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.]

never have come

the mould from this area and

the

aspect of ant superiority. Even if we started fungus farming, we wouldn't let

a little panicked as

have it,] I confirm, [it's getting stronger even.

for air. She may be 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

tell her, [how do you even last in

she snaps, [that usually takes care of

Oh, right.

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

in my wake, suffering much like Sarah is in this long distance sprint, Invidia perched on his back like a

gone and I'd expected that to continue, but it seems as if our opponents had a different concept for this landscape. In front of 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 to be discerned from this distance. More terrifying still, is the view of the mountain I get from here. There are holes, all over the place, fortified with dirt and each angled differently. It's clear to see that they aren't natural features

is the termite nest. The whole damn mountain is

myself… it's just ridiculous! You could fit the main nest of

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

and her group into a fight so that the termites can harvest

Not. Acceptable.

there!] I roar to Tiny who is

his legs and thumps his chest with his enormous palms, bellowing his rage in an ear shattering roar that shakes the trees around

him alive and blow up everything I don't

[Even the lizardsssss?]

[Especially them.]