I was late to arrive to the meeting that Megaera called, so I didn't hear everything that had been said or the accusations that had been made. What I did hear, though, made me frown as I stood off to the side listening. From what I understood from the oddly spoken mare, Laedere, Ampere had yelled at her for having a companion and made her feel unsafe. Einarr, the dark stallion that she stood next to, had come in like her knight in shining armor to rescue her. And now Ampere, our Gladiator was put on trial to answer for her actions. 

Why? Did we not have more important things to worry about? Were there not new lands with new gods and new horses and new illnesses popping up left and right? Why should we be worried about Ampere yelling at some mare and hurting he feelings instead of talking about how we should defend ourselves? I was not a warrior, nor was I military minded, but even I knew that hurt feelings shouldn't take precedence over the safety of the herd.

Since when did yelling at someone mean that they weren't safe? If yelling meant someone was unsafe then everyone in my mother's herd would have been unsafe because she was always yelling or ranting about something when she was Chieftess. Even though she yelled at them she would still bleed to protect them. I couldn't help but think that Ampere would do the same.

Ampere spoke and as she did I found myself drifting closer to her because I didn't think it was right that our Gladiator be put on trial right then. If her actions were really so horrendous I felt that it could be handled in private with only those involved. "With all due respect Sultana and Gaucho." I said as I looked at them in turn. "Why are we putting Ampere on trial now when there are more important things for us to worry about? Like when the next god will show up with a new land, a new corrupt god to fight, and new illnesses? Should we not be taking the time that we have to come up with some kind of strategy? Or at least let Ampere?" 

I was confused and I was sad that Ampere had to defend herself while everyone just watched without stepping up to say anything. There was injustice in it and even though I may not have agreed with her view of companions I knew there was injustice in it. "Hasn't Ampere already done her job with helping to protect all of us?" I asked next. "Companion or not." I know there's the saying that actions speak louder than words, and hadn't all of her actions been to take care of our family and protect us? Shouldn't that count for something?



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