The mare’s initial reaction to Impa’s words was understandable, given her tone, and the draft mare was glad when her companion’s ears lifted. Shifting her own weight to relax herself further, Impa made a conscious attempt to look inviting and friendly as the smaller mare replied. The name she spoke made Impa snort in amusement— Kisei would never have named any child of his something so ridiculous, nor would he have allowed any of the mares to place that sort of moniker on their child. Not that any of the mares would have... She snapped away from the thought as the other mare continued to speak, completely unprepared for what she was being told.

It was like an echo of Jezibelle’s words. Less severe, yes, but certainly no less damning. “He is mute,” Impa admitted, flipping her ears back in consternation as she looked aside from Nyx. “But I guess... I don’t think he bites. I’ve lived with him before, very briefly, and he was never... Well. Perhaps it’s someone else.” Liar. How could it be? What other horse on the islands took after Impa, in height and girth and the pattern of their coats? And the time she had spent with her brother in the Lagoon had not been particularly pleasant, given how little he cared for her company and how aggressively he reacted to others. Impa had never seen him bite, but it was not impossible that he did. And judging by Nyx’s tone, she cared very little for the stallion who ruled the Forest.

Impa could smell him quite clearly now. There was no denying it: her brother was the stallion who lived here, and he had a violent streak. An even less pleasant thought wriggled its way into her mind and the Peak mare stood very still, all four hooves planted on the uneven, leaf-littered earth as her right eye looked afar in memory. Kisei’s teeth near her face, his disdainful tone as he called a voiceless colt useless. Her brother’s coat had been littered with scars, and he’d only gained more by the time she saw him in the bachelor herd.

Nyx forgotten, Impazienza shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut.