There is no denying that neither mare is wholly comfortable, although Róisín does her best to keep her posture neutral and her lips from curving into the thoughtful frown she wore most often these days. She had Clarity had never spoken before, and while Rói wished it were not the case, she could not deny that her feelings were still a little hurt by the actions the elder Peak mare had taken in the past.

This conversation was a chance for both of them to bridge that gap and reach a better understanding. Hurt feelings aside, Róisín really had nothing against Clarity. She was clearly an invested member of the Peak, as shown by her willingness to step up and defend them, and knew more than most about what the Peak was at it's heart. Awkward conversation or not, Róisín was eager to learn more from her, even if the most important bits were found in how she acted, rather than in what she said.

Róisín counseled herself to wait and listen while Clarity spoke, rather than interrupting and debating her piece by piece. In Róisín's estimation, the Codebreaker and the General required a multitude of skills that went beyond an ability to teach. They needed to be strong, and clever. Able to delegate and prioritize. And they needed to show a willing to be invested in the Peak sisters and not look elsewhere outside of their home for validation and acceptance. Of course, the General would need to be skilled at battles and the Codebreaker at outwitting their enemy, too. But each position was so much more than what it would seem on paper.

What Róisín had learned in serving as their General and in watching the other sisters is that there was no such thing as a perfect fit, at least not in the Peak's current state. None of the women she had seen elected had possessed all of those qualities, but they'd had some. And they'd been willing to try.

"If we keep waiting for someone else to do it, it's never going to get done," the painted mare offered bluntly when Clarity was finished, opting not to soften the truth that had taken her years to learn. She might still be Clarity's junior in Peak seniority and age, but she had not spent all of her time among the sisters blithely ignoring the world. Róisín had wanted to see someone else step to Prime Minister or even the General or Codebreakers positions, but silence had filled the Peak throughout all of the campaign season. With no one else beside her, she was doing her best to lead, the problem was that even those that had experience were unwilling to share what they'd learned. Many were reclusive, but some were downright uninterested in sharing what they knew.

"The finer points of what a General should be can be learned," she said more softly, not wanting it to come across as an attempt to bully Clarity into the position. Putting someone into a position they did not want to be in was monumentally worse than someone not being exactly perfect for the job. "But only by someone willing to try."

She sighed softly and looked away for a moment, her expression conflicted as she tried to gather her thoughts into something sensical. Clarity's assertion that no one could stand to the leaders of the past had seemed like a clear insult to Róisín, but she tried not to let it get at her. She wasn't sure she disagreed.

"I am never going to be those leaders you remember, Clarity, but do you really believe it is better that we sit rudderless with our hooves crossed that someone perfect for the job will suddenly materialize?" Passion had crept into her voice as she spoke and she leaned back to lessen the intensity, and then tempered her emotion with another soft exhale. "We can't keep doing nothing." And then more gently. "We're not helping anyone like this."