Chrysalis

It took a good bit of travel before we were able to reach the first staging area on the path between the nest and the anticipated direction the horde would be travelling. A steady stream of workers ran back and forth in long lines, bringing information back to the nest or returning for designated rest periods.

I found it curious that even with their enhanced senses and intelligence, which removed the necessity for the ants to move directly on top of a trail like regular ants on Earth would, they still chose to do so. The result being that I was treated to the sight of hundreds of ants the size of large dogs hustling about in long trails, one after the other.

The main difference between this and looking at an ant trail back on Earth, other than the size of course, is that I could hear the chatter between the workers as they ran.

"Keep it up! Run hard!"

"We've got this! Push, push, push!"

"So much work to do, no time to slow down now!"

"Lift those claws! Don't forget you have six legs, not two like a human. That means three times the work!"

"Work hard for the colony!"

"FOR THE COLONY!"

Endlessly.

they can talk continuously. It was interesting to hear them pump each other up and encourage one another as they ran, to the point I wasn't sure if I was listening to monstrous ants or a spin class

up with Vibrant when she makes her way to the front lines. From what

food quota is going to get hit a lot faster than anyone anticipated. With Vibrant fired up for the job it's going to get done at light speed, which can only be a good thing. The faster it's done, the sooner those soldiers can get to the front and help with our campaign here to chip away at the horde, and the more food will be built up by those remaining behind to hunt, adding to the stockpile that will have been amassed. If things go like I think they will, the production of eggs may not slow down much at all during this crisis, which

reach the staging area where the leadership of the raiding force has been gathering as more concrete plans are being drawn up, scouts are being sent out and preliminary ambush preparations are being made. It isn't much to look

job of spreading the loose dirt around and carrying it away from the site itself. A large hole in the ground was the only sign of the nest, one meter across, too small for Tiny

to a flurry of activity beneath the ground as workers climbed all

for me, I didn't have a proper ant mentality about things like personal space, so having ant and dirt shoved in my face constantly made moving

was quite rattled and extremely grateful to enter a chamber that contained a

greeted me, "It's good to see you

attention. "We're ready for an ambush

Victor shook her head.

expect them to make contact with the horde tomorrow and then make their way

It's called

waved her

convention, it matters not. We have dispatched workers to scout

flat raised area had been prepared, the surface of which had been carved into a semblance of terrain. I could see roads, surprisingly detailed little building to represent what I think are towns. Midum was there, as well as the human village and I believe a rounded hill to represent the main nest of the