Işıksız is of the opinion that Rehoboam's threat was unwarranted. He is new here, less than an hour into the Lagoon, tramping through a heavy snowstorm in the middle of the night and, truly, minding his own business before this painted fool cut across his path. He is the one who pried into Işık's business, and he is the one who took exception to Işık's perfectly reasonable —and honest, might he add— answers. Işıksız has committed no acts against this stallion or whoever it is he's so desperate to protect from the Big Bad Stranger who, again, has thus far done nothing. Apparently it is crime enough to arouse suspicion, and to hell with any actual action on his part.

Thus he leaps at the other, furious at Rehoboam's preemptive blame-laying despite Işık having done nothing besides have what he thought was a civil conversation with one of the established residents of his new home.

Rehoboam's threat is, to him, an egregious overreaction, and speaks strongly of the painted stallion's desire to control the lives of others. Perhaps it is a compulsive need. He's no better than a bully, threatening others in an attempt to get them to comply to how he believes they should behave. Is free will really so outrageous to this bachelor, that he should strive to wrest it from the hands of others lest they live in a way he perceives as chaotic?

Işık feels the hot, wet breath of his opponent as his head passes under Rehoboam's mouth, his own teeth seeking the fleshy hinge of the painted stallion's jaw, grasping, a grunt elicited as their chests collide. There is an awful, pinching clamp on the end of his ear and he wrenches away with an outraged squeal, feels the solid thunk of the other's hoof as it hits his opposite shoulder and leaves a welt where it scrapes down his dark coat.

Işık wheels out of range and pauses there in the snow, the tracks of their scuffle evident in the deep drifts. The thin blanket on his back is disheveled and melting now as his body heat spikes in response to the adrenaline. He flicks his worried ear back and forth but can't yet tell if he's bleeding, then slants them both and snorts harshly. His lip curls, jaw relaxing as if to speak, then he shuts it with a click, turns, and stalks into the strengthening dawn.