As Adam successfully directed Troy, they reached a straight out of the smaller tree circle, which they had started from. The wood and leaves had strongly obscured their view, hiding their true elevation. With their current height, that Adam could discern, using the plains below, it made much more sense, in how long it had taken to reach their height.

“Long way down”, Troy said, a small whistle accompanying it. How insightful of him, to state such observations. The AI had truly been unsure if they were standing on an anthill or a true hill… Sarcasm really did not fit his core values. Yet, saying such things, while meaning the direct opposite felt much better than it should have.

'Yes, it is. This has a high probability, of being the actual reason, concerning Dr Fidelis’ warnings. While such a fall may have looked dangerous, it is entirely un-lethal.`, Adam sent back, adding some more worthy observation to the original. It wouldn't be good if nothing was gained from a conversation between them. If not, the AI would have been forced to reclassify the words exchanged between them to a much lower priority, right beside the need for eternal gratification, and the study of cellular mechanics. A surprisingly long way down on his list, seeing as they were not in the top fifty.

While it wouldn't seem like it, Adam did have a lot to do, in a near-constant process. With the help of these newly-introduced extra thoughts, he was able to do so much more of his work, without ever having to slow down on his task relating to the test. Earlier, it had been harder, than it should have, having near-constant non-semantic threads, entirely compromised of unrelated subjects. It had not done well, in keeping up the needed efficiency. If not for his natural thought-speed, the humans might even have commented about it. But, lucky, or unlucky, depending on how one thought of it, their reaction speed was that of an axolotl. When compared to the general speed of the AI, in the very least. And, not the actual animal. Such a fine creature had actual, valid excuses, for its slowness, having no need for quick reflexes. Well, in earlier times, they might have had a need for such things. Yet, nowadays, according to his pre-known information, they were purely in captivity, with few ever having a need to hunt. Their feeding-motions simply never get triggered, leaving a near-to-no need for them to ever train their reflexes through sheer use. Going over to the supposed apex predator, of the entire world, only a few ever trained their reflexes up the level, that they had the potential for.

And, seeing as their genes were not a battle of the strongest, this quickness of reflexes would likely slow, as the years would come by. Nearly no records, of any kind, had been broken, in the last decade. Many had tried to push the barrier of human limits, yet nearly all failed. Some would likely think, that it was simply a soft barrier, which was stopping them. Only the right person to push it needed to be born. Adam thought the opposite. The greatest, strongest, fastest, and quickest people, who would ever be born, had already lived. When they could, they had already had their records written down. Without extreme amounts of genetic manipulation, and more than a few enhancements further down one’s lifespan, he did not think, the current records had any chance to be broken. The deadlifts? The greatest feat, in the last ten years, had been to pull one more kilogram. And, that had been the same guy. Runners? Only seconds had been pulled off their records, and such breaks could have been explained, as the wind being favourable. Even the reflexes of the world's most honed trainees were at their hard limits. One could only move so quickly, as their nerves allowed. The difference was in milliseconds, but they had never wavered in their limits.

As a great example, for why multiple thoughts were a great way to think, Adam had been able to criticize humans in general, while keeping up a conversation with Troy. It had not been the most complex of conversation, yet it had been one, which required a more nuanced focus.

“So”, Troy started it up with, sounding ready to move further. Only… he didn't. “Where are these birds, which we were so focused on? I mean, I completely agree, that we were walking towards them five seconds ago. But, now, I can't really hear anything, other than that annoying wind. No wing-flapping either, so we have not scared them away. Altogether, this means that I’ll put this one over to the only expert on hearing stuff, that I know. Adam, what do your elf ears hear?”

A more theatrical method of going around the problem had been taken. It didn't inconvenience the AI in any particular way, so he let the critique of doing so slide by the created message. Instead, he partly put his mind on, hearing any of the so-called feathery creatures, which were supposed to be close to their current location. Only in special moments of the day should these birds be silent. Either during hunting, endurance flying, or hiding from larger, predatory birds were silenced flying creatures a regular experience.

Yet, no creature could truly be quiet. It was a logical impossibility, when one had the biological body, which nearly all creatures shared. Nearly everything about its passive functions made some level of noise.

The most obvious, and loudest, bodily function, which nearly all mammals, at least, possess, is the heart. Well-known, for it ability to keep the body alive, by sending copious amount of life-blood trough it, it is one of the organs, which never stops for any reason, other than very good ones. When it comes to anything over the size of fifteen centimeters tall, this heart requires a certain size, for it to be able to process such large amounts constantly. This coutnial beating is, as the word 'beating' suggests, very intensive, taking up both a lot of energy, and a lot of space. Altogether, with its large size, and the constant presence of its beating, it makes for ample grounds for a deep bass being emitted out of the body. Sound moves in waves and biological flesh are not the greatest of insulators. While it is normally harder than to worry about hearing this beating, when it's in higher use after, say, a run for your survival, or in preparation for such an event, it is more clear to hear. One only needs to focus to hone in on such things.

