Chrysalis

"THE SEARCH GOES ON, SISTERS!"

"WE SEEK!"

"Oh no you don't! Retreat now! That's an order!"

Brendant waved her antennae threateningly at the 'Immortals' and their reckless leader.

"Leeroy! Get your metal covered carapace back to the gate! The enemy has pulled back and so are you!"

It was never a good idea to give the misguided armoured soldier a chance to 'misinterpret' her orders. Brendant watched like a hawk as the heavy assault ants begrudgingly turned themselves around, putting their backs to the retreating enemy and dragging themselves back to the gate. Healers swarmed over the ants already, tending to the numerous, near fatal wounds that covered them.

Even from where she stood, Brendant could hear the medics taunting the survivors.

"Ooo. That's a rough wound, nearly enough to kill you, wasn't it? Good thing you survived!"

"Just a few centimetres to the left and you'd have been done. Look at the scoring in the carapace next to your eye! Punched right through the armour it did. Not a problem though, you'll be back to full health in just a few hours."

The healers continued to bait and mock their charges all the way back to the gates where the immortals moved toward the foundries established just inside where their armour could undergo an emergency refit. No doubt Smithant was already bashing the exhausted soldiers over the head with her hammer, lamenting the damage done to her precious armour. The moniker 'immortals' had run amazingly true over the duration of the siege, only a single member had perished in the fighting so far. The others had been unsure whether to curse or praise their sister for her misfortune, but they had gathered for a solemn vigil as the soldier had been peeled from her armour and laid to rest.

Though the tunnel before the gate was now almost totally bare, still, the council member did not turn back. There was still one more warrior of the Colony yet to return.

"How is she?" the soldier asked one of the nearby mages.

drew deep, measured breaths. Each exhalation sounded like a gale and blew dust and

back to herself more slowly after each battle. We are growing concerned

for her state of mind. A team of ants combed over her frame, cleaning

the next clash, preferably the next two. Tell her the council has ordered that she rest

mage twitched

it. She wants to help," the mage hesitated, "and I believe that part of her yearns for this state. She wants to

into a state she once rejected fighting on our behalf. Be sure to tell

tier six behemoth like Sarah, though they did have the Eldest, they would have to make

injured would be shifted to the dedicated facilities

came a

It goes as it

far, but the cost was higher than they would like. Still, they were holding, which was all they needed to do. So far the foe had managed to reach the gate twice and

have to make the next defence without the help of Sarah. She needs to rest to regain her sense

scout hesitated for a

going to make

finally be time to commit the

hadn't gone down too well with the people themselves. The general feeling amongst the ants was that they should be responsible for defending their own nest and didn't want to depend on assistance from others. The mayor Enid had rightly pointed out that the Colony had helped defend the human homes, so why shouldn't they return the favour? It looked as though they were about to get their

wanted to pass on that the scouts haven't managed to break through to the

beyond the ant's understanding. There was still so much they had to learn before they could compete on

could depend on for now, it was their only

she?!] a voice broke into her

[Friend Jim?] Brendant asked.