The chill in the air was more obvious due to the puffs of white that drifted from his lips; but he felt only the burn of his lungs. The heat of his pulse and the drumming of his heart - alive, he felt alive. It was a feeling so alien to the exhausted man that he couldn't fathom it; and so he paced back and forth, an itch to his flesh that wouldn't leave him. He had come to the edge of the territory and... And...?
And nothing. He thought bitterly, forcing himself to stop his strutting and turn around. Njal moved back towards the tree line and that was the moment he spotted Malachi. The boy spoke swiftly -
Is... everything alright?
- and was met with a narrow-eyed scowl.
Njal turned away from him for a moment to collect himself - and when he looked back the scowl was gone, but not much of the sentiment. Alright?
What kind of question was that. I'm...
Frustrated, angry, hurt, how many descriptive words could he concoct right this second? I'm not sure how I am.
Ah, that was a better answer. A safer one. There was no point in raging in front of the Alpha. Njal's brow furrowed and his eyes, drooping thoughtfully as they passed over the soil, would not stop straying. I don't know what to do.