Long chapter alert: contains sequences of violence, profanity, etc. Happy reading!

Basking in the glory of my triumph from the rooftop, I watched the nest movement.

He had returned to the main center eager to share the information about a bountiful source of potential food. I am only waiting for the results here away from unwanted attention.

The nest suddenly and intensely buzzed onto one side more than the other. He must have contacted a member of the inner circle already. The bodies rippled in a wave as the message is being transported by word of mouth toward the queen. The inner nest swirled faster around the center and a deafening hum emanated from them electrifying the surrounding air. They must be talking at the same time with great speed to each other and to the queen.

The humming crescendos to a high pitch before dying out slowly to a deadly silence.

A verdict about the information?

Bodies still in unison as the queen lifts her head and gazes in the direction of the informant. Her head is easily twice the size of the ordinary members of the nest. She slowly unfurled herself revealing her true height which is also double the height of the nearest nest member. She was a sight to behold, the matriarch, even from this distance her power radiates authority.

I cringe as the inner nest opens up a path to the tiny form of the old one. He literally face plants to the ground without hesitation, groveling, when he directly sets eyes on her slightly distant figure in the middle of the nest. He began slowly crawling on his stomach a couple meters, stopping when someone in the crowd hissed. Keeping his face down to the ground he raises his forearms off the ground with hand palms up in a gesture of respect and mercy.

She slowly walks half way to him. Then lifting her chin stares into the distance in my direction. How did she know? I incline my head in respect careful to keep it there. Daring to look up only after a long while, she had already turned her attention to the old one laying on the ground again.

Her melodic voice and scent carried in the wind. It was a mixture of sweet and sour on the senses. The sweetness of her scent soured by the bluntness of her words it made the nest tremble like leaves.

I know the feeling of ecstasy in being favored by such a being and the devastation of abandonment. I bear my teeth remembering the agonizing pain.

********

"Noo!! My brood !!!" I silently cry out.

The eggs and the newly hatched little ones that I had so carefully taken care of destroyed. Their delicate bodies butchered into small pieces spread throughout the nursery. I only left for a moment to bring new bedding and some food to my adorable newborns.

Who was it?! Where is she?!

Seething with the revenge coursing through my blood I storm into my mate's room. I screamed at her......no....them both, enraged further as I find her with a new favored lover.

It was not so long ago she favored me to sire a new brood. I should have known the depth of her fickleness. It wasn't just only me in this nest, there were various males she frequented.

There was not caring to properly take care of the younglings in her charge from other pairings when they were old enough to stay with her. Many of them had died from jealous competitors trying to bluster the survival of their own flesh and blood.

Fights frequently broke out between us fighting for necessities and favor. But I never thought about killing another's youngling, I would much rather make the other male bleed or die.

I stomped over to the bed dragging out the male before leaping on top of him pummeling, scratching, and biting him fiercely.

"Youuu....Whhhhyyy??!!" With each hit I utter these words over and over again. Blood sputtered from his wounds, I reveled in the satisfaction of hurting the one who took away the attention of her from my brood.

She was behind me and I ignored her. Big mistake on my part. I became airborne as soon as my fist connected to the other's eye.

I slammed hard against the wall, stunned for a moment. Tears finally spilling from my eyes.

Betrayal, grief, anger peppered my thoughts.

She just left, not saying anything, with the other male. Our younglings had just died and I was left on the cold floor like discarded trash.

I returned to the nursery alone, stumbling to the middle of the room. I look at the carnage blankly, their blood staining the colorful floor that I had picked out for them. She was suppose to watch them......care for them.

6 months of rotating, rehydrating, and warming the eggs lovingly, diligently, gone to waste just like my stupid love for her.

The box full of supplies for the younglings I was planning to use, I dump out onto the floor not caring that the items clattering to the floor broke.

I don't remember how but I filled the box with remnants of my precious offspring.

**********

The queen slowly turned around and strolled out into the desert, leaving the old one laid out on the ground.

The conversation is over.

The inner nest follows closely behind her closing any gaps in the ranks. A low frequency click sounds from her tall figure first, the members below echo the call to the rest.(minipurse)

The surrounding parties click in the same frequency magnifying the call, rippling to the furthest parties. Slowly they all congregate in a group away from the small town they had dispersed in. The inner nest is moving out.

Many run to catch up, some swarm together waiting for the nest to slow their pace in order to merge together once again, and others like the old one slowly hobble as fast as their limbs possible can.

