He was listening, he really was. But at a certain point her words just felt like this to the Haruspex:

Psychobabble psychobabble we are cosmic forces I am great and you are not and that is that.

Ashamin was tired. If it weren't just his body dragging him down, her words weighed heavy on his mind. He was so sure of himself, but so was she. Something about her certainty shook his own. And though he had been prepared to leave at the moment she admitted her poor listening skills--asked him what question?--he found himself wondering if that was really the right choice. It would accomplish his goal of escaping this infuriating mare's lecturing and allow him some sleep and rest, perhaps even a chance to be healed. For his sake, it was a better decision. But for that of his reputation, and of this mare's opinion of him which still, still he could not shake wanting to be positive, he knew he had to stay.

When at last she stopped speaking, he did not rush to an answer as before. He had said what he would keep saying. This dialogue would go no further on this track.

"If it would please you, you have won," he said tiredly but without judgement. His long, snaked tail flopped uselessly to the earth. Slowly, he began to walk past her and to the water. "You are right, perhaps all are brave in some ways. Perhaps that made even you brave, I am sure there are different definitions of the word and it is not my place to say yours is untrue."

It was pride that he was swallowing, but also the faint trace of blood from biting his tongue. Whatever it took, he would be the better beast here. "But you have not heard my question, and I do not wish to repeat it. I don't believe it would do us any good now. Things spoken in anger should not be said when the storm has passed, so please..." Ashamin looked back at her from where he stood, hooves in the water and legs shaking from a combination of cold and the sudden crash of pain on his weak form "...let this rest. Perhaps another time I could engage with you, but I know now from what I have said that nothing of value will come from this. At this time I will learn nothing more than I may already have, and I don't believe that you will, either. I would rather we put this evening to a quiet truce."

Ashamin looked down at the water; his battered reflection and the faint red tracks of blood on its dark surface stared back through impatient ripples. That battle-hearted animal hated these concessions, this willingness to retire into quiet. But sometimes these things had to be done. If this was not for his own sake, then let it be for the stubborn mare's.

A sigh escaped him and he realized, as he tried to pull it back into his electric heart, how much it hurt to breathe. "Besides, don't you think we have done enough damage already?"

""