David perched comfortably behind Claire's frill, his new form settling into the familiar spot. The rocky terrain of the mountain foothills gradually gave way to softer ground, the air growing thick with the scent of decaying vegetation as they approached the swamplands.
"You know," Claire grumbled, her massive head swinging from side to side as she scanned for potential threats, "you're a lot heavier than you used to be. What happened to being a cute little furball?"
David snorted, his wings rustling. "Excuse you, I'll have you know I'm still adorable. Just... more of me to love now."
"Yeah, yeah," Claire rumbled, her footsteps squelching in the increasingly muddy ground. "So, how many Fusion Tokens do you need anyway? I remember you saying you stockpiled stuff, but don't have any slots. Don't want to spend any Pts to shuffle stuff around for testing? It's going to be a while before you need them for Evolving again, you know. "
David's ears perked up. "Yeah, that's true, but I don't want to waste anything if I don't have to. Plus, I kinda need everything I have. Fusion Tokens, though? At least three or four to really get the most out of this evolution. But I need a minimum of two to use Metabolic Surge and Doom Blade."
"Doom Blade," Claire muttered, shaking her head slightly. "Still can't believe you picked up something with such a ridiculous name."
As they pushed deeper into the swamp, gnarled trees rose around them, their branches draped with hanging moss. The air grew thick with mist, obscuring the distance and muffling sounds. David wrinkled his snout in distaste, his hide itching with phantom stings every now and again as memories of swarming dragonfly-bastards surfaced with the smell of the swamp. They hadn't really wanted to return, but eventually decided it was their best bet to find something to mix it up with.
"Speaking of levels," David chirped, "how's your progress going? Still stuck at 12?"
Claire let out a low chuckle that seemed to vibrate through her entire body. "Actually, I'm most of the way through level 13 now."
David nearly fell off his perch in surprise. "What? How? When did that happen?"
"While you've been off doing your solo hero thing," Claire replied, carefully navigating around a particularly deep-looking pool of murky water, "I've been playing nanny to all the others. Lots of 'baby questing' as Wally likes to call it."
David's wings drooped slightly. "Oh. I...I didn't realize. My bad...maybe Gideon would be up for another flight sometime?"
"Don't worry about it," Claire said, her tone softening. "Someone had to keep an eye on them. Besides, it's been good practice."
They lapsed into comfortable silence for a while, the only sounds the squelch of Claire's footsteps and the occasional plop of something unseen dropping into the water. David's eyes darted around, alert for any sign of movement. Suddenly, Claire's nostrils flared, and she lifted her head higher, sniffing the air intently.
"David," she said, her voice low and excited, "I smell something. Big mammal, way off in the distance."
David's fur stood on end with anticipation. "Really? What do you think it is?"
Claire's massive head swung towards him, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Well, there's only one way to find out, isn't there? Time to earn your kibble, hunting dog. Go do your thing."
David puffed up indignantly. "Hunting dog? I'll have you know I'm a highly sophisticated predator, thank you very much."
"Sure you are," Claire chuckled. "Now get going before it catches our scent."
"Catches your scent, you mean. I smell like water right now, I've been practicing.” David sniffed, half in mock superiority, half to check he hadn't gotten his scent wrong somehow.
Claire sighed hugely and David gave her an apologetic pat on the head before getting down to business. With a mock bark, David launched himself from Claire's frill, his wings spreading wide as he prepared to scout ahead. Despite his protests, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. This was their first real hunt since his evolution.
Mist swirled past his head as he dropped slightly before beginning to gain altitude, his wings cutting silent arcs through the damp air as he swooped upwards. The Cuddlebugs followed close behind, their tiny forms barely visible as they darted about chaotically. As he flew, his mind raced with thoughts of the hunt ahead.
Alright, David. Time to do this right. No more rushing in like an idiot. That's what Omega wants, and we're not playing that game anymore.
He banked slightly, riding a faint updraft as he considered his approach. The old David might have just charged in, relying on brute force and dumb luck. But now? He was smarter than that. Or at least, he was trying to be. Working on it, at the very least.
Sneaking, and ambushes, that's what I'm built for, always have been. Time to put all this Deceiver stuff to good use.
David focused, sending out pulses of Echolocation. The sound waves bounced back, painting a detailed picture of the terrain below. At first, there was nothing but swamp and more swamp. But then...
Hello, what's this?
Tracks. Big ones, pressed deep into the soft earth. Nearby, a swath of flattened grass told of something large passing through not too long ago. David's heart raced with excitement, but he forced himself to stay calm, to think it through.
