In the brief lapse of silence that follows Xina's initial words, the weanling returns Dia's curious gaze, his initial fear of the golden mare abating. Following the stallion's harsh denouncement, however, Conquistador tucks his face into the crook of Xina's elbow, as if wishing he could vanish into the mare's dusty coat. The colt is too young to fully comprehend the words that are being exchanged, though he understands that the conflict is about him. And he can feel the strain between the pair - like a string drawn taut, ready to snap in a moment. More than anything, the edge of aggression that had hardened's Sahin's voice disturbs him; he has heard it before. And he has seen the inevitable conclusion of such anger being released, has experienced it firsthand the day his world had crumbled into ash.

But Xina does not back down as she should. Instead, the pressure continues to mount as her own voice turns harsh. Conquistador worries that the inevitable confrontation is quickly approaching, that Xina will get hurt like Rade, or disappear and never come back like Debonaire. Even pressing his muzzle to the bay woman's shoulder does not ease the tension of her body or soften her severe expression. So, prompted by some newly-awakened instinct, Conquistador steps around the mare's body, curving himself around the shoulder that faces Sahin protectively. It takes tremendous courage for him to face down this stranger after the events of his traumatic past, but the young boy does just that - raising his brown eyes from the sand to make contact with Sahin's gaze for the first time.

After a moment of silence, the colt pushes his muzzle forward, reaching tentatively for the stallion's. The submissive gesture is the only peace offering he knows, and had seemed to lighten even the darkest of Rade's mood during the pair's travels together. Of course, Conquistador doesn't understand that it had just been another of his brother's many deceptions. He has yet to learn that things aren't always as they appear - that the stern words of the man before him, for example, are only a darker aspect of his concern for the welfare of the herd.

Or that the warmth of Rade's smile had masked a monster.