Thames
It wasn't long after the trio had crossed the border into the Prairie when the brindle scented a different stallion than the one leading him. With doubt in his mind, Thames' dove gray ears twisted backward toward his poll. The stallion's gray nostrils flared wide as he breathed deeply. A different stallion had recently patrolled here; his scent was newer than Zurok's, but already native to the land. It still clung to the grasses and rocks of the borderlands despite what he suspected was a long absence.It was with this assumption and doubt that Thames turned to Zurok as the dark male spoke. He was most certainly surprised when the stallion not only decided to stay in a land he no longer had a claim to but also invited them to stay with him. It was ludicrous. Surely they would invite more trouble tramping about on land they were trespassing on?
As Zurok spoke, Thames found himself shaking his head more and more. The absolute last thing he wanted for them was to live as squatters, on the verge of being attacked and forced out at any moment. They had just left one hell; why invite more problems? Surely, Zurok wasn't asking this of them, of (until recently) strangers. Thames had no intention of having to fight for a home. Maybe that was naive, but he figured he posed little threat to a stallion. He had no intention of having a herd any time soon. So, why not just act as another stallion's patrolman at least for a little while? This was not what he'd had in mind when they had agreed to leave the last island with Zurok.
He didn't even have time to respond. From somewhere in his blind spot, the new/old ruler came upon them. It was quite clear that he had heard at least a small part of what Zurok had said just now and was displeased by it. The Arabesque stallion managed to take a small step back away from the cream-splashed male as he slowly approached them. It was an effort to put himself between the stranger and his sister. It was rather easy since Aura was already tucked in close to him. The rose-brindled gray stood stock-still while still so close to the other stallions. How did they manage to get themselves in such proximity to possible danger?
Before the stranger spoke again, Thames had had the inclination to leave immediately. He wasn't sure where that left things with Zurok, but there were hopes that it would have gone amicably. Then the cream-spattered male spoke, introducing himself to them. By the angle of his attention's focus, he was not speaking to Zurok. Just them. He knew who Zurok was then if he was forgoing such a formality with the dark stallion. Thames could help but puzzle after the next words though. He couldn't tell if, by the way Zevulun spoke, he was also offering the siblings a safe haven while barring their companion. How was it that the two souls they'd come upon were males of a benevolent nature? Uncrossed, that is.