The sun was rising over the gray ndscape. Icy shivered, ruffling her feathers to catch a little more heat. The temperature was nothing like the desert. And, even though he had fought in pces even colder and harsher than this one, it was always torture to change climate. He gnced beside him. Deadly was there, struggling with her long hair that wrapped around her horns and sawed into her flesh. As usual. She didn’t need anyone’s help to hurt herself, and in a way it was very funny. But the bodar didn’t feel like ughing. He was actually very uncomfortable. And the culprit was obviously his mission for the day.

  - Um…, he began, do… Do we have to ? Do we really have to do this ?

  Deadly gred at him.

  - You know that as well as I do. There’s a reason. We have to make them lose their morale, make them a little more desperate. It’s the only way to make the war easier for us, well, mostly to end it faster. And to keep Drought from burning all the swamps. We don’t particurly want the ice behind this forest to have a direct route to the desert. It would melt and drown us all. Our leader may be very strong, but he is also very stupid at times. He would be totally capable of burning everything on a whim and saying “Oops” when the nation would be underwater. It’s up to us to save the day.

  Icy rubbed his arms to warm himself up. His thin tunic wasn’t helping much, but he hadn’t been able to take his furry cape, it would have hindered him in what he was about to do.

  - I agree with you. And it's a real blessing that the Third Commandment’s morons captured such an important prisoner. But sending them pieces... Are you sure ?

  The pacle got angry, spping the bodar. The tter wasn't even surprised. He just sighed while rubbing his cheek, then nodded.

  - Don't worry, I know my side. I know we're trying to save innocent people. I also know that we're facing monsters, and that we don't really have a choice. I'm not trying to question our beliefs or our affiliations. It's just that... Cutting someone alive into pieces, even if it's Thanatolis herself, or a raptorik who killed my family, I don't think it's great.

  - You never knew your family, moron.

  - Yes, I did ! But I have no memory of it, there’s a difference !

  Deadly let out a smile that revealed her canines. The kind that means “I’m having a good ugh,” but those who saw it understood “I’m going to kill you and eat you.” For Icy, who had known the pacle for several revolutions, this grin mostly meant “I hate to admit it, but I actually like you enough not to kill you.” And that’s the kind of thing that makes you happy.

  The bodar stretched for a long time, leaning back to crack every single one of his joints, from his arms to his shoulders to his back, then also stretched his wings until they hurt. He straightened up, winking at the young dy, whose gray skin was tinged with the color of the rising sun.

  - So, shall we continue talking or shall we go?

  Deadly growled, wiping away her smile, then approached Icy and awkwardly took him in her arms.

  - If you let me fall, I’ll kill you.

  - It won't happen and you know it. After all, I'm the best flyer in the entire Fire Empire ! And the only one who still has his wits about him…

  Before the pacle could protest, the bodar grabbed her by the waist and lifted her against him. He then started to run, spreading his wings, which easily exceeded ten meters in span. His feathers unfolded one by one, catching the wind, straightening up. When he finally felt he was ready, Icy jumped. Immediately he smmed his gigantic wings down, lifting him above the trees. Deadly, still clinging to him, closed her eyes so as not to see the ground moving away. The bodar rose a little higher above the muddy earth, until the camp was only a small dot no bigger than a pinhead, then stabilized in the middle of the clouds.

  - I don't like having my hooves above the ground...

  The young dy had tensed around Icy. In the strong winds of the altitude, the cape and scarf of her uniform danced in the air, revealing her bare hamstrings and her small muscur behind. The bodar blushed slightly, his white skin dotted with blue spots becoming the same color as Deadly's magic. She seemed to sense it, probably helped by the years spent together.

  - If you think about your crotch, you're dead.

  - I think about nothing...

  - So what's that against my thigh?

  - Probably my dagger.

  The pacle hissed, furious, but didn't open her eyes. Icy ughed, amused by her embarrassment. But despite everything he kept his eyes fixed on the ground, looking for the target. It appeared about ten minutes ter, right in the middle of the marshes. A camp filled with little moving dots, no bigger than insects.

