She called and he came, and this time he carried his head high. As he ran across the sand in the shadow of the Gladiator's wings his chest felt swollen and fit to burst with relief, joy, with rage at the trick that had been played on him. He wasn't as angry as his immediate superior, but the feeling was still enough to let him endure her harsh words without flinching, eyes and tassels roaring in silent flames that whipped and thrashed in the salty breeze.

In a way, he did feel bad for skipping out on so many of the herd's activities. For almost half a year he had been completely absent from the desert land, and while he kinda did have an excuse for his distracted behavior, it all sounded petty and insignificant in face of Ampere's rage. Who cared whether he was dying as long as he lived for the sake of the herd? Never mind that it was a herd he didn't care much about. The only thing it had done for him so far was... uh... actually come to think of it, he had gotten nothing from Dragon's Throat.

Nothing except lies.

Impatiently he fumed as a girl began to bite back, annoyed by her tone but rather agreeing with the logic. What this herd lacked, he felt, was some long term perspective and foresight. What good would it do to be brave and noble if everyone died on the front line?

Who would defend the weak if the strong wasted their lives in pointless battles?

And who would want to, if the leadership confused intelligence for cowardice?

"I'd be more than happy to spar" he almost snarled once the winged warrior finished and the mouthy brat had gotten her say, tense and stiff as he stepped forward. "I'll fight whoever you want me to fight, and I'll risk my life a hundred times over if that's what it takes. But first I need to know this - why did the Sultana of Dragon's Throat lie to my face? She as good as told me that Ranjiri had died in the north, but I have now seen her alive and well - healthy enough to fight one of those fucking gods."

He spat the word out as if it carried with it a foul taste.

"Why? Was it because I left a battle before it was over, despite it being far from the Throat and with the express purpose of warning the herd of what was going on? Even though it was not my area to patrol? Even though, should the battle have been lost, every land south of the Steppe would have been in danger and without any news? Because I'm telling you now, if she lied to my face for no other reason than because I didn't participate in a battle that had nothing, whatsoever to do with me or my duties to this herd, then I demand a challenge!"

It was true that his actions had not been noble or brave. But since when did senseless nobility or foolish bravery matter? Was exchanging blows the only thing that distinguished a warrior? Where he was born a fighter had to be able to use their heads and not just their hooves - and no matter how he looked at it it made no sense to assume that a war would be won before the first skirmish was over.

Cathun was angry, his pride was injured, his confidence in himself had received heavy blows, the fire erupting from his body the signs of a man marked by death... but his friend was alive, so he could afford to raise his voice.