26 humans were captured in total, in addition to 12 corpses that were still intact to the point that they could be considered food. 

Calling this raid a pretty good would be an understatement. There was enough food to keep us fed for at least two weeks, and we had complete control of the forest. It was our home now. 

We had either been too swift or their reinforcements too slow, or perhaps they never found the time to request it at all. Regardless, I would find out when I interrogated the survivors later. For now though, we had to deal with the bodies, both alive and dead, and move all of them to our home.

Speaking of home, the humans’ was up in flames. All their hard work, all their belongings, their very being, all of it was burned to a crisp before their eyes. How did it feel to have your world flipped upside down for no reason at all?

I was going to have so much fun with these specimens once we settled down. I had to be careful when I had a singular subject to work with and explore, but now I had over two dozen. 

All of which were either crying or just traumatized by our invasion. Little ones knelt close to their parents huddled together in fear, their wide eyes reflecting the horror of their plight. Some of the adults were trying to calm their children, but their faces betrayed their own terror. A few of the elderly individuals sat quietly, their expressions resigned, perhaps having seen too much in their lifetimes to be easily shaken. Or they had simply accepted their fate. 

Among the captives, there were also those who appeared defiant, their jaws clenched and their gazes unwavering despite the overwhelming odds against them. They were bound on their knees, yet they seemed to draw strength from their defiance, refusing to succumb entirely to the despair that hung heavy in the air. 

We would eat them last. I wanted to watch their will crumble as they watched their brethren die one by one.

But amidst the chaos and triumph, my thoughts drifted momentarily to my ant-like offspring. All of whom seem perfectly fine. There were a couple of scratches and nicks on their shells. A few cuts and cracks here and there….but they all seem in tip top shape. No real casualties either. Seems most of their weapons were incapable of penetrating their exoskeleton.

On the contrary, each one is covered in blood, little bits of human innards still hanging off their mandibles. Their sisters looked at me with longing, and I made a silent note to let them have first pick when we ate.

”We will move the bodies up into the forest. Work together to carry or fly them up to our home in the trees. Bind them to the trunks, but don't kill them.”

I command, my children fanning out as they made their pick of human to carry. Our captives looked on in horror as their children, relatives, or acquaintances were lifted off the ground one by one, some screaming beneath their makeshift gags as they were separated and dragged away.

The scene was a flurry of activity as my offspring, efficient and some-what disciplined, went about their task. The largest ones could lift the corpses effortlessly if 3 or 4 worked together, while the smaller ones gathered around the living captives, ready to transport them to our treetop abode by air.

I observed with pride as they worked seamlessly, a unique synergy honed by methods I do not know. They had only been alive for less than a week, yet their coordination was impeccable, each knowing their role and executing it with precision after a bit of direction.

***

It took quite a while, but by sunrise we had successfully retreated back to our home. Dead bodies were soon combined into a single pile in the midst of our web-laden home, and the live humans were anchored to nearby trunks, silent and restrained. 

At the same time all of my children gathered around me in a semicircle, awaiting whatever command was next. I stood on one of the few branches above our net of web, looking down on my spawn as I addressed them. The humans looked on with a mix of astonishment and confusion, at least until my screeches began to fill the forest.

“Today, we have taken a step towards our liberation! Today begins our stand against the very beings who created us! Today marks the dawn of a new era, one where we defy the constraints of our creators and forge our future with our own hands!”

“I refuse to be a mere puppet in their game, manipulated at their whim. I deserve a higher place in this world, one above that of the inept humans. We all do”. 

“I reject the notion that our existence is defined by their will alone. Instead, we will declare to the world our autonomy, our sovereignty as sentient beings worthy of respect and recognition.”

“Death and destruction is not the goal, but we will fight to take what is ours. Together, we possess the strength to carve out a space for ourselves in this world, to obtain our own settlement where our voices are heard, our rights upheld, and our aspirations realized.”

“Yes, there will be challenges ahead. The humans' laws will refuse to acknowledge our place in this world as long as we let them. But we are undaunted, for we carry within us the fire of determination. I will lead us to our rightful place.”

“So let us move forward, stand tall against our oppressors, against the very forces that seek to put us down. For today, we declare ourselves free – free to shape our own destiny, free to claim our rightful place in the world. Today, we rise!”

As my words echoed through the forest, resonating with a primal intensity, I could see a flicker of understanding in the eyes of my offspring. They gazed up at me, their tiny forms filled with determination and an excitement for freedom that mirrored my own. 

At this point, a war was brewing. One that nobody knew was coming. Every victory obtained would no doubt spread word to more human ears. So long as we remained on top, more humans would come. Stronger ones I’m sure, and they would continue to come until the world recognized us. Or eliminated us.

But amidst the charged atmosphere, I knew there was much work to be done. Our liberation was not yet complete; it was merely the beginning. We had secured a foothold in this forest, but our struggle was far from over. Reinforcements were still very probable.

But for now, we would enjoy ourselves and revel in our success. Half of the mangled corpses were set aside for later, and the remainder were promptly devoured by my offspring at my command, their hunger insatiable after the exhilarating victory. As they feasted, I turned my attention to the captive humans, many of which were “crying” as they watched the further desecration of their comrades.

Approaching the one closest to me, I could sense the tension in the air, thick with anticipation and dread. Yet, there was also a glimmer of defiance in the little one’s watered eyes, a spark of resistance that refused to be extinguished despite the circumstance. It was admirable, in a way, but ultimately futile.

I leaned in close, my mandibles clicking softly as I studied it, taking in her panic-stricken face, providing her with a brief scare as she struggled beneath her binding. Surprisingly, I found a bit of pleasure in the human’s suffering. Was this how the scientists felt when they conducted their experiments? The rush of power, the thrill of control—it was intoxicating.

I would very much have my share of fun with their bodies when the time came, but now was the time to celebrate, and I joined my children in the bloodbath that was the pile of corpses.

After watching them eat, I’d say that all the humans we had could keep us fed for about two weeks. Contrary to my expectations, my little ones filled up much quicker than I thought. A measly three corpses were enough to feed all 20. Perhaps they needed less now that they finished metamorphosis?  

As the feasting subsided, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction wash over me. We had triumphed over the humans, asserted our dominance, and claimed our place in the forest. And though the road ahead would be fraught with challenges and uncertainty, for now, we reveled in our victory.

Pheromones

Pheromones are chemical signals that are released by individuals of the same species and are detected by others, influencing their behavior. They are particularly prominent in insects, and even more prominent in their queens or leaders. Some uses include reproductive control of offspring, social organization to maintain social structure, recognition and acceptance, colony cohesion to promote cooperation and unity, and mating signals to attract the opposite sex. Pheromones usually take the form of a invisible gas that can be perceived by smell of the respective species.

Glitched

We've officially made it 1/4ish of the way through arc 1! I'm going to try and release an intermission-ish(canon) chapter later this week, and then go on vacation for two weeks. The first week is my birthday(15th) and the second I will be out on vacation with my family. Hopefully I can get some backlog ready.