  - We have the enemy in sight. I'm going to start the descent, I need you to cover me.

  Deadly finally opened her eyes, but fixed them on her interlocutor, forbidding herself to look down.

  - The altitude is enough to make you invisible, since you have the same color as today's sky. We're lucky with the weather. On the other hand, I don't give 300 meters before I'm noticed. Do you have a view of them ? How many of them are there ?

  Icy was now hovering, hidden by a thin yer of clouds. But his eyes were used to tracking prey on the ground, even if a great distance separated them.

  - I'd say about ten. It's not the army corps, it's just an outpost. There aren't enough trees for them, after all...

  - Okay, if there are about ten of them, I can do it. Are you preparing the gift ?

  The bodar handed her a small package wrapped in cloth. The contents had stained the wrapping, it had turned half blue. Deadly grabbed it with her fingertips, with a look of disgust.

  - Luckily it can't contaminate us...

  She then let herself fall backwards, Icy barely holding her by the waist, while she hung limply from his arm. Her eyes and horns slowly began to glow red. It was the signal. The bodar leaned forward, then folded his wings. He began to dive towards the samalta camp, gaining speed with each second. He had to squint so the air wouldn't dry his eyes, while he covered Deadly's with one hand, to protect her from the strong winds. With each meter they went, the magic of the pacle grew stronger, finding the targets it had spotted the night before. When they were only 100 meters away, Icy straightened up and spread his wings, stopping their fall with one blow. He felt his muscles scream in pain, his wings stiff from the sudden stop. Gritting his teeth to hold back a scream, he tried to hover. He only had about three seconds before Deadly reached her limit. It was a very precise timing that they had worked on for many years. Below them, the enemy soldiers walked in a disjointed manner, like puppets without strings, their eyes as red as Deadly's. They came to stand under her, their arms raised to the sky. The pacle let go of the package she was still holding between her fingers. It fell and nded in the hands of the blue creatures. Their pointed ears were lowered to the sides, hanging down. Icy made sure they carried out the order Deadly had given them mentally. He watched them carry the package like a precious object in their fingers ending in long, curved white cws. The monsters walked on their little hind legs, on the tips of their enormous feet. It was clear that they were not in their normal state, because otherwise they would have been on all fours. But Deadly's power only worked on humanoids who behaved as such, so it was an inevitable difference. Some of the samaltas stumbled, sprawling in the mud, their arms covered in small wings of skin folded under them. But, little by little, they moved further away into the marshes.

  - Deadly, that's it, operation successful. I can't hold on any longer, we have to go!

  Indeed, Icy's wings were starting to become heavy, stiff, his muscles were making him suffer martyrdom. A bodar was not made for hovering, and even less so while carrying someone who weighed the same as them. Each of his wing beats drew a pintive moan from him. It was this noise that gradually pulled Deadly out of her torpor. She blinked, the light in her horns and her eyes gradually went out, then she straightened up and clung to Icy again, wrapping her arms around his neck and shoulders.

  - Okay, that's it, let's move. Hurry up before we get noticed ! These monsters are good at archery !

  The bodar didn’t need to be asked twice and flew away, gaining altitude, using the updrafts to spare his injured wings. It was a mission accomplished. Icy let out a smile. All that was left was to wait for the result, to reap what they had just sown. And it was going to be fabulous…

  ***

  Makile was with S’rinj in the camp, across from the jail. The young soldier was shaking from head to toe. It was the first time he had seen a samalta in real life. And he hadn’t imagined them like that at all. In the books he had seen, these creatures were much more monstrous. And much less human.

  S’rinj whistled as he wiped his scalpel. The tool was covered in blue blood, and the same liquid oozed from the prisoner’s head. Makile stayed a good distance away. Even though he had been sedated, the monster was no less terrifying.

  - Do you really think that by seeing an ear they will be able to tell who it belongs to?

  - I can even guarantee it!

