They're EVERYWHERE!

156, 387: 2

The group of thirty-ish changelings stopped in a small clearing after the infiltrator and three warriors sent to scout ahead returned with the news that there's some kind of a pony settlement to the north of them. Two infiltrators were sent there again to figure out the details which, while being the basic and indisputably necessary tactic, brought with it its own set of challenges.

"For the last time - BARK IS NOT EDIBLE!" yells 387.

"Mphfufh?"

"We're not wasting energy on hive link communication so stop trying to talk with your mouth full! It. Won't. Work!"

*Gulp!*

"SPIT IT OUT! DON'T SWALLOW IT!" 387 facehoofs, "I swear, if I have to carry around a second concussed drone I'm going to make sure it's you!"

47989 acknowledges being mentioned by giving the back of 387's neck a hug and licking his ear.

"And you stop slobbering all over my carapace. If you don't get better by the time we find a stream or a slow river, I'm walking into it with you still on my back."

"You know, you could try to reason with them instead of being all snarky," 156 is sitting cross-legged in the center of the clearing, eyes closed.

"No. You ordered me to carry this waste of holes but I'm drawing the line at being nice."

"Kinda amazing that they have the energy to screw around, anyway. They've been lugging the cocooned ponies we captured in Riverside all this time," 156 looks around at the drones busy with crawling on trees, examining the foliage, and generally bumping into each other while trying to figure out what the non-rock-dirt-and-hole things surrounding them are for.

"Meh, drones. They dig and carry stuff, that's pretty much effortless for their natural forms just like punching stuff is for us warriors and being tall, smug, and snooty noodles is for you infiltrators."

"There's way more to us than what you just described. Also, if you said anything even remotely similar back in the hive, you'd be kissing the crusher right now."

"If the queen got a wind of you not immediately killing off a drone that stopped being useful, you'd be there before me and I'd be laughing until my lungs were gone."

"I have half a mind to teach you some respect right here and now."

"No, you only have half a mind if you think you'd be able to."

"Oh? Does someone want to give the high score a shot?"

"Warrior high score is 3 so no, thanks," 387 rolls his eyes, "And double no, this isn't just a hole measuring contest, 156, it's a fact. If we both were full on love, I'd happily accept you could crumple me into a ball and dribble me around. As things stand, though, you don't have the love for all your fancy infiltrator enhancements and tricks and I have a warrior's natural body, so take a note from 36658 and go eat a chunk of bark."

"Does that mean I can have more?" the mentioned drone's eyes light up.

"NO, YOU CAN'T! What species are you?!"

"But I like how crunchy it is..."

"Look at 47989! Look at iiiit! It still can't blink with both eyes at the same time. This is your fault!"

47989 dazedly waves at 36658 to show there are no hard feelings.

"See? No biggie," 36658 smiles.

"Is that so? Then it can walk on its own from now on."

"Nope, that was a punishment for offering to quietly kill it and make it look like an accident," 156 butts in with a smirk, "Oh my, I guess the secret is out."