Perhaps if he had something to truly fight for the black might have found some reason to push on, some reserves to call upon to do more than simply escape that clash with just his life. Perhaps if he had not just emerged from the oceans waters a mere handful of minutes before he might have found more energy to retaliate with than that the rush of adrenaline had given him. Either way it mattered not now. It was too late. For a moment all his dark gaze can focus upon is the mountain of flesh still moving towards him, all details fleeing as protesting muscles shift preparing for the next onslaught. But it never comes. Sides rising and falling with deep aching breaths for a second all that can be heard is their joint heavy breaths breaking the otherwise silence that had fallen about them. A faint restless snort is released and his heated breath plumes through the air as one hoof paws the earth beneath, digging up the rich loam even further after the destruction they had wrecked upon the ground about them. From his own dark mane small ears flick briefly as the seconds slip by. And suddenly the time for the giants continued attack has come and gone. No further step taken by either. Simply a lingering silence as the two beast studied one another. It is the other that breaks the stillness. That in itself is nothing new about the dark steed. Silence had long been his only friend amongst the shadows. Through the daze of aches and pains, and the haze of exhaustion held off until that point, he simply blinks at the words that arrive at his ears. A small none committal grunt is all that is given, ears twitching forwards once again as he silently observes the ease in the others stance, a grudging respect rippling through the emptiness of his eyes. It is over. The knowledge chases away the final threads of energy gathered and waiting. His midnight pelt quivering as the adrenalines effects eek away. Cursed indeed. Would he find no peace within those blasted islands? Increasingly it was becoming evident he would not. At every turn he found another to deny him the lonely numbness he deemed all he deserved. Maybe he should have pushed on. Allowed the brute to send him off into that final emptiness. So why did that small part of him insist time and time again he fight on? "Someone laughs at me, washing me up on your shores." The words finally rasped past his lips as limbs shifted withholding a flinch as he sought to distribute his weight more comfortably. "I did not come to challenge. I have no place doing so." He was no one. Least of all a leader. His mother’s laughter cut through his mind at such a notion bringing a shake of his head, eyes drifting to the near treeline he'd aimed for before looking back, gaze of one drained. "What is your name stallion?" So he might know whom and where to avoid in the future.