The tone of her voice -- its tonelessness registering as a dismissal -- barbs the mismarked stallion. His ears twist, splaying, as the realization dawns that she was indeed angry with him for heading off that stallion. Alioth's brow begins to knit toward an expression of apology. The words are on his tongue when the amber mare's next statement wounds him: 'You're a little too late if you've come to woo me for Autumn.'
For once, Alioth truly is speechless. Not because she assumes that he would have courted her this last season because he would have. He'd thought her beautiful since they first met, vines and all. To have the prospect thrown in his face in such an accusatory manner did surprise him. However, Alioth is lost for words because he wonders if Eriana really thinks that that would be his primary reason to approach her.
"I-" he struggles. "I just.. wanted to make sure you were okay." His voice is colored with bewilderment. Flakes catch in his lashes as the stallion looks away, feeling wrong now for even glancing at her. Alioth's lips press into a flat line as he retreats into himself. Maybe he had misjudged their history for friendship, making it another relationship he'd placed too much faith in.
The sting of this perceived rejection stops him cold, and, all at once, he doesn't want to look at her. Doesn't want Eriana to see that she has succeeded in wounding him with these few words. So, he simply nods; it is unclear what exactly he's nodding at: her, himself, or the situation itself, but he nods once more as if to dismiss himself and then shifts to leave.