Marching through marshes

The thick swamp reached up to his knees already.

Kurai hated every second of it. But of course he couldn't have shut up earlier.
Peksy, Haruki and Ana on his shoulders, trying to keep themselves as far away from the thick mass underneath them as possible. He huffed and looked up. “Can't you just walk yourself now? I think I get your point!”
“Oh for sure not! Am I mad?!” Pesky chimed back and pushed a low hanging branch out of the way for Kurai. He grunted as the swamp below him needed a bit encouraging to give his leg free with an audible pop sound.

Heaving while carrying the three further.

“Can you at least make out where we need to go?”
Pesky snickered.

“Oh your senses not good enough suddenly?”
“If I could carry you AND hold a map, I would have no trouble! But I am not part Machamp, so that is your job!”

Pesky looked at him.

Kurai grumbling. Haruki and Ana both seemed a bit uncertain.

A few more difficult steps and the noivern fused trainer stopped again. Sighing loudly.

“Sorry.”
He looked up to Pesky, who just looked back at him. Empty screen. Nothing to give him any reaction. “I'm just tired and exhausted.”
Still no reply.

Kurai blinked and twitched his wings a bit. “I know I asked you to come with us. I mean it sounded like a good thing to do. Being asked by the professor and all.”

Slowly Kurai looked to the ground.
Ana nudging against his arm a bit. He was glad for the comfort.

Haruki yawned, holding more onto Pesky as Kurai continued walking. “Hey I'm really sorry for blowing up at you.”

Still no reply.
Kurai stopped and looked up at Pesky again. Same blank stare. His wings twitched again.

“I really didn't mean what I said. I- Well... I mean.. It'd be nice if you'd say something.”
He looked at him. Ana seemed similarly uncertain. Not even cuddling up to his trainer did anything now. Haruki on the other hand just kept watch. Not that he could see a lot. But at least someone had to make sure they wouldn't get eaten by something. At least not surprise eaten.

Kurai sighed and looked around. “Yeah okay...maybe I deserve this.. I shouldn't boast so much....not like I can do any of it..actually.. I just..well I ..” He bit his lip and stared at the swamp.

He just had to find a way out for them. He brought them in. It was his duty now.
There was nothin-

“Okay fifteen meters straight and then we should head north north east.”
Ana and Kurai blinked, as the trainer turned to look at Pesky. A map showing on his screen, if a bit more of the hand drawn side.

“What?”
“We go fifteen meters straight and then head a bit to the east, but not a lot. Are you suddenly deaf?” Pesky tilted his head, the map still covering his face so there was no expression to be seen.

“I'm not deaf! I thought you were mad at me!”
“Why would I be mad at you? What are you talking about?”
“You just went silent!”
“Yeah of course, I was trying to get the map.” “What?” “The connection here is as good as the room service.” “None existent..?” “Well, not that bad but bad. So fifteen meters straight ahead. Chop chop, I need room service.” “You never had room service.” “That is why I badly need it.”
He scratched Haruki behind his ears as Kurai started walking again.

“We probably shouldn't have gone on foot.”
“Smart assumption, Kurai. Very clever. Don't dwell on that now.”
“I could drop you.”
“Then I shall slither away and leave you map less.”
Kurai blinked and chuckled, looking up to him. “You'd just sink like a stone.” “And you would be map less all the same.” “True. Smart play.”

Carrying him further, they did run into a few more struggles. After all the connection really wasn't too great, but at least they would get there sooner or later.