David emerged from the tent, his face split in a wide grin, only to find Claire engaged in what appeared to be an animated conversation with the tortoise. Both of them turned to look at him, their expressions a mix of curiosity and amusement.

Suddenly, David realized he hadn't heard a peep of their chat from inside the silken structure.

His expression morphed into one of comical surprise, ears twitching as he tried to catch even a whisper of their conversation. Without a word, he began to waddle backwards, his wings flapping awkwardly as he tried to maintain balance. It was a far more challenging maneuver than it had any right to be, and he knew he looked utterly ridiculous in the process. His claws scrabbled against the uneven shell, making a rather undignified sound.

Inside the tent, Esmeralda paused mid-spin of another coded silk cord, her compound eyes fixed on the spectacle unfolding before her. The iridescent threads hung suspended from her mandibles, swaying gently in the still air of the tent.

David, now firmly back inside, began poking his head in and out of the tent flap repeatedly, testing the sound dampening properties. His ears twitched with each pass, registering the dramatic difference in ambient noise. The sudden transitions from the muffled interior to the cacophony of swamp sounds outside were jarring, like flipping a switch between two entirely different worlds.

He paid no attention to Esmeralda, who seemed utterly flummoxed by his behavior, her amusement growing with each bob of his head. Her tiny legs twitched in barely contained laughter, and her bristly spines quivering with each of David's passes through the tent flap.

After about a minute of this bizarre dance, David turned to Esmeralda, his face split in a massive, goofy grin. His fangs glinted in the bioluminescent light, giving him the appearance of a very pleased predator. "That's cool how your webbing absorbs noises!" he blurted out, noticing the slight echo of his voice in the confined space for the first time.

Esmeralda's legs twitched in surprise, but before she could respond, David continued, his words tumbling out in excited bursts. "I bet you can hear everything super well when the flap is open. I just realized it's shaped all wonky like this to funnel sound. That's smart."

"It's... so anything said in my office can't be heard outside," Esmeralda replied, her tone cautious. Her compound eyes flickered between David and the tent flap, as if reassessing her creation.

David wasn't buying it.

His experiences with echolocation had given him a keen understanding of sound dynamics. He strongly suspected there was more to it – just like everything else he'd encountered so far, it was likely another carefully crafted piece of plausible deniability, designed to collect even the most minute scraps of potentially useful information.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, studying the intricate weave of the silk. The way the strands intersected, the slight curvature of the tent's walls – it all spoke of a design far more sophisticated than he'd realised.

Shaking his head in disbelief, David chuckled. He gave Esmeralda a jaunty wing wave, the membrane stretching wide in a dramatic flourish. Then, puffing out his chest like a rooster, he swaggered back out of the tent for real this time.

As he emerged, blinking in the brighter light outside, David suddenly realized everyone had been watching his head-bobbing performance. The assembled scouts wore expressions ranging from bewilderment to barely contained mirth. Tom's long neck was twisted into an improbable knot as he tried to follow David's antics, while Lucas looked like he was about to burst from holding in his laughter.

Almost everyone was giving him weird looks, except for Claire, who seemed to have tuned out his antics as background noise by now. Her massive form remained impassive, but there was a glint of fond exasperation in her eyes.

"The tent muffles sound so well I couldn't actually hear you talking!" David called out to Claire, his voice carrying across the clearing. A few nearby stingtail dragonflys took flight, startled by the sudden outburst. "Had to test it out."

Claire shook her massive head, scales glinting in the dappled sunlight filtering through the swamp canopy. She seemed to understand why something like that would pique David's interest, her low rumble carrying a note of amusement. "Of course you did."

"Did it go well?" she asked, changing the subject with reptilian directness.

David's grin widened, stretching to truly monstrous proportions. "I think I got a good deal," he replied, then suddenly snapped his head around to Tom and Lucas. The movement was so quick it looked almost unnatural, his bat-like features accentuating the eerie effect.

Tom visibly gulped, the lump in his throat rolling all the way down his comically long neck like a ball through a hose. Lucas just flapped his wings in amusement, stirring up small eddies in the misty air.

"You guys had me nervous about meeting your boss," David called out, his voice dripping with mock accusation. "All that 'don't get distracted by her looks' business. She wasn't even that bad!"

Tom looked like he was about to say something, his beak opening and closing silently, but Lucas and some of the other scouts burst out laughing. Their various calls and cackles created a bizarre chorus that echoed through the swamp.

"We like to play her up a bit," Lucas admitted between chuckles. "She's a damn good boss, even if she gets a bit freaky about her new business model sometimes."

