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.

interesting to hear them pump each other up and encourage one another as they

greater efforts. I'm looking forward to catching up with Vibrant when she makes her way to the front lines. From what I understand, she decided to remain behind with her dedicated followers in order to make a push toward meeting the colony's food requirements before she left the nest to join us

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

drawn up, scouts are being sent

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 and a little

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

a proper ant mentality about things like personal space, so having ant and dirt shoved in my face constantly made moving

and extremely grateful to enter a chamber that contained a little free air and only a couple of

"It's good to see you made it to the front in time

got my attention. "We're ready for an ambush already? Do we even

Victor shook her head.

the horde tomorrow and then make their way

It's called

waved her antennae

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

could dimly see a 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 colony. I believe that would make this hole pushed into the soil over here the forward base we