Formicea

"Scrch" (S)

Urgh.

Guess I'm back.

I think I had quite the wild dream, at least the scraps I still remember.

On the other hand, this mud tub is really effective.

Like my mind was screaming while my body was totally relaxed.

Though, I'd rather say that my mind was in the right.

After all, yesterday...

Shit, shit, shit, shit!

My legs!

I can't see them below the surface, and it's a bit difficult to shift out of it.

Also, I'm a little afraid to move them too roughly after I broke them yesterday.

Though, I've heard from Allie that these mud tubs can heal one really well.

So maybe they fixed them already?

Carefully, I sit up and use my arms to lift my right leg out of the mud.

Just good that this stuff doesn't cling, or it would be hard to see anything.

So I get it out...

It's still twisted.

The kneeplate actually looks even worse, with it now all the way on the back from where it belongs.

Shouldn't it have healed?

Yet it doesn't quite hurt.

It's only stiff.

Did it grow back together wrong?

Oh, please no!

I, I don't know what I'd do with crippled legs.

Coming from the feeling the left one is the same.

I can't bend them at all anymore!

At least, not back?

Only a bit forward.

Or... rather a lot?

Ehm, is it normal that I can touch my hip with my toes?

O-oh damn, I bent it all the way together.

Just on the wrong side!

C-can it go back?

Y-yes, it can.

It doesn't even hurt.

Already the stiffness is going away.

Is my other one..?

That one too!

How is this possible?

Huh, were my feet always this flat?

And the middle part feels strange.

D-doesn't matter.

If my legs aren't broken, this must mean I can stand up.

I feel far better than yesterday, so this should be possible, right?

Okay, just be careful.

I only have to put my hands on the sides of the tub and lever myself up.

"Scritsh"

... Shit, what just happened?!

What is with my hands now?!

Since when do I have claws?!

Yesterday, I had pointy black weird nails, but just now they pushed out and now I got huge claws that jut out at an additional half a finger's length.

They look... sharp.

Really sharp.

Which kinda gets supported by how they dig straight through the tub.

N-no.

Focus.

I want to get out here.

Just, just bend my weird legs over the border.

Huh, that's actually not quite as difficult if I can fold them forward.

Now just extend them again on the other side, so I can regain my footing.

Got one, okay, now the other.

Whoah!

What's with my foot?!

It wobbles weirdly on the ground.

At least the front part.

That one seems a bit loose from the rest.

Wait, if I'd just put my weight there...

Yes, that works!

I can just stand on my toes!

Or rather the platform right behind them.

It's still a bit wobbly, but it works.

So far so good.

Suddenly, my head snaps to the entrance.

So hard that it almost throws me off balance.

Someone is coming!

I can sense it!

Feel it!

<I see you're making progress.> (H)

Honiu!

Urgh!

What's that?!

The smell is so strong, and somewhere in my head, something sounds out, like a loud yell, but not actually a sound.

<I see, coming from the way your olfactory organs quiver the pheromone output was too intense. I'll adjust it to your sensitive new organs.> (H)

Adjust it?

What even does she mean?!

I have so many questions.

But one in particular.

<Screechk?!/What are you doing here?> (S)

<To think that a hunter would ever come to address me with such a question. Or a question at all. But to answer your inquiry, just as I assigned them, your surveilling nurse informed me as soon as you began to stir. Once that happened, I immediately went off. My wings provided me the advantage in speed that allowed me to arrive here before all the others, who may arrive any moment now.> (H)

This moment seems to come earlier than expected, as the scent of someone I know makes itself apparent.

Allie!

Again, that soundless shout echoes in my mind, albeit less intense.

Or was it just a thought?

A memory?

Yet I don’t have time to consider it as she soon dashes into the room.

"Sarah!" (A)

Actually, I am a bit jealous of how Allie has no issues speaking human to me, while I just can't.

<You were faster than I expected, little messenger. Did you...> (H)

"Scrrrr"

I see how Allie's wings start to flutter.

So this is how.

She just flew after Honiu.

Who I’d like to answer me something.

<You, you called me a hunter. What is that? Is that good?> (S)

I mean, I wanted something good.

To get a nice job here.

To become better than I was.

However, all I got until now were broken legs, massive claws, and scary teeth.

<Good you say? How amusing. To want me to quantify a role by a measure? How would one say that a role is better than another?> (H)

<Can you just tell me what a hunter does?! … P-please?>(S)

Thankfully, she seems to ignore my outburst.

<I dare say hunters are indispensable, yet also quite peculiar. They are uniquely suited for finding irregularities within the hive, due to their optimized sensory organs. Are the first to throw themselves into a fight. To head after prey and find what is desired. They delve into the deeper layers to provide us with their first impressions.> (H)

So, scouts?

Could I be a scout?

Is there much of a need for scouts in peaceful times?

Yet it probably means a lot of wandering and searching for stuff.

At least this doesn't seem boring to me.

Also, it sounds like they'd have to be good at it.

I mean, coming from their bodies.

But then, why would my legs twist like they did?

I can barely stand on them.

Eh, why is Allie giving me this weird look?

She looks almost pale.

And her eyes seem, pitiful?

<Is something wrong with being a hunter, Allie?> (S)

"Ehm, Sarah, don't you... You know what hunters are, right?" (A)

<Well, no. I didn't pay that much attention. There were always the same old drones. I know workers, guardians, and the nurses, obviously. Also, that you are a messenger. But I have never seen one other than you.> (S)

"Oh, well, you see..." (A)

<I see that we are wasting time. I intended to guide my new hunter to its intended new dwelling.> (H)

New dwelling?

