Redhawk Caldera Freshly disowned in some frozen devotion

"The wood," he parroted softly, gruffly, and turned his head as if to look in the direction of the trees; they were far from here, but now Njal wanted to go and investigate. An old inkling of leadership, maybe. It was a brief feeling that he shrugged off, believing that he wasn't a prime example of a warrior any longer. He couldn't go looking for trouble on behalf of Fox anymore. Well, unless she asked.

When Eljay spoke, Njal looked at the boy and then to Elwood, and back. He gave a little shrug and answered before Elwood could - "If Fox lets me." - and the tired tone of his voice just barely masked his doubt. If anything, it exacerbated it. Njal and Elwood both knew the woman, and her feelings about deserters. Even though Njal didn't consider himself to be such a thing, it might take some convincing.