This wasn’t real.

Impa didn’t want to believe what she was hearing, and as the palomino mare continued to defend Styrke —using ridiculous justifications that were in no way logical— her ears turned back and flattened themselves as her fury began to grow. “First of all,” she said when Aliyana had finished trying to paint the rapist as the victim, “Don’t you ever compare me to a rapist again. Secondly, there is a vast difference between a mare who has multiple sexual partners and a stallion who forces himself on another.” The concept of rape had never been difficult for Impa to comprehend, and she was completely dumbfounded that Ailyana had attempted to equate sexual promiscuity with rape. The two were in no way equal, and the very idea that casual, frequent sex and rape were the same appalled the blanketed mare.

Worse, it was a mare who held such beliefs. At least Aliyana hadn’t known about what Styrke had done. Impa ground her teeth together for a moment before she spoke again, trying to keep her temper in check. “I, too, have lived with cruel and arrogant men. But never once did I think I had to accept the way they treated me. Surely even you can see that it is not right.” She wished the mare would turn around and face her like any civil, respectful horse would. Even if the palomino mare was angry, there was no reason not to face the draft mare. It made her irritable that Aliyana had seen fit to shorten Impazienza’s name in their conversation, as Impa hadn’t offered the use of her nickname to the mare and it only added to the feeling that she was being disrespected by a mare she’d thought to save. She could empathize with the fact that Aliyana was probably upset at having been dragged from her home, newly-born daughter in tow, and forced to stay somewhere new and unfamiliar, but Impa’s compassion was quickly waning. Every time the palomino spoke, it seemed she agreed with what Styrke had done.

Aliyana’s closing remark had been vague, like it wasn’t directed at anything in particular. “How else will a rapist be held accountable for his wrongdoings?” she asked. Would Aliyana claim Styrke deserved no punishment? Heavens help her if she did; Impa was becoming less amiable with every exchange.