decompressing

He hadn't had a preference to what she should call him, so she mulled both options over in her head and decided. "Eli then." It was short, sweet and friendly sounding, and served to soften the intensity of his blood-red stare. He might be dangerous, she couldn't let herself forget that small possiblity no matter how much she wanted to. He sure looked dangerous, at least. Tall enough to tower over her and with enough strength so clearly in his lean muscles that she knew she'd have no chance against him in battle. Aryn inspected him curiously as she considered, wondering if she looked close enough if she'd see any scars.

She'd realized she'd watched him too long, and turned her head back to the water. Her lips parted into a small 'o', releasing a short exhale that she hoped might be grounding enough to force the blood out of her cheeks. Eli continued the conversation and she latched onto the topic gratefully, unaware of his true feelings regarding the soothing sound. "You don't strike me as the type to enjoy soaking in a lake." Aryn said suddenly, her smile tugging wider on one side. While it may have been how some wolves chose to relax, she'd expected the fighters to go out seeking more bloody ways to wind down. A full-body shiver climbed over her as she imagined the dark man locked in battle. Banishing the image, Aryn continued. "Is Aerie close by to here?"