As they made their way back to the Observatory, David sprawled across Claire's frill like a furry, winged pancake. His wings dangled limply on either side of her massive head, occasionally twitching when a particularly rough step jostled him.

"I spy with my little eye," Claire rumbled, her voice vibrating through David's entire body, "something...brown."

David let out a long-suffering sigh. "Is it a stick?"

"...Maybe."

"Claire, that's the third stick in a row. You're really pushing the boundaries of this game."

Claire snorted. "Well, excuse me for working with what I've got. It's not my fault the Overseers didn't leave us with a more varied landscape."

David chuckled, his voice muffled against Claire's scales. "Fair point. Alright, my turn. I spy with my little eye...something grey and lumpy."

"Gee, I wonder what that could be," Claire drawled. "Could it possibly be...a rock?"

"Ding ding ding! We have a winner, folks!"

They both burst into laughter, the absurdity of their game not lost on them. As their mirth subsided, Claire shook her head gently, mindful of her passenger. "You know, I can't help but wonder how cavemen stayed entertained. It must have been mind-numbingly boring."

David grinned, lifting his head just enough to meet Claire's eye. "Oh, you're basically looking at it right now. Minus the ability to throw rocks at weird-looking stuff for fun, of course. I bet that was a real crowd-pleaser back in the day."

"Ah yes, the height of prehistoric entertainment. 'Ooga booga, me throw rock at strange plant. Big funny.'"

As they continued their journey, David let his mind wander. The Cuddlebugs were spread out across Claire's back, their beady eyes scanning the surroundings. Well, most of them were. A few had decided that nap time was more important than lookout duty, curled up in little furry balls between Claire's scales.

David's gaze drifted upward, where the two empowered Cuddlebugs circled about a hundred feet above them. He'd been pleasantly surprised to discover that not only could they follow complex directions, but they could also send him impressions of what they saw. It was like having his own furry, airborne surveillance team.

Not bad for a bunch of monster hamster. Who needs high-tech drones when you've got mutant fuzzballs?

The empowered Cuddlebugs' impressions flowed into his mind, a stream of visual snippets and vague sensations. Trees, rocks, the occasional small creature scurrying for cover. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it was comforting to have the extra set of eyes.

"You know," David said, breaking the comfortable silence, "I think I've finally figured out my role in our little duo."

Claire hummed questioningly, the sound reverberating through her body.

"I'm clearly the brains of this operation," he declared with mock seriousness. "I mean, look at me, delegating responsibilities, utilizing resources efficiently. I'm practically a CEO."

Claire's laugh shook her entire frame, nearly dislodging David from his perch. "Oh yes, truly a visionary leader. Remind me, oh wise one, which of us face-planted after trying to use their shiny new ability?"

"Hey, that was a strategic nap to recharge my genius brain. You wouldn't understand."

Their banter continued as they made their way through the wilderness, the familiar silhouette of the Observatory’s Peak gradually coming into view. David found himself oddly content, despite the constant threat of death and mutation that had become their new normal.

"Claire?" he said, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad you're here. You know, for all of... this." He gestured vaguely with one wing, encompassing their surroundings and the situation as a whole.

Claire was quiet for a moment, and David wondered if he'd made things awkward. But then she spoke, her voice warm with affection. "Me too, bat boy. Although, if you tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it and then sit on you."

David grinned, settling back into his comfortable sprawl. "Wouldn't dream of it. Now, I spy with my little eye..."

"If you say 'stick' or 'rock', I swear I'll throw you into the next tree we pass."

David's eyes suddenly widened as he caught sight of something decidedly not stick-or-rock-like. "Uh, Claire? I spy with my little eye something...person-shaped and potentially problematic."

Claire's stride faltered. "What? Where?"

"About a hundred yards ahead, standing in that small clearing," David whispered, his body tensing. "And before you ask, no, I'm not hallucinating from Miasma exposure."

As Claire's gaze locked onto the figure, David felt a mixture of both suspicion and apprehension wash over him. The creature before them was unmistakably another survivor, but one that had clearly hit the mutagen jackpot.

