Chapter 10: Ignorance and Insignificance

The damp, chilly air quickly affected Michael's tiny exothermic body, slowing his digestion considerably. He edged closer to the warm-blooded humans and huddled down against the log's surface for warmth. In the light of mid-morning, some hours after Araza had sent her first squad to Nytalis to request assistance, one of the human children stirred within the hollowed log.

Michael jumped when a hand reached out and grasped at the air. He scrambled nearer the log's opening then climbed up to cling from the ceiling, finding the location blessedly warmer than his earlier perch. He abruptly discovered that posture was far more comfortable for his heavily food-laden abdomen than standing upright.

[Fan! Fan, can you hear me?] Araza broke the silence of the ants' hours-long vigil at last.

Fan attempted to clear her throat, resulting in a hacking cough that expelled a large ball of phlegm. Two of the ants bravely ducked in with moss in their mandibles and worked together to remove it from the log while Michael watched on with mild trepidation.

“A-ra-zz,” was all Fan managed to say before she fell into a fit of dry coughing. Behind her, the other child began to stir as well. Leir took less time than his sister to express his own phlegm, though the resultant dry cough proved no less severe.

Some minutes later both children had exhausted themselves, having coughed so hard their throats began to bleed. The scent wafted quickly through the log, much more pungent than it had been while only tainting their phlegm. Michael's antennae recoiled, feeling as if they'd been drowned within the iron-rich vapor now rolling through the log's interior.

[Vigilance! The children are bleeding, and that smell will attract predators! Light the pyres! We keep all but our own at bay!] Araza barked to her ants. Yellow-orange flames sprang up from the ants outside the log's entrance at three locations, touching off three sizable piles of sticks that had been gathered.

The thrum of wings, reminiscent of a large hummingbird faded into earshot, playing an odd counterpoint to the feeble, steady coughing of the weakened children. Michael tensed a bit as he readied himself to dodge in case one of the young humans suddenly made for the log's exit. All remained calm and still within the log despite the foreboding sound of what was likely to be a large predator.

Soon afterward came one scurrying ant who cried out, [General! Lady Sionella approaches with a host from Nytalis!]

Less than a second later the entire log peeled itself open soundlessly in a smooth-yet-unnatural manner. Michael now found himself clinging to a vertical surface. The humming sound of wings had stopped nearby, now replaced by the sound and light tremor of bipedal footfalls. Something truly enormous and human-shaped flowed gracefully to the edge of the open log, silhouetted by the light of dawn behind. A pair of luminous eyes scanned quickly over the scene.

Michael's eyes adjusted to the light and he realized with tense apprehension that he was now looking up at a massive and bewitchingly beautiful woman whose skin somehow had the color and smooth texture of a young birch tree's bark, minus the spots. The aesthetic was enhanced by the dawn's light filtering through the foliage from between cottony clouds. Her face appeared youthful and lovely enough to rival even Rihelah herself. His mandibles fell open. Piercing-yet-kind eyes of sky blue glowed softly and regarded Michael for the briefest moment. Michael noticed one of the ants perched upon the new arrival's shoulder. The mysterious woman raised one shapely eyebrow slightly at Michael before stepping smoothly onto the opened log. She produced a waterskin, seemingly out of thin air, and proceeded to assist and offer hydration to both children.

How? Those eyes! Is that... some kind of dryad?? Michael gazed at the humanoid creature's waist-length locks of thin vines and leaves that flowed as naturally as human hair. Her lithe, shapely form and graceful motion along with relatively-small hands and feet reminded Michael of a tiny gymnast. Except that relative to him, this being might as well be the size of a cruise ship. All the ants had bowed their heads in deference.

[Lady Sionella, you honor us with your presence.] Araza's previously-commanding telepathic voice had gone quiet with deference and humility.

“Araza, the efforts of thy kind hath offered the children of Tran a chance at life. Prithee raise thy heads and enjoy thy well-earned respite.” The dryad-like Sionella graced their ears with the most hauntingly musical and bewitching feminine voice Michael had ever heard. His mind felt soothed somehow, his exoskeleton tingling slightly with what felt like the mantis-equivalent of goosebumps.

