Cathun's reaction was like a cold slap across the face. She stifled a sigh, regretting now her decision to approach after all. Perhaps she should have waited longer, until the boy was alone, but would it have ended any differently, with any fewer bristles?

Blue eyes drifted to Ranjiri, thankful for her kind and honest words that had managed to provide this much soothing. A low nod was given towards the golden fringed pegasus, loyalty swaying quickly for the mare she knew so little of. Though at the mention of the stud's necklace, Ampere became lost. For the life of her Ampere couldn't understand the importance of such a bauble in a time like this, or what it had to do with bravery.

She didn't have much time to dwell on it because Cathun was back to growling. Nonchalantly Ampere watched and listened to his tirade, wondering if this is what she always looked and sounded like. She could sense his frustration, the drive behind his words that she wished to mold into something more productive. She had the same thing, and just like him she suffered from being unable to make everyone see what she already saw. What does he see? she wondered, hoping she could know, so that she might better understand him. Ignorance was a lonely place sometimes.

"They've helped me often enough," she replied with a faint, short laugh. "Anger, like fear, has its place." Here her blue gaze glimmered with a wise mischief and her head leaned in closer towards him. "Why did you fight the wolf?" What did you feel child of wrath? Shouting in and of itself wasn't effective, but with the right time, the right place, the right words, it could make a great change. She saw that potential in him; the same intelligence and tenacity he had displayed in the Edge decision.

At his next set of words she did laugh. She couldn't help it really, and she didn't want to mock him, but was he really so blinded? "You think blood is all that makes family?" she asked suddenly, the mirth dying away to seriousness. The play was gone from her electric stare, replaced instead with steel. "Family is having each other's backs no matter what, all feelings aside, because without family you're as good as dead anyway. You're born into blood, you step into family, and you choose friends. You tell me which one matters more." She shook her head, reminding herself not to get annoyed. He was young and emotional and he needed to find out the same way she had when she was his age. Though, where was his blood then, if it seemed to matter so much to him?

"I never said a warrior should be happy to die for strangers," she went on, less certainty in her voice now as she tried to understand the last jumble of what he'd said. She felt like it had to do with her, because he was talking about fighting and dying and living, but when had she ever said half the things he was talking about? Who marked him to die - her? She frowned. "I want you to live, but no life is honorable without work. If you bear the name warrior your job is on the battlefield and that comes with risks, but I hardly expect you to jump into every fight for the hell of it. I'd hardly say that's marked for death" She exhaled gently, nares flaring and eyes watching him carefully. "Perhaps a different job would suit you better." She wasn't sure she had ever met someone so seemingly terrified of dying, at least not in her line of work. Her soldiers knew the risk when they took the name, and many found glory in the fight, death or otherwise.