"Protecting the validity of our rule should not be something you dispute, Sultan," I say venomously at this hypocrite. I had handled myself calmly thus far, but I can hardly take all of the blame for the situation when I am not the only one at fault. My blue eyes begin to burn with a passion that had been lost in my pitiful attempt to keep my temper at bay, for even as I had spoken of it, the brooding fire had begun to flicker underneath the chocolate expanse of my face. This ass, who I had trusted to uphold the same standards that I found to be important, disputing the very foundations of authority. "Why even have rules if no one is expected to follow them, you fool?" I ask openly, staring at him expectantly for a few moments before continuing on, my tongue turning to white a hot poker, pushing at the flames of my annoyance. "You can hold your own moral standards, but I will not have you throw dirt on the sanctity of this position. If you cannot protect the power, you should not wield it."

The next set of words the stallion had spoke referred to our lack of alliances, to which I snort at the end of thorns. "Did my words fall on deaf ears, Leander? I said friendly ties without promises. I am not requesting we torment the Foothills, just that we leave them the hell alone." My face is taut, emotions swirling around in my head as the previously calm wind begins to stir at my mane, tugging the tendrils forward and backward, a flurry of movement matching that of the mood within my mind. "I do not want enemies, but we have no need for dead weight, which is exactly what the Foothills would be." The smallest herd, suffering from a dilapidated structure of leadership. Soon, ours would be nothing more than a show for the court as well, if Leander and I could not reach an agreement.

"The informants have been stealing the Plague as a show of solidarity to the Qian, as well as protection of ourselves, as several ambushes had been attempted upon our own members." I throw the facts at his face, taking his twisted show of reasoning behind allying with the Foothills was nothing but open air. "Even by your own reasoning, if the Qian have caused us trouble, then only adding to the list of those we need to protect will strain us further. I care not for your personal allegiance with the Chieftess, for it is not one that shall apply to the entire herd. Throw yourself into the lion's den if you wish for this alliance, Leander, but I will not allow you to throw my kin into the pit with you." I have worked far to hard to keep this herd safe.
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