There is a cacophonous crashing of hooves behind her as Yael dashes through the trees, calling for Zurok and Fell. Breathless, she keeps going for several strides before realizing that the sound of her pursuit has quieted — there is no longer anyone right behind her.

For good measure, she presses forward a bit further anyway, before slowing to a hesitant trot. She cranes her neck to look behind her, and seeing nothing, Yael eventually halts. She breathes heavily, winded, listening so intently in the direction she has just come that she fails to hear the rush of the stallion in the opposite direction.

He’s back, having tricked Yael into turning around, but no sooner does she spin to face him in battle again than Zurok is there. She hardly registers his question, and doesn’t immediately answer, but it doesn’t matter; he’s lashing at the smoky stallion, shoving himself between the intruder and Yael. The bay mare leaps out of the way, dodging a stay hoof — she doesn’t know whose, or care — to land a safe distance from the fight. Turning, she takes a moment to observe the scuffle, her breath coming in startled huffs. The overo stallion is not familiar, and now that Zurok is here and the grip of her panic loosens its deathly hold, she has the capacity to register his scent. It’s also unfamiliar, but easy enough to piece together. There is no trace of mare on his coat, but layered in with the stranger’s own musk is that of many other stallions.

Lagoon.

Yael darts forward with ears pinned, satisfied with herself for figuring out where the intruder had come from — even if the importance of the answer is questionable at best. She aims to plant a vicious bite on whatever exposed flesh she can reach through the thrashing limbs and bunching muscles. "Get out," she spits, pulling back before she can get whacked by a stray kick. "Go back to your brothers." She feels a kind of power behind the demand, even though it’s neither an insult or a threat. Maybe it’s just the adrenaline of her first real battle, or the small win of figuring out that he’d come from the Lagoon, or maybe both, but it’s intoxicating. She will likely look back on this and feel a bit silly, but right now, she feels rather badass.