One of the other scouts, a creature that looked like a cross between a raccoon and a flying squirrel, chimed in, its bushy tail twitching excitedly. "You should've seen her at the party two weeks ago when we found a safe spot to take a break!"

Claire's interest was piqued, her massive head swinging around to face the scout. "Oh, did something happen?" The idea of their mysterious boss cutting loose seemed to fascinate the enormous woman.

The tortoise snickered, its long neck bobbing like a bizarre metronome. "She spun herself a top and then pretended to be drunk and take it off." Its voice was surprisingly deep and resonant, at odds with its placid appearance.

David barked out a laugh at the mental image, which clashed spectacularly with his impression of the businesslike Esmeralda. The idea of the tiny worm pretending to… His laughter echoed across the clearing, joining the chorus of laughter from the scouts.

Claire's jaws gaped in reptilian amusement, her massive teeth glinting in the swampy light. "Now that I'd pay to see," she rumbled, her voice tinged with mirth.

"Budge up," Claire said to David, who scuttled out of the way, his claws leaving small furrows in the damp earth as he hopped down.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

She lumbered forward, each step sending small tremors through the ground, and unceremoniously shoved her massive head through the tent flap. The silken structure stretched alarmingly, barely accommodating her enormous noggin. From outside, it looked like the tent was trying to swallow Claire whole, only to find her too big to fit.

David stared for a moment, his eyes wide with disbelief, before dissolving into uncontrollable snickers. The sight of Claire's enormous head disappearing into the relatively tiny tent was like something out of a cartoon.

The tortoise angled its neck around Claire's bulk to eye David curiously, its ancient face a mask of bemusement. "What's so funny now?" it asked, its voice rumbling like distant thunder.

David, still giggling, managed to gasp out between fits of laughter, "What if she sneezes?"

The tortoise's eyes widened slowly, growing to the size of dinner plates as horror dawned on its features. "Oh no," it muttered, its voice a mix of dread and reluctant amusement. "That would be... messy."

David's laughter redoubled at the tortoise's reaction, and soon the clearing was filled with the bizarre sound of a bat-monster cackling madly while a giant tortoise looked on.

Calming slightly and feeling much better, David eyed Claire's armored bulk protruding from the tent like some bizarre prop in a B-movie. "So, was Claire invited for a chat too, or is Esmeralda having an impromptu Dino-Land moment in there?"

The tortoise's eyes twinkled. "She always intended to speak with both of you. But she wanted to chat with you first."

David scratched his head, a sudden realization dawning. Had Esmeralda read them that quickly? Enough to peg him as the weak link? The memory of info-dumping about Wildsoul use made him cringe internally.

They'd have figured it out anyway, he rationalized. But deep down, he knew the truth – he just liked helping people. It was something he hadn't really done since the telescope incident that let Omega sink its claws in.

David sighed, wishing things weren't so damn complicated all the time. He missed the simplicity of pitching in on a hunt or lending a hand around camp.

The vacation can't come soon enough. Now that we know the caravan is mostly legit, all that’s left is hitting Riverport and catching up with the others.

Maybe they'd find a nice spot to watch Wave 2 kick off. Assuming nothing fucky happened alongside it. A weird feeling niggled at him with that thought, but he shoved it aside.

Taking in the scene, David watched the scouts' idle chatter.

It’s kind of nice, having people around. You know, when nobody needs saving and the world isn't ending. Again.

He settled in to wait, mind drifting between naming his top Cuddlebug and pondering monster R&R.

Beach volleyball with giant crabs? Extreme sunbathing with lava critters? The possibilities are endless.

Eventually, Claire carefully extracted her head, leaving the tent slightly misshapen. She stood tall, working out the kinks from her awkward position. Her tail wriggled dangerously as she stretched, and David tensed, ready to dodge if needed.

Claire let out a rattling sigh and slumped a bit. She cocked her head towards David. "I kinda like Esmeralda," she rumbled, "but that woman's too clever by half."

David agreed, fluttering up to his usual perch. "Yeah, she's a sharp cookie alright." He muttered quietly, "Can't shake the feeling she's up to something though. Even if her 'employees' seem normal enough."

Claire nodded subtly and shifted away from the tortoise. "Well, it's been lovely," she announced, "but we've got places to be."

David felt a wave of relief she'd chosen to take charge for the moment. The company had been nice, but he was eager to get back to familiar ground. Tom and Lucas nodded deeply, while a few furrier scouts waved and called out an assortment of farewells– One man even thanking them for shopping at Wandering Wares.

