Chrysalis

“Something strange is happening,” Zluth said, his voice burbling as if rising from the depths of a particularly thick bog.

“Oh?” Shozzl replied, not particularly interested.

Zluth continued to operate the array with his numerous, spindly limbs as he leaned closer to the readout.

“Many of our monsters are being lost under D-6. Too many.”

“Which mountain is D-6 again?”

“It’s next to D-5.”

“I know it’s next to D-5, you slimeless stooge. How does that help me?”

The fierce, primal anger that dwelt within all his kind boiled up in Zluth now, hissing within his slug flesh. He suppressed it. Those who surrendered to the rage too often soon found it became more difficult to resist. It was hard to find a role within the tribe when one had a nasty habit of biting off the heads of one’s partners. And those without a role were meat for the pits.

“D-5 is claimed by the tree, huccop,” he spat, a thick wave of mucus overflowing from his mouth. “Remember now?”

little life came into the eyes that had previously drooped

Even now,

subtly turned one stalk to monitor his partner. She was getting a little too heated, and a little

investigate,” he deflected, folding away the device and sliding it within the

“I won’t,” Shozzl declared.

turned to behold his partner, once more allowing herself to sink back into the bubbling acid pool. He cursed. Of all the Krath he could have been partnered with for ranging, he got Shozzl, the most useless drip of slime in the Slee

don’t, I will be forced to report your lax attitude to

that emerged along with his words would

are digested within the bowels of the Blubbeast, perhaps you will find your spawn mother there. I’m certain she still lives,” he concluded, eyes

with a chilling shriek, eyestalks blazing red with her mindless anger, and Zluth raised his limbs for the

slithered through the slime-soaked tunnels, rising up

contorted in pain as

what is going on up here?” he muttered to himself, checking

always beat back the slime, but as far as the Slee were aware, this mountain was empty except for those useless termites. Having collected useful samples already, they had hoped to clear out the bugs and nurse a ripe pit of filth within its cavernous halls during this wave. At the last second, they would allow it to overflow out into the waters and contaminate them thoroughly. A glorious,

to the disturbance, Zluth began to move more stealthily, elongating his body to ten times its original length and burrowing himself into the ooze. Faster and more agile than a slime-snake, he powered forward, his

Vibrations, travelling through the slime and even the rock below. There was

He stuck to the shadows and the deeper pools, cautiously advancing, wanting to

it was