Swiftcurrent Creek To Where from Here

The fiery woman's fur stood on end at Xi'Nuata's words, red ears pitching forward as her ruddy banner waved stiffly in the air. A growl bubbled in her throat, warning the woman that she was owed no favors, here. Tuwawi became loathed to listen as the Vale wolf's explained her cause, and wondered how a creature of their breed could be so inept. She dared to come to their borders, offering no explanation, and now complained when it turned out that the meeting between Njal and herself was just a hair shy of taboo in Swiftcurrent's eyes? It was Xi'Nuata who had wasted Tuwawi's time. If she had been smart enough to state her case in the first place, then the Eta would have wasted no time dispelling the mountain wolf; and yet here she still stood... disappointed like a yearling who didn't get first pick at dinner.

As if to further incite her ire, the Vale wolf dared to bring their packs' statuses into play. For the first time, Tuwawi found herself commending Jinx for raiding Northstar, if not for anything else but to appease a small masochistic slice of her psyche. She would not let Xi'Nuata play the victim here, and so she took a bold step forward, lips twitching wantonly, ready to unsheathe its daggers.

Her tattered maw parted, ready to verbally lash out at the other woman, but Njal was quick to intervene — and wisely so. He stepped in front, leaving Tuwawi to smoke behind him, narrowed eyes casting daggers from just above the small of his back. She said nothing, realizing that the stoic man was doing his best to mediate the situation, but remained just below a boil, her body coiled like a snake which had been stepped on. The ember struggled to remain tempered even beneath her husband's watchful gaze. Despite this, she remained silent, and uttered nothing else as she watched Njal refuse his pupil, stepping forth to cast her from the borders.