Chrysalis

Not long after the Eldest had departed the colony, Cobalt stood in the Queens chamber watching the small Aphid Queen amble about under the watchful eye of his mother. Another ridiculous, unheard of practice, brought to life with a seeming absence of effort at the hands of the first of their kind.

The Eldest puzzled the Council of twenty, as the first hatchling of Formica Sapiens were beginning of think of themselves. Respect and deference was due to the Eldest by the simple nature of seniority, not to mention the conditioned fear that had been beaten into them over their whirlwind 'training'.

Even so, the Eldest puzzled them. So often engaged in thoughts and actions that seemed to have no place within an ant mind. Supposedly the twenty were of the same species, but they would never have dreamed of engineering an entire breed of … cattle?

And yet it was such an elegant solution to a problem they hadn't even realised they had. A sustainable, constant source of Biomass which they could completely control. The colony would determine how many aphids were created and the colony would deploy them as they wished. The only limiting factor was the available space within the expanse below them.

It wouldn't be a problem for long, Cobalt felt confident the colony would soon extend their grasp out to encompass further expanses. If those others included sufficient plant life for the aphids to feed on then their population could be grown to allow the harvest to continue in those places also.

Lost in his thoughts, Cobalt didn't notice the young aphid Queen approach him. With a start he realised the small green insect was looking at him appealingly, it's antennae waving to tap into his own.

"She's hungry" the Queen's voice sounded from above and Cobalt turned to see her looking down on him.

"Mother, it's wonderful to see you so cheerful" he said.

By a strange twist of the Dungeon, the Queen was no longer the eldest of their kind and thus technically no longer the leader of the colony, a position reserved for the Eldest, who didn't seem to want it, except when they did. Irrespective of this, the Queen, as mother to all the members of the colony, received the devotion and adoration of every worker. To see her tending her new pet with such cheer brought joy to every ant who saw it.

quite enjoy having a pet of my own. Obviously my children bring me the

rotated on a regular basis in order for her to

them to visit you

"We must all do our work for the colony, child. I would never stand between a member of our

were helping with the training of the current crop of hatchlings, along with the mages and healers. Already

the Eldest had gifted them with to push their understanding of their role to greater heights, Even if they weren't able to craft pets for the colony yet, it was only a matter of time as they improved their techniques every day. When more shapers were added to their ranks

Whereas the Carvers…

Cobalt sighed heavily.

as she noticed his sombre mood even as she directed several workers to feed

is the work that I am expected to

an endless supply. There is digging, teaching,

Mother, but rather what task is for me alone. When the Eldest designed our siblings it was clear

his front legs, thinner, more mobile and articulate

defenceless to fight on the frontline, without the skills and mutations to fight on the backline. I have not the Will for spellcraft, not the tending instincts for

are they, child? What are the advantages of your form?" the

on it

them like this" this was demonstrated by raising them in front of Cobalt's face, giving a clear view of the three claws that tipped each leg, arranged in a triangular

had only recently made note that the ability to rotate the claws wasn't shared by Cobalts' peers. When viewing the humans for the first time, the connection between this strange anatomy and humans