After a frantic escape from an uncharted cave somewhere in the region—and the discovery of something precious—the group of five settled down to camp for the night.
Among them, a medium-sized, fluffy humanoid male known as a Flufftar sat restlessly. His four ears twitched as he turned his four-armed frame toward his human leader.
"Boss, c'mon," the Flufftar pleaded. "Let us take a peek again!"
The human, a man of average build but jagged temperament, gestured sharply over his right shoulder with his mechanical hook arm.
"NO, YOU IDIOTS!" he barked. "Do you have any idea what we just found?"
He paced the campsite, his eyes wide and manic. "This is my—I mean our key to success in the big boss's batch! This isn't just some shiny toy you can just glue your eyes to. It's something the big batcher himself, Dezcrin, needs to see. NOT YOU LAZY CRAWLS!"
The Flufftar returned to his tasks with a shallow sigh, his shoulders slumped.
Then there was the Vescrin: a spindly, towering humanoid clad in an exoskeleton of woven chitin and deep-red flesh. From the center of his half-plated skull, a lone crystal eye shimmered with curiosity as he leaned over the group to get a better view.
"But boss…" the Vescrin hissed softly. "Can't we have just a teeny, tiny, itty-bitty look?"
The leader didn't hesitate. His mechanical hook snagged a ridge of chitin at the Vescrin's collar and yanked the towering creature down with a violent jerk, forcing him to eye level.
"NO, YOU—CANNON-FODDERING IDIOT!"
He released him with a shove. The absurdly tall Vescrin stumbled, spindly limbs flailing for a moment as he struggled to regain his balance. He eventually steadied himself, let out a huff, and went silent.
The leader ignored him, his gaze shifting as he pointed a trembling finger toward the last two remaining members of the group.
His slaves.