* Do you know how to swim?*

* No*

My ever useful Violet has failed me! I look over the edge of the cliff. The waves are not crashing directly against them, instead breaking on a small beach at their base. The cliffs shouldn’t be too much of a problem, the stone looks soft and crevassed allowing for easy descent of my Coptos. Yet the water poses an insurmountable obstacle.

* I swim*

I turn to look at my green marked Blue.

* how?*

* ran gathering squad near water, had to learn so not lose Coptos if fall in. Is easy to teach.*

I nod and wait for the Blue to continue.

* small problem*

* What*

* is currents in water, have never gone so far, and group very big, will be hard on mind and will not have place to rest mind.*

* If we are stronger can we go faster*

* confusion maybe?*

* ok*

I turn to the Violet.

It is time for a centralization of resources. He nods and we both start reaching out to the Yellows and Reds surrounding us. One by one the Yellows around us step forward, me and the Violet lay hands on them and reduce them to hovering orbs of pure essence. While before the Violet had done this to create new Coptos now we would be doing the opposite. Soon our group of about fifty is reduced to a about a dozen. Remaining are ten Reds plus my one thinking Red, two Yellows, two Greens, one green Blue, one Violet, and me.

Hovering above me and the Violet hang to orbs of tumbling sand-like essence containing all of the essence of the sacrificed Coptos. Next I gestured for the Reds to step in front of me. I switch my eyes over to the vision that I used for Copto creation. I know which part of Coptos are used for strength and stability, it was would have been impossible to create functional Coptos without knowing them. I lay my hands on a Red, immediately I gain a small amount of ability to directly manipulate its essence just like I can manipulate my own.

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I slowly start filtering the stored essence into the Red. As it gains more essence new nodes of energy begin to form through out its body structure. I shift those nodes of contained energy and trace connections between them slowly but surely doubling and redoubling its strength and structural patterns. After about fifteen minutes I stop and look at what visible changes have occurred.

The Red is bigger and looks more solid, taking control of it mentally I run it through a few simple exercises, dashing around, jumping up and down, and throwing a rock as hard as it can. The Red is noticeably stronger and more robust standing even standing about a foot taller.

I repeat the process with each Red running out of my essence orb after the seventh Red. The Violet transfers his to me and I continue. After the Reds I augment my thinking Red, it needs far less essence to become as strong as the augmented Reds. The Yellows are next taking more essence to reach an adequate amount of strength to not slow down the group. Then I augmented the Greens, the green Blue, and the Violet. Finally I augmented myself, it is a strange sensation feeling myself grow stronger as I internally tinker with my own physiology.

With my self-improvement completed I survey the cliffs looking for the best way to climb down. Suddenly I freeze. Something is wrong I cast around trying to figure out what it is that has set me on edge until I finally discover it. I am not receiving any more information from the Greys stationed in the forest around the cliff. I had not noticed before because of how involved I was in the Copto improvements, something has eliminated my warning system. At the same time I make my realization, the perpetrators reveal themselves.

A dozen huge grey haired deerhounds burst from the forest, from all direction, and race towards my group of Coptos. Pinned against the cliff I have no choice, we will have to fight. The Reds sprint forward to meet the charging beasts, unsheathing their long needle like claws and baring their teeth.

The hounds are about four feet at their shoulders, and almost six feet long from nose to tail. As they get close to my Reds they launch themselves slamming into the Reds and knocking them to the ground. The hounds jump on the downed Reds and the adversaries become tangles of teeth and claws rolling around on the ground. I don’t mentally command the Reds further for the time being, combat is innate to them.

Two of the hounds slip past the Reds and move towards the Coptos at the center. My thinking Red moves in front of me while the two Yellows move in front of the other delicate Coptos. the first hound jumps at my thinking Copto which launches itself as well. The two collide midair and go down in a tangle of limbs. While the two struggle I circle around the tangle focusing on the hound. As it comes on top of the pile for a second, its back is exposed, I leap, my mouth stretched wide. I land the blow successfully my teeth sinking into the side of the hound.