Chrysalis

It doesn't take long for us to catch up, since the two soldiers are moving cautiously, attempting to avoid the notice of the thronging monsters in the forest.

Every now and again I notice one of them looking up, doubtless keeping an eye out for the gargoyle monsters that nest in the roof. I haven't seen any sign of those things for a while now but I don't doubt they are still up there somewhere.

Fingers crossed that when they do show up they decide to swoop down on someone else.

The two soldiers move with practiced ease through the area, avoiding pitfalls and reading the signs of monsters being nearby.

I'm honestly impressed by their level of knowledge. They seem to know exactly where every monster nearby is without having to actually lay eyes on it. I'm desperately hoping that doesn't include me!

Or Tiny.

The way they move seems to indicate they know exactly where they are in the open space and exactly where it is they want to go. I wonder how they are doing that. Do they recognise the features of the ceiling? Are they able to track their locations based on familiar features of the rock up there?

That makes so much damn sense I'm shocked I never thought of it before. After the thought occurs to me I start to glance up at the ceiling, using my advanced eyesight to pick out obvious features to try and recall later.

After an hour of travel we arrive at what appears to have been the destination the soldiers were heading for.

A large hill rises from the forest floor and in one side a tunnel has been cut, leading down into the hill and downward. At the entrance to the tunnel two more soldiers are standing guard, attempting to appear inconspicuous, not wanting to draw too much monstrous attention.

The two I'd followed solute at the entrance, hands over hearts of some such and then enter the tunnel, their dark uniforms quickly blending into the shadows as they move out of sight.

Dammit!

that I couldn't possibly find out on my own! A veritable goldmine of information is sitting right here in front of me and I cannot

human camp for a while. I can't think of anything more threatening to the colony than an attack by these damnable soldiers, so in

my dedication to the

new guards were not the two I'd followed to this location so at least I learned that there are at a minimum six people within this

having a nap behind me.

time observing the humans and seeing what I can learn from them

stiff looking leather and dyed black the boots are laced from the heel to half way to the knee. The breastplate appears to be made of some kind of stiff leather, once again dyed black and stitched with some sort of gold embroidery. I think there is an insignia on the armour but I can't quite make

two who replaced them however, where different. One had two short strapped across the back in an x. The second uncased a crossbow from their back when they came out, slotted a bolt and cranked back on the shaft before

of an odd army. Almost every individual is armed with

loaded up with massive plate armour like a medieval knight but when considering the size of some of the monsters down here, how strong some of them are and how sharp some of their limbs

metal armour using a piercing bite. Other than slowing down the person wearing it,

their fellows and entering the tunnel. Shortly after the whole crew emerges, or at least I imagine it's the whole crew, ten soldiers wearing that same identical armour. They talk to other softly but I can't

ever more distant. Not only can I not vocalise

soldiers appear to be carrying heavy packs. It seems they are moving out of this hill and heading

before the soldiers group up and start to move. I hesitate.

away from my home nest, do I really

along after these humans is still exceptionally dangerous. There are ten of them now. I assume they could annihilate Tiny and myself in a heartbeat were we

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