Swiftcurrent Creek You don't know how lucky you are

They moved in tandem, without words, without need of anything but the proximity of one another. His desire to seek out the group that had raided their lands was met swiftly with Tuwawi's refusal; and at first Njal was surprised by the sound of her. His ears fell back against his head at first, resistant to her initially, and almost ready to snap a word or two back; things he would have never even considered prior to the loss of one of their own, and perhaps even farther - the cougar attack, which left him feverish for far too long. Something had changed in him in those desperate days of sickness. Something that characterized the way he pulled from Tuwawi now, giving rise to a chilling gap - the rain sliding between them.

"I need you here. We need you here," But there were plenty of others. Jace had already been tasked to replace him when he had returned from the Plateau, days ago. The boy had mentioned it himself - hunting for them, protecting them, as if Njal could not do it. As if he was less of a man because of his marriage. The loss of Bones was more than just the loss of a pack-mate, at least for the warden. It proved that the wolves of the creek were not ultimately powerful; that he had failed them, and could potentially fail -

"our children, Njal." Tuwawi's voice broke him from his thoughts, but did nothing to bridge the distance he felt. For a moment their eyes were matched together, but the fireheart woman turned away from him, inciting a boil within his blood. But he saw where she was looking. The swell of her abdomen, the subtle change that he had felt but had no way to confirm. Tuwawi confirmed it as she inspected herself, however, the knowledge did not ease what was on Njal's mind. The mountain wished to rain an avalanche upon the enemies of the creek. It had to be done to assure the protection of their children - did she not realize?

Her shuddered breath was met with his approach. He reached with his nose at first, pressing the top of his snout against the curve of her belly. As he drew closer the man's touch slipped to her face, and he murmured a sound prior to administering a series of warm tongue-flicks across her wet face. Catching her cheek, her chin, her pointed nose, and attempting to draw her close again. "I am only trying to protect them," he cooed as quietly as he could, inadvertently disregarding what she had just stated, "Protect you."