It resembled a massively oversized ferret or weasel, its body easily the size of a tiger but longer and more sinuous. The creature's fur was a deep sable, though faintly stripes, and David could swear he saw faint electrical discharges crackling between its whiskers.

"Well, that's... different," Claire muttered, her voice low and cautious.

David frowned, suddenly annoyed with his airborne lookouts. "Some surveillance team those empowered Cuddlebugs turned out to be. How did they miss a giant electric weasel?" With a quick mental command, he scattered the cuddlebugs into the surrounding forest, instructing them to keep close but stay hidden and be ready for his signal. Within seconds, they'd dispersed, and without his mental threads connecting them they would have been totally invisible.

As if in answer to his question, David noticed the brush around the creature still swaying slightly. "Hold up," he murmured, "I think it just emerged from cover. Still, it's not exactly being stealthy now."

The ferret-like creature stood fully exposed in the clearing, its posture almost casual. It made no aggressive moves, but neither did it show any signs of fear or submission. If anything, it seemed to be deliberately announcing its presence, stopping just short of waving a giant ‘Hello, fellow survivors!’ sign.

"What do you think?" Claire asked, her muscles tense beneath David. "Friend or foe?"

David considered for a moment, taking in the creature's impressive form and the clear signs of advanced mutations. "Hard to say. But given those obvious mutagens and possible bloodline, I'd vote for 'potential threat' until proven otherwise."

"Agreed," Claire rumbled. "So, what's the play here, bat boy? Diplomatic approach or preemptive Miasma bath?"

David winced at the thought of using Miasma so casually. "Let's hold off on the chemical warfare for now. But maybe get ready to book it if things go south. I don't fancy our odds against Sparky the Wonder Weasel over there if they're being so casual about it. Might be a trap."

Claire snorted softly. "Sparky the Wonder Weasel? Really?"

"Hey, you try coming up with better nicknames on short notice," David retorted, his eyes never leaving the strange figure. "Alright, let's see if we can parley. But if it makes any sudden moves, feel free to introduce it to your tail."

As they cautiously approached, David couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and trepidation. This was the third time he’d encountered a competent survivor out in the wild, Kai and the asshole Owl being the first two. Would they be friendly? Hostile? Completely unhinged from the stress of survival?

"Hello there!" David called out, trying to keep his voice steady and friendly. "Nice day for a stroll through monster-infested wilderness, isn't it?"

The ferret-like creature tilted its head, regarding them with intelligent eyes. For a moment, David wondered if it could even understand them. Then, to his surprise, it spoke, its voice a rapid mix human speech and curious chattering sounds but still recognizable as female.

"Hey," she said, her tone neutral but not unfriendly. "I'd been wondering when I'd run into more people out here. I must say, you two make quite the interesting pair."

David exchanged a quick glance with Claire. This was either going to be the start of a beautiful friendship or the prelude to a very shocking and furry battle. The ferret-woman's bluntness was almost jarring after their careful approach, but he couldn’t honestly say he didn’t appreciate it in it’s own way.

"I'm Azanah," she said, her whiskers twitching. "And I've been following you two for a while now. Spying, if we're being honest."

David's eyes narrowed. "That's...direct. Any particular reason for the stalking?"

Azanah shrugged, a fluid motion that rippled through her elongated body. "Initially? I was planning to steal your Boss kill for the Bloodline. But then I saw whatever that grey mist was in action, and well…discretion seemed the better part of valor."

David felt Claire tense beneath him, and he patted her frill comfortingly with his wing. "So you've killed a Boss before," he said, not quite a question.

"Stole one, killed another with difficulty," Azanah replied. "But watching you two? That was something else. The way you handled that overgrown kangaroo was impressive. You're skilled fighters, and I'd rather not tangle with two people obviously a whole Evolution above me."

David couldn't help but feel a mix of pride and wariness at the compliment. "Thanks, I think. So if you're not here to fight, what do you want?"

She doesn’t realise Claire hasn’t Evolved again yet? I can see that, Claire’s…big. Plus we both have a Bloodline, I can see how she’d make that mistake with the visible mutations we have. How did she know I’m at Sub-Adult, though? Was it a guess, or…has she seen it before? Hrmm.

