One would think we were out scot free after the successful extraction and capture, but the humans weren’t done with us just yet. Somehow, the humans managed to catch sight of us from this distance. We had to be nothing more than a few specs in the distance, and yet they were able to hone onto our position with ease. 

As it would turn out, the gate wasn’t the only exit to the capital. There had to be some kind of opening on the sides somewhere, because humans were coming out in droves from the left and right of the large walls. One rather large group went straight for the pitfall, probably to check up on survivors, while a second smaller group ran down the road toward us.

They were still specks at this point in time, but it was pretty easy to tell that the humans were mounted on horses based on their speed. Considering how fast the creatures ran and the distance between us, they would likely reach us in a few minutes at the least. 

If they could see us from all the way over there, then they had to see the massive circle of murky red on the ground. So I think it's safe to assume that they're coming here to exterminate us so we don't try the same thing again. Making use of the opportunity to kill more humans would be nice, but over half my children were yet to undergo their metamorphosis, and we didn’t need any complications after such a successful haul.

The hive had its fill of fresh blood, and so there was no need for us to stay here any longer and ruin a perfectly good catch. That being said, escaping above ground didn’t seem to be an option considering our pursuers, and so I opted for another underground escape. We would follow our own scent and head back on the road with our prey, just underground. At least until we got to the miniature forest on the road back.

Of course the whole idea of an underground escape really didn't suit my body, and so I separated ten or so of my largest daughters from the larger group to dig out a separate tunnel large enough for me to pass through. 

As an additional measure to buy time, I decided to torch the ground. It was filled with nothing but perfectly green grass, which didn’t exactly make the best fuel, but I was able to get a good sized area to burn after several fireballs. If the humans truly cared about their land, they would stop to put it out before it spread. 

The only thing the cavalry would find here was fire and the bones of the devoured. I would say we made a rather clean escape, and with time to spare at that. Fortunately everyone is able to see a good amount underground, and with our enhanced sense of smell we easily follow the trail left by ourselves back in the direction of the road as I had commanded. All of us are able to escape, with the remainder of my undeveloped children ready to shed their baby skin and move into adulthood. 

***

The operation is considered a complete success when we emerge in the midst of the forest, and with no pursuers at that. It had taken a while, but it would seem this trip to the capital was worth it. Aside from food, all my children were technically adults now, and I also got an idea of what the largest human settlements were like. Sure, something of that caliber was a suicide mission as we were now, but I'm sure we could overtake it if we tried hard enough. For now though, we would stick to more minor human settlements like the village. The humans couldn’t all live inside of their fortified cities right?  

We all head up and take residence in the top of the trees, where the younglings all cocoon and undergo metamorphosis. By the end of the day, hundreds of my children mature into their adult forms, far larger and more pristine than their larvae stage. Now the question was how to keep all of us fed. The hit-and-run tactic had worked for the day, but how to keep my family's belly full consistently was another question at hand.

The forest would make a great place to come back to if we ever needed refuge, but for now it would seem that we would have to take on a more nomadic lifestyle near other human settlements if we were to have constant access to food. The first step in doing so was to obtain some kind of guidance pertaining to direction, which meant heading back to the fork in search of humans. And what better time to leave the forest than the middle of the night? The humans had a weird habit of traveling very early in the day, so leaving early seemed to be the best choice if we wanted to force an encounter.

It'd be a while before we reached the fork, at the very least a few days which meant feasting on any humans or animals that may be out in order to preserve our food supply. But it wasn't until we reached the fork itself that we encountered another group of humans. A rather large one this time.  

It seems a caravan was headed towards the capital. Eighteen people along the road that made great food along the way for the family. It wasn't enough to fill everyone, but food was food. Of course, we needed direction, and so I briefly spared a younger child to give us direction. Except I didn't have the time to interrogate him.

In a sudden movement, one of my older daughters flies up to my shoulder and whispers to me. 

"Mother, we're being followed. A group of humans from the direction of the capital. They somehow tracked us down.”

They followed us all the way out here? We were several days from the capital now. Were they so hellbent on revenge that they were willing to track and follow us all the way to the boonies and back? How did they even track us down to begin with? Apparently losing hundreds of humans in the span of a few minutes had ticked them off more than I expected. 

"How many, and where are they relative to our current position?”

"Last we saw over the hill, there were few. No more than twenty. All on horses. We're not sure how far they are, but they were nothing but specks from above. However, the big animals run fast. They may be upon us in a few minutes.”

"Then we will wait for them then. Twenty should not pose any sort of danger as long as we acknowledge that we are the ones who must take caution now that we are being pursued. I can’t imagine they are looking for a head on confrontation, with such small numbers.”

“Will we continue forward then?”