No rushing in. Plan first, then act. No more dumdum from now on.
Slowly, carefully, he descended towards the tall swamp grass. As he neared the ground, he pulled his wings in tight, slipping between the thick stalks with barely a whisper of sound. The Cuddlebugs followed suit, their tiny bodies disappearing into the underbrush. It wasn't as easy as it used to be. His new, larger form didn't quite fit through the small gaps he was used to navigating. But as he slithered forward, he found himself adjusting quickly, learning the limits and capabilities of this evolved body.
Not bad, not bad at all. Just need a little practice.
Once he was sure he was well-hidden, David turned his attention to his summons. With a series of mental commands, he dispatched them to fan out into the area where he suspected the creature might be heading. Some took to the air in short, controlled bursts, while others stalked through the undergrowth, their enhanced forms proving surprisingly adept at stealth.
As he waited for their reports, David couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. This was what he was meant to do. Not charging in blindly, but carefully setting the stage, preparing for the perfect ambush. It felt right in a way that his recent solo adventures hadn't.
Maybe Claire had a point about me rushing off on my own. This...this feels more like me.
David felt a gentle tug at the edge of his consciousness, a new sensation that he hadn't experienced before his evolution. One of the empowered Cuddlebugs was reaching out. Not with words or clear images, but with vague impressions that traveled up the mental threads to nudge at his mind.
A sense of softness, yielding earth. The faint echo of weight, of something heavy passing through. Freshness, newness. And then, open space ahead.
David blinked, surprised at the depth and nuance of the communication. This was new, far beyond the simple emotional impressions he'd shared with the Cuddlebugs a few times before. It was as if the mental threads connecting them had grown stronger, more complex, especially with these enhanced versions.
He processed the information quickly.
Gotcha. Fresh tracks, leading to a clearing not far ahead? Good job, little dude.
Focusing on the mental link, David sent back his own impressions, approval, and caution. The empowered Cuddlebug's answering pulse of understanding was immediate and clear, tinged with a predatory eagerness that matched David's own.
David began to move, alternating between short glides just above the grass and periods of careful stalking. Each movement was calculated, each pause filled with intense listening and observation. He was no longer just a bat with some fancy tricks. He was a predator, a hunter, a Deceiver. As he neared the edge of the clearing, David felt a curious ripple along his back. The Advanced Camouflage was kicking in, blending him seamlessly with the light and dark patterns of his surroundings as if his body somehow anticipated the stalking. He nodded approvingly as he turned slightly to observe how different sections of fur had faded or lightened in response to his intentions, all subconsciously. As David settled into his hiding spot, a thought occurred to him.
Claire should be here for this, duh. After all, we're supposed to be hunting together. See? I can catch myself being stupid if I try hard enough.
He focused on one of the empowered Cuddlebugs, the one that had seemed to enjoy hanging from her horns a bit more than the other had. With a series of mental commands, he conveyed his plan.
Go back to Claire. Guide her here, but quietly. We don't want to spook our prey.
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The Cuddlebug chittered softly in acknowledgment, its tiny form beginning to move quickly in his awareness as it took off. David watched it go, marveling at how much more effective these enhanced versions were.
Hope Claire can keep up without making too much noise. Though I suppose a few earth-shaking footsteps might just add to the confusion. Shouldn’t take her too long to get here, I was only flying for a little bit.
He grinned to himself, imagining Claire's reaction when she arrived to find him perfectly camouflaged and lying in wait. It was a far cry from his usual headlong rush into danger.
She's gonna be so proud. Or annoyed that I'm showing her up. Either way, it'll be fun.
With that taken care of, David turned his attention back to the task at hand. He adjusted his position slightly, ensuring he had a clear view of the most likely approach routes. The other Cuddlebug continued its surveillance, feeding him a steady stream of impressions about the surrounding area.
David held his position, every sense alert as he waited for Claire. The swamp around him teemed with life, tiny insects buzzing and unseen creatures rustling through the underbrush. He regulated his breathing, keeping it slow and silent, his camouflaged form nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding vegetation. A faint tremor in the ground signaled Claire's approach long before he saw her. To his surprise, when she came into view, she was moving with far more stealth than he'd ever seen her manage before. Her massive body was low to the ground, each step carefully placed to minimize noise. She moved with a fluid grace that belied her size, weaving between trees and around potential obstacles.
