Her demeanor shifted into more obvious disdain and aggression: pinned ears, lashing tail, and bared teeth. The words that left the mare's mouth were dripping in venom as she rebuked the grullo male. To Tribulation's surprise, they manage to crawl under his skin. Not any of the foolery about sparrows and wolves, vessels with wings and teeth though. It wouldn't surprise the bay lady that it is her comment about not thinking highly of himself that clawed deeper.
The stallion could only feel the judgment, the implication that he should have chosen differently. He'd shed the company of his siblings who had raised him for their incessant input on his life's trajectory. This tidbit of mare had unknowingly struck a nerve. This was compounded with his rapidly mounting frustration at how poorly she was receiving him. Bristling, the lines of his countenance twist from one opposite to another: dropping the smarmy pleasure for something more akin to roused wrath as she shoved her shoulder toward his.
The painted male was too close to fully avoid the blow, but he shifted back slightly onto his back legs to allow her shoulder to glance off of his own. Tribulation, now seething with bared teeth of his own, took advantage of their now very close proximity. He struck quickly. Hoping that the glancing blow would have upset her stride or weight distribution in some small degree, the tovero shot forward with hard shoves of his own. The span of his body would force forward into hers to try and bully her south. His teeth would reach roughly for anywhere on the mare's topline within reach, seeking to bite her hard and punish her.
If she wanted a wolf, he would give her one.