-The next day-
Ether jumped on Pearl's back before she could get up from the ground. He dug his feet between the inside of her legs, then forced them open. Breaking her support.
Pearl tried to cover her head, but Ether used one knee to pin the bottom half of her back in place. Allowing him to twist her body enough to view the side of her face.
Right when Ether was supposed to deliver several stunning blows, he stopped. Instead of continuing, he collapsed on top of Pearl.
"Can't say I am impressed on how you and your training buddy take your training, but the type of banter between the two of you is the type found in the bedroom. Keep it in there," Decka commented.
Pearl pushed Ether off her. She lifted up her body until she was on her knees. That's when she began to brush mud off her armor.
"As for you, Pearl, it speaks volumes if a Zesher is capable of dominating a near-adult Thawed so easily," Decka said in an attempt to get a reaction out of her.
But instead, Pearl warmly smiled. "He has been dominating me for about two days now. No surprise here."
Decka facepalmed. He understands the concept of being in love with an ally, but the way Ether and Pearl went on about it caused him to cringe.
They didn't keep it quiet; they were very vocal about their support and love for each other. Which wasn't a bad thing, what was bad was how much they showed it off.
Risk approached the trio while being followed by two of his Ferals. His black hair danced in the slight winds while getting closer.
"Good morning, everyone. Including that adorable little cub, who does it belong to?" Risk pointed out the odd figure sitting beside Decka.
Orako, the Feral cub Oria gifted to Ether, was sitting on the fence next to Decka. He nibbled on thick pieces of cooked Eteni meat while enjoying the show his parents put up.
Ether rolled on to his knees then sprinted towards Orako. He abruptly stopped before crashing into him, allowing his hands to grab the cub and lift him up for a hug.
"Cuuuuuub! Miiiiineeeee! I am his daaaaaddy!!!!!" Ether's Yonie voice replied.
Risk and Decka looked on in shock as the half Yonie father hugged his pure Feral son. Despite them not being blood-related, Ether still treated Orako like his own biological son.
Giving him meals, water, clothes, shelter, support, and lessons to take wherever he went.
"How odd, a family that is made of every Variant? How do you function?" Risk asked in awe.
Pearl gently placed her hands on her lap and then gave a large smile. "Ether is my mate, and he accepted little Orako into his life. I will accept him too."
Decka and Risk exchanged a surprised look with one another before Risk cleared his throat.
"That isn't the point of my arrival. I came here to announce the mating season for Cemtrin has begun. I suggest you bring the tamed ones to the coast and prepare them for breeding," Risk cheerfully said.
Decka stared at Risk with a confused face. "We have tamed some Cemtrin?"
Ether gently plotted Orako on the fence once again. "Since Frosticus Fall! The thing is we never used them."
"But that's only half the news we've come with," Risk added. "Another Legion wishes to merge with us."
"Who?" Ether quickly responded.
Risk's grey eyes lit up after hearing Ether's excited voice. "Good to hear you're interesting. If we merge with them we will increase our numbers by a lot. Do you know Ophus?"
Pearl got up from the mud. "Didn't we find their helmets inside a stronghold not too long ago? Why did they backstab one another?"
"They claim it began with a battalion being ambushed and slaughtered. According to them, some of their scouts watched us bring it down and find their helmets. Now that war has been declared they found our name," Risk explained.
"Great, you'll be our messenger. Tell their leader to touch down on Krugi with only two other elites of his choice. From there, I will start the process," Ether ordered.
Risk nodded once before turning around and departing once again.
Now with more numbers to their Legion, they could afford to space out their members and have defenders and producers on the coast. Something that has been on his mind for some time.
Decka began to clapping slowly. Catching everyone's attention from the departing Ferals. After noticing everyone had their eyes on him, he stopped. Quickly crossing his arms.
"Look at you go. Going from a run-away, to a Legion leader, to a Legion that is slowly becoming as powerful as the Light Legion. How does it feel?" Decka asked.
Ether smiled, then nodded. He didn't want to say anything because of how happy he was. For the first time since leaving the Light Legion, Ether felt like this was his home.
Away from two tyrants and a cunning monster was where he and his brothers belonged. Despite not being the same trio from back then, they were grown up now.
Each one changed with time, despite it not being a year yet.
Decka chuckled. Seeing the innocent response of his new student made him feel happier. Which got his mind off the recovering Quinn and the Legion on Legion Conflict they found themselves in.
"Go, get yourselves something to eat. Meet me back here after you're done. I am going to run some errands," Decka concluded.
He stopped leaning against the fence, then walked away. Leaving the family alone.
Ether jumped over the fence and picked up Orako. He chose a spot on the grass to sit on and then got to work on marking his son.
Pearl followed her mate over the fence. And watched Ether lick Orako's forehead. Who appeared to find it ticklish.
"Hmm," Pearl murmured.
Ether looked at her, waiting to hear what she was going to say. He stopped licking Orako's little forehead and patiently stood still.
"I just realized something. Since you're the size of a Yomie, hair of a Yomie, some personality traits of a Yomie, with the bond of a Yomie and love of a Yonie... doesn't that make you a female in the eyes of other Threshers?" Pearl wondered.
"Huh... I never thought about that. I don't know, I've never seen one before. The Yonies are hidden away, deep underground while the Yomies get lonely and depressed when away from their mate for so long," Ether responded.
Then he continued to mark Orako. Pearl fell silent as she heard her son giggle from all the gentle tickles Ether accidentally caused.
She leaned forward to look at them better. Her first thought was what Orako was wearing. He wore the same hide shorts from the day they got him.
Pearl didn't like that. She wanted to outfit him just like she would have outfitted her own biological children. Soft wool every once and a while, hide that allowed their bodies to disperse oxygen easily.
Along with small patterns to make them seem friendlier to approach. She didn't want to raise menacing Variants, she wanted to raise lovable children everyone wanted around.
"You know, I never thought I would find someone to love me. Ever since me and my former lover stopped talking. I regret getting into that relationship," Ether suddenly said.
Pearl looked shocked by the sudden comment. "Why? You're the most adorable hybrid I've ever seen."
"That's why. Everyone cares about who can pass down the best genes to the next generation. They do not stop for a moment and look at what's under the disadvantages."
Pearl rested her head over Ether's. "I think we will have an amazing family one day. You're already making an incredible father for your kind's natural predator. Makes sense you do just as good with our own kids."
"Do you want kids that much?" Ether asked, confused.
She nodded. "It has been my dream. But the Light Legion didn't allow me to escape my routine of waking up, being pushed around by Talis, going home, talking to my parents, sleep. So I couldn't find a mate during my early years."
"But you found one now - one that loves you a lot. I don't know why, but I feel the urge to support and care for you until you push me away," Ether continued.
Pearl looked down at Orako. "I will never push you away. You're the one I chose to be my mate. I'll remain loyal forever. I promise."
"Let's get something to eat before Decka gets back. We can continue talking about this during our meal. But for now, we can head home and I can cook us something. Okay?" Ether suggested.
Orako and Pearl nodded.
The trio got up and made their way out of the fields, to the main part of Krugi, and back home. Where they would spend some more time together.