Chrysalis

[Run, run, run!] I holler at the others as we continue to sprint through the mould covered forest.

It really is obnoxious to run through this mess. There's mould beneath us, beside us and crawling up the trees to cover the canopy above us. It's like being in a suffocating winter wonderland except far more horrifying. Especially now that some of it is on fire.

[I don't think more fire will be a good idea, Master!] Crinis suggests as we race through the terrain.

[We might need another distraction soon. Starting a small fire will get the termites off our trail.]

[Won't it just bring more of them?] Sarah demands.

[I mean, yes. But also, yes…]

They be distracted though…

Perhaps that's still not good enough.

[No more fires,] Sarah tells me firmly, [we can think of something else.]

[Hmph. You're just worried about the fungus spores getting inside you,] I mutter.

[I hadn't even thought of that! Anthony!]

[Breathe it in deep. That's the sweet smell of fungus country.]

come here.

remove the mould from this area and return

alright, the aphids

if we started fungus farming, we wouldn't let it

asks, sounding a little panicked as we continue to blast through

confirm, [it's getting stronger even. Wherever they are,

a somewhat delicate flower internally, but externally she is all beef. Her legs are thicker than a person and positively bulging with muscle underneath all of that fur, much like her shoulders. In fact, the shoulders are even larger. For all of her

somehow,] I tell her, [how do you

snaps, [that

Oh, right.

now,] I hastily assure her. My antennae waggle furiously as I follow the trail. [The trail is starting to

myself to the right, taking a chance to look behind as I do. There are definitely termites on our trail, but I can't really tell how many. Tiny bounds along in my wake, suffering much like Sarah is in this long distance sprint, Invidia perched on his back like a nightmarish bat, green eye blazing with energy as he surveys the land.

us a vast yawning chasm has been carved into the rock, the trees cleared for hundreds of metres in all directions. Like a passageway into the pit of doom, the wide tunnel is completely black on the inside, with no light source

termite nest. The whole

it for myself… it's just ridiculous! You could fit the main nest of the Colony into this thing ten times over with room

our quarry. In the mouth of the tunnel a tight gathering of ants can be seen, the large form of Vibrant zipping here and there amongst them. It's too bad they aren't alone. Not only are they swarmed by a host of termites, which is bad enough, but watching from above are five kaarmodo with their attendants in tow. In a flash I take in the full scene, drawing knowledge from the Vestibule as I

lock Vibrant and her group into a fight so that the termites can harvest them for

Not. Acceptable.

to Tiny who is only too happy to

thumps his chest with his enormous palms, bellowing his rage in an ear shattering roar that shakes the trees around us. Then he's

and blow

[Even the lizardsssss?]

[Especially them.]