Azanah's tail swished behind her. "Information, mostly. I couldn't figure out how you were amplifying your abilities. Care to share that little trick?"

David paused, considering his words carefully as he straightened up on Claire’s head a bit. "That's...not something we typically discuss with strangers. Especially ones who've been spying on us."

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Azanah nodded, seemingly unperturbed. "Fair enough. But I also watched you practicing those new abilities. Even saw you Fusing. Whatever that Death Gas is? I want no part of it. But that… other technique? That's something else. Is it a form of ability enhancement?"

David's head spun from the admissions. He glanced down at Claire, who looked equally wary.

"That's a lot of personal information you've gathered," Claire rumbled, her voice low and dangerous.

David nodded in agreement. "Look, Azanah, I appreciate the honesty, but you've got to understand how this looks from our angle. You've been stalking us, planned to steal our kill, and now you're just flat-out asking for our secrets?"

Azanah tilted her head. "I suppose that's fair. But I'm not here to fight. I'm just...curious. I've never seen abilities used quite like that before."

After a moment of tense silence, Azanah spoke again, her tone more serious. "Look, I know this is all very sudden and probably seems suspicious. But I want you to know we're approaching this peacefully."

David raised an eyebrow. "'We'?"

Azanah nodded. "Yes, I'm not alone. There are two others in my pack, but they're waiting at a safe distance. We wanted to prove we're not here to cause trouble."

Before David or Claire could respond, Azanah began drumming her foot on the ground so rapidly it almost sounded like machinery. A few seconds later, two figures appeared on a distant ridge.

David squinted, trying to make out the details. One appeared to be some kind of stocky insect, its exoskeleton glinting in the sunlight. The other was an enormous serpent, its coils easily visible even from this distance. Though difficult to make out from the sheer distance between them, their body language was obviously relaxed, if a bit wary.

"Holy shit," David muttered, his wings twitching nervously.

Claire's muscles tensed beneath him. "Friends of yours, I take it?"

Azanah nodded. "Yes. As you can see, they're too far to intervene if anything were to happen. It's our way of showing we're here in good faith."

David and Claire shared a long look, silently communicating. Finally, David turned back to Azanah. "Alright, we appreciate the gesture. But you understand we're not comfortable sharing sensitive information, especially not out here in the open."

Azanah's ears drooped slightly, but she nodded. "I understand. But perhaps we could meet again? Exchange information, maybe even work together?"

Claire snorted. "You're awfully eager for someone who just admitted to planning to ambush us."

Azanah shrugged. "The world's changed. We need allies, not enemies. And you two... you're different. I’ve never seen anyone manhandle a Boss like that. Ever. Usually, you rotate people in and out – cycle Restoratives to wear them down. If I’m being honest, we almost just turned around and ran as far in the opposite direction as we could, but whatever you know is too valuable not to try and learn. So here I am."

David's mind raced, processing the situation with a clarity that surprised even him. Several realizations hit him in quick succession:

First, Claire hadn't smelled Azanah approaching. Given Claire's uncanny sense of smell, that was deeply unsettling. How had this weasel-woman managed to mask her scent so completely?

Second, even if they declined Azanah's offer, there was no guarantee she wouldn't simply continue following them, hidden and observing. And if she did, her two companions would likely tag along.

Third, they knew next to nothing about the capabilities of this trio. Azanah clearly had some form of bioelectric ability, but its extent was a mystery. The other two were complete wildcards. That serpent looked massive enough to give even Claire a run for her money, and memories of Dallas’ capabilities even at a lower level had left him with a healthy wariness of insectoid mutations.

Then there was Azanah's admission of stealing a Boss kill. David's stomach churned as he considered how that would have likely played out. There were only a few ways to pull that off, and none of them were pretty.

This friendly act, he realized, was likely a calculated move. Tell them about the Wildsoul, or risk being followed home by an undetectable spy and her potentially dangerous companions. Azanah's willingness to confront them suggested she was either the most elusive of the group or the most expendable.

And who’s to say there were only three of them? For all I know, one could be a dedicated summoner with an army at their disposal. Shit, they could have an actual healer for all I know, that’d fuck my strategy right up unless we got them first, which they’d expect anyway.