The ants, all of whom had raised their heads, bowed once more before departing en-masse. One of them approached Michael, stopping when Sionella's melodious voice graced the air once more. “I shall soon attend our young guest. Return and find repose, child of Zauna.” Her words were kind yet firm.

The approaching ant bore light scratches upon her face, courtesy of Michael's forelegs. Michael winced, and Charzi turned to bow once more to the lovely humanoid creature before departing in silence.

Sionella turned her attention back to the children, both of whom had begun sniffling and weeping softly. She embraced one with each arm, holding them close and speaking as tenderly as a mother might. “It is well to find both of thee hath survived. Thou art safe.”

She offered some bluish fruit resembling a large plum to each, and the children greedily devoured their food, leaving nothing behind.

Sionella proceeded to look the children over, frowning at the numerous scratches, bruises and cuts their young skin had endured over the course of their near-fatal journey toward Nytalis. Worse, their young faces carried grim, nigh-hopeless expressions indicative of severe trauma. Their dark brown linen pants bore all manner of tears, especially near their soft leather shoes. Their pants and tunics were stained top-to-bottom by blood, sap, and general filth. Their hair was matted, their eyelids swollen.

Sionella's expression tightened slightly after assessing their condition. She produced a small ceramic vessel with a broad golden cap and began gingerly applying some thick salve to their wounds. Fan whined a little during the process while Leir yelped noisily and grit his teeth when the balm was spread upon a particularly-long cut along the outside of his right leg. Soon afterward, the children's crying quieted as both wordlessly surrendered to Sionella's embrace and fell fast asleep. The dryad-like humanoid glanced up at Michael and offered a tight-lipped smile.

[We shall speak 'ere my companions doth arrive, young Michael. I thank thee for thy patience.] Her voice was no less impressive as she spoke softly into his mind. Michael nodded once and she lightly returned the gesture before focusing her attention back upon the children.

They can't be more than six years old! To have a brush with death by inhalation of some giant lizard's poisonous breath at such a tender age... Michael tensed, clenching his mandibles and forelegs at the thought.

What kind of twisted world have I been reborn into?

More rhythmic vibrations shook the reshaped log, intensifying as Sionella's footsteps had. These grew much stronger and more numerous before a group of three more humanoid shapes burst through the foliage.

The young woman in front was built in a similar manner to Sionella, though by contrast, her fair skin appeared perfectly normal if one ignored the fact that it was far too pretty. So much so that Michael found himself doubting his own eyes. Her fiery red hair framed what could only be described as the most beautiful face Michael had ever beheld. Her stunning green eyes held a look of worry, her lips drawn in tight, nostrils slightly flared and brow furrowed with concern as she sprinted toward the log.

The runner behind that girl was slightly taller and clothed in dark leathers. His powerfully-built, olive-skinned frame was accentuated by shoulders that seemed far too broad for his height. Wizened hazel eyes with absurdly bushy eyebrows upon a moderately-handsome and grizzled face stared out from above his bulbous nose and a spectacular, reddish-brown and slightly curly but well-groomed beard that hung almost to his waist. Unnaturally-large calves bulged with muscle above his heavy leather boots. He gripped a well-maintained double-edged ax with his thick-fingered right hand while a stout, metal-rimmed wooden buckler had been strapped to his massive left forearm. His hair perfectly matched the color of his beard, tied up by a thick circular metal clasp before flowing out behind him as he ran.

A stout woman in a drab brown robe with thick metallic bracers brought up the rear. Shortest of the three, her angular, chiseled face with its large rounded nose, dark brown eyes, wide mouth and sour expression was in stark contrast to the appearance of the first woman, matching up far better alongside those of the bearded man. Dirty blonde hair had been tightly formed into buns behind either side of her head and bound with cured leather strips. Despite sizable breasts that pushed out proudly against her robe, her visibly-muscled calves and arms left little doubt that this woman was powerfully built, her wide stature clearly the result of a strong frame and muscle.