Normally, the tones would be too filtered, for a human to hear. Background noises, matching nearly synchronous with such sounds, hampered most attempts. Adam, though, had the unique capability of throwing most of the input of the away, in favour of only processing the need tones. While it was fainter, fainter than what he would have enjoyed working with, the AI was able to hear something, along the lines of heartbeats. Several in fact, which shouldn't have been too surprising. Some were slightly milder in the beats, leading him to believe, that some were sick. An interesting detail to add, but the AI wasn't one to criticise overly detailed simulation when they benefited him. These creatures flew in packs. It made sense for them to hide in the same manners.

Using the regular method, of using both ears to determine location, and likely distance, Adam was able to get an rough outline, of where there animals were supposed to be. While it wasn't too accurate, more data would allow him to discern their placements even more. And, it wasn't as if, he needs it, down to the millimeter. A rough perspective was more than enough, for him to start his movements.

'Following the standards of older clocks, their location is three o’clock. Walk a few meters forward, once you have turned the appropriate amount, and they should be in one of the nearer trees. If the leaves aren't too thick, in the lower ends, we should be able to see them.`, Adam instructed, with a small description added at the end.

One thing, which had been slightly hampering in the surveying, had been the thickness of the wildlife. While the grass wasn't too tall, any plant had likely never had cut off as much as a single branch. No system was put in for, where they were growing, having gotten them a harder timer, in first getting out of the near-solid wall of leaves. If only the branches had begun growing at the higher levels, instead of staying near the trunk. It was hard, in keeping their location straight, with so much obscuring their sights. Yet, Adam had been slightly forced to dedicate a smaller part of his mind to that project. Seeing as Dr Fidelis had repeated himself several times, when talking about successfully going back to the starting point, he felt the need to keep some amount of track on it.

Troy wasn't too slow, in following the request, moving the same second, that Adam had stopped talking. The only delay, which had occurred, had been due to the larger forestation efforts by nature around them. Some of the smaller bushes may not have had an larger dent in pure height, but their sheer density made them hard to traverse trough. Troy had been forced, several times, to simply force his legs trough the outgrowth. It had not been painful, as much as causing much energy to be expended. While Adam knew, that the had eated not long ago, creating such high levels of force, troguhout a period of four hours, would not equal a linear output. At some point, his body would likely be out of sugar, and he would be forced to switch to more… short-term methods of encouragement.

“Okay. Should be in position now,” Troy said, squinting his eyes slightly, as he surveyed the treetops before him. “Can't see a damn thing, which are what we’re looking for.”

While he might not have been able to do so, Adam was more than just successful. He had been proved partly wrong, in what the source of the bird-screeches had been. Like the test, he had thought it would be corvids, in a larger group. It did turn out to be corvids, as he had so hoped for, due to their intelligence. But, instead of being in a larger group, which he had been accustomed to, there were only two fully-grown birds to see. They stared down at Troy, not letting their existence be anything other than physical. None of the normal sounds came from them. With how close they were to the two birds, Adam wasn't able to hear their breaths, making him suspect they were holding them. Those two birds were determined, in not letting their presence be konwn to Troy.

And, a large nest. Also that.

'Please see, if you are able to get a better look, at the inside of the nest. From our current position, we are unable to see the status of the potential inhabitants.`, Adam sent, with the hoped of seeing the younger birds. He hadn't been able to see such a young creature before, so the next minute or two would certainly be informative.

Adam knew, of course, that there were nestlings present within the shamble of sticks, leaves, and whatever else materials that the adults have been able to procure. Not more than thirty seconds ago, the weaker pulses, which these offspring emitted had been mistakenly thought of, as a weaker, or plain old sick adult. Now, he finally had the information, to know the difference. The changes weren't too large, other than the volume, that the pulses of sound were sent with. Though, by how it refracted of the skin, Adam was able to tell how… undeveloped their bodies were. Right now, they couldn't have been much more than skin and bones. The anticipation of getting to see these strangely thin creatures only became greater and greater. Adam almost regretted spending so much time, focussing on his thoughts, instead of letting the reality around him play out. But, that was what he got, having all the time he needed to think, in the times, where it actually counted.

“I don't know if I cant get a position much than this, while we’re on the ground. If you really want to see the nest in full, I will probably need to climb the tree. Got anything against doing that? Because, I honestly can't see anything other than that, which will help see it better. Well, maybe if we had a ladder, we would, but I don't think Dr Fidelis would willingly spawn such a thing in, for us,” Troy said, being overly analytical in his words. He had likely done something similar to the current situation in the past, Adam surmised. There weren't many other reasons for them to be able to form a strategy, about the situation so quickly.

Adam didn't spend much time, trying to figure out a real-world scenario, where Troy would have been forced to climb a tree, for the purpose of better surveying capabilities. The man had most likely lived in a city his entire life. Any other trees, bigger than household plants, were likely purely seen on electronic devices. Maybe, a climbing hobby could have defaulted his mind into such a perspective on problem solving? Again, the AI didn't spend too much time on it, being radically in favour of getting on with the bird-watching.

