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SOSU 487
Proud of his work, Denver stood as tall as he could, though he still fell short of Maggie's height. He hoped she didn't notice this too much-- though it was glaringly obvious whenever they stood right beside each other. It always made him self conscious, even when he tried to ignore it. He knew that it didn't matter as much to other people as it did to him, but he still resented it. Having to look up to get eye contact was infuriating; he should be the one being looked up to. Remembering the large-framed husky man that he'd met, Dresden, Denver wondered why he hadn't gotten that heavyset gene. Why was he built in such a smaller package? Still, the mutt thought that his skill was likely enough to keep his stunted height from getting too much attention.
Pale eyes watched Maggie as she inspected his work, now focusing on the present and scanning over his creation as she did so. Everything looked good, despite the unfinished half. Once he completed it, it would be well-blended and hidden on the forest floor. Certainly it would attract the attention of something or someone, and he couldn't wait to try it out. He wondered if Maggie would come to check it with him in the following days. He stared as she bent down to rustle some of the leaves and debris packed atop the pit, but as she did, the dirt gave way beneath her and she began to slide. Denver was too far from her, and even though he reacted instantly, he was too slow. His fingers brushed against her as he dove to the edge of the large hole, peering down at her as she writhed beside his live catch. "Maggie!" he called, his head bobbing this way and that to see that she had not sustained any serious injury. Then, he scrambled to his feet and ran over to grab the coiled bit of rope he often carried now. "Here, grab this, 'n hold on tight," he said, grinning and trying to hold back a laugh as he lowered one end of the rope down over the edge. Denver backed up and wrapped the other end around a tree trunk for leverage, and as he felt her weight on the other end he began to pull, hand over hand dragging her up out of the pit. "Almost," he grunted, panting heavily now. With another person, this would have been so much easier. But at least now, he supposed, he knew it would work. His muscles were already strained, and he felt them burn as he pulled her out; only a few feet of air was between her and the level ground, but it felt like so much more. Denver had thought that Magnolia was a fairly small woman, but without much help she felt much heavier. He would never tell her that, though.