Corpses had their uses, but I never imagined I'd use them for bandaging. I mean human clothes and their concept of nakedness was stupid, but I can't deny the short term use of their clothing as bandaging. Not nearly as strong and reliable as my children's webbing, but it should hold until we reunite.

When I finished patching myself up, I too had the pleasure of finally being able to indulge myself, in which I opted to consume the horse driver that I had fried earlier. Unfortunately, it became clear that raw human meat tasted better than its  "well done" alternative. 

In addition to the two horses, three humans were left when we finished feasting. Obviously, it would be impossible for us to fly all of our spoils back home, and so a slow trudge began as we worked together to drag our corpses back to the meeting point. 

I would prefer to have taken some things back from the carriage, but our hands were full, and it would be a risk to come back when the humans seemed to travel these roads often. Instead, I did what I could to manage the situation and burned the carriage to hide what evidence I could.

If it took over five hours to get here, I could only imagine how long it would take us to find the other group back at the split. Except we didn't have to.

 

***

 

Rather, they found us four hours back to the fork. Seems they too ran into another group of humans, one that they deemed was quite formidable in the opinion of my leading daughter. 

Upon seeing that they were receiving a hard time, they retreated as per my orders. Unlike us, they were all accounted for, having fled the battle before it got too heated or anyone died.

Apparently the humans they encountered seemed to be fairly well armed. They too had some armor, but their weapons seemed about the same. None of which are able to pierce through my toughest daughters’ exoskeleton. However, there was a bit of a difference compared to the ones we encountered. 

From the way she described, it seems they also had horses pulling a carriage, although the inside was pretty empty. They were surprised and confused at their first appearance, but their driver quickly recognized them. These humans seemed to have come specifically to eliminate them at the order of their driver. 

If anything, these were the  "reinforcements" being guided by the messenger that had been sent from the village weeks ago. Chances are, they were probably making their way to the village as we spoke. Which would only mean more combat soon.  

But until we met them head on, survival of the colony took precedence. We needed to return and provide the hive with something to eat, and then we could worry about dealing with our enemies. It was easier to fight on a full stomach after all. 

With more uninjured members added to the team, the remainder of our transport back to the fork was reduced to just two and about a half hours. There were no new smells back at the fork, so I assume we were still ahead of our hunters.

The problem was that the humans were now aware of our capabilities, and at the very least were aware what to focus on and avoid. If I’m being honest, I was being rather generous with the assumption that they would come straight to us without going back for help or different weapons. It wouldn’t be surprising if they decided to turn back and get more help. After all, the only thing they thought to be present at the time they called for help was a monster in the forest.

If the threat became new monsters on the road they travel through, then that was a situation that would call for much more attention. At least in my opinion. We would see in due time, but my first priority was getting back to feed my beloved children.

 

***

 

Within hours we returned home, much quicker than I had expected to be. Not much had gone by since we first left. A little more than an entire day had passed, but there were no changes to the forest. However, we did return to the sight of all my mature children having one massive mating session while the newborns just shuffled around. No new hatchlings, but at this rate, there were sure to be more in a few days.

Speaking of hatchlings, they absolutely devoured the food we brought back. There was a little left, but it wouldn’t last for but another day. We would have to go out again unfortunately, but for now I let my children relax. Those of us who had headed out hadn’t slept in an entire day after all.

When my grandkids see me trying to sleep, they instinctively create a protective circle around me. They cuddle up on my head, shoulders, and arms, forming a cozy barrier as they settle in for the day. 

Now that I think about it, it's quite weird that these little guys haven’t gone through their own metamorphosis yet. They were certainly getting a lot more to eat, but for whatever reason they've yet to evolve into their next stage. Something was missing. 

The only thing I could think of was the scuffle that occurred when I went to retrieve more berries. Perhaps they needed to kill and feast on their prey? These larvae certainly haven't done that yet. They've mostly been handed food on a silver platter at this point.

 

***

 

Contrary to expectations, we were allowed a full day of sleep before humans were spotted in the distance on the night of the next day. There is a quick shuffle to get up and ready, but most of my children were already up and about anyway.

Immediately, all of us set out for the forest entrance, and are almost there when we come upon torches in the distance. There are a few of them actually, and behind them an empty carriage. I'm quickly informed that this was the same carriage the other group encountered on their separate path.

