Strong Colt hears a cry and he feels the fear he could not feel before. The vision has faded and left nothing but a wisp of black shadow magic dancing across the snow. Silver that flew through the air bounces back and surrounds his brother. His bridle glows, a temper rises. The magic around them is uncontrollable, the fear and pain at last felt.

In moments he tramples forth, disregarding the snow as it climbs up his limbs and splashes in his wake. He cuts across the expanse in utter contrast to it all, headed directly towards his brother's companion. Manhattan yowls, a young pup caught in the grip of her older sister, longing for the comfort of her companion. Knox hears everything; hears his mother come from behind and speak as if nothing is wrong, hears Archibald exclaim and demand his sight. But his mother will get no attention and his brother will get no vision until the rage is satisfied.

Manhattan squirms and shudders, haunted by her magic as it slowly begins to return. Strong Colt rears, only to crash beside Loretta and threaten her existence. Young Colt darts forth with teeth borne and violence in his blue eyes. The malamute will pay for what pain she has caused.

Without controlling it, his magic goes where it is most needed, to protect his bonded. Manhattan crawls away, blinded but used to the feeling as it is all that brings her comfort from the terror. Knox remembers his mother's greeting and his brother's cry- still he aims for the red dog. "She must pay, brother!"

Strong colt runs past his mother and does not seem to care. He feels the pain of his bonded, that is all that matters. Something must give.

Strong Colt hears his mothers words like static at first. She and his brother are white noise, Manhattan the station. But Manhattan whines and ries, Manhattan looks at him with fear in her eyes and sincerity invading her being. She is innocent and kind, but sees the violence in her master. Sees the capacity to kill, and longs for it to leave his bridled being. His soul is in chains, but not lost. She entreats to it now, and he is no deaf fool.

His hoof, lifted beside Loretta, is placed gently back into the snow. Instantly the raging emotion of his companions soothes to a steady, slow beating of her heart. He hears nothing else, he needs nothing else. The blindness settles over her blue eyes with ease, shielding her from the own horror of her magic and keeping it from causing damage elsewhere. "An accident," the colt begins with a nod to his brother and a bow to his mother. "It was just an accident. My apologies, brother- mother," he says with a trailing murmur and a delicate set of steps backwards. He does not belong here; here are two with honest intention that desire to protect. He has more within him, he longs to fight, he hopes to kill.

Loretta still taunts him from the snow where she lies. He can think of nothing else but how weak she is to him. She is such easy prey.

But this is no time for murder. Proud as his mother may have been were his target another, she would likely have him killed for acting out against his own brother and his bonded. He was to respect them, for they were older, wiser. His commanders, in their own way.

The strong colt's eyes hardened and he called Manhattan to his side with a low hum. Through the snow she came crawling to him blindly, taking comfort in his warmth beside her when she reached him. "We should leave; we have caused trouble when there need be none," the young beast says uncomfortably. He lifts his sturdy legs and plods through the snow, away from them. There is nothing more to say.

The faint hum drones on as he guides Manhattan home.

[[Knox exits. Time, we had wanted a spar? Perhaps these two can 'meet again' to settle this grudge on the battlefield now that he's older.]]