According to the humans, reinforcements would take at least three days, and that’s assuming they came here at top speed. If someone even took up their request.

After a brief interrogation, it was revealed that the village's request for reinforcements was more of a formality than a real expectation of immediate assistance. They seemed to lack a direct connection to request support from their kingdom's official army. Based on what I was told, if someone came to “visit”, they would likely be volunteers of some sort.

We were already on day five now, and still no humans in sight. If anything the forest was rather quiet, any sense of rush from the raid long gone. Mentally drained, the humans seemed lifeless, only stirring when my children or I approached. The haunting memory of their youngest being eaten alive and the experiments conducted on the now deceased specimen had deeply scarred their psyche.

Anxiety among the remaining survivors was no doubt at its peak, as it was the adults’ turn to be eaten alive. The past four days we had dined on the rowdy children, mainly because of how annoying they were. Sure they were bound and gagged, but they refused to stop resisting. Adults had the sense to give up, but these little buggers keep squirming around. They were asking to be dealt with first in my opinion. 

In any case, food wasn't a major worry right now. When human reinforcements arrived they would supply us with our next meal. My focus was more on the potential repercussions from humans. Even though it has been four days without any indications, it's better to be overly prepared than not prepared at all. Our habitat was growing steadily, and the webs on top of the trees were gradually spreading throughout the forest in preparation for combat. I’d say we had covered a fourth of the trees, my web-spinning daughters hard at work above their siblings.

While our home in the trees was expanding, we kept the lookout for humans as well. The remainder of my children kept an eye on the outside from the edges of the forest in shifts. Covering the entire expanse of the forest visually was impossible with just seventeen, but their sense of smell would kick in if they got too close undetected. 

That being said, I wasn’t going to let them just waltz into our territory. I’m fairly new to war and the like, but at the very least I knew that the best defense was a good offense. I couldn't have them discovering our home here in the trees, and I especially couldn't risk them torching our nest. Speaking of the nest, I wanted to expand our colony as quickly as possible, preferably before we departed to take on the humans.

We had conquered a very small village, unorganized and isolated. It would take a lot more than twenty-one of us to overrun any real city. Supposedly, human cities could range from the thousands to the hundred thousands. According to the villagers at least.

Better to increase our numbers and go for the smallest settlements that dotted the countryside then make an offensive against one of their stronghold cities. After all, experience was the best teacher, especially when we were all new to the ways of the world.

***

Three more days of preparation passed slowly, making it a week since our raid on the village. Our food supply had been reduced to thirteen humans, which was a bit concerning. Still no sign of humans to combat and feed upon, but there had been some resistance to our expansion of territory. 

Namely the natural inhabitants of the forest. They were okay with our initial expansion, but I guess we were starting to take too much of their beloved territory. Too bad. 

Naturally, resistance was no major issue. Even the largest of the forest inhabitants could be repelled and eventually hunted down if my children worked together. I wouldn’t even need to make an appearance if they were cut down while they were asleep. Not to mention that more dead animals meant more food. I’m sure that I could spare a few lookouts to get the job done, especially since I would be on the outskirts of the forest pretty soon.

“Since the humans have graciously provided us with time to prepare, your spider-ish siblings and I will set up some traps on the main road that leads through the forest.” I informed my assembly of children, the daily routine of issuing orders underway. 

“All of the males are to stay on lookout, and the remaining females are to eliminate any animal resistance in the forest. When the girls are done, all of you are to rotate the ten lookout positions between yourselves every hour. In between shifts….you are free to do as you’d like.”

"Yes, mother." They click in unison, all but my chosen three leaping through the holes in the webbed floor to the ground far below.

As the assembly of siblings dispersed to carry out their assigned tasks, I made my way to the edge of the forest via our webbed forest-top, my three chosen in tow. 

Upon reaching the outskirts, I surveyed the main road that cut through the heart of the forest. Put bluntly, it was a vital passage for human travel. The trees elsewhere were too close for humans to fit their “carriages” through them, making this road the single inlet and outlet to the center of our territory. Control of it would yield control of the entire forest. 

