Otter Creek that what you wanted to hear?

At a distance, he was only an unknown specter, but he was a specter much too close to her borders, and so Maegi rose from her position near the edge of the woods to meet him. It was only when she drew close enough to take in his scent (changed, but fundamentally the same) and his pale verdant eyes did she recognize him, and her face shifted from wary to. . .surprised?

No, not surprised. Too many people had left her for that. Nor disappointed, either; it was a bland acceptance that marked her frown now as she looked him over, drawing to a halt.

You're back, Maegi said flatly. He didn't have the best of associations in her mind, forever linked to that horrid time with the Redhawk girl and Mou's colossal mistake. But if he was truly here to stay, they could use him. They could use any warm bodies really, save those she had ruled out for good—and as vehemently as she wanted those wolves as far away as possible, there was really only a few of them to deal with.