His eyes almost rolled white as her posture shifted. He was expecting another claiming nip, or a warning strike because he had spoke too boldly, but he was not expecting her to relax. He shifted his weight uneasily, muscles still tense. His eyes kept darting from the forest floor to her frame. Was this all a ruse? Did she want him to relax to deal him another lesson?

The spotted stallion stared quietly at a tree as she spoke. He didn't know what she could have possibly suffered to still be willing to put him in this situation. Was she trying to get her revenge? He shuddered at the thought and hoped whatever she did suffer wasn't as terrible as she said. "No," he replied softly, "I just arrived here days ago." He shifted his weight uncomfortably. "I left my family behind to come here. Only my," he ducked his head, slightly ashamed that he didn't know what to call Jasiri. She had named and nurtured him. She was practically his mother. "Only my mother followed."

His heart squeezed at the following thought of Rochelle. What could his half-sister be doing? Was she still clinging to their grandfather for stories and praise?

He shook out his mane. He didn't want to think about his family, not when he was trapped here. There was no possible way he could visit them, and there was no possible way he would willingly swim back to his old herd. He was sure they had left for home now. There was no reason to stay and lose more herd member to the Islands. "Did you?" he asked, trying to shift the conversation away from himself. He would rather die than talk about his family; he didn't want to break down in front of his captor this easily.