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.

company to come down this was earlier than they had planned, but considering the Kaarmodo lizard was actively utilising scrying magic, chances

Queen loomed above, still so much larger than myself. Her chamber still rests under the surface level, within the Dungeon, which necessitates her guard to be constantly on-alert, seizing monsters the moment they spawn

things that came up whilst I was away.

waggled

had assumed as much the moment

Ouch.

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

the bait. Her eyes

at risk here in my chamber, she is currently positioned with the brood under the watchful eye of the

see your pet

her back, but we had stuff to do. It’s nice to have someone be your

now and she’ll be able to add her

"it will be so helpful for

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

"So about this core..."

THWACK!

Ouch!

the Queen’s antennae descended on my head. Even

in a better position to make use of this gift than I, child, we have discussed this before" Mother

but

have one, and I’m 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 nobody in the colony who can make use of

The Queen wasn’t convinced.

in this colony right now, but there are two others who

she were lost. In truth, I suspect that she simply sees herself as performing her function for the

I’m

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 strength

Queen to go along with my idea. Why is it so hard

prospects of the colony. You have

first time I noticed that not only was the Queen watching me

Mother" one

be a boon

must not fall" a third chipped in, standing directly on