Cherokee was his first mare ever since the day he claimed he would protect her. His father told him she was his responsibility now and he intended on taking that seriously. He was there when she gave birth to her daughter and he checked on her quite frequently except these past few weeks. He only stopped when he noticed the difference in her build. Her scent was masked with the smell of another male as her next pregnancy began. He didn't understand it at first and even thought maybe she had just met a new friend. He didn't realize there would be a new baby until she started to show. Even then he told himself it wasn't true.

He thought he was ready for her explanation, but truly he was not. No explanation felt like a good one and all he heard was excuses. She dare say he was shy about having foals? He snaps at her verbally. He sighs and turns his gaze from her for a few second to calm down. He understood she had been raped before, but he thought they had something good going. He may be too young for have foals this past season, but she could have waited. She could have stayed put in the Inlet where he would have shielded her from the other males until next fall.

She speaks again and he snorts. This time he holds back what he wishes to say. Then she talks about Aiyana looking too much like her father. He didn't quite understand the magnitude a rape could have on a mare, but he did understand the hurt he felt in his heart. "I am supposed to be protecting you, but I failed." He keeps his gaze away from her, glancing once at little Aiyana. "If you didn't feel safe enough here that you wouldn't be bred by anyone else maybe Tinuvel isn't the place for you. Maybe I am too inexperienced to protect you."

Self doubt nestles it's ugly head into his mind. "But you left this island and it was you who allowed an outsider to mount you. I don't think I can trust you anymore." Maybe their age difference was a bigger complication than he realized.