As Claire neared his position, David saw her eyes scanning the area, a hint of concern in her gaze. He realized she was probably expecting to find him in his usual post-battle state, battered, bruised, and likely sprawled atop some twitching monstrosity. She sniffed quietly as her head swung around with confusion, clearly sensing that he was very close but unable to spot him for once. David fought down an irrational urge to jump out and spook her, though it came on stronger than he thought it would.
"Down here," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Claire's head snapped around, her eyes widening as she finally spotted him. "Well, I'll be damned," she murmured, her voice low and impressed. "You actually waited. And you're not even bleeding."
David grinned, revealing his sharp teeth. "Told you I was evolving. Not just the body, but the tactics too. Also I uh…I might be tired of getting the crap beaten out of me a little bit."
They quickly devised a plan. Claire would hang back with one of the empowered Cuddlebugs, using it as a relay for David's signals. David would stalk on ahead, using his stealth to locate and assess their quarry. Slowly, David began to move towards the clearing and away from Claire, marveling at how different this felt from his recent hunts. Every movement was deliberate, calculated. His new form moved with a fluid grace that surprised even him, each step silent on the soft earth.
The swamp air grew thicker as he neared the clearing, heavy with the scent of stagnant water and decaying vegetation. Shafts of weak sunlight pierced the canopy, creating a dappled pattern of light and shadow that his camouflage instinctively mimicked. As he reached the edge of the open area, a new scent hit him, musky, wild, with an underlying note of something...off. Something that didn't belong in this swamp by his reckoning.
David's ears swiveled, catching the faintest sounds of movement ahead. His wings twitched, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. Every nerve was alight with anticipation, his predator's instincts singing with the thrill of the hunt. Spooky was oddly silent, and David was grateful for it, though he was sure the urges were still there, just…modified slightly? Likely still adjusting to the changes brought on by his Evolution.
He crept forward, using patches of taller grass and the gnarled roots of swamp trees for cover. The ground beneath his claws was a mix of soft mud and firmer patches where roots had created a natural lattice. He tested each step before committing his weight, ensuring not even the slightest squelch would give away his position. The clearing finally came into view, a relatively open space where the trees thinned out and the ground rose slightly, creating a small, dry island in the midst of the swamp. And there, in the center of the clearing, was their quarry.
David's breath caught in his throat as he finally laid eyes on it. The creature was massive, shorter than Claire but longer, and likely heavier, its bulk dominating the clearing.
The beast resembled some prehistoric shaggy monstrosity, like something out of Earth's distant past. It stood on four thick, pillar-like legs, each ending in broad, stocky feet that seemed ill-adapted to the swampy terrain. Its body was vaguely rhinoceros-like in shape, but with a longer, more flexible neck and covered in a coat of shaggy fur that shimmered with a subtle, almost metallic sheen.
Its head was elongated, reminiscent of a primitive horse but larger and more robust. The snout was broad, filled with both flat molars for grinding tough vegetation and sharp incisors that hinted at an omnivorous diet. Two large, expressive eyes were set wide apart, giving it excellent peripheral vision. A pair of small, horn-like protrusions jutted from its forehead, not yet fully grown but promising to be formidable in time. The creature's tail was thick and muscular, used for balance as it moved through the uneven swamp. Its head was currently lowered, massive jaws working as it grazed on the tougher swamp vegetation. Occasionally, it would rear up slightly on its hind legs to reach higher foliage, revealing surprising agility for its size.
For a moment, David felt a flicker of doubt. This beast was far larger than anything he'd faced before. Taking a deep, silent breath, he began to formulate his approach. The hunt was on, and this time, he was determined to prove that brains could triumph over brawn.
Focusing intently, he infused his Echolocation with Wildsoul energy. The pulse that emanated from him was stronger, more precise than ever before. As the sound waves bounced back, they painted a detailed picture of the creature's internal structure.
The beast was indeed densely muscled, its hide thick and tough. But there were weak points. The long, flexible neck was less protected, vulnerable to a well-placed strike. More surprisingly, the tail, which had seemed like such a formidable weapon, was riddled with large blood vessels, pumping massive quantities of blood through the appendage.
David sent a quick mental signal to Claire's Cuddlebug. Through the Pack System, he felt her begin to approach, moving with a stealth that still surprised him. She paused a safe distance behind, using a slight dip in the terrain to conceal her bulk.
It's now or never. Lets see if I still know how to do this…eat your heart out Big Red, I’m not letting you get your claws any farther into me than I absolutely have to. Gonna do this right.
David began his approach, his body thrumming with a mix of excitement and nervous energy. This was what he was built for, but it had been a while since he'd attempted such a coordinated attack. He dispatched a few Cuddlebugs first, sending them to flutter around the beast's head.