I will make friends with the old one for now. I need him, he is the reason I am still alive despite the queen knowing I am a stranger in their midst. Furtively I crouch down to where the old one lays.

" Have you expired already?"

Moving my head back and forth waiting for him to show signs of life but when he doesn't. I just shrug my shoulder disappointed that my temporary companion, my contact for the group, is gone. This will be a bit more difficult than I had anticipated.

The least I can do for him is to give the last passages of our book of ilsh for his journey to the afterlife. He did do me the great favor of accomplishing the last phase of my plan.

So I set out to quickly gather three rocks to signify the virtues of ilsh. I didn't have to look far to find suitable ones though.

With the three stones in hand, I delicately make a triangle on the back of his head. Balancing each stone the best way I could on the spherical shape, I was tempted to just grind the stone into his flesh for better grip but thought better of it. Usually the stones are placed in the eyes and mouth, but I care not for those small details right now. His soul should be happy for this much.

Starting with the first virtue I hum and click the ancient words, it is best to quickly get this over with.

" Bring peace to his..."

" what the hell are you doing?... stop, you, fool...blood still flows in my veins, I have not yet gone to the afterlife" Immediately I stopped the incantation and stared at the old ones body.

" I apologize, you did not move or answer so naturally..."

" you thought I had expired" he deadpan answered, annoyed.

It is good that I did not grind those stones into his flesh then. He would not have forgiven me for the transgression of not ensuring he was indeed dead.

" I just wanted to replay and memorize the brief moment I had with her, it is the closest I have ever been to......" He sighed wistfully.

Yes, yes ....unfortunately the grand fantasy is no where close to the grisly reality of being near such a creature.

It matters not, we must travel fast to the moving nest before they get to the human settlement.

" Can you walk?" Hoping that he will at the very least have some energy left.

" No, I am too weak for fast travel as well...I am sorry" I have really no other choice but to carry him on my back to cover more ground. Otherwise he will severely hamper the trek.

" Get on my back, I will carry you" the old one spluttered with surprise.

He didn't make a move to turn on his back. So I swiftly helped him by gently hooking my foot under his belly and flipping him over like a sea creature, he flopped like one too.

He groaned " I think you are hastening my departure from this world, nest brother"

I roll my eyes, such drama, no wonder he has survived so far.

"Well, I will keep you in this world as long as you do not loosen your bowels or stomach on me" I grab his arms helping him onto his shaky legs. I crouch down pulling his weight on my back.

" Hold on tightly, the nest has traveled further away, more than anticipated" I push off from my hunched position running in a quadra ped form.

The extra weight slowed us down a bit. The trail and scent was easy enough to follow, we were behind more than most.

We traveled for a long time alone, passing by recognizable landmarks on the way there. I was beginning to wonder if we will be able to make it before the battle.

The large mountain with long columns jutting out from its base became closer to our view. We are almost there. The human settlement should be just around this area.

Tired from running hastily, I pant, and casually trot at a comfortable pace to catch my breath. We come to a small valley around the mountain with an equally small hill somewhat in the middle. A grey stone structure imposed itself high above the line of sight.

A dark swirling mass darkened the valley below the building. We made it just in time. The queen is gathering and informing the nest of the rules of engagement. There is a shrill sound overhead more deafening than the buzzing and humming of the gathering nest. I can hear as we trot closer to the outer rings of the nest a human shouting:

" A SODOM, I REPEAT, A SODOM!!!"

" FUCKING MOVE YOUR ASSES, this is not a drill, MOVE TO YOUR POSITIONS motherfuckers HURRY !!!"

The queen must have sensed that the humans were preparing to defend and escalating to attack because she retreated to the back of the nest, making her way to the mountains again.

I scoffed knowing that the nest would rather all perish than to kill their precious queen if they don't have to.

The nest clicks its orders to all. Outliers and outer ranks are to prepare the first wave of assault, That' s me included.

The old one relaxed and let go sliding to the ground.

" it's my time....for my queen" he whispered.

It was clear that we are being sent first not because we are strong but to tire out the humans and bleed their projectile weapons dry as much as possible for the next wave.

A higher ranked male spoke " fill in the battalion outlier and lower rank members, Glory for the queen!!"

The old one stood up valiantly and leaned on me as I dragged us both to the forming battalion.

I looked around at the rag tag battalion. We are going to die probably, maybe. I smirk at the challenge I haven't been to a proper battle since the beginning of our invasion of this planet.

" old one, what do you want to do? " looking down at him, his eyes flicker some long lost pride that seemed have been wounded by my question.

