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.

our way but it isn’t my fault this time! I may have caused Garralosh and company to come down

constantly on-alert, seizing monsters the moment they spawn from the walls, subduing them and more often than not bringing them

of things that came up whilst I was away. Nothing we

waggled with frustrated

as much the moment you

Ouch.

wondered, trying to shift the focus of conversation away

happy to take the bait. Her eyes shone warmly as

is currently positioned with the brood under the watchful eye of the tenders. Did you know she’d already evolved?"

see your pet has

we had stuff to do. It’s nice to have someone be your

much longer now and she’ll be able to add her

will be so helpful for

I’ve done, it’s time to bring her attention back to my

"So about this core..."

THWACK!

Ouch!

on my head. Even with all of my upgrades, that still really

are others in a better position to make use of this gift than

winced, but

not going to need another for a long time. I promise you I will obtain more of these cores for myself before I need it, but right now there is

The Queen wasn’t convinced.

only Queen in this colony right now, but there are two others who will soon fulfil this role. I do not fight

Queen was always downplaying her own importance to the colony. I’m not sure 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

that point we disagree and I’m not going

I have a 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

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

as well as increase the future growth prospects of the colony. You have to accept it.

first time I noticed that not only was the Queen watching me in her careful way, but so where her

one

a boon to

a third chipped in, standing directly