A few days and nights have passed...

More accurately, five of them.

There is not much to do when you are born stuck in the middle of a forest aside from counting the days and the birds that fly in the sky.

I also counted the flies that passed near by, the leaves of grass that were outside of me, the grains of sand of which I am composed...

I might as well be the single most skillful piece of land when it comes to counting. This ability to think is beginning to lose its bright by now.

But today, something different finally happened.

All of the five ants that are still eating my fruit showed different results, they all improved in different rates.

But one of them in particular started to call my attention. Its strength has doubled from what it used to be five days ago, being able to carry twice as much, and its speed did the same.

The downside is that it now consumes a little more energy than it previously did, I feel like if I were to decrease its energy, I would lose some of my control over it. It probably would still follow my commands, but I am not sure as to what extent.

Also, I must call them something different than just 'ants' since they are not all the same anymore.

They shall be ranked according to their strength, the strongest one being named Ant 1.

I still didn't notice any changes in any of the five ants that I only poured more energy into, aside from the greater control that I gained over them.

The time to explore the outside might as well have come.

But first, I must know what happens when a part of myself goes to the outside.

So I command Ant 5, which has been eating my fruit for the last days. Ant 28, that only worked and ate normal grass and Ant 9, that I poured more energy a few days ago. They shall be the first ones to explore.

And so they go, my sight is focused on the three little fellows that are now leaving my land together.

A few minutes after they leave I can already perceive some changes.

I still have a great control over Ant 9, the one that I only poured more energy. As for Ant 5, that ate from my fruit and began to consume a little more energy, I still feel a reasonable good control. And lastly, my connection with Ant 28 is at a dangerous low level, I feel like I could lose it in a just a few more seconds if the distance increases even further.

So energy is what keeps myself united.

I command them to come back, and so they do.

As soon as the three reach my lands again, I am already preparing a new team to explore.

This time, their goal will not only be exploration, it is time to get more energy.

So I create the hunting team, composed by all Ants from number 1 to 15. They shall be the ones to feed me while the others do their daily tasks.

This is the first time that I have been anxious. It is a consuming feeling.

But they are not affected by such things, for my ants keep marching forward, uncaring.

Their designation is a simple one. They must capture other beings and bring them into my lands, only attacking when their instincts tell they would not be in dangerous.

And like that, my first clash for power begins.