diff --git a/asset_dev/beast/slutch/face_nodule.xcf b/asset_dev/beast/slutch/face_nodule.xcf
index f35433f..7f27899 100644
Binary files a/asset_dev/beast/slutch/face_nodule.xcf and b/asset_dev/beast/slutch/face_nodule.xcf differ
diff --git a/assets/npc/slutch_beast/face_nodule_E.png b/assets/npc/slutch_beast/face_nodule_E.png
index 27a166d..90ed7bb 100644
--- a/assets/npc/slutch_beast/face_nodule_E.png
+++ b/assets/npc/slutch_beast/face_nodule_E.png
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1
-oid sha256:8e5073910a29e1c2a93730cf9b4b640c97750606f552c7550cdff34e1ebe6705
-size 3037
+oid sha256:fbf3c0a878d6cfddb8abb9e156208dcd1aa41e25897e4553fa7f209fff0e48ff
+size 1817
diff --git a/levels/ghost_ship/ambient_drone.gd b/levels/ghost_ship/ambient_drone.gd
index b3c76b6..95a9234 100644
--- a/levels/ghost_ship/ambient_drone.gd
+++ b/levels/ghost_ship/ambient_drone.gd
@@ -3,9 +3,13 @@ extends AudioStreamPlayer
 const MUTE_VOLUME := -80.0
 
 @export var volume_increment := 0.618
-@export var base_volume := -14.0
+@export var base_volume := -18.0
 @export var boosted_volume := -2.0
 
+@export_category("Beast Proximity Boost")
+@export var proximity_cutoff := 20.0
+@export var proximity_scale := 17.0
+
 var target_volume := MUTE_VOLUME
 var suppressed := false
 var boosted := false
@@ -20,7 +24,28 @@ func get_target_volume() -> float:
 		return MUTE_VOLUME
 	if boosted:
 		return boosted_volume
-	return target_volume
+	return target_volume + beast_proximity_boost(closest_beast_distance())
+
+
+## Calculate the volume gain from proximity to a beast
+func beast_proximity_boost(distance: float) -> float:
+	return max(0.0, proximity_scale * (proximity_cutoff - distance) / proximity_cutoff)
+
+
+## Get the distance from the player to the closest beast
+func closest_beast_distance() -> float:
+	if not is_instance_valid(Player.instance):
+		return INF
+
+	var min_dist_sq := INF
+	var nodes := get_tree().get_nodes_in_group("GrunkBeast")
+	for node: Node in nodes:
+		var n3d := node as Node3D
+		if is_instance_valid(n3d):
+			var dist_sq := n3d.global_position.distance_squared_to(Player.instance.global_position)
+			if dist_sq < min_dist_sq:
+				min_dist_sq = dist_sq
+	return sqrt(min_dist_sq)
 
 
 ## Temporarily suppress ambience
diff --git a/levels/ghost_ship/ghost_ship.tscn b/levels/ghost_ship/ghost_ship.tscn
index fccf5a1..dc6574c 100644
--- a/levels/ghost_ship/ghost_ship.tscn
+++ b/levels/ghost_ship/ghost_ship.tscn
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ volume_db = -80.0
 autoplay = true
 bus = &"Music"
 script = ExtResource("5_jiowi")
-base_volume = -18.0
 
 [node name="AmbientSFX" type="Node3D" parent="."]
 
diff --git a/src/ui/hud/player_hud.tscn b/src/ui/hud/player_hud.tscn
index 6ae09b6..1423dac 100644
--- a/src/ui/hud/player_hud.tscn
+++ b/src/ui/hud/player_hud.tscn
@@ -215,10 +215,10 @@ anchor_left = 0.5
 anchor_top = 0.5
 anchor_right = 0.5
 anchor_bottom = 0.5
-offset_left = -401.288
-offset_top = -299.409
-offset_right = -401.288
-offset_bottom = -299.409
+offset_left = -400.86
+offset_top = -300.741
+offset_right = -400.86
+offset_bottom = -300.741
 grow_horizontal = 2
 grow_vertical = 2
 script = ExtResource("4_ud8na")
diff --git a/src/world/grunk_beast/grunk_beast.tscn b/src/world/grunk_beast/grunk_beast.tscn
index 7e2086e..d929908 100644
--- a/src/world/grunk_beast/grunk_beast.tscn
+++ b/src/world/grunk_beast/grunk_beast.tscn
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ metadata/_custom_type_script = "uid://om57w2acvgb7"
 script = ExtResource("11_mbqcc")
 mean_time = 4.0
 st_dev_time = 0.6
-wait_time = 3.41713
+wait_time = 4.5275
 metadata/_custom_type_script = "uid://beyk2xtbjrsg4"
 
 [node name="RandomStalkingBehavior" type="Node" parent="GrunkBeastBehavior/StateSelector/StalkingSequence/RandomDelay"]
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ metadata/_custom_type_script = "uid://cg016dbe7gs1x"
 script = ExtResource("11_mbqcc")
 mean_time = 5.0
 st_dev_time = 1.0
-wait_time = 4.96224
+wait_time = 6.19423
 metadata/_custom_type_script = "uid://beyk2xtbjrsg4"
 
 [node name="PickRandomLurkTarget" type="Node" parent="GrunkBeastBehavior/StateSelector/LurkSequence/RandomDelay"]