"Of course," Ampere replied, surprised by the steadiness her voice carried as she coasted over his name once again. He was the best fighter, there was no doubt - all the more reason to best him. If she could prove to herself that she could voercome him, at least in some way, then maybe he wouldn't have such control over her heart - the flippant thing that it is she couldn't quite understand why it was so stuck on him. Perhaps it's not your heart at all, some coy part of her prodded unkindly, another flush of heat unwinding under her tail.

"I'm sure he could give you training," Ampere murmured, trying to rid her thoughts of their dirty route by refocusing on his mate, her friend, walking beside her. Changing the topic was difficult though when he remained the topic. Ampere pushed through it, stubborn if nothing else. "On the battlefield that is, I know you've already 'trained' elsewhere." Ampere winked and gave a playful nudge at Sohalia's shoulder as they moved, a return of the gesture she offered earlier, an attempt at being friendly. It felt, nice.

Ampere laughed then, breaking any awkwardness or tension that might have lingered, even if she only felt it creeping up inside herself. "I'd be more than happy to participate in that event though." Ampere paused, "the tournament that is," she added with a laugh. It was so funny she even forgot to mention how much of a piss-stained coward she thought Midas was, and how she didn't think he had any ounce of honor to judge shit. It was probably best she didn't.

The black head marked erratically with blue bobbed slightly at each name Sohalia tossed out. Most she knew, although a face paired with their name would have done her better justice. She'd always been terrible at remembering the emptiness of names, they were only words in comparison to the worth of character a body portrayed. "It sounds like you already are," Ampere said kindly as Sohalia found the need to defend the herd's status. "A family needn't be large, only strong." She could hardly blame her though, Ampere had the same gnawing worry eating at her gut when she'd worn the crown.

She flashed a quick glance at the golden circlet wreathing the pale poll. It was not a jealous or hungry look, just a curious one. Did Sohalia feel all of the same insecurities, all of the fears and self-doubt that Ampere had when her head had rested beneath that thing? Probably not, she thought with slight deflation. Sohalia was too strong to let such a tiny thing as a crown weigh her down. She didn't always look it, but strength was often nestled in packages which were small and quiet. Bravery, ferocity, might... none held the qualities of strength, though they were often mistaken for it. Strength rested in the daily acts of perseverance and fortitude. It was kind and patient and wise. It was how Ampere knew Sohalia was strong, even if it was buried in her smile and her heart. Ampere had to carry her strength on the outside, in her scars and her voice, because inside, she wasn't.

Ampere glanced away from the shining crown, her thoughts drifting with the wind as it scurried over the sands.She was only half listening as Sohalia continued to speak, but the words, empty of names and ranks, recaptured the blue's focus. With startling speed her gaze snapped back onto her sultana, devoid of anything but the bright electricity of passion and vigor - Ampere's childhood eyes. "I think it's amazing," Ampere said nearly breathless with awe as Sohalia finished explaining. Despite her outward appearances and habit of involving herself in altercations, Ampere was a studious mare. It came not from experience, as her other traits did, but was born somewhere inside of her, a buried nature among all of her more boisterous ones, frequently overlooked because of the few avenues in which it could be expressed (in comparison to all the many ways she could fuck and fight). "Could I attend?" she asked excitedly, forgetting for a moment the raw sting of possible rejection, such was the thrill.

@[Sohalia]