" I will fling rocks to distract the oncoming firing squads.... Its the best I can do" he says dejected.

" Alright..... how about this wrap both legs and one hand on me while the other hand throws rocks" his face lights up with some hope, he won't be a sitting target at least and I will lug him around like an extra turret on the side. I hope his aim is good.

I chuckle like a lunatic at our grim situation. The old one looks bewildered by my momentary loss of sanity. I feel the air and mood of our group change.

" Hurry, have a rock ready and cling to me" sobering my mood.

" Battalion move out!!! Square formation!! Two prong assault!" The high ranking male shouts over our heads.

Similarly the humans shout their own orders.

" Archers!!!! To the front !!! Incendiary and mortars take your positions!!!" One shouts while we see the dull metal of their armor peak through the stone walls.

We stop our march up the small hill, hiding in its slope.
" Sound off together!!! Nest members !!!" The same male says.

" For the QUEEN!!!!" We chant in unison.

The humans reply unexpectedly with their own sounds. "Haaaa!! Haaaa!!!! Kill the beasts!!!"

Rhythmically, along side us when we take breaks, in between chanting they would reply.

To my ears it sounds like cute chattering what they produce from their vocal cords.

Finally we all grow quiet, waiting for the leader to direct us. " Battalion charge!! distract the humans, the second wave will be coming up behind us soon, GO, GO, GO!!!!"

These are empty words, sure the second wave is coming but not before the humans had killed most or all of us off.

The humans saw us obviously coming up the ridge of the hill to attack them. " Archers take aim!!! FIRE!!!!"

The first ranks made it a couple feet before a silent dark downpour of sharp sticks rained on them.

A few fell to the ground dead but most made it from what I saw as we made it up the ridge too.

The humans are gaming for more time. Arrows in general don't pierce very far into our flesh. The thick mucous we continuously secrete during the battle slows down the energy behind the arrow. They need to hit us directly in the the small section of vulnerability we have, our eyes.

The nest member next to me drops suddenly, I look over slightly, an arrow juts out of his bloody eye as his crumpled body lays on the ground.

Evasive maneuvers are needed, the humans have long range and sharp shooter archers picking us off. I break rank running parallel to the battalion back and forth.

" old one!! You need to aim true to the enemy!!"

" yes!!" As a rock whizzes past our battalion to the opening where the humans are.

"Aaarggghh, what the fuck!!" The other outliers started doing the same as soon as they also came into range. The outer ranks broke off and started rushing to the wall.

We were like that for a while returning fire with rocks creating some cover for the others, periodically sharp sticks rained on us killing a few at a time.

The old one's aim is astonishing considering his poor condition. He got a couple good shots in.

An arrow pierced my shoulder the pain felt quick and sharp, blood started streaming down my arm. My passenger snapped it in half looking at the wound.

" flesh wound, it will hurt like a cheating lover but you should still be able to use it!" I had stopped momentarily because of the shot but I need to keep going if we are to survive. More ranks came up behind us replenishing the ones lost.

" They are coming up on the right and left of US!! The beasts think they can outflank us!!"

More arrows rained on us, a few I noticed had been lucky to climb up all the way above to the openings full of humans.

" Contact!! Con..... Aaaaaaaa" as one of them comes crashing down to the hungry nest members below. More bodies started falling down from the building as they rip them from their openings. Some smack on the ground with a thud or a humph of air.

The ones closest to the walls made quick work of them, some more quickly than others because of the armor encasing the humans. They threw ragged gushing body parts behind them for the others to partake in saving the flesh for later.

Boom!! Boom!!! Cold air sliced through the air slowly dispersing, small cold pellets pelted us afterwards. An array of clicking came from behind us where the second wave should be.

I turn around to see what was happening, a crater full of ice and a group of stiff bodies laid in a large perimeter around it. What happened next was surprising or maybe unsurprising, an idiot grabbed one of the bodies and his arm turned as stiff as stone. He collapsed wailing in pain on the floor. We all stilled for a moment in silence, staring at the scene in front of us.

Its as if time had slowed down. Another boom resonated in the air as another section of our nest went up in an icy column of death. The ones unlucky enough to stay within the area where a white fog carpeted the floor were frozen on the spot they stood.

The wails, screams, and clicks of my brethren mixed with the sounds of the humans. We come out of our stupor soon enough shouting in unison mustering up more courage and more anger. This battle is not over.

More 🎬 actiuon on the horizon. This is an especially long chapter. Comment, like or share.