Sionella's eyes smiled at the first woman, who slowed to a walk as she reached the log. Mildly out of breath, the new arrival spoke with a voice similar to but slightly higher and less formal than Sionella's, “They are safe?”

The dryad-like being nodded and smiled, indicating with a nod that the children were asleep.

“Praise be to Lord Auronox!” The red-haired girl whispered, her eyes flooding with tears. “Tran? Has she been located??” She spluttered quietly.

Sionella's eyebrows lifted and she inhaled slowly before sighing. “Patience, Sika. Leir and Fan hath barely survived their journey from Tarmek. Something doth feel amiss, for neither hath spoken a word.”

The other two arrived and stood quietly nearby. The bearded man's eyes fell upon Michael and opened wide while his nostrils narrowed, but he said nothing.

Sika's lips pursed and pulled slightly to one side while she looked down briefly. Then she locked eyes with Sionella and spoke flatly. “You suspect Freedom Watch.”

“Movements from Freedom Watch hath proven irregular of late, alongside a visible increase in numbers. Investigation doth certainly seem appropriate, given current circumstances.” Sionella said thoughtfully.

“Apologies, young Michael. Our conversation must needs wait for another time. Sika, prithee make the acquaintance of our mysterious enkelyn.” Sionella indicated Michael with a meaningful nod.

Sika turned her attention toward the mantis. Upon catching sight of him her eyes widened. She leaned forward, looming large and far too close. Michael felt crowded and his right rear leg took a tentative, tiny step backward. Sika's unnaturally beautiful face showed barely-restrained amusement before she broke into a warm, lovely smile. Michael was immediately grateful for his inability to blush under her overwhelming gaze despite their tremendous size difference.

Holy shit, Sika and Sionella are gorgeous, though Sionella's skin and “hair” are certainly odd... Michael noted a striking resemblance between the two, though it was clear this Lady Sionella possessed the highest rank among those present.

Sionella craned her slender neck slightly and her eyes darted quickly between the other two. “Sika, thy task shall be to guard these four. I travel now to Tarmek. With luck I shall hear aught of the youngest. Two lunar cycles it hath been since...”

Sika stepped forward and gripped Sionella's hands with her own. They shared a look of frustration while their stout-bodied companions turned stony-faced. Michael felt confused and a bit awkward, but said nothing.

After a moment Sionella smoothed her face and steadied her voice, “Relynn. Bogdin. I bid thee carry the children back to Nytalis. Prithee make haste!”

Bogdin and Relynn inclined their heads while stepping forward.

The skin of the dryad-like being called Sionella shifted over the course of a half-second, quickly matching Sika's in appearance. She gently handed the children off to the others before turning away toward the meadow. Michael's mandibles and forelegs fell open once again when she took off running so fast it produced an audible sound of aerodynamic turbulence not unlike traffic on a freeway.

After she passed out of sight, the rushing sound shifted to the same humming sound Michael had heard before, and within a second afterward, that sound had faded entirely.

A coughing fit turned all their heads. Fan's hands covered her mouth and she began to whimper in panic when they came away covered in blood. Bogdin and Relynn glanced at one another and dashed off while carrying the children. Sika hurried after them without a word and thus Michael was left alone upon the flayed remains of the hollow log.

Welp. Guess I won't have the opportunity to talk with humans after all. It's not like I don't understand. I would've done the same for those kids if I were in their position. Do you save two children, or do you stick around to talk with some strange insect? Not exactly a difficult choice.

Where previously Michael had not been paying mind to the wildlife around him due to the presence of humans, a pair of birds passing overhead brought him back to reality and he flinched.

Fuck!

Feeling very exposed, Michael consciously engaged his camouflage skill. His chitin abruptly changed color to match the wood beneath him and he dashed downward, leaped to the leaf litter below, then sprinted off toward the relative safety of the meadow just visible through the trees. He managed to skid to a halt just half a body length away from a partially-concealed web.

Damn! That was too fucking close!! I need to stay calm!

Heart pounding, Michael stood in place for a moment and collected himself while keeping his senses on high alert in case he'd been spotted. Slow and steady. If I move carefully, I'll live longer.

