róisín

As they wait, Roisin's mind darts back to the experiences that Oswin and Bane had shared on the mountaintop, and she recalled with vivid clarity how they seemed no different from the Lagoon. They took captives and schemed and plotted. They stole from herds and broke agreements. Perhaps the only villainy that the mares were not as equipped to commit themselves was forcing children on unwilling mothers. Even Oswin had admitted to keeping a dear friend prisoner for the mere crime of having called the Lagoon home at one point, and it put Roisin on edge.

Of course, Oswin had professed an eagerness to find a new path forward, but Roisin still had her doubts. In her experience, some behaviors were too far ground into some personalities to ever be removed. Ultimately, she was still glad to have the golden mare here. The Lagoon was intimidating on the best days, and today was certainly not one of those best days.

Her mismatched gaze narrowed as the scarred stallion limped his way towards them and she felt the familiar flush of shame at having lost to him. Granted, he was clearly battle-worn and experienced, but he still looked like nothing so much as a sawhorse held together with twine and hope. Her initial impression was not helped by his curt greeting and Roisin bristled internally at his rudeness, as though she hadn't made her introduction to him by challenging him back to back for mares she didn't even know.

Remembering this sobers her slightly and she grinds her teeth, hunting for something to say that wasn't needlessly problematic. In the absence of her words, the roan brute spoke again and she returned her mismatched gaze to his with a frown. The next words out of his mouth make her feel very much like she is back in the heart of the Ridge, listening to the younger foals tattle on each other and her ears immediately pin in frustration.

"That's not why we're here," she interjected grouchily. I picked those fights, she wanted to proclaim. She wanted to explain herself, as if there were any part of him that would see Shenzi's captivity as anything other than wrong. As much as that was the point of coming to talk to him today, she still had her doubts as to the Lagoon's ability to change.

Suppressing the derogatory curl of her lip as best as she can, Roisin takes a deep breath and then tries again. "I didn't come to tattle on you for the fights I picked. And trust me, I hate Cullen just about more than anyone else." Another breath to quell the quiet fury shaking in her voice. "You said something the last time that led us to do some investigating into our ranks." She cut her gaze toward Oswin, and then back to Rade. They no longer harbored any of the prisoners that Rade had alluded to, but that didn't mean that there was no way to move forward. This was a new version of the Peak, and it was time to forge a new path. "You mentioned you had made an offer to our sisters from before. We came to ask you what that was?"

mare . 3 . mutt . dun sabino . 14.3 hh . björn x siobhan . love

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