Chrysalis

THWACK!

HIYA!

SNAP!

The moment I entered the Queen’s chamber, a powerful antennae came flying at my head. This time though, I was prepared, I’d thought ahead, inspired by Morrelia’s thoughtfulness I had anticipated how my reception would begin.

Thus it was that I stood upside at the entrance, clinging to the roof with one of my mother’s antennae clasped between my own. Sword catching is for fools, antennae catching is a whole new level.

"Hold on a second, mother! It isn’t like you to be hasty!" I appealed.

The Queen’s eyes lay on me like a weight, peaceful, serene, but heavy.

"I see you have brought a gift for me child" she replied evenly.

I tried to shrug my antennae whilst still gripping hers and largely failed. I wouldn’t weaken my hold just yet, in case she felt I was being particularly foolish.

"Oh this old thing?" I deflected, "there are so many of them up on the surface that I’m starting to think they don’t hold any value at all. Why, I almost feel bad giving you something of such low rarity."

"In that case" mother answered, amusement rippling through her voice, "perhaps it would be best if you kept it for yourself."

Dang it! Operation downplay the core was a failure.

"Is this the kind of welcome you give to your child who was away from home, slaving away as a scout in dangerous territories for the colony?" I try a different tack and divert the conversation.

I may have struck a chord with mother on that one, since she retracts her antennae from my grip before she responds.

"Welcome home child. I am, of course, very pleased to see you, even if I am concerned at what mischief you might have caused whilst you were away."

Oh, she’s definitely amused now. I reply whilst climbing down the wall to the chamber floor, hoping to put myself on more solid ground.

"You wound me, mother" I say reproachfully even as I sweat inside.

and company to come down this

seizing monsters

might have been a couple of things that came up whilst I was away.

antennae waggled with frustrated

the moment you walked

Ouch.

Aphy? I haven’t seen her about?" I wondered, trying to shift

happy to take the bait. Her eyes shone warmly

is currently positioned with the brood under the watchful eye of the tenders. Did

see your pet has brought you

deeply for every member of the colony and we all loved her back, but we had stuff to do. It’s nice to have someone be your devoted companion. I only had to think of the ever loyal Crinis resting on my back to remind myself of the

add her own

nodded happily, "it will be so helpful

the good work I’ve done, it’s time to bring her attention back to

"So about this core..."

THWACK!

Ouch!

on my head. Even with all

a better position to make use of this gift than I, child, we have

winced, but held my

I promise you I will obtain more of these cores for myself before I need it, but right now there is nobody in the colony who can make use of this

The Queen wasn’t convinced.

of the generals? If the family is to fight for its survival, they will need to be as strong as possible. I am the only Queen in this colony right now, but there are two others who will

if she’s just humble or if she just genuinely doesn’t understand what it would mean for the colony if she were lost. In truth, I suspect that she simply sees herself as performing her function for the family as well as can be she believes there are other parts of the colony that

we disagree and I’m not going

rare core already and soon I’ll be prepared to evolve. I promise you that whatever battles threaten the family, I will stand forward and fight. There is no other ant in this colony who is close to matching me. What we need isn’t more battle potential, we need the strongest Queen possible to act as our beacon of hope, our bastion of

the air as I try to convince the Queen to go along with my idea. Why is it so hard to

that you will be again. In truth, giving you this core will increase our fighting potential the most, as well as increase the future growth prospects of the colony. You have to accept it. Even if all it does is relieve the nerves of the workers, none of us want to lose you and it will give us comfort to see you as powerful as

was the Queen watching me in

one of them spoke

boon to

not fall" a third chipped in, standing directly