The Creature, unable to comprehend the sparrow's rapid chirps and calls, signaled the puppet with a thick, fleshy appendage to act as an interpreter. The puppet shifted its form and began to speak in an unnatural, rasping tone. The sparrow responded in kind, its voice quick and sharp.
Following the exchange, the puppet turned to the Creature and relayed the information. The Creature listened but found itself unable to agree with the interpretation. After a moment of deep thought, it summoned a blue panel, utilizing its growing understanding of the system. With two flexible flesh tubes, it pressed what the natives referred to as a "keyboard." Its awakened consciousness had bestowed upon it more than mere intelligence; it had granted advanced cognitive abilities, familiarity with common instruments worldwide, and fluency in numerous languages.
As the Creature completed its typing and pressed the enter key, both the puppet and the sparrow observed its unusual movements with evident confusion. The Creature disregarded their reactions. A new screen immediately materialized before it.
[Current energy of host is insufficient. Does the user wish to sell items in exchange for the ability?]
The Creature pondered for a moment before assenting. A fresh panel appeared.
[Select the items for exchange:]
It selected the remaining incomplete heart, the feral rat skull, the feral spine, and the bones. Immediately after the selection, another panel emerged.
[Processing the items, please wait...]
The chosen items vanished in a silent ripple. Energy surged through the Creature's body, instantly escalating from zero to sixty. Concurrently, another panel appeared.
[Sufficient Energy Detected for Exchange. Exchange 50 Energy for "Beast Origin Language"?]
The Creature accepted without hesitation. A powerful torrent of information flooded its system, encompassing the languages of all beast races—their tones, meanings, and subtle calls. This overwhelming influx caused the Creature to squirm violently. Vibrations spread throughout the cave, shaking the walls and floor. Both the sparrow and the puppet directed their attention to the sudden commotion, alert and watchful.
Accustomed to such painful surges, the Creature swiftly extended one of its tubes upward, halting the restless movements of the cave's fleshy walls and floor.
"Master, are you okay? What happened?" a voice inquired. The Creature recognized it as the puppet's.
Since it lacked the ability to vocalize, the Creature utilized the fleshy surface of a nearby wall as a writing board. It formed clear words with controlled pulses of its mass: "I am fine. Tell me what the beast said."
The puppet exhibited momentary shock but quickly nodded and spoke.
"Master, this beast was ostracized by its group. It was stronger and more intelligent than the supposed heirs, so they removed it prematurely. Otherwise, it would have ascended to the leadership position after the old leader's demise."
The Creature listened attentively, feeling a faint wave of pity stir within. It wrote again on the wall: "I see. That means this fellow has significant potential? Do you wish to join me? The puppet will teach you the basics, and all I require is your assistance with its speed and intelligence from the air."
The sparrow read the glowing words on the wall and considered them for an extended period. Finally, it nodded in agreement but spoke once more to the puppet, who translated the response.
"Master, it agrees, but it has a condition. If one day it grows strong enough, it wishes to leave the cave and return to its group to compete for the leadership position."
The Creature acknowledged the condition and wrote: "That's fine. It's good to have goals for the future, but remember—now that you are part of us, any mistake can cost you your life and also ours."
The sparrow nodded solemnly. The cage of flesh around it opened with a wet, shifting sound, allowing the bird to fly freely once more.
Upon gaining its freedom, the sparrow moved swiftly. It darted and soared between the cave walls, stretching its feathers with evident relief and energy. Observing this, the puppet inquired, "Master, since this beast has become a part of us, shall I take it with me to hunt?"
The Creature nodded with one of its tubes. The puppet immediately rushed out of the tunnels. The sparrow followed closely behind, eager to contribute to the cave and prove its worth to the growing group.
The Creature remained at the center of its fleshy domain, feeling the fresh knowledge settle deeply within its mind. The addition of the sparrow introduced new possibilities—swift movement from above, sharp eyes capable of aerial observation, and a mind familiar with the ways of beasts. Yet, the Creature also understood the inherent risk. Every new servant carried the potential for betrayal or weakness. For now, it allowed the pair to depart and hunt together.
Quiet satisfaction mingled with the Creature's ever-present hunger. The cave no longer felt entirely empty, but the need to grow stronger, to expand further, continued to pulse steadily through every inch of its sprawling flesh.