Ouroboros Spine The big lake they call Gitche Gumee

The number of strangers grew; some came from among the pinewood that Raimo had been patrolling and that startled him more than he let on. He did not like how easily the newcomers upon the mountain welcomed these strangers.

Unaware of how many refugees they hosted, Raimo saw this friendliness and thought it threatening; to him the mountain belonged to Kukutux now and those that followed her. Aid rendered to those in need had a limit; either these wolves would fully pledge themselves or they would be chased out at the appropriate time. Seeing them mingling made Raimo nervous as an unintended by-product.

If and when Kukutux made herself known among them he would drop back, shadowing her chief among the rest; a steely gaze shared with those that crossed from the mountain to the borderlands to check on the golden boy and his own shadow, uncertain of them.