Sawtooth Spire sunlight

mahler saw little wrong with pride, insofar as it was both earned and displayed where necessary. the intensity of her gaze, therefore, did not perturb the gargoyle.
"this is a relatively new claim," he stated simply. "the territory is large. on the southvest side, coyotes have attempted to infringe several times." ikkuma would understand what he was saying, mahler believed. "i killed their lead male, but his vife is persistent."
a flag of his tail; he stopped in the snow. "i vill leave you here, ikkuma. i look forvard to vhat skills you bring to sagtannet. velcome," then with a nod, he was loping off into the snowy weald, one ear backcocked to pause if ikkuma had more need of him. 
it was unlikely. she was capable. he would not have admitted her otherwise, he thought grimly, pondering how ill-fated his mercy to zarya had been. no more of that nonsense. 
sagtannet, it seemed, had made him more a wolf.