---

The pale, bluish-white dragon fly dove swiftly toward an unfamiliar and particularly intense sparkle nestled within the meadow and alighted silently upon a thick stem. The winged huntress went unnoticed by Rihelah, whose restless night of fruitless attempts to create her own magic caused her to fall into torpor just minutes before the hunter's arrival as the warm light of late morning's light flooded the dew-laden grassy expanse surrounded by trees.

[Sso shiny! Sso sstriking!] Edana's unexpected voice woke and shocked Rihelah as it slithered across her eargina, and she immediately struck a defensive pose.

[Ssplendid! Marvelouss and menaccing! However, ssuch possture shall deter only tiny creatures! Tell me young My-kill, how have you achieved ssuch growth in sso short a time? What ssort of ssmall enkelyn makess use of sso flashy an exxoskeleton? Do those ssmall front legs now possesss venom? There musst be ssome logical exxplanation?] The dragon fly's head rotated along its axis.

Rihelah felt incredibly uneasy but her mind was just too worn out to remain lucid. All senses fogged over, her impaired mental faculties left her only a simple, honest answer before she fell back into torpor. [I evolved.]

[What is thisss?? Do you ssspeak truly?!] Edana took to the air and dove into the grass, hovering directly in front of Rihelah, her high, agitated voice hissing slightly more than usual.

There came no answer from the beautiful mantis as the huge dragon fly loomed closer, her curiosity and impatience increasing by the second...

---

Michael caught sight of a familiar shape moving more slowly than usual above the meadow while heading vaguely in his direction. He began to move a little faster toward his left in an attempt to intercept.

Edana! Maybe I can talk with her now!

He waited eagerly for her to pass overhead, and was about to call out to her when Edana's voice entered his mind. But it seemed she was already speaking with someone else and he hesitated.

[...is abssolutely deliciouss! Preciousss and unique! You shall be ssafe! Yesss! Sssafe and ssecluded within my lair, little My-kill! When your ssmall mind awakess, then we shall sspeak! Ssecretss of ssuch evolution as from Auro...]

Her voice faded in and out of Michael's mind as she passed overhead. His head snapped upward in terror, his antennae whipping back across his thorax when he noticed the sparkling mantis she carried in her legs. The other mantid's body seemed like it was covered in...

Frost? She... killed another mantis?! And she thinks it was me! What the hell is going on?

Michael watched in abject horror until a twitch from the captive mantis caught his notice. His antennae quivered in surprise as his thoughts raced. It's still alive! She did mention talking with the other. I wonder if that's the mantis I tried to communicate with? Fuck... I have to find out!

Throwing caution to the wind, he took off at a dead run after the dragon fly, keeping his vision focused both upon Edana and the relatively-open forest floor ahead. He slowed when he saw her duck into a familiar knot-hole, high up within a large tree not far from the meadow's edge.

There it is. Okay. Now what?

Michael had only a couple seconds to think before something suctioned onto and sank some sort of hooks into the underside of his abdomen. The initial shock of pain rapidly intensified as his camouflage faltered and ceased to function.

-4HP.

+10HP Minor Regeneration.

Yeeaaaghh!! The fuck?!

His mantis brain reacted immediately and automatically to the assault. He bent himself hard toward the right and his grasping forelegs latched violently onto something reddish-brown and wormlike. His attacker seemed to panic, retreating into the ground while still attached to his abdomen. His forelegs lost their grip as the worm's strength overpowered his own.

As soon as Michael's abdomen hit the forest floor, the worm's retreat detached it from him, but it tore away a small chunk of his abdomen's exoskeleton as well as a small portion of his innards as it disappeared.

-21HP.

Michael tried to re-engage his camouflage as he ran toward the nearest tree, but nothing happened. His movement was noticed from above, and something very large plummeted toward him.

