SCARECROW

Whatever an erkek is, it must be terrible, he muses as she spits the word at him. The words feel familiar, but he has no meaning to attach to any of them. They pull him in but leave him just as confused as if she had started speaking gibberish.

Honestly, with that attitude, he'd probably believe her gibberish too.

The mare continues, boasting with a proud smirk and Crow tucks away the smile that had slipped through earlier to instead nod in acknowledgement of her words. Never wrong? This girl doesn't lack for confidence. As the girl slows, he matches her speed, words dropping unbidden from his lips.

"Clearly whatever an erkek is is bad. And since you are never wrong, riddle me this." He tilts his head fractionally as he looks at her in question. "How do I become something other than an erkek?"

He knows he may be opening a can of worms. It may even be some sort of insult to ask, he truly doesn't know. But he suspects that whatever erkek means, it is likely nothing something that he can change and therefore has the slimmest chance of earning a scoff of amusement from her. Other stallions may swear by kisses and false promises, but Crow was hardly a sex symbol. The only tool he possessed for wooing a mare was his winning personality and laughter. Hah.

At her bossy command, the smile flits back to his lips, although he is already puzzling through how to respond. He has not marked her as his own, though he sincerely wants to. If I didn't think she'd never forgive me I'd do it now. But that would make the battle in the Desert take that much longer. Nor has the season faded from her flesh, which meant that leaving her alone was assuming some sort of risk. She didn't seem like the type to submit willingly to any stallion, but then again, some stallions simply refused to take no as an answer. Not that it would matter, idiot. I would want her in the Desert, even if she was pregnant with another bastard's spawn too. I could hardly blame her if she wanted someone else. Indecision flickered in his eyes for a moment before he settled on a bargain, dark rimmed ears pricking forward again.

"I'll make you a deal. You tell me what this oracle looks like and I will search the Meadow, and you can search the Falls. And then we can meet in the Desert to see if either of us have found them." He eyes her shrewdly for her response to this part. "I give you my word that if neither of us have found them, we can continue searching. Whoever they are is clearly important to you."

His piece said, he flicks the strands of his dusky tail against his haunches, face serious as he waits for her response.