The angel entered her treatment room and walked over to the drawer that held the stone she had hidden away. Miriam was about to open the drawer when a white dove flew down to her with a letter in it's beak. "A dove?" She thought for a moment before recognizing the seal. "Lord Gabriel!" The angel took the letter from the dove and held it in her hand. "But He only sends messages of caution. What could it be?"

Gaven was glad that his rouse had proven convincing. Going back to the woodpile, he continued to chop it as fast as he could. Sure, if he used his magic it would be done quicker, but he also didn't want his magic to be felt by the angel. He knew that she was one already, or at least she held all the signs. Intelligence, gifts at talking with animals, the uncanny ability to be familiar with herbs and nature, and her beau-. No he almost thought of her as beautiful. He slammed the axe down, barely managing to miss his own foot with the downswing. He put the axe down as he looked towards the sky. The heat from the sun was causing him to sweat, and he was pretty sure that he would need to go in soon. He leaned against a tree, thinking of his earlier musings. Well, then again she was pretty, for an angel that was.

As he gazed towards the sky, he thought that he saw something out of the corner of his eye. A flash of white. A bird? A dove? Nah, couldn't be, it must have been a trick of the light. There was no way that the angels would already be on his tail. Still it left an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He needed to get the stone, and be on his way. He would no longer trouble to angel, but if she became a problem. Well, hopefully, he wouldn't have to cross that bridge. He was becoming rather fond of her company. Being a demon and all, let alone one of the boss' favorite, he was feared, but out of respect, from the others.

She opened the letter and read the written message inside before placing the letter on the counter. Her hand clenched as she slowly opened the drawer and looking at the stone she found in Gaven's clothes. Miriam heard Gabriel's words in her head as she stared down at the stone. "Be aware that a demon made contact with Heaven yesterday. Upon inspection of the grounds, we discovered the Excal stone to be missing. If you have any visitors matching the following description, report it to me right away. Black hair with red streaks and golden eyes with a green stone in his possession. ~Gabriel, God's Strength~"

The emerald stone with amber flecks glimmered as Miriam tried not to crumble from the shock. She placed her hand over her mouth before closing the drawer and closing her eyes. Everything clicked in her mind as she thought back to when they met and his injuries. Gaven was a demon who stole the Excal stone from Heaven. But why did he do it? What were the properties of the stone? Miriam tried to think as she sat down on the floor. Her thoughts started to scramble as she tried to think of what to do next. Detain the demon? Report him? What should I do? She rested her head in her hands.

Gaven, who was still chopping the wood outside, set the ax down as he looked towards the blazing sun. Shielding his face with his hand, he wiped the sweat off his brow. It would be so much easier to just use magic. He let out a frustrated sigh, as he picked the ax up again. He was about to resume his work when he glanced to the pile of split logs that were already many in number. "That should be enough for a while," thought Gaven as he placed the ax down again closer to the un-split logs. He leaned back, his back cracking from working, as he began leisurely making his way back to the house. A sense of unease began to form in his chest as he neared the house. There was a faint pulse of magic from inside the house. He figured it was Miriam doing something with her magic. It came as no surprise, since she was an angel after all.

He was expected, so there was no need for him to formally knock on the door. He opened the door, noticing that Miriam was not in the living area of the room, nor was she by the kitchen area either. He swallowed, he knew that he might not get a chance like this again, but he still didn't feel comfortable looking through the house. He didn't know where she was, and she could have walked in on him at any minute as she was searching. He much preferred knowing where the other occupant in the house was. He knew he had to be quick, but the timing just wasn't right. "Miriam," he called from the front. "I am done with the chore that you gave me. I am going to the washroom to take a shower." Maybe when he heard from where her voice was coming from he would be able to pinpoint where she was and he could begin his search where she was not.

Her light purple eyes snapped open as she heard Gaven's voice coming from the front of the house. Miriam hide the letter in the drawer and quickly set up a barrier to protect the find from demons, specifically Gaven. She tried to gather her composure while getting back to her feet. The angel calmed herself before stepping into the doorway and smiled at Gaven with ease. "That was quick. I didn't expect you to be done so soon." Miriam said as she walk over to her basket and put it in the sink to wash her harvest. Hearing him mention a shower, the angel looked back at him and nodded. "That would be fine. Let me get you some towels and lead you to the shower." She took off her hat and placed it on a peg near the back door before looking at Gaven. "Follow me, please."

The angel started walking towards the hallway that lead to the back of the house. Miriam's room took up the entire second floor because it had a sitting area as well as her sleeping quarters. She stopped at the last door on the right and opened it. A simple bathroom was revealed from behind the wooden door. Her eyes went to Gaven as she let him look around the room. "Well, I'll get you a towel and some spare clothes."

Gaven could tell immediately that there was something a bit off about Miriam when he announced himself when he came back into the house. There was also a small tingle of magical energy still in the house coming from Miriam. She had done something with magic, and it was rather recent as well. He smiled as he heard her compliment him on doing his job quickly. How was he going to respond? A generic thanks? "Anything for you," he blurted out before he could actually think about what he was saying. He coughed, as he tried to think of a way to change the subject. Towels. Moving into the bathroom he nodded towards Miriam. "Thanks," he said as he smiled at her in an un-demonlike manner. There was a curtain that he could step behind when Miriam brought the towels and clothes. "Alright. I guess if you want you can leave the towel and change of clothes on the counter top," he said as he began to unbutton his shirt.