After stumbling over a series of small twigs while cursing to himself, Michael ducked into a deep knothole just in time to avoid the dive attack of a familiar-looking bird with blue wings and greedy eyes. The knothole continued inward for a distance, and Michael could still hear the bird outside. The bird's massive beak jabbed inward and snapped around thrice. It barely missed Michael's injured abdomen, and he scurried further in, then turned to face his would-be killer. The knothole was just deep enough to keep him out of reach for the hungry avian. The bird made blue-jay like calls as its dark gray beak jabbed inward a few more times, snapping shut with each attempt to locate him. Michael noticed after that last attempt; the upper portion of its beak sported two hooks facing down from its lower portion, while a third jabbed upward between them as it closed. The edges on both sides were serrated, and the entire beak was at least 6cm long.

Damn. Its beak alone is three times as long as me... He shuddered as the beak snapped at him one last time before withdrawing.

The bird's foul breath had warmed and humidified the knothole's air. His antennae wilted a bit at the foul reek of the much larger predator's breath. It reminded him a bit of the bitter and salty taste phlegm had for his human body when tainted by blood during a severe case of bronchitis.

With a furious screech, the bird took to the air. Vortices from its flapping wings scattered a bit of leaf-litter into the hole from outside as it departed.

+10HP Minor Regeneration.

The pain eased somewhat, and Michael's camouflage sprang to life. But he did not dare to exit his hiding place so soon.

Feathered fucker is probably waiting on a nearby limb for me to poke my head out. To hell with that noise! That was too damned close... I should have spoken up and gone with those humans! I could have reminded that cute woman that I was there... What the hell was I thinking? That I'd be safer out in a forest filled with hungry predators? I'm a 2cm long, highly-edible mantis with camouflage that can fail when I get injured! It sure would have been fucking nice to have that little detail noted in the skill's description! Not that camouflage helps against worms. That thing probably sensed me because of vibration...

Movement caught his eyes from behind and he spun around in place to prepare for another fight. To his relief, the movement came from something that resembled a moth. However, the knothole was just dark enough to prevent him noticing much more than that as it moved slowly toward the exit.

Well shit. At least this thing isn't a- fuck!!

Michael just barely reacted in time to dodge sideways and catch the moth's long proboscis as it stabbed toward him. A thin jet of liquid sprayed from its tip, exiting the knothole to fall upon the leaf litter outside.

+10HP Minor Regeneration.

Fine!! You want a fight?! Michael kept his left foreleg around the sharp proboscis while lashing out with the other and deliberately impaling both its compound eyes in quick succession. The moth tried to back away from him, but Michael followed up by latching onto its head with his right raptorial limb. Its wings went ape-shit, flapping madly and scattering tiny scales everywhere inside the small chamber. Some of them settled upon his compound eyes, slightly impairing his vision.

The moth slapped its wings at Michael repeatedly while it continued trying to pull away.

No you don't! You started this shit! No fucking way am I giving you the chance to come at me again!

It took nearly two minutes for the moth to tire out enough for Michael to pull it in close without being wrenched all over the place. He bit into its head, but his latest would-be-killer-turned-meal was hardly what he'd expected. Its compound eyes had a taste that was quite pleasant to his palps, but the fuzzy-looking scales on its head irritated his esophagus.

-2HP.

Guhh... The eyes are tasty, almost like some kind of swampy soup, but those scales... they feel like desert sand in my throat! Michael spat and vomited enough to clear the terrible spine-like scales out of his digestive tract.

I'm getting tired of throwing up, dammit... Not only is it unpleasant and disgusting; it's a waste of food!

The moth had exhausted itself almost completely, its wings vibrating weakly and its legs lacking the strength to pull away any longer.

+10HP Minor Regeneration.

No more mouthfuls of desert-swamp for me, thanks! Michael used his right foreleg like a fish-scaler, squeegeeing the spiny scales away repeatedly until he exposed the dark, smooth chitin of the moth's head between its eyes. Only then did he start chewing once more.

I need to completely disable that damned proboscis. Afterward I can worry about how to deal with the rest of those obnoxious scales.

He chewed through the moth's head until its mouthparts fell away. He dropped its now-useless weapon and latched onto the mostly-decapitated moth to finish it off.

