The tunnels below Funderland had seen a great many strange sights in the past few weeks, after being long abandoned by Man and untraveled by Lost. It had played host to some friendships strengthened, some pride bruised, and even a halfway decent bridge-building.

But for today, it would play host to a lone Ogre on a mission.

Liam strode down the tunnels with a somewhat lighter load than his last trip. He still carried a battery-powered lamp for visibility, but now his backpack was full of several sacks of various organic ingredients, and slung over his back was a pet carrier just large enough for a rodent of usual size.

Without Cassandra there to guide him, it took a few double-backs before Liam finally made it to the infamous ditch. He can just barely hear the sound of little feet scurrying away and the odd squeak as the rats make their way back into their hidey-holes. He sets the lamp down several feet away from the ditch, then pulls out a protein bar from the backpack. Taking a bite out, Liam sits next to the lamp, pondering to himself. His time in Sacramento had been a whirlwind of new faces and strange names. But that was how he liked it: Liam was a social creature at heart. Or at least, he was after he left Arcadia. After all, he'd been alone when he'd been caught...

The Giant shudders. It really did feel like that was his last night on Earth. Even though he'd come back, it just wasn't the same. He thinks about what Sera, Circe, and Cass had been talking about during their debrief: about hiding places and 'bug-out bags' and escapes. He thought about Anne and the long-dead Dragon. "No matter how far you go, there's always someone out to get you." He talks aloud because he can't bear the thought of being silent and alone down there...or anywhere. That was why he spent so many restless nights out and about: it was as if his subconscious was driving him to run into someone, anyone who would see him and react. Let him know that he was seen. That he wasn't alone.

Speaking of...Liam looked up from his introspection to catch a little grey form skittering towards him. It took a moment to recognize it, but the slight bent in the tail makes it clear this little guy was the critter he'd met earlier in the tunnel expedition, after an unfortunate run-in with Circe's boot. "Well hello there, Templeton." He whispers, tentatively reaching out with the protein bar. "I got you something...call it a peace offering." The rat is tentative, only making short bursts of movement towards...away...towards...stop, scritch face...towards. But Liam is patient, as only one who is very close to a tree can. Finally, the rat makes its way towards the snack in Liam's hand. It sniffs...sniffs...sniffs...then sees fit to grab the snack from Liam's grip. But the snack was only bait...
1 success

With the briefest of contacts with Liam's fingers, Glamour surges through from the Giant to the rat. The critter jumps back with a surprised squeak! But then...it stops, and begins sniffing around its body. Liam smiles; rats were intelligent critters with good memories, or so he'd read. And if there was one thing that stuck in the mind, it was kindness. Sera's gracious welcome into the Freehold; Sonnie and Worm, laughing and squirreling around him; even Circe's rough-and-tumble enthusiasm or Rhodes' and James' quiet listening. All pleasant memories, and he really believed that all of them were genuine in their desire to make Liam feel like he was...

"Home..."

The sudden burst of speech surprised Liam, almost as much as Templeton's little wet nose nuzzling his leg. Looking down, it seemed like the rat was trying to figure out how to get that surge of vitality back in his system again. Liam chuckles, reaching out and brushing his furry friend's face with a branch-like finger.
2 successes

The rat leans into the gentle strokes of the Giant. Liam opens his hand and the rat carefully, with many sniffs, crawls into his palm. With slow, patient grace, Liam maneuvers his hand into the pet carrier and closes the hatch.

His mission complete, for the moment, Liam picks himself up and begins to exit the Funderland tunnels with a new furry friend in tow. This would be the first of many long nights down here in the dark and rat-stench, building these critters' trust. But maybe, with a little bit of magic, and a little unexpected kindness, the beasties would learn to accept the Lost as co-habitors of these tunnels.

After all, Ogres, sometimes like rats, are clever creatures with good memories. And kindnesses are remembered...