“Hmmmm. No. We will split and have one half act as bait to test the humans’ intentions. One half will beeline and continue back to our forest home on the surface, and the rest of us will continue to follow them underground in the plains rather than the road to put a bit of distance between us. If the humans decide to attack, then we will collapse on them all at once.”

Similar to the heist, my daughter scrambles off to spread the word. In a matter of minutes the entire colony is in position, and we resume our trek home in the light of the setting sun.

Well, we tried to resume it. They arrived much quicker than I had anticipated. Much quicker. As it would turn out, their goal was very much extermination.

I had just begun to hear the sounds of battle, and not even a second later, I could hear the death screech of one of my children. Not just any child, but the voice of one of the larger females. They had been seemingly invincible throughout our crusade, and yet one was felled almost immediately.

But before I can give any order, I receive a report from one of my daughters on the situation above.

"The humans have brought large spears. Extra sharp ones that look very heavy. However, there is one human who is using a thin one that seems to be able to pierce our strongest shells with ease. Almost like it's ignoring their shell. The humans that accompany him seem more organized, more strong-willed, more thicker skinned. They're well armored and trained. Each strike of theirs cuts down our siblings."

"The human with the thin lance bears a difference. Seems to be a leader of sorts. It has decorations, colors, and wears a leather hood.” A second daughter adds. 

Elite forces? Or was this just the capability of a well trained unit? I would assume the former given that there were only ten. If the sounds of human death were music to my ears, the sounds of my dying children were perpetual thorns in my side. Something needed to be done to minimize losses. 

"The other half has done their job and baited the enemies, it's time for us to join them in battle. The number of enemies are small, but extremely formidable. Stay away from their leader and dodge their spears if you can, and use our numbers as an advantage. Work as a team and not individually. I can keep their leader occupied from a distance. Remember that we're fighting for our lives here, not food.

"Yes mother." My daughters reply, scurrying away to inform the rest of the hive. 

But just as I prepare to get a view of the battlefield with my very eyes behind my surfacing children, the same daughter immediately returns not long after disappearing.

"Mother, mother! They are retreating! Before the rest of our siblings were able to emerge from the ground. Those fighting were able to kill two during their retreat, but they fled before we were able to ambush them.”

"What was the point of coming all this way then!?” I think aloud. 

They had to have realized that it was a trap and fled before they were surrounded. But how? We hadn't even surfaced yet. 

“Tsk. I want everyone to keep watch of the area, I need eyes in the sky now. You and your sisters are to tend to the wounded and hurt. Have some of your unoccupied siblings count and bury the bodies of the dead. Whatever meat we have is prioritized for those who have taken the most damage.”

***

What a waste of life. At the very least, this battle gave an understanding of what forces lay behind the walls of the capital city. But what was most disturbing was my poor daughter who was slain at the start of battle. Looking at the body, there were no slow injuries or bleeding in the body. A single stab through her exoskeleton and into her neck. An immediate decapitation. 

It was a swift and painless death thankfully, but far too swift for one with such protection. All around the road are the corpses of a handful of my sons. Seven in total. For their lives, we traded two human bodies and two horses to eat. More than enough to feed the injured and then some with the rest. From an outside perspective they did well, but their deaths just didn't sit right with me.

It didn't make sense. I mean a heavier weapon would deal more damage, but a simple increase in size shouldn't have changed a weapon that could be considered a toy into a killing machine. Their leader sounded especially obnoxious, almost like he or she didn't have to put in the effort to penetrate the shell with his weapon despite it being smaller than the others. I made the right call escaping the capital a few days ago, because more just these ten were a huge problem. 

And speaking of which, there was no stopping our trek now. The longer we sat out in the open, the easier it would be for the humans to find us. We were going to have to change up the way we operated if we were to have any chance to fight without taking unnecessary losses. Especially now that the humans were fully aware of our existence. But first, home. We needed to regroup and collect ourselves after this entire ideal. 

***

After a light snack, all of us made the final leg of the trip back to the forest from the fork to complete the scavenge of about two weeks. The forest was as green as ever with the exception of the white webs that act as an umbrella at the top of the trees. Most of the animals have already fled or vacated our domain by now except for the occasional rodents which were nothing more than a passing snack. 

Fortunately there were many fruit and berry trees, but never enough to satisfy the size of my ever growing family. Oh and breeding. I would have to tell them to stop while we rested.

The Capital of Wyn

The capital is found in the northernmost part of Wyn, completely opposite to the forest of Ellinia in the south. It serves not only as the political heart of the kingdom but also as a hub of culture and commerce. As a result, it boasts one the largest population of any city in the entire country, and receives a large amount of daily traffic from traveling merchants, mercenaries, and tourists. Towering spires reflect the city's deep connection to its past, while bustling markets overflow with exotic goods from distant lands beyond the island. The grand citadel, home to the ruling monarch and their court, stands as a testament to the kingdom's storied history and unwavering strength.