Swamped

A distraction seems in order. You pull a twig off the branch you're sitting on and fling it at the walkway as hard as you can. Before long, all the lights are focused on that spot, which means they're not pointing your way.

"Come on! And don't say a word!"

You grab Shorty by the hand and climb down into the darkness, slinking away as the patrolling knights converge on your twig. They'll likely start a full-on search soon, and you'd best be long gone before they do.

Unfortunately, you haven't got a raft any more. And even if you did, you've already learned that you don't really know your way around in the dark. Your best chance is to follow these walkways as close as you can to Marshguard territory.

Of course, Shorty's already insisting that you go back and help your captured squad leader.

"And do you have an actual idea for how we should go about doing that?"

"Well, no. I asked him if he could use any supplies, but he couldn't think of anything."

That doesn't surprise you in the least.

"There's no real need to worry about it. You know how it goes - they capture one of ours, we capture one of theirs, then we exchange one for the other. Why bother with anything more complicated than that?"

"Then let's capture one of them now."

"We'll have enough trouble getting ourselves back to base without a raft. There's no way we can handle a prisoner."

He stares at you.

"You don't have a raft?"

"Not any more. Lost it to a hungry swamp beast."

"Then how, exactly, were you planning to get out of here?"

"Mostly by not wasting time with rescue attempts, taking captives, or useless arguments. I suppose two out of three will have to do."

"Well! Why should I go with you, then, if you don't have any plans either? At least if I stick around, I may still be able to figure something out."

How are you going to respond to him?