I was left alone, feeling strangely upstaged and disgruntled. Perhaps my master was reasonable; if our future and stay in this new place was still on shaky terms, then making oneself comfortable was out of the question. But a friend, if not temporary companion, did not seem too high of a request.

"Are you finished?"

My ears pricked around in surprise at my master's voice; I'd become so lost in thought that I'd all but neglected the fact that he hadn't left.

"You're doing an excellent job of sulking." He added dryly.

I glowered. When would this thing ever stop grumbling?

"Tuck in then."

Oooohhh NO!

I had been penned up for far too long and wasn't just going to stand another few hours and feign indifference! With two intentional bobs of my head, I pressed forward and leaned into the gate, soundly preventing Tavington from closing it, puffing up my chest in proud defiance when he stilled and turned rigid.

"What are you doing?"

I barely registered his words but his expression was enough. Tavington jerked his head less than a breath upward, and rolled his eyes up to meet mine. The top left corner of his lip twitched and I could hear him release a long, single-shutter breath.

No, stay your ground.

Before I could shrink back, I felt my front left leg advance a step forward and tap lightly at the stall door. My eyes remained fixated in the colonel's direct sightline. Slowly, William straightened up to his full height, impressive, even without his bear-fur helmet. Again, he paused to breathe, inhaling enough for me to see his chest expand, and set his jaw tightly.

"Get back in the stall." He ordered in a calm voice, devoid of the threat lurked in his eyes and snaked down his taut form; but I was growing angry also, and had finished taking orders from something I could have easily tossed about like an old blanket.

Taking my chances, I pushed another step, and began to force my master back and keeping the stall door a crack open. Tavington was quick and leaned back into me, shoving me away from the gate as I stared in surprise.

"You will quit!" he hissed. "I have other things to attend to, and if I am late, it will be your hide."

"What could be such a bother at this hour?!" I pinned my ears and flared my nostrils; my master was bluffing, but our common ground was thinning. Begrudgingly, I stepped back and allowed him to latch me in, but only for a moment.

Two minutes of standing still left me certain that Tavington was well and away; the gate was nothing to kick out and I trotted happily out of the stables, rushing a nearby guard who attempted to grab my halter. The man darted away and I quickened my pace, eager to leave before he reported my escape to the colonel. Before I could flee too far, however, sense caught up with me; sure as I was satisfied to have had one over my master, it would be a wiser option to stay nearby, rather than run off , pell mell and mad. The land was still foreign, and if a tiny, harmless animal could set me awry, there were undoubtedly more monstrous things beyond camp. Surely Tavington couldn't be too boiled if I just grazed on the grass just outside the stables. Not even a stretch of my legs, but it would have to do.

Scanning my surroundings, I saw tiny white tents, blotted across the campsite, some lit with candles inside, other dark. Men sprinkled the place in various states of uniform dress and undress, while camp followers bustled about, getting food for the soldiers.

Separating the camp sounds from the night, I found the outer atmosphere to be silent. Not even the crickets chirruped. The clouds hung dark and foggy, so I could not make out much beyond the treelines. There was the faint smell of rotting blood in the air but I was too fixated upon what I couldn't see to put worry upon what had already occurred.

A little glowing flicker just near my left eye caught my attention and I jerked back, snorting and pawing.

"Just a firebug," a passing guard jested at my fright. "Crazy beast; can'nit even hurt ya…"

The little insect alighted near the ground and eager to be done with it, I leapt up and came down upon it with my left front hoof. There was a juicy cracking sound and the edge of my hoof began to glow.

"What is this witchery?!" I spooked, pulling up and pawing the air with my front legs.

"Easy will ya?" the guard had paused and turned to grab my halter. "You'll do yourself a break, 'n a firebug 'ent something to get broke about."

It's… goopy, I looked at my hoof in dislike.

"Now where's ya master?" the man drew my attention back.

I feigned stupidity, drooping my ears and lowering my neck.

"Course, you's just a horse. Dumb animal…"

Dumb?

I wanted to refute but maintained my charade.

"Fine, I'll go find out meself. Don't need you wreckin' camp. Spooked by a firebug… good lord. You won't last through the first skirmish. Not a second."