What does she mean?

The way it came to me it means something like base or home.

Do I have to move out?

She beckons me to come, but when I try stepping away from the tub, it's really hard to maintain my balance.

That my legs now tilt forward doesn't make it all that much easier.

<Sarah, let me support you.> (A)

Of course, Allie is right there to help little, inept, old me.

Pity, huh?

<Little messenger. Leave this hunter to figure out its own set of motions. It will eventually have to get used to this.> (H)

No pity from her, huh?

Well, I can say that she means her words, so she is convinced I can do this stuff.

I guess it's alright to have this kind of trust.

Yes, I think I can do this.

But one step after the other.

This weird shifting of my forefeet I need to pay attention to.

But if I do, they're surprisingly stable.

I just have a bit of trouble balancing myself with my arms.

The fact that they have these huge claws makes me a bit afraid to point them at anyone.

"Whoah, what's up with your hands?!" (A)

<I don't know. I just grabbed the tub and suddenly they poked out and now I don't know how to pull them back!> (S)

<Interesting. Reach your forelimb to me.> (H)

Not like I had much choice to do something else.

<Hm, rather solid. Yet I'd say... Yes, this might be the muscle. Now, feel where I’m touching and pull your claw back.> (H)

She holds it steady, and I try to do as she says.

"Scsh"

Promptly, the black pointy parts that jutted out so prominently retreat considerably back into each of my fingers.

"Scruah!" (S)

That's kinda cool.

At least, they're now more manageable at this length.

What even would I need them this big for in daily life?

Climbing?

While I’m still wondering about my hands, we head out.

True to her words, after the first few steps, my gait becomes a bit more secure.

Especially, if I bend down on my legs a bit while walking.

Might look a bit odd, but I'll fix my stance once I got walking completely down.

Once we exit this place, there's the princess' assistant.

<Honiu, what's gotten into you to just lift off like this?!> (F)

<I came to the conclusion that the early moments after the metamorphosis are particularly dependent on guidance. Therefore, I decided that time was of the essence. Not like I'd have to justify myself. Also, my messenger managed to follow me.> (H)

<Damn, I may take as well a pair of wings. If only so I'd be able to catch up and tell you off before you do something like this again.> (F)

<We may discuss this in more detail, later. Yet, for now, I suppose the little new hunter takes priority.> (H)

Do I?

It's interesting that someone important is so concerned about me.

Once again, she beckons our group to follow.

I kinda feel like it might be best to do as she says.

While at first, I stumble quite a lot, the more I walk, the better it gets.

Yet as I'm obviously still the slowest, everyone has to pace themselves after me.

Everyone but that princess.

At least, she walks progressively faster, the more secure I get into my step.

To catch up, I feel the need to try a little quicker.

I stand surprised, once I notice that faster for some reason works far better.

I'd say I'm even a lot steadier this way.

Yet as I got a bit overly enthusiastic, I catch up too fast.

Then the princess even stops, and I need to get to a full halt.

Something I quickly regret when I notice that I basically have no forward balance with the way my legs are now.

With barely any resistance, they bend forward, but I don't know how to shift my weight back.

If I were more accustomed to my new walking or had done just a bit slower, I think I could've caught myself by slowing down, yet now I'm tripping helplessly forward.

Instinctually, my arms snap to my front to catch my fall.

And well, this works.

This even works awfully well.

The moment before they meet the ground, my claws snap out again and gouge into the dirt.

The same goes for my feet.

My hands and fingers easily caught my weight, and don't hurt the slightest bit.

Furthermore, for a moment, this position feels kinda right.

As if it would be ideal to push my legs now with all my force against the ground and jump forward.

Yet I can catch myself with the realization that I have no idea where we're going, and there's no reason to leave everyone behind me.

But it's still kinda funny that after all my trouble walking, I now suddenly felt like going into a sprint.

So I twist my hand a bit and manage to have the claws retreat back into my fingers before I stand back up from my awkward position.

<Sarah! Are you alright?!> (A)

Of course, Allie comes to help me up, but it's not necessary, as I'm already feeling a lot steadier on my legs.

<Yes, sure I am. Was barely a thing.> (S)

Then I notice the princess stepping next to us.

<It seems like you're growing accustomed to your current body. I recommend you to keep it up. This development makes me confident in your future performance.> (H)

That is all she has to say before she sets off again, so we may follow behind.

<This area...> (F)

I heard her, or rather, smelled her.

Even though she wasn't close to me.

I'm asking myself what she means, yet then Princess Honiu suddenly stops after the next opening.

<We have arrived at the location.> (H)

I get curious, and quickly walk past her.

Yet then I freeze, and can only barely prevent myself from toppling over again.

In front of me is an earthen wall.

I'm not that tall, so even if it's not that high, it reaches up to my shoulders.

Yet more important is what it contains.

There are small creatures walking on either two or four limbs.

They are wild and jumpy with each other, some doing little fights against each other.

And their mouths, circular, just like mine.

I remember these!

I could barely see them back then, but these are the creatures that hunted us in the forest, shortly before we were brought here!

Hunted... Hunters!

How could I not catch this?

I'm one of these!

<I see there might already be a sense of familiarity. Very good.> (H)

<Honiu, what exactly did you lead us here for?> (F)

"I already said so. It's to guide a new hunter into its given role, which includes providing a suitable environment." (H)

<Wait! Are you saying you want Sarah to...> (A)

<I feel like your assumption is correct. Yes. This is going to be the hunter's new dwelling spot.> (H)