Clearly you have not spent much time away from the Lagoon, she responds and he presses a thin smile between his lips, but neither confirms nor denies her assumption. He had spent the majority of his early Lagoon days finding every excuse to escape, be it in the form of a conversation with a stranger on the Crossing or chasing down would-be escapees. Over time, he had eventually grown more comfortable associating himself with the Lagoon, but only because of the strides they were making to repair the Lagoon's image.
It did amuse him, however, to see his sarcasm seemingly get to her. Rather than sassing back at him as he imagined she might - given her proud strut away from the Lagoon - she struck down his conversation with presumed authority. Rehoboam hadn't planned on undermining her authority until or if he found a real reason to do so, but it was certainly more tempting with the haughty way she stomped her hoof and lifted her head.
"My apologies, you are correct," he murmured dryly, eyes glittering. The anger over being taken and the general discomfort of his own personal messes were warring with his desire to spar with the mare, but he swallowed it down with a flick of his tail and continued his statement.
"You didn't ask at all."
Which was hardly surprising. He still wasn't certain if it had been him she'd been after specifically or if he'd just been the lucky random name she'd pulled out of a hat. Either way, it was customary on the islands to challenge first and explain later, if at all. As if reading his mind, she clarified that he was here until she got what she wanted and he tipped his head inquisitively, but she did not explain further and instead commanded him to come further into the Dunes.
He cast one last look toward the Mainland - to where his heart and his future, hopefully, lay - and then turned to follow the svelte little mare inland.
"As tempting as that is," he quipped as he trudged up the sand dune to join her,
"I'll join you instead."
Rehoboam allowed a few paces before he tipped his nose back in her direction and addressed her again, his brown gaze studying her expression.
"So what is it that you're after?" He questioned without dropping pace or allowing his frustration to show in his tone.
"I don't imagine this is how you flirt, Nyimara, so what is it I can do for you?"