A closer look reveals that they are stranded, clearly a result of our traps as the carriage has lost a wheel after falling in a ditch. One of the humans is injured as well, clutching their leg as the others buzz around the entire situation like flies.

Not to mention their only source of light was the few torches they carried around. It was a request for help as soon as possible, but to come when the sun was down was pretty ambitious if you ask me. All one had to do was put out their fires, and they'd already be at a huge disadvantage. These humans lacked the night vision we had, and they would pay the price for it. 

The entire colony was huddled around me now, awaiting instructions as we stalked our prey. Given our numbers, the situation, and the incapacitated humans, the order was simply  "kill." 

Well, kill everyone but the driver. I had questions.

This time around, there was no need for specific instruction. The larvae scrambled down the trees to burrow underground, while the others took position above the humans themselves. It was clear that at some point knowledge had been passed down, and combat roles were becoming clear. They were learning.

I too was prepared to make landfall in my own psychic way, but was stopped short by one of my spider-like daughters.

"Mother, you're still injured from the fight earlier today. Please stay as far away as you possibly can." She pleaded, the look of concern in her eyes hard to ignore.

"This should be easier than our previous encounter, but I…umm…I welcome your warning. I will monitor from afar and give commands if they're needed. My body, albeit powerful, is not as suited for physical combat, so I will be leaning on you and your siblings. I'm leaving things up to you and the boys for once, so make me proud."

 "Yes, mother." She replies with an excited chirp, quickly buzzing off to join her brothers and sisters lurking in the trees further up. 

A loud screech by yours truly signals the beginning of the fight, and the humans are immediately swarmed as they suffer an attack from all sides. One yells in alarm, but her voice is quickly overpowered by the fierce buzzing of wings. She barely has any time to block her first attackers with her sword, and still falls when a dozen of my grandkids creep up on her from below.
All around the carriage the same thing happens, four of the five guards remaining guards barely holding their own. All of which have little time to adapt as they are quickly isolated and picked off before they can rally together and put up a defense.
If I’m being honest, it's quite pitiful, and rather boring to watch. But these were the kind of battles I preferred. A one-sided fight with no chance of loss. Zero risk, all reward.

Fighting in the night without a doubt gave my children a significant advantage. Within seconds, the group of seven is reduced to just one, where all my children focus and swarm the driver. There are no bodies left behind, just clothes and bones as all six of the bodies were eaten out in combat. 

The sole survivor looks on in horror as he realizes his fate, but hope briefly flashes on his face when he is surrounded but not attacked. Yet his fear quickly resurfaces as he is held down and strung up by my daughters who work together with their brothers to carry him up to me. They drop him in front of me, his bound body bouncing off our makeshift floor of silk.

《You..you’re the messenger for this village yes?》I ask, taking a step towards the bound human.

His eyes widen, and he nods his head. 

 《You are late, far too late, but I will give you the chance your fellow villagers never had. I take it you've been out this forest before with your job and all, so should know something about human society beyond this village, or at least what kind of information floats around.》

  "Will you let me go if I tell you what you want?" He asks, his voice rising uncomfortably high.

 《Maybe. It depends on what you share of course. I’d prefer you answer unless you want to end up like your friends.》

He shakes his head expeditiously.  "Of course, of course. They're not even my friends. Just some mercenaries I hired to protect the village. Please, I'll give you anything. Information, money, clothes, weapons. I know where to get them all, just please let me go afterwards!” So you can tell the humans about us? How naive.

《Are you trying to bargain with me? Understand your place. You will give what I ask and what I ask alone. Now, who travels the roads?》

"W..Well,  there will always be merchants and their guards. Many more once the capital hears of this. Especially since this village has been destroyed and overrun. They'll send people and soldiers, and maybe even the knights to investigate and quite possibly exterminate you and all these…bugs."

《If I remember, this capital is the center of your country. Therefore, it should have humans. Many more than the few dozen that were in this village. They will work perfectly as a food source. So, tell me, where is this capital?》

The human hesitates, clearly conflicted between self-preservation and loyalty to his kind. Much to my dismay he chooses the latter, deciding to stay silent.

I dip down until we are eye to eye and stare him down before repeating myself.

《I said where is your capital? Do not make me waste time torturing you like I did the others.》

“Thank Ciel, it doesn't know it's too the north.” The human finally answers.