'Sounds like the best alternative to giving up. Remember. While risky positions at higher altitudes will not cause lethal damage, they can still be dangerous. Small hits add up, and your body will not be able to function normally, with enough of them piled on.`, Adam sent in response.

Bodily damage was still a factor, which needed to be taken into account. This testing was not an sprint. It was an normal marathon. One had to keep a workable pace, or they would destroy themselves to quickly. Falling over from exhaustion was always okay, as long as one had gone over the finish line. Before, though… Adam would do his utmost, in preventing such a thing from happening to Troy.

“I'm taking that as a yes. Shame I don't have the right shoes for this stuff,” Troy said, the last part added as a mutter. Instead of choosing the same tree, as the one, where the nest was located, the man had intelligently decided to climb the tree nearest to it. With the incredibly small distance, between the two trees, the green foliage wouldn't obscure it, allowing them to watch it from a safe distance. It would do no good, if their first interaction with any animal had been two, adult birds, who felt their children threathend. His pre-known information had included several warning about such attacks, to even include a summary of a man losing his eye, while getting too close to a couple of nests. Loss of eye-sight would be saved for later, thank you.

For now, Adam was more focused on the body he was put on, as it climbed upwards. They needed to reach an altitude of about three meters, for them to be on common height with the small nest. It wasn't the hardest point to reach. And it certainly wasn't the highest, which the three could bear, being well over ten meters respective..

Troy still did take his time, in moving upwards though. Constantly he had the centre of his body-positive mashed against the bark, only keeping a distance of a centimetre or two from giving himself some less pleasant rashes. Those pant of his would only protect him so much when it came to such a rough texture. Sidenote for that, though, was that trees wwere suprisingly sharp when being used as handholds. While Troy clearly did try to only use the branches to hold on to, he was forced a few times, to simply use his body weight, as the fastening to the side of the tree, holding on with but an open palm. Only the roughness let him hold on. It was an honest revelation, that the skin on his hands was hard enough, meaning they wouldnt bleed from the more focused pressure.

'Please don't take chances. That last branch looked awfully thin, for how much weight you need for it to carry.`, Adam advised, not wanting Troy to fall from such a height.

“You know, Adam, I feel like you just called me fat, in a very roundabout way. And, trust me, these branches will hold, as long as I don't use them as a springboard,” Troy assured the AI, not sounding too happy with the comments made. “And, try to focus on, what’s before doesn't that look hideous?”

Before he even realized it, they had reached the needed height. Being just a few centimeters above the top of the nest, Adam was able to observe the small creatures. It wasn't meant as a derogatory term, but Troy’s short description of their appearance was not too far from the AI’s own observations.

The mouth was much bigger than it should have proportionally been. There was no doubt, for how far such a thing could be drawn open. This creature was not designed with immediate movement in mind. The eyes were still overly big, with no sign of being open. If they could hear, which Adam was currently debating if he should describe it as such, he deemed them not entirely useless.

Somehow, either through the pecking of their parents or from just having good instincts, they had stopped shouting for food, the moment, that Troy had come near. It was a good practice, not engaging with a creature, which could easily eat them.

…

Could Troy eat them? Not in the sense, of him being able to eat a bird. The human body was more than satisfied with such a meal. No, the AI was talking more along the lines of being able to eat anything, in this environment. Would it just disappear, as it entered the mouth, or would it disappear in a shower of sparks, due to unintentional damage during the digestion phase? It was an experiment, which Adam wasn't sure that Troy would willingly go along with. It would likely be better, to simply ask Dr Fidelis about it, instead of doing it in the practical fashion.

Having gotten the needed information, and with no chance of getting more, without angering the birds, Adam was satisfied, and ready to move on. Troy, however, seemed to have had another idea, with an certain right hand moving in the direction of an certain nest.

'Troy. I don't that, this is an good idea.`, Adam immediately sent, putting a focus on the two adult birds. WHile they hadn't sounded the alarms, the repositioning of their feet clearly hinted at them switching from their current hiding mode.

“Oh, don't worry your hat off, Adam,” Troy responded, to the definitely hat-less AI. His words caused a movement on the right corvids wings. “I just want to pet them.”

'These are wild animals, simulated or not. With no human interaction, before you, they will take this as an attack.`

“No, they will not-”

The birds squeezed mighty, as his hand came within the diameter of the nest. The two adults were having none of it, catapulting themselves directly at Troy’s face. Instinctively, the man covered his eyes, knowing his own weak point. However, the man had seemingly forgotten that he had been using one of his hands to stop himself from falling three meters.

Adam was, yet again, humbled by the tonal qualities of Troy’s throat. As the AI continued calculating the potential damage of the fall, a small ping resonated inside his head. Coming from one the previously unused port, it was a text-based message.

'Good news. Your failure of keeping your personal safety as a priority has unlocked the true tasks.`, Adam sent.

Not that there was the greatest chance of Troy noticing his words. Falling from great heights was an awful way to be distracted.