Leaving the Lagoon empty-handed had been disappointing but not all that surprising. At least the word had been put out, and the possibility of late-comers was still open. His father had always villainized the men of the Lagoon, and perhaps rightfully so at times. After all, a cadre of men who were able to live and do as they pleased without a harem of women to keep content were hardly likely to be the sort of bland-vanilla types his father associated with nowadays. And perhaps it was silly of him to go searching for a second there, considering Lagoonies were hardly rumored to be loyal or rule-abiding.

But it was yet another thorn he could have stuck in Solomon's side: finding a compatriot from the very depths of the swamp he so abhorred.

Either way, it didn't matter. The Desert didn't truly need a second for anything other than recruitment. Asmodeus had little desire to go pillaging and raiding himself, but the Desert did need more life. It was too quiet, too bland, and not at all the thriving, strong herd he wanted to show Nyimara when his Queen finally showed her face again.

So he needed a second that wanted all that. Who wanted mares of his own. To gather and fight for them. To fill the ranks of the Desert with other souls that could bolster their number. He would just have to do a better job of finding them.

In the meantime, the patchwork stallion had returned to his home to resume his routine, only to pin his ears at the scent of a stranger crossing his borders. There wasn't much here to take (just Goldenrod and whatever lone stragglers of Nyimara's remained), but that didn't mean Asmo would let any of it go willingly. The massive brute appeared before him only moments later, looking less like a man intent on doing ill, and more like a man confused as to where he was. It gave Asmodeus a half second of pause and altered his plan from immediate attack to suspicious approach, his own head held high and ears lightly tilted back.

"What business do you have with the Desert?" He asked as he drew to a halt, squared with the other male.