The fire to prove himself has thus far spurred the golden colt to act as he does, and even though she does not appear to take the bait, he still wants to prove himself worthy. Of what, he was not entirely sure. The small pony mare that had dislodged their almost-ally was supposed to be their enemy, but standing before her now all he wanted to do was to prove how cool he was. And she denied him this. Her stony silence reminded him of his mother, before the storm that changed everything.

Between this realization and the calming influence of Reh, Suleiman dropped the excess of playfulness that had spawned his behavior and found himself considering her differently. His formative months had been spent learning the moods and behaviors of his mother without the benefit of words. Their language had been of looks and touches, subtle cues that made it crystal clear to him when he was out of line.

Both boys stared at her in rapt attention as she spoke, twin smiles of delight spreading across their lips as they listened to the strange lilt of her words. Suleiman's muzzle extended slightly toward her as she explained why it was that she was here, only to toss away when she inquired after their parents. Why did she have to spoil the fun like that?!

"They're at home in the Cove! We're big enough to be out here. And we were just playing!" Sul's voice is defiant, his small head popped up once more with ears pinned back. His comment about play is only a half-truth, and Reh's sideways look gives away far more than it should. They had come out of burning curiosity and a desire to help their father... somehow. Neither son really knew what sort of information to gather that would help him, but they wanted to watch her anyway and see if maybe she had sons of her own. Or maybe she liked Goose. Or maybe she was hiding Liland somewhere. None of those things had happened of course. Both young brothers had gotten easily distracted, as young colts did.

"We were just gonna look and go home," Rehoboam offers somewhat sullenly, saddened that their trip was going to be cut short. Already he could feel the look their father would give them if they were escorted home by the short mare... who they were expressly forbidden from approaching. Dropping his head and tipping his hears back in uncertainty he murmurs to Suleiman just loud enough to be heard. "If dad finds out he's gonna be so mad."

Unfortunately for the two of them, she doesn't give much of an option, already ready to herd them as effectively as their own mothers. They move together, Sul with an annoyed toss of his head, and Reh as though they were about to be offered to the wolves. He did not fear that Solomon would hurt them in any real way, but a restriction to his dam's side for the next week was about on par with a corrective nip as far as he was concerned. At least the nip would be over and done with fast.

"We can just go," Suleiman offers in a bargain, his neck craning to look back toward her, already beginning to think as his father. "That way you can go take your nap or whatever. We know the way."

In truth, it was never hard to find the Cove if you only looked up to the mountains. Their jagged shape was enough of a marker to orient yourself nearly anywhere on Tinuvel. The bargain is perhaps not much of one, all things considered, but as a young colt, he has little to offer her other than his absence. She, however, holds more power than she perhaps knows.