As these thoughts whirled through his mind, David felt a moment of shock at his own analytical approach. When had he become so... strategic? It was a far cry from his usual impulsive decision-making.

Realizing he needed input, David turned to Claire. "Hey, Azanah? Give us a moment to confer, would you?"

Azanah nodded, taking a few steps back to give them some privacy. She settled into a loose squat, somewhere between actually standing and sitting, though it was hard to tell if she was actually doing either with how liquid her body seemed to be.

David leaned down, speaking softly into Claire's ear. "We might have a problem here. Did you smell her coming at all?"

Claire's eyes widened slightly, and she gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head, clacking her jaws together in sudden frustration.

"That's what I thought," David muttered. "Look, I'm not sure we can risk turning them away. If she can hide from your nose, who knows what else she can do? And those friends of hers look like they could be serious trouble. I’d rather not have to kill three people for trying something stupid, or have anyone back at…" David darted a glance toward where Azanah sat, unsure of how sensitive her hearing was. “Anyone at ‘Home Base’ get hurt over it. Pretty sure she could snatch everyone but Kozlov and just drag them off if she wanted to.”

Claire rumbled softly. "So what are you thinking? We can't exactly invite them back for tea and Wildsoul lessons then."

David sighed, tapping his claws anxiously on Claire’s armor plates. "No, but maybe we can give them enough to satisfy their curiosity without revealing everything. At least that way we can keep an eye on them."

"And if they decide they want more than we're willing to share?" Claire asked, her voice low and dangerous.

David's wings twitched nervously. "Then we hope your tail is as fast as my Miasma. But let's try to avoid that if we can. I'd rather not find out what a melted electric weasel looks like."

Claire snorted softly. "Alright, David. I trust your judgment. But if this goes south, I'm never letting you live it down."

"Fair enough," he replied, straightening up and turning back to Azanah. "Alright, Sparky. We've got a proposition for you..."

David took a deep breath, steeling himself. "Look, Azanah, I'm not going to explain it in detail, I just don’t trust you right now. But I will give you the same advice I got when I first started: Have you ever wondered how, exactly, we heal up so fast?"

Azanah's expression shifted from eager anticipation to anger, then to utter bewilderment. Her whiskers twitched as she processed the question, clearly caught off guard. "I... what?" She hunched her back in a very ferret-like manner, her brow furrowing in concentration.

"Just try manipulating the rate you heal at, when you get a chance," David continued, watching her reaction closely. "You seem like a smart cookie. I bet you'll figure it out pretty quick."

Without a moment's hesitation, Azanah bit down hard on her own front leg, drawing blood. David and Claire both let out shocked exclamations.

Holy shit, that's fucking hardcore. Damn.

Azanah stared intently at the wound, not even twitching a whisker. If she were still human, David was certain there'd be veins bulging in her forehead from the sheer concentration. The seconds ticked by, the air thick with tension. Suddenly, Azanah's eyes widened, a spark of understanding igniting within them. The wound on her leg began to close at an accelerated rate, far faster than normal healing should allow. Her gaze snapped up to David, filled with a mix of wonder and excitement.

"That's... that's incredible!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with awe. Then, without missing a beat, she asked, "Are you available, or are you and Jaws here an item?"

David felt his face heat up, his brain short-circuiting at the sudden change in topic. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Claire, however, had no such problem. "David's kinda dumb," she rumbled, irritation clear in her voice, "but not that dumb. He's not gonna fall for something like that."

David was expending a heroic amount of effort not to visibly blush, instantly kicking thoughts of how 'that' would even work straight into a mental garbage bin.

Nope, not going there. Damn, that was shameless. How rough of a time has she been having it that she’d try something like that? I’m glad Claire has such a high opinion of me at least…

"I, uh... that's not..." David stammered, trying to regain his composure.

Azanah tilted her head, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Can't blame a girl for trying, right? But seriously, this is amazing! How did you figure this out?"

