THE GIGAS

pg 4

Long chapter alert: scenes of gore, violence, etc etc. Happy reading 📚.

By the first dawn of the battle both sides suffered massive casualties.

The light of the sun glimmered through the mountain top strengthening. We heard the order to retreat, a long click, from the queen who had come down from the mountain to retrieve us.

" The beasts are retreating!!! Check the wounded!! Morning shift personnel assemble!!"

I didn't hear the rest as everyone including me scrambled to clear out of the battle field. The ones who even in the foray of battle where scurrying away with carrion left first with the last of their cargo.

We made it to another day. The old one loosely hung onto my waist straining to hold on as I gallop alongside the other nest members.

The queen had left swiftly right after sounding her command, only a scent trail to the place she had scoped out helped to guide us to the new base camp. Though I do not want to intrude or be included with this nest it is best if I stay near in case of an attack. As long as I am included in this campaign I won't refuse a meal if offered one either if it can be helped.

The trail winded around the mountain and up a small cliff face. The others scrambled up in a multitude trying to beat the rising sun into the protection of the dark den. I jostled the old one from the side to my back. I need to drop him off before digging my own den somewhere else. The surrounding bodies shoved and we jumbled around precariously while making our way to the freshly dug up den.

It was cool and dark. The space resonated with the clicking language of my kind. I listened carefully to the echoes bouncing off the walls.

The den is impressively deep. She must have dug several chambers and a main hall during the time the rest of the nest was out fighting. "Hey, old one I will leave you here with the rest, I will come back after sunset"

The old one patted my back softly " No, come eat something first. No one will refuse you if you come with me....They know I was the one to tell of this place, please" he said before I could even have a chance to rethink twice about taking the offer.

He guided me to the very end of the den hall. The closer we got the more louder the sound of crunching became. The soft light from light stones glimmered in the darkness faintly.

A pile of carcasses littered the floor, the nest scurried around and many members nimbly went through the pile to pick their choice morsels.

With each step the blood that had seeped into the moist ground came bubbling back up. He pointed to a far corner that was unoccupied. I tiptoed between the food and the surrounding members. Once there I sat down and the old one slid off slowly onto the soft ground. Sitting on my hunches I watched the nest around me eating and moving about. A scene in the array of activity caught my attention and I watched intently.

Close to us a small male had grabbed a bloody limb off the ground turning it over inspecting the whole length of it whilst sniffing it. A small covering at the very end of the appendage adorned it and he tore it off gruffly. A small foot came to view as the small male and I looked at it fascinated. It was so tiny... So Deformed looking. Is that what my mate's foot looks like?

The male sniffed it curiously before throwing it down on the sopping ground in utter disgust. I do not know what was wrong with it for him to abandon it but he jumped over to another pile looking for another better more appetizing morsel.

While I was watching with interest the rest of the nest, the old one had silently gone and came back with an array of odd shaped flesh. " Here, try this. An inner nest member gifted it to me, he assured me it is a rare and delicious piece" handing me a pinkish grey round organ, it got a hold of my scrutiny.