《To the north you say?》I ask to clarify.

“I..I never said that it was to the north.” 

“What is it talking about?” The human says, and this time I can tell that something is off. His mouth doesn’t move.

《Hm. Human. Listen but do not speak. What is your name?》

“My name? Andrew.”

《And Andrew, how old are you?》The human looks at me in confusion. 

“How does it know my name?”

《Focus on the question Andrew. How old are you?》

“Twenty-seven.”

《That's enough. I think I've got it figured out.》

“You can read my mind!” 

《I can read your mind.》

We conclude simultaneously.

《Good analysis, but I don't remember giving you permission to speak. I'm sure you understand I heard you mention north before, so there's no use in hiding it. Or anything that I ask for that matter. But fortunately for you, I don't have any more questions.》

I explain, the human's face briefly lighting up as I “hear” him await his release. Just like that, he's already forgotten that I can read his thoughts. I wish I was aware of this ability earlier, and I still have no idea how to use it. It couldn't be that hard if it was like the rest of my powers. 

《Thank you for your cooperation. People like you make our lives much easier. Enjoy your stay. Oh, and try not to move too much, it makes the entire process more painful.》

 "Wait, what? Stay? What stay!? I told you everything you wanted! You said you'd let me go!"

《I made no promises.》

He starts wriggling around in protest, but is quickly subdued by my hungry children. All it takes is a wave of a hand, and webs are torn away as he is jumped by dozens of my children at once. Needless to say, only bones remained.

 

***

 

If there were any takeaways from today's skirmish, numbers made things easy. Fighting in an ordered layout made things easier. They were able to subdue a few humans easily, but this strategy wouldn’t work for larger groups we would have to fight head on. It’s rather fortunate that we have smaller battles like this to practice with. Perhaps I’ll practice implementation of strategy when we encounter a larger force. The best teacher was experience after all.  

The battle had concluded with a few of my less armored sons injured, but none that were actually killed. All of the humans were felled, and my grandkids are all bloated with food. 

Within the next few hours they enter their own cocoons, where they emerge as adults in the afternoon of the next day. There are thirty males and thirty females, another equal split down the middle. Except the former ratio is mimicked in the females as well. Nine of them are like my intelligent daughters, while the remaining twenty-one mimic my larger daughters.

The only difference between my direct and indirect descendants is that none of the latter were as large as the former. For the most part, the difference in size didn't seem to be too much of a problem. If anything, my direct children would serve as leaders within their subspecies for indirect generations. Including myself, we now had eighty-one mouths to feed, but it was plausible if we found and killed a group of humans like this at least every other day. 

Our forest domain expanded even further with the introduction of more curators, and we quickly took over a majority of the forest. More children to work with meant I was able to deploy them to more tasks, which now included a larger watch force for the entire forest. If a human ever made their way here, we would collapse on them as soon as we were notified.

I had planned to take a day or two off after all of our endeavors, but two days quickly turned into three, five, and then a week as we were held up by six-hundred and six new family arrivals. 

As the week dragged on, things were starting to look less positive. Throughout the expansion of our domain, only one group of humans had come by. Seven humans who classified themselves as bandits to be precise. Of course we captured and consumed them, but it wasn’t enough for all of us. The thugs quickly fell as their weapons proved useless against the daughters’ shells. With the exception of one weapon which Identified as an axe. Seems this is one weapon that's capable of going through their shell, but the bandit fell quickly once my children realized that his weapon went through the daughters’ armor. Within seconds, the seven thugs were eaten. Seven humans weren’t even worth a day's meal anymore and my children were crying for food.

We needed humans, lots of them, and where better to get them other than their capital? It would take some time to get there if it was the northmost path at the fork, but this great migration should be worth it.

With a proclamation for the human capital filled with all the humans my children could eat, my family headed out with a ferocious tenacity for the human capital.

 

 

---

 

 

The Bandits of Wyn

In many areas of the world, bandits pose a problem to tourists, merchants, and other travelers as they make their way around more rural areas. These bandits tend to lurk around specific spots, which are in turn labeled as high risk areas. Typically, travelers going through such high risk areas hire merchants or other other forms of protection to travel with them and deter bandits. Wyn is no different, where the primary area of risk lies in the south of the island. Here, the bandits are said to make camp with their leader, a man who calls himself the bandit king.