A sudden idea flashed through David's mind, and he decided to take a calculated risk. Keeping his tone casual, he shrugged his wings and said, "Oh, you know how it is. Sometimes you're just chatting about things, and Omega drops these little nuggets of wisdom."

He followed this up with what he hoped was a friendly, disarming smile. On his bat-like features, however, it came out looking like a thinly veiled threat; a wide, fang-filled grin that hinted at answers you’d be happier without knowing.

The effect on Azanah was nearly instant. Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly, and her whiskers froze mid-twitch. The fur along her spine rippled slightly as if a shiver had run through her entire body.

"Uh….Omega?" she asked, her voice carefully neutral but with an undercurrent of disbelief.

As the weight of David's casual statement sank in, Azanah's demeanor shifted. Her eyes darted between David and Claire, searching for any sign of deception. Finding none, thanks to David's unintentionally enigmatic expression, she seemed to reassess the situation. A flicker of uncertainty crossed her features, and she unconsciously lowered her body slightly, making herself appear less imposing. The electrical discharges between her whiskers, which had been a constant subtle presence, fluctuated briefly.

When Azanah spoke again, her voice carried a new note of cautious respect. "As in Overseer Omega?"

She glanced briefly at her distant companions, then back to David and Claire. The cocky assurance she'd displayed earlier had been tempered, replaced by a more measured consideration.

"Maybe," Azanah said slowly, "we should discuss this further at another time. Clearly, there's much more to learn here than I initially thought."

David, maintaining his enigmatic smile, simply nodded. "Oh, you have no idea, Sparky. No idea at all."

Azanah bowed her head slightly, her demeanor now markedly different from her initial bravado. Her previously bold body language had shriveled up like a dead spider, and now she looked like she’d rather be anywhere but where she was. She began to edge slowly toward the dense underbrush she’d emerged from so casually that David would have missed it if not for the fact she was the only moving thing around them.

"Thank you, truly, for your help," she said, her voice tinged with nervous respect. "And I... I sincerely apologize for stalking and spying on you. It was...disrespectful."

David nodded, maintaining his enigmatic smile. "No harm done, Sparky. Just remember, curiosity killed the cat...or in this case, might have fried the ferret. I would also rather have friends than enemies, to tell the truth. No hard feelings this time."

He stressed the last words just a bit, not too forcefully, but getting his point across all the same. The message was clear: ‘No more sneaking around, or I’m going to treat you like a problem and solve it.’

Azanah chuckled weakly, then began backing away. "Right. Well, thank you again. Perhaps we'll meet under better circumstances next time…We’re good right?"

David nodded in response, allowing his ears to flop around a bit more than strictly necessary as he did so. He was acutely aware of his appearance, and knew just how discordant his personality was with it. In this case however, it only added to the uncertainty and would hopefully help deter any more covert actions on their part.

Hopefully they’ll think twice before doing some shit like that again. I don’t mind helping people, shit, I love helping people, but that’s worrying. I’m so used to being the sneaky one that I almost forgot other people can do it too. I need more of the empowered Cuddlebugs, a wider net, get that trait token used…fuck, I got too comfortable again.

She turned and walked steadily back the way she came, her movements deliberately non-threatening. The moment she disappeared from view, however, David's keen hearing picked up a sudden burst of motion. The sound of rapid footfalls, punctuated by quick changes in direction, faded rapidly into the distance.

Not quite as fast as me, but impressive considering she's likely a whole Evolution behind. Built for speed, which probably means she isn’t particularly durable. Mental note: If they try anything, incapacitate her first, or Claire’s going to get hamstrung.

As the sounds of Azanah's retreat faded entirely, Claire let out a long breath. "So," she rumbled, "dropping Omega's name like that. Brilliant improvisation, or are you trying to get us smote for blasphemy?"

David sighed dramatically, melting back into his pancake-like sprawl across Claire's head. "Well, you know what they say. When life gives you lemons, casually mention your chats with the eldritch horror pulling the strings of reality."

Claire snorted, shaking her head gently. "Only you, bat boy. Only you."

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" David grinned. "Besides, Omega would probably be more angry I didn’t maul her to death for her efforts then go hunt down her friends for good measure. Now lets get the hell out of here before they group up and decide what to do."