How little the boy knew of the world he had been so forcibly expelled from his mother's womb into. He had the littlest inklings of the sort of group that awaited his arrival just beyond the cover of the trees, and knew even less of just who exactly that group was comprised of. He didn't know who his father was, and he didn't know that there was some sort of pecking order that needed to be followed amongst the women.

He was so young and so terribly innocent of all the things that would eventually be thrust down upon him as he grew. Even as he was blind and ignorant to the voice that would never leave his lips (or those of the tall creature standing before him, for that matter), he was healthy and content to stand in the shadow of the woman for as long as he was allowed to. Legs still new and strange to the boy, he stands trembling in front of the mare, leaning forwards cautiously to bump his head against her knee and rest it there, the pair completely oblivious to the dark, ominous figure that loomed in the shadows.

Perhaps his mother was not entirely ready for motherhood, or perhaps she was disgusted with herself for letting her guard down around the stallion that would soon be known to the boy as his father, but even as she spied the young bay looking over her son, she did little more than seethe in silence. The way Thiesan's ears flick tentatively backwards as he takes a moment to soak up Costello's strength that came with her maturity and age was the only sign that the dark woman had been spotted, and even then she could only watch helplessly and silently through the branches and the leaves as the girl starts to lead the boy away.

The tall creature begins to move away, the movement of her leg as she takes a step in the direction of the herd is enough to encourage the dun colt to follow her. Opening his mouth to protest with a small bleat, there is no sound but he does not appear bothered by it. Instead, he takes one shaky step forwards before immitating the tentative, careful steps of the older horse and managing to find himself jogging hazardously towards her. As she stops, his shoulder bumps into her hind leg, and once more his mouth opens to make a sound, and nothing but a breathy sigh fills the air as he tries to communicate with her. He felt as though he was compelled to make noise- like something was pushing him to speak to her, even though no voice can be found.

As they stand at the edge of the thicket, Thiesan catches a glimpse of the group and suddenly feels somewhat terrified. Freezing in Costello's shadow, he twists his head around to glance into the shadows of the forest, where his mother stood unseen, her sad eyes peering through the branches and catching the gaze of her boy. Her heavy gaze is enough to encourage the boy, and he finds himself facing the herd once more, carefully moving forwards between the young mare's long, sturdy legs.