Without fanfare, Claire stomped off, David in tow. As they left the caravan behind, he felt a mix of emotions. Part of him was sad to leave the brief normalcy, but excitement for what lay ahead won out.

"So," David chirped, leaning towards Claire's ear, "what'd you and Esmeralda gab about? Any juicy gossip or world-ending revelations?"

Claire snorted, warm air ruffling David's fur. "Nothing earth-shattering. Mostly I wanted to know where they were heading, other than Riverport. If they had any enemies that might be trailing along behind them. Where they came from. You know, the usual."

David chuckled, settling in. "Ah yes, the eternal questions. ‘Nice to meet you guys, any homicidal cultists following you around lately? Crazies? Insane Quests?'"

As they journeyed on, David's mind wandered back to the encounter. It had been... nice, in a way. A glimpse of what life could be if they weren't constantly firefighting. But there was still work to do, mysteries to crack, and a whole lot of weird world to explore.

"Hey Claire," David said after a while, his tone sobering, "you ever wonder what we'll do when all this is over? If it ever is, I mean."

Claire was quiet for a long moment, her steady stomping the only sound besides the swamp's ambient noise. Finally, she spoke, her voice a low rumble. "I try not to think about it much. But... guess I'd like a nice, big mountain to call home. Somewhere with a view, you know?"

David nodded, a small smile playing wrinkling his snout. "Yeah, that sounds nice. Maybe I'll build a little bat cave nearby. We could be neighbors."

As they pressed on towards Riverport and whatever awaited them there, David couldn't shake the feeling that their brief caravan encounter was just the calm before yet another shitstorm. But for now, he was content to enjoy the moment, perched atop his friend, heading towards the known for once.

Time passed as David shifted on Claire's back, his wings rustling as he got more comfortable. "So, about that 'large scale foraging' info I got from Esmeralda," he began, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Turns out, it's a real 'mammoth' undertaking for a lizard your size. Get it? Mammoth? Because you're... you know what, never mind."

Claire barked out a laugh, more at the terrible pun than its content. "That was awful, even by your standards. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Never," David grinned. "Anyway, apparently for a something your size, you'd need to be constantly on the move. We're talking about covering a lot of distance, following herds of smaller creatures when you can, and basically eating everything in sight."

Claire hummed thoughtfully. "Makes sense. But what about when we settle somewhere?"

David scratched his head. "Well, that's where it gets tricky. You'd need a massive area to sustain you. We're talking about clearing out entire forests, munching the local wildlife populations. It's not exactly sustainable in one spot."

"So, I'm doomed to wander around in circles forever?" Claire asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Not necessarily," David replied. "Esmeralda mentioned some theories about energy conservation. Apparently, some larger people have found ways to enter a sort of hibernation state when food is scarce. It's not perfect, but it could help."

Claire nodded, her massive head bobbing.

As they continued their trek, David and Claire traded information, their voices a constant back-and-forth that filled the swampy air.

"Oh!" David exclaimed suddenly. "The maps! You wouldn't believe how detailed they are. It's like they've got scouts mapping out everything for hundreds of miles."

Claire's interest was piqued. "Really? Did you notice anything strange about their route?"

David paused, thinking back. "Now that you mention it, yeah. They seem to be moving in a pretty straight line. It's weird, considering all the obstacles they must be facing. Maybe I'll leave the Cuddlebugs lurking around until after dark. Might learn something they kept under wraps."

"Hmm, good idea," Claire mused. "Maybe they're following some kind of signal? Or they're trying to stay ahead of something?"

David's ears perked up. "Ooh, good thinking. Or maybe they're on some kind of quest? Though Esmeralda didn't strike me as the Questing type."

"Could be they're looking for something specific," Claire suggested. "Something rare or someone with a particular ability."

Their theories bounced back and forth as they made their way through the swamp, each idea more outlandish than the last. From secret underground bunkers to alien artifacts, no possibility was too bizarre to consider in their post-Integration world.

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, painting the swamp in hues of orange and purple, David found himself grateful for this moment of normalcy. Just two friends, chatting and laughing, trying to make sense of their crazy situation.

"You know," David said, a note of contentment in his voice, "as weird as things are, I'm glad we can still bullshit like this."

Claire rumbled in agreement. "Me too, David. Me too…you could cool it with the quips a bit though."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about about. I'm the very model of seriousness.”

With Riverport looming on the horizon and the promise of reunions and new adventures ahead, David and Claire pressed on. The caravan encounter had given them plenty to think about, but for now, they were just happy to be on the move, two mismatched friends against the world.

As they disappeared into the gathering twilight, the swamp settled into its nightly rhythm, unaware of the changes soon to come.