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.

two of them watched the great bear as it drew deep, measured breaths. Each exhalation sounded like a gale and blew dust and

is coming back to herself more slowly after

of the nest, but more and more the ants were becoming worried for her state of mind. A team of ants

the next clash, preferably the next two. Tell her the council has

mage twitched her

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

once rejected fighting on our behalf.

Legion without the assistance of a tier six behemoth like Sarah, though they did have the Eldest, they

the many wounded were tended to. The most grievously injured would be shifted to the dedicated facilities as soon as they were able to be moved, whereas the others would heal on the spot. A bit of Biomass, magic and regeneration fluid all they needed

goes it?" came a scent from the

goes as it goes,

acknowledgement. The enemy had been repelled four times from the gate so 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 inflict significant damage to the metal before they had been pushed back. Eventually they would smash through and the Colony would be

defence without the help of Sarah. She needs to rest to regain

hesitated for

going to make

a choice. It may finally be time to commit

own nest and didn't want to depend on assistance from others. The mayor Enid had rightly pointed out that the Colony

pass on that the scouts haven't managed to break through to the satellite nests. We'll keep trying, but it looks as though

them in all directions and detect every attempt to tunnel out was something beyond the ant's understanding. There was still so much they had to learn before they could compete on equal footing with enemies like these.

they could depend on for now,

she?!] a voice broke

[Friend Jim?] Brendant asked.