Arrow Lake The fires of Mount Doom.

The manner in which she so sullenly watched her paws made Njal feel a bit rejected. That she could not even look at him - yet after his words, after a brief retort from her own lips, she did lift her head. Their eyes locked for a moment and it seemed as if a current of energy thrust from her and in to him; he felt a strange warmth which grew stronger when she moved to press her nose against his cheek. It was the same mannerism that Tuwawi often doled out when they were together. Xi'nuata was brief and as she pulled away from him, deferring finally to their renewed friendship, Njal found himself stepping closer still. He was careful as he did so, not abrupt, and reached for her in the same manner that she had for him, just moments prior. The man's silver face lightly pressed to her cheek, affirming their bond, but lingered a touch too long. Njal thought he could feel some kind of warmth in that moment, an electric spark that magnetized his steely body to her own - and he pulled back, seemingly reluctant.

Now he would have to turn and leave. The conversation was at a lull, they had hashed out their issues and come out of the tense moment, so he did not need to linger. The wolves of Swiftcurrent would not be missing him yet. Njal was known for taking his time with his patrols, with being thorough. He did not have to leave yet, or so the little voice within him said. The heat that travelled along his belly, new and quite perplexing. Njal swallowed a lump in his throat as he turned to depart, his efforts sluggish, unwilling to break away from the new tension in the air, the pull that she had somehow cast upon him. The poor man did not realize how dangerous it was for him to linger now, in these very moments.