Tarek drives Cullen from his family. It's a brief, and satisfying victory but true relief is a feeling he won't encounter until the dawn breaks and the enemies have left their shores. Tarek leaves Hannah, Yngvar, and Indira in charge of guarding those too young to fight, and goes looking for a battle. The horses of the Forest will only clear their home of this threat if some of them make a willing sacrifice, and charge into the fray. Tarek is ready to make his sacrifice.

Warsaw has threatened his family too many times to escape this night without a few scars from Tarek. The roan stallion smells Warsaw before he sees him. Warsaw's coat, caked with mud, is the color of earth and blends with the trees around him, but Tarek knows his offensive odor anywhere. Tarek wrinkled his nostrils, pins his ears, and crashes through the dense underbrush in search of the source.

Narrowed eyes zero in on the smug face of Warsaw. Tarek doesn't cry out. He sucks in a deep breath and surges forth. He rushes the gray stallion, with head up and chest out, aiming to crash, head-on into him and knock him off balance. Tarek's stance widens to maintain balance on ground churned up by active hooves. He comes to a rough halt, and throws a hard bite at any part of Warsaw that presents itself. Tarek's eyes roll, possessed by the anger of every wrong committed against him. His lips curl into a sneer.

Tonight, he will take his revenge.