  The physicist finished cleaning his tools, dipping each instrument in a bucket whose water gradually turned sky-colored, then wiping them on a piece of cloth. He then carefully put them away in his leather case. Once all that was done, the forty-year-old lit a cigar with the flint he had around his neck. He had to try three or four times, but finally managed to create a spark big enough to allow him to smoke. He had regained color since the packages had been delivered at dawn. He then advanced towards the unconscious creature.

  - Come, little one, come closer with me. I'm going to teach you a few things.

  Makile shivered, but obeyed S'rinj. He took a few steps into the jail, a sort of iron cage covered with canvas to protect it from the rain, and knelt down beside the man with skin as dark as the shadows. He could make out his white teeth, visible through a terrifying smile. The physicist picked up a riding crop from his belt, and used it to lift the head of the thing in front of them.

  - Look at that, kid. Its face. It looks like any of us. Now look at its fangs. Did you see that?

  The man slid the crop into the creature's mouth, lifting its lips to reveal many white teeth. Each one was pointed, sharp. But the most impressive thing was the canines. So big that they didn't seem to be contained in such a small mouth.

  - They look human, but they are animals. You have to see it now, kid. You have to realize it. You must not be surprised and hesitate when you meet them on the battlefield. It only takes them a second to slit your throat, you do not have the leisure to take a moment to think.

  Dropping the head, S’rinj stroked the samalta’s purple hair with the whip, going up to the right ear. It was pointed, made of bare skin at the base, and hairy towards the top. The same color as the rest of the body, this bluish gray, which seemed almost purple. But above all, this ear was enormous, almost the size of the head. There was only one, obviously. On the other side, a gaping hole oozing blue liquid made symmetry.

  - It’s ugly, huh ? But above all, it can hear you from miles around. So when you think you’re close to one of these monsters, there’s no point in trying to be discreet. It will hear your breathing. Your only choice is to run as fast as possible. You’re lucky on that side.

  The physicist pointed at the beast’s legs with the tip of the whip. They were small, seemed atrophied. But above all, at the end of each of them, gigantic feet. Probably two or three times those of a human. Only the tip was worn, the heel was adorned with a stinger on the underside, like a cw pointing towards the ground.

  - They run slowly, moving on all fours. As you can see, they walk on the tips of their feet. Like an animal. When they stand up on their hind legs, since they don't put their heels down because of the stinger, they are unstable and cannot walk. It is truly a pitiful sight. But even if they can't run after you, they are still dangerous, because of that.

  He pointed the whip at the samalta's arms. On top, three long spines, like the bones of a fish, were used to support a membrane of skin. They were wings. Not the kind you can use to fly, but probably useful enough to glide. Makile nodded.

  - I know they live where there are trees so… I guess they can glide and jump on us?

  S’rinj whistled in awe and cpped his hands in admiration.

  - Even more intelligent and observant than I suspected ! You’re right kid, that’s the greatest danger with these monsters. If you think they’re close, you have to run. But avoid wooded areas and swamps at all costs. Look at this.

  The physicist used the whip again, but this time to spread the fingers of one hand. The boy shuddered when he saw the thin skin that connected the joints. Webbed limbs. It was impossible to catch the samaltas in a humid environment.

  - To summarize, we are at a disadvantage if we get too close to their territory. But there is little chance that they will approach our camp and leave their cover.

  The forty-year-old nodded, rubbing the back of his neck.

  - Exactly. We have to provoke them so that they get angry and rush at us. Otherwise, we can't do anything. And when we have rexed enough, when we think that they will not come out of their forest, that is when they attack us in lightning raids that massacre hundreds of people. And we can't solve the problem once and for all, because we get murdered one by one if we enter their territory.

  Having finished his demonstration, he stood up to leave the cage, and motioned for the young man to do the same. When they were both safe, he grabbed an empty bottle of cactus alcohol, filled it with the azure water he had used to clean his tools, and passed his arm through the bars of the cage to pour the contents on the creature's head, who woke up screaming. Its sky blue eyes rolled in their sockets, staring, with its pupils that were nothing more than vertical slits, at the two humans. Through the purple strands of its shaggy hair, Makile saw features distorted by hatred, its fangs as long as fingers protruding from its purple lips. He could see the gums, as blue as the beast's blood. The young soldier couldn’t control his trembling. His fear turned to panic as the creature pulled at its chains, straining its powerful muscles to try to tear them from the bars of the cage. The boy fell backwards, barely hitting his head thanks to S’rinj’s hand that slipped between the iron and his skull. S’rinj smiled mischievously.