The creature snorted in annoyance, its attention drawn to the tiny, persistent nuisances.
Using the distraction provided by the Cuddlebugs, David crouched low in the tall swamp grass, muscles tensed. With a sudden burst of energy, he sprang forward to close the distance, leaping like a tiger towards the unsuspecting beast.
As he sailed through the air, David drew on his Wildsoul once again, unleashing a cloud of Gloom directly at the creature's face. The silvery powder billowed out, engulfing the beast's head just as David snapped his wings open. The sudden snap of his wings caused him to whirl sharply, using the momentum to curve his trajectory back toward the ground.
The beast reared back, shaking its massive head in confusion as it visibly inhaled the Gloom. In that moment of disorientation, David touched down, his claws digging into the soft earth. Without missing a beat, he focused intensely, conjuring a decoy that blurred out of his body as he landed, followed by a rapid shot of acid aimed for the beasts neck.
The decoy, while slightly malformed due to his haste, sprang into action immediately. It charged directly at the beast, serving as the perfect distraction. The instant he saw his acid make contact, David darted away, his form blending seamlessly with the underbrush thanks to his camouflage. He moved swiftly and silently, putting distance between himself and the confused, enraged creature while it was still reeling.
As he retreated to a safer position, David could hear the beast's frustrated bellows and the heavy thud of its feet as it attempted to crush the illusory attacker. A grim smile played across his face. The attack hadn't been perfect, but it had certainly been effective.
For several tense moments, he waited, heart pounding. Then, a series of notifications flashed in his mind:
–Wandering Pulverizer has been afflicted by |Empowered Gloom| |Paralysis| |Sleep|–
–Wandering Pulverizer has been afflicted by |Corrosion|–
–Bonus: Empowered Control Combo |3|–
–Gained 25 XP–
David's small, snarly grin widened a bit. The first phase of the attack had been successful, if a bit clumsier than he'd hoped. But the beast was far from defeated. It was angry now, and confused, swinging its head back and forth as it tried to locate its attacker.
From his hidden position, David assessed the situation. The acid was doing its work on the creature's neck, but it wasn't enough to bring down such a massive target. He’d need to reengage soon, using the disorientation of his Control effects to apply more. Another dose of Empowered Gloom would probably do the trick.
The Cuddlebug with Claire grew increasingly agitated, its tiny form quivering with the urge to rush to David's aid. Through their mental link, David could sense its conflicted emotions, the drive to protect him warring with the need to follow his orders and stay with Claire. It sent a jumbled series of impressions, seeking guidance, unsure if it should signal Claire to engage.
David sent back a clear, firm response: Not yet. Stay put.
As he prepared for his next move, David couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. This was what being a Deceiver was all about, outsmarting, outmaneuvering, turning a seemingly impossible fight into a winnable battle. Not blindly rushing in an hoping he could mangle the target harder than it could maul him back, relying on the eventual advantage of his Control effects to save him.
Silently, he directed the rest of the Cuddlebugs back into the fray, watching as they swarmed towards the disoriented creature. The beast let out another bellow, this one tinged with pain and frustration. David tensed, ready to launch his next assault. The real fight was just beginning.
With practiced stealth, David began to slink through the foliage, circling around for another approach. As he moved, David recalled the eerie Moonsong he'd witnessed in his evolution vision. Taking a deep breath, he began to vocalize, the notes coming out just barely audible in a creepy, almost singsong melody. The sound seemed to hang in the air, adding another layer of otherworldly atmosphere to the misty swamp.
The beast's head swung around, trying to locate the source of the unsettling sound. Seizing the moment, David focused, creating a decoy that burst forth and charged in a random diection. Then another, and another, the mental fatigue of drawing on his Wildsoul beginning to build slowly before he finally stopped. The illusions darted away rapidly, each moving as if to circle the Pulverizer from a new direction before fading away in the grass. Confusion radiated from the creature as it whirled about, unable to comprehend the assault from multiple directions. Its movements became more frantic, more desperate, as it tried to defend against what it now perceived as a pack of attackers.
David continued to stalk forward, careful to avoid detection as the huge creature failed to deal with the tiny Cuddlebugs harassing it with any real effectiveness. The trap was set, the prey was disoriented, and now...now it was time for the Deceiver to truly shine.
As he melted into the underbrush once more, David couldn't help but feel a surge of predatory satisfaction. The hunt was far from over, but for the first time in a long time, he felt truly in his element.