Ouroboros Spine under divine law of the opus magnum

Kinda rolling with her approaching him, so if that's no OK let me know and I'll edit.

Surprisingly, he did not find the opposition he had expected. Had she accepted his intrusion into the Spine's leadership? Or maybe she was biding her time, forcing niceties while lying in wait for a moment to strike. His mouth felt dry, though it was far from it. The feeling that shimmied unseen up his spine was foreign to him; it was an inkling of paranoia. Leaving it to be studied at a later date, Mordecai remained still along the path as she drew near. Her acknowledgement was neutral enough, and for that he looked past the dip of her pale head rather than considering it deference.

“How is the rest of the border?” he queried gently. While their numbers were bolstered slightly, he found himself wishing they could have plucked more out of… well, wherever they came from. Some time had gone into the consideration that perhaps the Spine was simply too isolated, though he wondered if it only seemed isolated because of their deserters. Perhaps their neighboring packs were beginning to encroach on them here too, and that he found was an even more troubling note than previously deemed. After all, Meldresi had set up shop near them, so who else would have the same idea?