Insects are a pain! The fact that some of them can survive for hours without their heads is just cheating! Does that mean... if I somehow survive even with my head gone, I could regenerate the whole damned thing? I know an insect's nervous system is distributed differently from a mammal's... He shuddered a little, gathered himself, and looked his victim over. The darkness made it difficult to discern where he might safely bite into it.

There's no way I am risking another mouthful of that itchy crap from this obnoxious fuzz-butt of a moth! Hmm. Maybe if I just... Michael rotated himself in the small space, stopping when he'd positioned the mostly-dead creature closer to the entrance. Better!

Light from outside abruptly dimmed, accompanied by the sound of wings flapping. Michael was in the process of letting go of his prey to back away when it was snatched violently from his grasp. The sudden attack dragged Michael halfway outside along with it before he scrambled back in, barely avoiding a follow-up snap of the bird's terrifying beak. Immediately afterward, he heard the beak snap shut once again accompanied by the sound of chitin being crushed.

Group kill of Regal-Winged Bloodmoth Level 14. Experience Split.

Stalking Reaper Mantis has reached Level 11! +5HP, +2MP.

HP: 121/121 (+10HP/min.)

MP: 72/72 (+4/min.)

STR 19

AGI 23

INT 25

The bird's beak intruded once more, snapping about violently in an effort to locate and capture Michael. He climbed up and huddled against the ceiling opposite the tiny wooden cavern's entrance. Frustrated sounds from the bird turned to loud screeching, and it took off once again. The blue-winged bird's cries were echoed by others of its kind, all of them seeming to fade as if moving away from his location.

What the hell? Animals usually make alarm calls like that when...

The alarm cries of his immediate attacker became screams of distress. Michael poked his head out of the knothole long enough to confirm his suspicion. He spied a struggling blue-winged bird caught within the crushing talons of a raptor four times its own size. The bird of prey carried its prize up into the canopy, leaving the area blessedly devoid of smaller predators. For the moment.

There's always a bigger threat. Guess I shouldn't be surprised that this world has hawks as well. It was unwise for that blue-winged bird to make a spectacle of itself like that, focusing all its attention on one frustrating and unreachable source of food while forgetting it had its own predators to worry about. I'd better get to some decent cover, in case that damned bird's “friends” also noticed me...

Keeping his camouflage active, Michael ducked out carefully and began to creep along toward Edana's tree. Where possible, he kept himself hidden beneath bushes. Along the way he carefully avoided a gauntlet of wildly varied spider webs ranging from sheet webs to orb webs and even one odd spider dangling a bead of glue from a silken line. He gave that one a wide berth as it rotated itself subtly to keep him in view. He was relieved to note that it preferred to lie in wait rather than chasing him down.

Michael periodically froze in place while considering the threat posed by each other creature he came across. To his relief, when he moved slowly and carefully he was able to avoid the watchful eyes of most hunters. Predatory beetles were, for some reason, the most likely to notice him while he was moving.

Perhaps those just have sharp eyes for motion. They seem to forget I exist almost immediately whenever I stop moving, and then it startles them if I move again while they are close enough. That's good information! Knowledge is power, after all.

When Michael reached the base of Edana's enormous tree he breathed a small sigh of relief through his abdomen's spiracles.

Just need to keep from running about and making a show of myself like that half-witted gold-digger Rebecca... She might have been physically pretty, but she was always a helpless exhibitionist. I doubt she'd survive ten minutes as a mantis nymph. Any mantis fool enough to opt for a sparkly appearance like she would is almost certainly doomed. Heh. In any case, I say good riddance to her unfaithful ass! I hope she and that fuckwit Townsman choke on one another!

---

Rihelah's antennae felt stiff and unresponsive when her consciousness briefly surfaced. Her very thoughts somehow ached, and she had no idea why or how that was possible. Her surroundings were unfamiliar.

Where...

Her legs were far colder than the rest of her, and they refused to respond when she tried to flex them. The only thing visible to her was a point of light somewhere above, but it gave no warmth at all. It felt as if her brain's commands had been entirely cut off from reaching her limbs as she tried to move toward it.

So odd... Too cold...

