Chrysalis

Peter and the steadily growing audience of farmers continued to become more invested in watching the Colony members compete in this strange activity, showing up everyday to talk, laugh and spectate.

Even when the teams they had been following so closely moved on to other things and a new group came through, their passion wasn’t dimmed. In fact, it was further inflamed. A new ‘season’, watching the ‘players’ grow from their hopeless first attempts and build their strategy and skills as they went, added a whole new dimension to the experience.

For Peter, he found himself enjoying those afternoons spent by the anthill more and more as time went past. So unexpected, so welcome. The longer it went on, the more he and the others wanted to invest themselves in this pastime. He and Andis had been in the process of building a more permanent and comfortable seating setup on the side of the pit when they were finally approached by a member of the Colony.

[What are you doing over there?]

The voice rang inside the old farmer's head and for a moment, he had no idea what had happened. He swung his head wildly, staring up at the sky to try and see where the voice was coming from. Only when he noticed a smallish ant down in the pit staring up at him did he realise what had happened.

Mind magic. One of the ants was speaking to him directly! A first for him.

[Uh,] he tried thinking, [can you hear me?]

[I can.]

The voice was definitely female, and faintly amused. He swallowed and did his best to answer properly.

[We are… my friend and I, that is, are trying to make some seating. So we can sit… I suppose… a bit more comfortably when we come to watch.]

[I can see that much for myself. I’m wondering why you come to watch at all.]

Well that was a question. Peter found himself flummoxed for a moment, but then decided to be perfectly honest.

[It’s fun,] he said.

[Fun?] the ant replied, her antennae waggling in confusion. [Watching young ants going through their training exercises is fun?]

Again, there was a lot he could say, but he decided to just be honest.

[Yes.]

He nodded for emphasis.

[Why?]

and ability, grit and determination that made a team a winning one. The tactical depth of the game was endless, the ability of the collective to work together bottomless, the capacity of an individual to create a winning play

[I see,] she replied.

the purpose of this exercise is? And what's it

that they must work together to solve, utilising everything they have at their disposal. By working against other groups, the challenge adapts to them and their approach, forcing them to continually seek improvement. My sisters and I have used this as part of the academy training for several months now, and we find it pays dividends down the line as the graduates are experienced working in

[Your sisters?]

[The Brood Tenders.]

tender? Here?! They were very rarely seen outside of the nests, as he understood it. He stood a little straighter and tried to find a more polite way to stand, giving up after a

call it Tunnel Ball,] she said. [Though

Tunnel Ball. It worked.

humans got from it, until eventually the ant bid him farewell and disappeared underground. He and Andis had finished up the

small row of seats they had arranged were gone, their labour obliterated. In their place was a huge construction of tiered seating,

are, darling!”

slack-jawed shock to see his wife in the front row, with her best dress

this was where you were disappearing to every day. I

“why are

town. The invitation went out yesterday evening for people to come and watch an event. The whole town’s been buzzing about it. There wasn’t even seating for everyone who showed up, they’re

to see a dozen or so ants climbing about on the other side of the pit. Moments later, stone began to take shape, seemingly out of thin air, as they began to build a

exciting,” Renita said, eyes sparkling, “the Colony never invites us to anything, I wonder what they have

could only shake his head. What had that Brood Tender gone and done? And why so quickly?

[There you are.]

turned to see the ant from yesterday standing right behind

[Ah! I mean… hello.]

for you to arrive. We need you to explain what

[What?] he said stupidly.