Abigail slammed her fist down on Joanna's desk. "I demand that we settle things in a circle of equals, old woman! Your underhanded tactics may work on that sad collection out there, but I am a trueborn Jade Falcon warrior in her prime. I will not suffer this indecency any longer."

        Joanna, who had not looked up from her desk until now, sat back in her chair and laughed. Abigail, who had returned to standing at attention, did not know what to make of Joanna's reaction. Her first instinct was to jump over the desk and strangle the aging freebirth, but she knew she could not do so without cause, and held herself back. 

        After a time, Joanna stood and walked around the desk so she was beside Abigail. "You, eyas, have barely seen any fighting, and yet you wish to think of yourself as better than the rest of the Falcon Guards? You hold yourself above that so called 'sad collection' out there, but they have seen more battles than you can dream of. They may not be the best example of Jade Falcon warriors, but I intend to shape them into that."

        She paused for a moment to somehow look down on Abigail, in spite of Abigail's height advantage over the falconer. "But you, eyas, do you wish to know what I see when I look at you? You want me to see the proud, arrogant Jade Falcon warrior you pretend to be, but I see through that and I see weakness. You and your little pet freebirth, what a nice couple you make. You rush to her defense like some freebirth lower caste lover. I have no doubt that you probably couple like some revolting freebirth family. Perhaps that is where you belong, you could be a happy little family, producing offspring like rabbits for the lower castes. Perhaps you can share the duties of suckling the little whelps, you both have the chest of a mother...

        Finally Abigail snapped and yelled in rage, swinging with all her might at Joanna. The veteran Falconer was ready for the blow and blocked it,and the two locked gazes with their eyes mere centimeters apart. "Good. You are not such a lover of freebirths after all that you can stand revulsion and obscenity. I was right, I have seen your weakness. You are a trueborn Clan warrior. Start acting like one. Cast off friendship or whatever else you are feeling and be a warrior. Any other attachments are a stone around your neck. You know I am correct."

        Abigail broke the deadlock first, then pounded her fist into the wall with rage. "Damn you, old woman!" and with that she stormed out. She knew she tersely brushed or bumped a number of lower caste workers as she made her way toward the exit, but she did not care. She was angry, frustrated, and confused, and she had no clear way to straighten it all out.

        She came upon members of her Trinary, apparently getting ready for some kind of meeting, and she saw the last person she wanted to see at the moment break off from the group and walk towards her. Sensing her obvious discomfort, Fiona instinctively made her way to her friend, but Abigail was in no mood.

        "Abigail, what is wrong? We have a trainary meeting in ten minutes, are you alright?"

        Abigail said nothing and kept walking. Fiona followed hurriedly. "Abigail, what is wrong? Can I-"

        At that, Abigail stopped and faced Fiona. "Leave me alone, freebirth! I have a great deal on my mind."

        Fiona recoiled. "You have not called me freebirth in a long time. What is wrong? Perhaps I can help."

        Abigail stood for a moment, the unconscious insult toward her friend giving her pause. She tried to collect her thoughts. "I am sorry, surat. I am upset and it just came out."

        Fiona grabbed her shoulder. "I understand. I really do not care. But I see that you are upset and I want to help."

        Abigail shook her head. "Neg, surat. I must figure this problem out on my own."