Later that day, Valiant and Yazzo rested within the freezing wake of the range. The three overhead moons lined up nearly perfect.
Celestial blue lingered in the distance, in the middle stood a celestial green, and in the front stood a celestial purple. Three odd colors together, none of which held any importance aside from their birth.
"Have you heard of the line the Variants are whispering to each other?" Yazzo asked Valiant.
"What line?" Valiant looked up from his glowing green ribs. "Are they coming together and encouraging their neighbors?"
Yazzo shook her head while tilting it slightly down. She looked anxious, concerned about what the line in question meant for the future of Imbushko and Yarno.
"Infinus Fall," Yazzo replied. "They want them to die. Our... experience with them made our forces feel overconfident in their ability to fight back. But I know something is up with this city."
Valiant picked up a handful of snow, feeling the intense cold against his already-numb hands. He knew what they meant by it, and why they wanted to strike Infinus down.
Urging them to focus their anger at Hitirus would be detrimental instead of beneficial in any way. So he decided to brush that off the table, but he knew Yazzo did not.
"Whatever you do, do not let our meeting slip out your maw," Valiant ordered her. "I trust in you to do that."
Yazzo closed her fist, bringing it down for Valiant to see. "I think we will need to eventually reveal what it was." She used the same hand to gesture towards the city. "Killing him in front of other Variants, especially alongside our 'enemies', would paint a bad picture."
Valiant shot up from his icy seat. "It does not matter," he replied with a harsh whisper. "We do not care about that, do we? All the Variants care about is a free Trilogy, do not let that hinder us."
"But what if some are truly loyal to his cause?" Yazzo replied with the same energy. "You know Zegi, they will admire anyone who could deal a good portion against an army. Hitirus is no exception."
Silence crept between the two, it was not to cause tension but to relieve it. Neither Feral wanted to argue or debate, they were on the same side. But they knew how difficult this would be.
"Look," Valiant let out a toxic sigh. "I'm sorry for sounding rude. This entire plan got me stressed out, probably has the same effect to you."
"It did," Yazzo relaxed her shoulders. "Maybe a little too much. Hopefully, we can get away with it. I know how you feel about that thing being alongside us."
A shameless nod was the only response Valiant gave back. It was no secret he tried to rough up Hitirus multiple times, enough to make him fear the creation.
Throughout those early years of knowing him, he learned to fear Hitirus. Something about being unsure of who was this tyrant and being nearly undefeatable bothered him.
"Don't let that creeping fear bother you," Yazzo placed a hand on Valiant's shoulder. "He could be a threat at any moment, but a Feral is born to live like an animal before giving out."
"What if I don't want to die like an animal?" his hand reached up for her's. "Will I die like a Zegus, in a war? A Thawed, in the cold? How about like a Thresher, in the arms of my beloved?"
Yazzo got closer, trying to figure out what was behind the toxic filled vessel that stood before her. What she saw didn't surprise her, because she knew what he was.
Feral, untamed by none, uncaged by his own Will, and unleashed by his own image. The toxic infusion was all part of the process, the way of a Variant.
"I see what only one other Variant can see," Yazzo said. "The future will not relent if our plan does not go right, so far it is breaking. If news spread, the rest of the Trilogy will be involved against Infinus."
Valiant tilted his head. "Maybe you hold some Thawed in you, just like your Neddy told me when you offered to be my closest elite."
"Being a little bit of Thawed is common in us, Valiant. We are Ascent Ferals, raised in the shadows of a mountain. Do you see why?" Yazzo said.
"Why?" Valiant asked.
Yazzo smiled, revealing her teeth. "Because just like Thawed, we don't know what's ahead of us. But we continue climbing icy paths. We are what normal Ferals are not."
"I wasn't born on a mountain range," Valiant corrected. "More like on the move. There's this Feral, Cyclone, haven't seen him since I joined the Trilogy. He was one of the greatest allies I've ever met."
"One day you will find that Feral and thank him for his service. I know you will, just take your time," Yazzo encouraged. "On the topic of service and Ferals, I found one."
Valiant absorbed the splintering cold. "Found one what?"
"The body of a Feral, broken and tattered within the rubble of two homes. I know you fought him, there were acid marks all across his face," Yazzo answered. "I can take you to him, if you want."
Unlike most of the decisions during that day, this one Valiant didn't hesistate to act on. He nodded, allowing Yazzo to take the lead and bring him over to the dead Feral.
Both of them marched through the snow, trying to move quickly before another gust of wind brought more loose snow into the city. As they walked, Valiant knew what he would do with the body.
In memory of a misunderstood force and leaderless pack, he was going to make sure the corpse would not be disrespected in anyway. If he was in that situation, he would've wanted the killers to show mercy to his defeated frame.
Regardless of how bloody or brutal the battle was, they were all Ferals seeking nothing but the best for their packs. Even if Valiant didn't know what exactly the dead one was after.