I focused my thoughts, feeling the familiar energy surge within me as I prepared to teleport. With a sudden twist of reality, I vanished from the treetops and reappeared on the ground near the road, my children following in my steps as they landed in front of me. 

“Instinct simply allows you to produce silk, but I will teach you how to use it best. You all lack the fierceness of your brothers or the defenses of your sisters, but you do have two things they do not. Superior intelligence, and your webs of course.” I explain.

“In combat, anything can be a weapon, and your silk is no exception. It can ensnare our enemies, create barriers, and even serve as a means of communication among us.”

“As I just mentioned, the most basic application is ensnaring our enemies. Typically this is done through webs, but humans aren't exactly blind, and they don't fly either.”

“Instead, we will take advantage of their dependency on horses and carriages. We will dig out a few pitfalls on this main road, fill them with webs, and call it a day.”

“What are pitfalls, mother?” The smallest among the three asks.

“Holes my dear. Holes in the ground. Just big enough to fit most of a human. Do not fret, I will be working alongside you.” I declare, leading the way to my chosen spots. 

Together, we set about laying traps along the road, my children weaving intricate webs as I concealed them with leaves and branches. The anticipation of potential prey approaching sent a thrill through us, fueling our determination to protect our home. We needed humans to come after all. 

***

It's evening now, and my hands are full, quite literally, as another five days have passed with no humans in sight. In my hands are larva, the next generation of children in what was starting to look like our little hive. Except they're not my brood.

I never expected that when I gave my children free time in the absence of work or human presence they would start mating and producing offspring. 

I didn't even think it was possible considering how insect colonies were supposed to work with a singular queen and all, but here I am holding children that aren't mine.

However, the reality of not being their biological mother doesn't hinder them from treating me as if I were. Instead, they bypass their birth parents and turn to me, so I suppose in their own way, my grandchildren are also my children.

Two of my bulky daughters laid thirty eggs each, totaling to sixty new offspring once they hatched in about two days. If there was anything that stood out about my extended offspring, it was the fact that they were smaller and took longer to hatch. Yet at the same time, they had birthed more in a single brood. Sure the eggs were smaller and clearly less efficient, but it still felt unfair. 

It seemed to be far more efficient if I were to birth all of our future generations, but for the time being I figured I could let them have their fun. After all, my babies deserved breaks for all their hard work. Not to mention how much faster we could grow our numbers. 

The children I had left on guard duty days ago had successfully hunted the territorial animals and scared off the others who willingly fled. Now we had an additional food supply of various creatures, who had all been strung up when we returned. 

Yet, still no humans in sight. Even with the creatures that inhabited the forest, our food source was soon to run out. The adults don't consume much anymore, but the sixty younglings have a ravenous appetite as they feed to prepare for metamorphosis. Despite the continued expansion of our home in the forest and all the fruits and berries available to live off the land, the forest is starting to run out of resources to support all eighty-one of us.

Perhaps the humans were less compassionate than I thought...that or they were just taking forever to assemble some sort of team. When no one came by the end of the next day, I opted to take the more developed hive members with me to head out and find some more humans ourselves. I would not let my children starve.

Seeing the Supernatural 

Not just anyone can see the supernatural. As a matter of fact, the supernatural is invisible to the human naked eye. Fire spells, lightning matrices, and any other "real" supernatural force can be seen by the naked eye, but those that are more subtle, like a sleeping spell, are invisible to the naked eye. 

Those born with the gift, select races/monsters, and some rare individuals are able to see the supernatural without aide. When examined closely, invisible supernatural forces all take a unique look subconsciously determined by the caster. For example: A bird lover's detection spell may look like dozens of doves spreading throughout the sky.

Aide for sight of the supernatural exists in a variety of ways, but the most common are simple artifacts that the user can wear. These are the second most common combative type of artifact, next to those that allow one to see in the dark.

Obviously, as a result of unique apperances, it is impossible to tell what a spell or matrix will or is doing without the appropriate knowledge through study or experience.