"El, we were made to fight, who cares who we fight? I mean what else are we supposed to even do?"

"Stop?" the lynx asked hopefully.

The bull laughed. "We can't stop fighting any more than we can stop breathing."

"How do you even know?" El demanded. "You're so busy enjoying murdering everyone that comes up against you. Have you even tried not to fight?"

"Do you really think any of the others found peace when they abandoned us? You heard the same stories I did. They kept on fighting."

"That was centuries ago. I think that if they kept on fighting we would have heard new stories, of gods or spirits joining wars. Unlike you, few of them have powers that can be hidden."

"You haven't heard stories because they're dead. That's why you don't use your powers in the fighting, isn't it? You don't want them to turn on you either."

"I don't do it because I'd have to kill them to survive. I won't do that just because someone's afraid of me. They would do the same."

"Okay, look I don't know what's gotten into you today, but talking about the others isn't going to do you any good regardless of what happened to them." The bull stood. "Come on. You don't have to join in the celebration, but we do need to put in an appearance."

El shook his head.

"El, what's going on?"

The lynx let out a breath as he took the bulls hand in his. "Vee, let them have their celebration, let's just leave. Just the two of us. Let's go find a quiet place, let's go find peace for a while. Don't you think we at least deserve to find out if we can have peace?"

"I can't leave," Vee said as if it was self-evident, "I have responsibilities."

El snorted. "You lead an army, not a research lab. Someone can take your place."

"Are you saying I'm that easy to replace?"

"For that, yes."

Vee narrowed his eyes. "What happened to you, El? Don't you remember how important it is that the right person lead? What's going to happen to them if I leave?"

El let go of the hand. He'd tried. He'd hoped, but hadn't believed, he'd received a different answer.