Chrysalis

"Termites."

The council recoils in shock, snapping at the air, their antennae twirling violently through the air.

"That is quite uncomfortable," Coolant observes in a detached way, as if she weren't currently gnashing empty space as if it had a head she wanted to remove.

"WhataretermitesI'veneverheardofthembeforebutallofasuddenIwanttofightthingsrealbad!"

"Vibrant…"

"Sorry-sorry! Sometimes I forget. Anyway, I really want to fight something right now, why is that?"

The council all turn to look at me.

"It's not easy to explain. I had the same reaction," I tell them.

I hesitate.

How much do I want to reveal right now? If I tell the council all about termites, won't they quite reasonably want to know where I came by my knowledge? I've never explicitly explained my origins to my siblings, and I don't see why it would matter, but I feel a little awkward now that I'm on the spot. Bah! To hold information back just because I'm a little uncomfortable would be ridiculous! Ant lives are on the line here!

"Termites are a social insect, much like us. They have a Queen, possibly a king, they produce eggs which hatch into nymphs that eventually mature into workers and soldiers. They are known to eat wood which is likely why the kaarmodo decided to use them against the bruan'chii. They can even hollow out trees or logs and form their nests inside. Since the reptiles are using them as a weapon I'm sure they've done extensive modifications to the core of the Queen in order to influence the offspring and the overall species. In truth, they could be a very powerful enemy and we should be extremely cautious."

The ants gathered around the council table all nod solemnly as they consider what I've said.

"So when do we attack?" Leeroy asks.

"Dammit Leeroy!" I crash an antenna down on the carved surface of the grand circular table. "This is serious business, not your usual 'charge in recklessly' routine!"

right this time," Sloan says, her foreleg tapping thoughtfully against her

at the normally

Sloan? I feel like

reasons for my stance, Eldest, if you would hear me

I wave a leg in apology. "This whole thing

"Right then."

stands in her seat to address the table, all our eyes focus on

of these 'termites' and want

the table there are solemn nods as each of

SLAM.

"You can't be serious!"

you that I am serious. The very mention of these fiends stirs the mana in my core. They must be

a stratum that is far too strong for me at the drop of a hat, but that doesn't seem like a good policy for the Colony as a whole! Am I wrong? It was only a few weeks ago that I was telling you all off for rushing into the third layer too quickly, now you want to

forelegs

the fourth stratum," she eyeballs Leeroy for a second, "… I think. Slowing our rate of progress and being more deliberate with our expansion has yielded dividends already and will continue to do so into the future. When we do start to expand our holdings in the third we will be in a much better place than we were before to safely hold that which we

I'll go! Send me! I want to

there's a volunteer already, thanks

"No problem!"

conquer cities or worry about weird politics, we just need to protect the tree from the termites. Will we be able to destroy the infestation and annihilate their nest immediately? No chance. But we can dig in and fight a defensive war until we have the chops to properly

that we're going to be overmatched when we get there," I fret. "Even the tree and the bruan'chii are struggling, which means these termites

agrees. "We commit to a defensive strategy and dig in as hard as we can. As long as we blunt the offensive and relieve the pressure from the tree, then she'll be satisfied that

have to go personally," Cobalt chips in, "working in a whole new environment is going to be difficult to say the least and if I'm

says in her quiet scent. "We can't afford to lose any of

our operations on the

all look

to the fourth, are you