After what felt like minutes, the larger deer stood on its hind legs as it looked around and noticed that the puppets and the sparrow were laughing at it which made it bow it's head in embarrassment.
The creature not noticing them used his consciousness to summon the panel as it re-appeared.
[Organism: Forest Elk(Mutated)
Characteristics: A Mutated Forest Elk that was blessed with the power of Nature giving it exclusive abilities and full control over the environment around it, it's power also increases its overall strength in forest areas
Skills: Wood Control(Low-Rank), Root Manipulation(Low Rank), Call of the Wild(Locked)]
The creature read though the panel like by line and upon seeing "locked" it was intrigued as it thought to itself "Locked? This is my first seeing such a category does that mean it's something that the Deer has but it is locked as it is still weak?"
The creature thought for a long time but it couldn't understand the reason of this, it tried to summon the panel but it only showed "Not enough power to access" which made it even more confused as this too was a new to it but it decided to ignore them as it looked down at the group.
"Ahem" it wrote on the wall which the sparrow saw and spoke "Guys Master is going to speak everyone please keep quiet" and the entire group that was previously laughing went into pin drop silence even the herd stood still as they didn't want to anger the one who the puppet calls its master.
"I won't be telling much, since today we have expanded and gained allies it's a good idea for all of you to showcase your abilities, under my command you will all fight together at one point so you should let others understand the skills you possess but as you already fought i believe you have information about this so you may take your leave and increase your bond as from now on you are all soldiers under me" it wrote on the wall slowly, making sure every word was clear and easy to read on the rough bark.
The sparrow quickly translated everything in its chirpy voice, repeating the lines with extra energy so no one missed anything. "Master says he won't talk too much today! We got bigger now with new allies, so everyone should show off what you can do. One day we'll all fight side by side under him, so get to know each other's skills. You already battled before, so you know the drill. Now go relax, build your bonds, because from today you're all real soldiers under Master!"
Right after the translation finished, the puppets, the sparrow, and the mutated deer all rushed up to the ground together like they were suddenly pumped with energy. The puppets moved first, their wooden bodies creaking a bit as they scrambled forward in a messy line. Some of them waved their arms excitedly, while others bumped into each other on purpose, turning it into a silly race. The little sparrow fluttered down fast, landing on the soft grass with a tiny hop and chirping loudly to cheer everyone on. The mutated Forest Elk shook off its earlier embarrassment and trotted up with heavy steps, its antlers glowing faintly with that nature power as it joined the group in the open clearing.
The whole scene turned lively quick. The puppets started showing small bits of their abilities without waiting. One puppet raised its hand and made a simple wooden shield pop out from the ground, roots twisting up like a quick defense. Another one punched the air, sending out a weak burst of energy that made leaves rustle around them. They weren't super strong yet, but they moved with coordination, like they remembered fighting together before. The sparrow flew in circles above them, diving down now and then to peck at branches or create small gusts of wind with its wings, showing how it could scout or distract enemies from above. "Look at me! I can spot danger from far away!" it tweeted happily while zooming around.
The mutated deer stood tall in the middle, feeling the forest energy boost its confidence. It lowered its head and focused, making thin vines and roots wiggle out from the dirt around its hooves as a demo of Root Manipulation. Then it tried Wood Control, growing a small bush of leaves right in front of the puppets for cover. The low-rank skills looked basic, but everyone could see the potential — especially in this dense forest where the elk felt stronger. The "Call of the Wild" being locked just made the deer more determined; it stomped the ground once, like promising to get powerful enough to unlock it soon.
As they rushed around and showcased, the group started bonding naturally. The puppets laughed again (quietly this time) when the sparrow accidentally tangled itself in one of the deer's vines. The elk used its power to gently free the bird, which made the sparrow perch on the deer's antler for a second, chirping thanks. The puppets clapped their hands (or what counted as hands) and gathered closer, patting the deer's side or high-fiving each other. Even the normal herd in the background watched from a distance, some of them stepping closer like they wanted to join the soldier vibe but stayed back for now.
The creature watched all this from its spot, feeling a quiet satisfaction. Expanding the group like this wasn't just about power — it was about turning random beasts and puppets into a real team that could trust each other in fights. The puppets already knew some moves from past battles, and sharing that info made everything smoother. The deer, being new, fit in fast because of its nature abilities that could help the whole squad control the battlefield. Bonds like this would make them stronger later when real danger came.
After a while of rushing around, showing skills, and messing about, the energy calmed a bit. The group didn't go far — they just spread out in the clearing, practicing small combos. One puppet teamed with the deer to make a root trap while the sparrow scouted from above. It looked messy at first, with a few slips and laughs, but they were clearly getting used to working as soldiers under one command.
The creature didn't write more for now. It just observed, thinking about the locked skill on the elk and how the whole team would level up together. Today was a good start — expanded numbers, new allies, and everyone rushing to the ground with fresh motivation. From here on, they were all in it as one unit.