Ampere didn't catch what Megaera muttered under her breath. It didn't matter anyway, because it was just another damn lie; some other moan of self-pity that tarnished the more than capable Sunspear. Ampere didn't want it, nearly evident with the way her ears pinned against her neck, incapable of catching little more than the rebuking rumble that roared from the bay mare's chest as the two collided.

The impact rattled down Ampere's body, shaking up some mild pain from her bruised side like dust that comes up after a rock slide. Regardless, Ampere was smiling when she pulled away from Megaera, because she knew what that yell was. She knew what had finally happened beneath all that rubble she just tore free.

Light exploded before her and Ampere was forced to avert her gaze, head swinging around defensively to her injured side while she continued to stumble back and away from the atomic mare. Kygo spooked from his perch in the tree, squawking in terror as he fled further down the beach and away from the mad mares. Ampere laughed at that; a small, victorious sound that was quickly cut short for the stitch in her side, but it continued within as Ampere evaded the onrush of her 'twin'.

The distance she'd already put between them since her attack, though not vast, was enough to let her react to Megaera's retaliation without injury. Grinning ear to ear, because finally she broke through to the Sunspear, Ampere settled in to finish bringing her all the way home. Enough of her endless prattling about failure and gods and kings, now they'd argue with their bodies until they were too tired to think about running anywhere. Megaera's head was finally in the game, and that meant words or not, Ampere would have to best her to keep her here. It was the warrior law they both followed, a bloody dance based on respect and pushing yourself beyond your limits.

They were nearing those limits Ampere suspected, because if she and Megaera were so similarly built and fought like two reflections of the same mare, then Ampere knew as she was tiring, Megaera was bound to be as well. So, time to make it count now.

Though Ampere had dodged Megaera's rush, it was just barely, and that would have left the two of them pretty close together still. So Ampere collected on her haunches and reared up, her wings splaying from her sides for balance, the one missing a few feathers where the spear had kissed her. As she rose Ampere pushed forward, meaning to land her front hooves heavily on Megaera's right shoulder or neck line, while her teeth mimicked the Sunspear's prior move and sought out the bay mare's crest where it'd be easy to deliver a strong bite and maybe control some of her balance.

Ampere landed hard, successful or not, and the recoil of the stiff desert ground jarred her bruise. Ampere winced faintly, but didn't slow, spinning on her forehand to bring her butt and its feathers around to fire a buck towards Megaera's right side. Though the ground was hard in some areas, Ampere hit a soft spot as she pivoted and it slowed her somewhat, which may have been for the best. Trying to kick Megaera in close proximity increased her accuracy, but it decreased the power, of which Ampere had little of already. The extension of a kick is what gave it all its juice, so if she wanted Megaera to earn a similar bruise to her's, it'd be better if the mare followed her instinct and tried to back away, granting Ampere more room to fire. Either way she'd be happy if she hit the Sunspear, because it'd be an invitation for Megaera to hit back.

Then, maybe then, the ex-Sulatana would stay here and fight in the sands against more than just Ampere.

---

A: 4/4
D: 0/1
W: 653/800

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