  - And you know what ? We have the perfect bait this time.

  He gestured to the samalta in front of them, who was starting to scream.

  - She’s their leader’s wife !

  ***

  Makile twisted his fingers around the straps of his uniform, as he always did when he was stressed. And he felt he had the right to be, it was his first report ! S’rinj had insisted that the boy do it without him so that he would get used to it, at least that was the argument he had put forward. But the young soldier doubted it. He didn’t know why, but he could never tell if the physicist was serious and honest, or if he had an agenda. It was impossible for him to see what was behind the small bck eyes of the forty-year-old. When he arrived in front of Drought’s tent, he took a moment to check his appearance in the reflection of his armband. The gold-pted armor sent him the distorted reflection of his disheveled brown hair. He took the time to comb it between his fingers. They had grown a little too long and were falling to his shoulders. He would need to borrow a razor from S’rinj or Icy. It would also be useful for the little fuzz growing under his nose. He had a slovenly look that he didn’t like very much, especially since he was about to enter his idol’s tent.

  - Whoever is outside, hurry up and get in or go away ! You’re distracting me !

  Makile jumped, and entered the tent. Inside, Drought was dressing up. He was pulling on his golden war armor over his scarlet uniform. His orange-yellow turtleneck underwear was sticking out, and the result mixed with his ochre skin made the young soldier dizzy once again. The spirit of the desert. The general was magnificent.

  - And so…, Drought began, attaching the pins of his cape to his shoulder pads, you wanted to see me?

  The boy stood there for a few seconds watching him tie his bracers before shaking his head to gather his wits.

  - Yes ! It’s… um… S’rinj ! Yes, that’s it, S’rinj asked me to come, for…

  He caught sight of Drought’s little tail, because his cape was badly put on, caught in his back armor. He would never have believed that the general had a little tail shaped like a heart ! Its tip was white and it wiggled as he concentrated on attaching the chains to his horns.

  - For… the report…

  - Ah yes, the report ! That’s good, I need it before we unch the attack.

  Unaware of what was troubling the boy, Drought grabbed his rings from a small box, and slipped a few onto the branches growing on his skull.

  - Tell me everything. Have you confirmed the prisoner’s identity and taken action ?

  - Ye… Yes !

  The tail continued to wag, much to Makile’s dismay, who was having the greatest difficulty concentrating.

  - The prisoner… She is indeed the companion of their leader… She talked and screamed a lot, and we understood that she was the girlfriend of Ixurio, the one who leads the march among the nomadic samalta people, who make up the rgest popution of the enemies.

  The young soldier had covered his eyes in order to concentrate.

  - So S’rinj sedated her, removed one of the ears with the certainty that the prisoner’s companions would recognize its color and shape, then we passed it on to Icy and Deadly. They are currently in the middle of an intervention.

  - Perfect !

  Drought finished putting on his jewelry, then stood in front of a rge mirror that he had pced next to his bed. Judging the result satisfactory, he headed towards the entrance of the tent. Makile, hearing him move, rushed in front of the general to hold his arm before he left.

  - What the...

  The boy was shaking, intimidated by the questioning eyes of the pacle. Gathering his courage, he whispered :

  - Your tail...

  Drought turned his head to look behind him and saw what had disturbed the young soldier during the entire interview. With a quick gesture, he readjusted his cloak and made sure that his tail was camoufged.

  - Not a word to anyone.

  - Heart-shaped… I mean yes sir !

  The general sighed, his hand on his face. He scratched his hair, the blond roots of which were turning red at the ends, then grumbled.

  - Welcome to the family… I guess you’re equal to the others now…

  Then he left the tent, leaving Makile dazed.