Something whitish entered the dark space, hovering above and providing a soft light that illuminated the wooden-walled cave for a moment. Her feet had been encased somehow within ice that adhered to the wood below. Fear welled up within Rihelah. She focused her attention again upon the luminous creature slowly her approaching across the floor and thought she could make out a musical, sinuous voice in her mind. But she couldn't understand any of the words being spoken.

Dragon fly...

Panic set in and her face went numb. Rihelah's vision began to fade once more as her consciousness slipped away.

---

“Sika, tell me lassie; wherefur then is tha' wee strange enkelyn Lady Sionella gave ye tae watch?” Bogdin asked askance while they ran, as the small lake marking the halfway point between the meadow and Nytalis had just come into view.

Sika bared her tiny draconic teeth in frustration. [Demon-shite! I... completely forgot about him when Tran's children started- Relynn! Bogdin! You two can make it safely to Nytalis from here without me, right?]

“Ye bloody, wee, fog-minded... Aye. Tha' we will! Move yer skinny-malinky-winged arse, then!” Relynn shook her head as she and Bogdin continued onward.

Sika doubled back she shot off like an arrow, moving nearly eight times faster than before. Sionella's going to let me have it if that little one is lost! The forest is filled with predators! Worse still, that's the last place where Edana was sighted... Sika felt bitter as she thought of that name.

Balance burn that selfish, damnable girl! If she finds little Michael before I do... Shite! Lord Auronox, please grant me speed that I will make it back there in time...

She increased her speed further, flying between the trees fast enough to make herself nervous as she worked hard to maneuver herself around them.

I can only pray now that he's managed to keep himself hidden from her!

---

[...ild. Awaken, child! It'ss time for your mediccine.]

Her palps tasted a horribly bitter, repulsive wetness. Rihelah recoiled from the awful, septic flavor and ejected something thick and pasty from her mouth. She could see more clearly than before. She was inside some sort of wooden alcove set within a large chamber, and she was cold. Far too cold. Before her stood the enormous, glowing dragon fly Edana.

[Thiss will not do. How shall you recover your sstrength if you refuse to eat? How... shall you sssurvive?]

Edana's voice was icy and authoritarian as she loomed closer. The dragon fly lifted a leg up toward her. Rihelah felt a chill wash over her face, the awful bitterness hitting her palps once more. She tried to back away, only to recall that her feet had been fastened to the wooden floor with ice. Rihelah struggled fiercely, but her bonds held fast.

[I ssuggesstt that you cooperate, ssmall creature. There is no path forward for you, no future but through me. Your resiliencce is impresssive, but how much longer shall you lasst without sussstenancce? Your ssmall body's unnaturally-sstrong ability to sself-heal is remarkable. I musst learn more of thisss, and you shall asssissst... Drink and sserve my needs, or sstarve yoursself until you grow thirssty enough to drink! Thiss proccesss can be ended quickly, or you may choose to ssuffer for as long as you ssee fit. Resisstancce is usselesss...]

The condescension in Edana's voice was even colder than the ice holding her feet. Something in the dragon fly's words pressed down upon her mind while she spoke. Rihelah shivered.

That bitch!! What is she trying to prepare me for? Her supper? Is it possible to gain abilities by eating other creatures and absorbing their strength somehow? Is that what she's up to? If she's trying to prepare me in some special way to be eaten, then why the hell would she use some awful marinade that tastes like raw sewage?!

Rihelah heard Edana's feet skittering across a dense, woody surface just before the tuneful buzz of six wings signaled her takeoff. The glow that was Edana rushed out of the strange cavern.

What the fuck?! How long have I been here...? She... Wait. That liquid... Is she poisoning me?? Why is she doing this?! What the hell did I do to her? She doesn't have any trouble finding food! Why would she go out of her way to eat someone who can talk? Shit like this happens every damn time I let my guard down and try to make friends! Being a mantis isn't much different from being human in that way, I guess... This kind of manipulative shit is why some people hate social gatherings!! I need to get the fuck out of here!! DAMMIT... I still can't move my feet! If only I knew how to make myself some fucking spells!