Chrysalis

This is definitely a human here behind this tree!

What the heck is this human doing here?

I have to admit a chill strikes my heart when I realise that a human is this close to me. It seems bizarre since I myself was a human not too long ago. In this life, however, humans have been nothing but trouble!

Inching around slightly I can see that this is one of those black clothed soldiers I’d seen before. They chased me out of the upper cavern, chased me out of the tunnels and now they show up again!

What the heck is your problem guys?!

To be honest, if I wasn’t such a friendly ant I’d be starting to take it personally! I don’t recall doing anything, except being a monster, that would cause them to pursue and hate on me to this extent!

My heart grows even colder, entering serious winter territory, when I realise just how close we are to the ant hill. Have they spotted it yet?

I highly doubt that the workers or the Queen would be able to stand up to the humans. Having been one myself it isn’t hard for me to imagine the kind of strength that an organised human society would be able to muster in a place like this. I’m sure the system has been studied endlessly, all sorts of skill combos researched, magic systems investigated and engineering feats accomplished.

The colony is still very young! Not many workers have evolved out of the hatchling state yet, not to mention the entire colony population is under one thousand! We are still weak, far too weak to even consider fighting against trained soldiers!

For the first time I actually start to consider having to fight against people, my old kind. If this soldier located the nest and went to report back to the rest of them, what would I do? Just let them go?

Would I really be able to bring myself to kill them? Even to protect the colony?

Gah! I don’t know the answer to that! What is with this sudden existential dilemma Gandalf?!

I can’t just throw away my seventeen years as a human so quickly! I may be a proud ant worker now but that’s only for a month or so!

In any case, I don’t know exactly what this human has seen ... it’s possible they still have no idea where the nest is. Don’t panic Anthony, we might still be ok!

I retreat slightly, doing my best to remain fully concealed. I really don’t want to attract any attention to myself right now. Using one of my legs I grab Tiny and hold him still. Thankfully he’s smart enough not to protest out loud, although he does look at me reproachfully.

You want

the tree, surveying the area. She has black leather armour with a few metal plates stitched into it around the shoulders and flanks. Her blonde hair is tied back to ensure it doesn’t obstruct her face or view. I can even see her ears... well enough that I can determine she’s not

Dammit....

You idiot Anthony! Focus!

equipped for combat, a long bow case is strapped

this is the best view of a human being I’ve had since being reborn here in this place. There is a lot I can learn just by checking out

to breathe, Tiny and I sit and wait, concealed in the brush to the human’s right side. We

the forest decisively. After a few moments I

combat going on in the forest these days than

has

Oh!

stealth! My first purchase and most faithful skill. I knew I

purchase. I highly doubt I’ll ever be able to evolve to the point where I no longer have to fear anything in this place, is that even possible for an ant? My hope is that the colony can grow strong enough that I can depend on the collective to keep me safe and let me life out my life in

isn’t too much to ask

ambitious as a human and I don’t really see that I should change

the same as she is. The only real difference I can detect is the weapons. Where she has the bow and sword, this chap appears to be armed with a staff of

I seen these

vague sense of deja-vu. To be honest, before I was able to advance my eyesight it was pretty damn hard to make out the fine details. I wouldn’t have been able to identify a person

I glimpsed these two as they chased me out of

softly to one another. As they talk the don’t even look at each other, instead they constantly eye the surroundings for danger. Looks like they

My antennae twitch as I pick up a heat signature approaching from my right. Thankfully I’ve managed to remain hidden and whatever is coming is

This could be interesting.

a strange looking creature that I’d never seen before. Huge, massively muscled armed covered in bristling fur are the first things that strike my eyes. Each of those

broad shoulders rests a massive lions head, lips drawn back in a dreadful snarl, revealing

arms and hands? What the heck kind of monster is

beast’s eyes are yellow and they behold

in some ways I agree with what you are thinking massive Lion beast. You charge in here, you see these thin, small and weak looking things in front of you, what sort