Jasiri did not like the look in Mariael's eyes, nor the way the stallion kept nervously glancing between them. He always looked like he had something to say when he was not sizing her up. Why did he come to this meeting? His presence was only distracting.

The mare spoke again, and the silver's ears snapped back against her skull to bury themselves in her mane. The sentence was ridiculous and oozed the youngster's ignorant. Jasiri wouldn't admit she lacked previous ruling experience, but she wasn't stupid enough to claim an entire island and risk upsetting a stranger. She glanced at the stallion, wondering why he only opposed the idea with a brisk warning.

She took another few moments to size up all three horses again. She couldn't take on all three without suffering serious consequences, but the situation was looking bleaker and bleaker as the wind swept over the land and stirred the water around them. She wasn't about to give up her tundra without a fight. She couldn't live with the shame.

Her eyes shifted back to Mariael as she continued to speak. The draft snorted and stomped a hoof violently. "I strongly disagree," she hissed, "we will fight here, and now, one-on-one." She allowed a brief glance to the other mare and stallion before settling her gaze back on Mariael, as if daring her to be cowardly enough to reject her battle terms.

JASIRIsilver bay roan of the Inlet