The world from Jade's perspective shifted from the swaying motion of being carried to the rough texture of woven fibers and the enclosed scent of the goblin's pouch. It was a temporary space before the goblin child, its excitement still palpable, carefully removed the Adult unit and placed it gently onto a surface of packed earth within a cluster of crude, low structures. The sounds here were different – more guttural calls, the scraping of tools, the rhythmic thudding of unseen tasks. This was the goblin village.
The goblin child, whom Swarmaster began to identify in his awareness simply as [Caretaker], showed an immediate, possessive interest in Jade. It returned frequently, not just to initiate bug fights (though there were more of those, much to the delight of other goblin children), but to simply observe, poke gently, and offer… food.
The offerings were varied, reflecting the goblin diet and scavenging habits: pieces of root, scavenged fungi, the remains of insects, and small, grey chunks that carried the distinct, transformative signature of having been near fire. Cooked food.
Swarmaster directed Jade to consume these offerings. The raw materials provided substance, but the cooked food… the effect was immediate and profound. Consuming even a small piece resulted in a surge of vital substance far exceeding that gained from raw biomass of similar perceived volume. It was a discovery of immense significance. Cooked food was a potent, highly efficient energy source.
Cooked… High Biomass Yield… Efficient.
Swarmaster ensured Jade eagerly consumed the cooked offerings, reinforcing the Caretaker’s behavior. Meanwhile, another intriguing development occurred. After one of the subsequent beetle fights, where Jade again triumphed using its curl-up strategy, the Caretaker and other goblin children observed something new: Jade laid a small cluster of eggs, affixing them to a piece of bark in its impromptu enclosure.
The eggs, a capability inherent to the Adult form as Swarmaster knew, sparked intense interest among the children. Their guttural calls became more excited as they examined the cluster. Soon, other children who had seen Jade fight, their faces smudged with dirt and simple curiosity, began approaching the Caretaker, offering small treasures – smooth stones, bright fungi, interesting beetle shells – in exchange for a single egg. The Adult form's egg-laying ability had become a form of currency in the children's world, fueling a desire to raise their own champions. Swarmaster allowed Jade to lay eggs, facilitating this exchange, seeing it as a way to spread his potential influence, however small, throughout the next generation of the tribe.
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As the days passed, the Caretaker’s fascination settled into a routine of care and companionship. The child would often pick up Jade, not for a fight, but simply to hold it, or to place it carefully on their shoulder. Riding on the Caretaker’s shoulder offered Swarmaster an unparalleled vantage point within the village. The map in his mind expanded, resolving the crude structures into burrows, simple shelters made of mud and sticks, communal areas around crackling fires.
From this elevated perspective, he observed the daily life of the goblins. Adults moved with purpose – some returning with bundles of roots or slain rodents, others working rudimentary tools on wood or hide. Children played games, chased each other, or gathered around the beetle fights. There were interactions – simple gestures of communication, the sharing of food (even if just scraps), moments that suggested care, even affection, within their rough existence. They weren't just mindless, bloodthirsty monsters from a fantasy trope. They had routine, simple tasks, rudimentary social bonds.
Not bloodthirsty… Not just monsters… Closer to… primitive people…
The realization was subtle but profound, challenging the ingrained categorization from his past life knowledge. These goblins weren't just targets to be avoided or conquered; they were a society, however simple, living their lives. They cared for their young, they worked together in their basic way, they found joy in simple things like bug fights. The Caretaker’s gentle handling and consistent feeding spoke not of malice, but of a form of primitive companionship or ownership.
Through Jade, perched on a goblin child's shoulder, Swarmaster was observing something far more complex than just a new species to categorize. He was witnessing a rudimentary society from within, gaining insight that went beyond strategic threats and biomass potential. He was learning their rhythm, their priorities, their surprising semblance to the concept of 'people', however alien their form. The possibilities for interaction, for influence, felt far more intricate than simple symbiosis with a wild animal. He was embedded, observing, and the strategic landscape of his world had just gained a new, fascinating dimension.
