Altair did not view it as a competition; but if he did, well, he would not have dropped the matter so easily.

He was unusually quiet for a good while. The dawn was seeping warmth into the sky and air, oranges and pinks replacing deep blue and veiling the stars again. The sun would peak through the hills now and then as they furthered down their path, casting long shadows over the grounds. Altair took these sorts of mornings for granted, most days.

Even minutes down their path, Altair did not speak a word. Perhaps he was still annoyed at Malik, or was not a morning conversationalist - or both.