Diary of a small ant

The colonies caverns are poorly lit, just like everything else here. Oh I’m sorry, where are my manners, my name is Wade and I am an ant species called the leptogenys of razor jaw ant. I am the smallest ant in my colony, and probably any colony for that matter. But enough about me, let me talk about my colony. So as you know it’s almost winter, and like most species, we collect food so we don’t go hungry and so we did. But we have a small problem, and by a small problem, I mean a big problem. So a few blocks away there’s a wasps nest that wasp nest lives the meanest, ugliest, cruelest insect of all time,(dramatic pause.) Master Strickler! Dun-dun-duun! And once a week he flies on over here with his fancy wings and threatens to kill our queen and destroy the colony if we don’t give him half of our food and rations that we have saved for the winter. And the queen won’t let any single ant leave to challenge Strickler (not that anyone would) These were her words exactly “My royal subjects, not a single ant is allowed to leave the colony to challenge Master Strickler to a duel, thank you,” (just imagine that in a fancy British accent) That's when I thought, “So that's it! We are just going to give up! Just like that? We will all die if we obey him or not.” So that's when I realized, if no one’s going to do it, I will. And that, my fellow readers, is the decision that changed my life. I rushed home to go prepare to go on my epic quest. My home is not much but it’s home. A small dark chamber that is poorly lit with one bed a table and a few seats. And of course, a room to entertain. (not that anyone comes to be entertained) so it’s mainly my ant cave. I rushed over to the gates where (as usual)the guards stand. I need to make a quick decision. OPTION A: [[Tell the guards a lie.]] OPTION B: [[Attack the guards. ]]

I rushed over to the gates where (as usual)the guards stand. ”Help you’ve got to help, it’s the queen, she’s in danger!” They don’t think twice (Jeez, dumber than advertised) then run off yelling “For the queen!” People say the colony guards are more brawn than brain. I suppose they were right. Once they were a safe distance away I slowly climbed up to the hole to the exit of the colony. The world greets me as I exit with a starry night and a beautiful full moon. I didn’t know where to start, so I decided to ask around. The first group of people that I meet are a group grimy dung beetles doing...What dung beetles do. [[Ask the beetles for help]] [[Find someone else]]

I walk up casually towards the guards, they eye me suspiciously then, I lunge at them with all my might. I grasp the first one hard around the neck and start biting, kicking, scratching. I took the first one down, but as I was moving over to the next one he knocks me out with his staff. [[Go forth]]

I wake up with a start, my eyesight a little blurry. I look around, from what I can make out, I’m in the queen’s court room. Damn it! Then all of a sudden a bright light shines in my eyes and I hear a gravel banging. “All rise.” says a british voice I can never forget, the queen. I don’t complain I try to stand up but I realize that I’m tied to a chair, but it's too late I fall and land face first on the hard, dry dirt. Two burly ants pull me back up, I catch a glimpse at one of the ants faces, it has teeth marks all over his face and is badly bruised. I realize it’s the guard I attacked. “Sorry.” I mumble he grunts, apparently unsatisfied with my apology. When they prop me upright on the ground I look up to face the queen. “Mr, Wade,” she says with a disappointed look “may I ask why did you attack my guards?” I realized there’s no point in lying. “I was trying to stop Strickler.” I say “Were you aware that I banned everyone to go out to challenge him.” “ Yes your honor” I respond meekly. “What do you plead?” she asks. I sigh “Guilty, your honor.” She looks surprised, as do the guards “Well then,” she says clearing her throat, “Minimum punishment,” she declares, “Prison for seven months.” “Yes your honor.” I say as the two guards free me from the chair and escort me to my new cell. [[Go forth 1]]

I have been living in this cell for two months with some shady ants. Then all of a sudden I hear commotion in the next room (the guards office.) They all rush out at once and charge. “What’s going on!” I yell. A guard half walking half running slows down and says “It’s the wasps! They..they have stolen all of the food we have stored and are killing everyone that stands in their way.” then there’s a big THOOOOM! The guards start yelling and charge into battle. I move towards the cell gate to get a better look, I wish I hadn’t. There were the bodies of dead ants lay sprawled all over the floor. With wasps hovering above them. They have spotted me. One of them move towards the cell. I stumble back, I spit on his feet and in one swift move, he ends my life. [[The begining]]

“Hey, do any of you know the way to the nest of the wasp king Strickler?” They were a group of two grimy and smelly dung beetles with arched backs, hairy bodies and different colored eyes. I asked. At first, they just looked at me then amongst themselves then broke out into a roar of laughter. The first one responded, “What’s your name lad?” “Wade,” I said, “Ya don’t want to go there, Wade,” He said “The nest?” I asked “Aye” “Why not?” Now a second beetle spoke, “Because, the moment the guards see you they’ll whisk you away to a cell and leave you there to rot,” He responded “unless you challenge your master to a duel! But no one ever does that. They’ll get destroyed. Ol’ Strickler is one of the strongest insects in tha...uhh....ever! Unless he does meet his match then, he cheats.” “You still haven’t told me the location of the nest,” I pointed out. The first beetle spoke again “Well, ya know lad, weee uuumm..” “You don’t know the location, do you?” I said, “Welll, alright no we don’ know, you got us,” I sigh, I’m wasting valuable time here. “Do you at least know where I can get some help?” I say. “We might know someone but uhh… it’s gonna cost ya,” He says with a smile curving around his mouth. I sigh, “What do you want?” “Nothing much just a…” he rubs his thumb and index finger or whatever Dung Beetles have together. THAT GREEDY LITTLE SON OF A… sorry, it’s just when people act like that it really ticks me off. (No offense to any ticks in the audience) I sigh, “How much do you want?” I say. “Just a pound or two” What? “Pounds? I don’t carry pounds,” I said. “Not that kind of pounds lad!” He exclaimed. “Pounds in dung!” Then all of them in a chorus “DUNG! MARVELOUS DUNG!” Ugh. What do they find so attractive in dung anyway? “There’s a house over the fence, the humans have a dog there. Their yard should be full of marvelous dung,” I say “Now can I have my info?” The first beetle eyes me suspiciously, “Ah, alright lad you earned it,” now he’s whispering. “There’s this rhino beetle who lives a few feet south from here who definitely knows the way to the nest and, he might be willing to help,” he says. “Alright” I say, “thank you.” [[ Turn to leave]]

I decide they aren’t the best people to talk to. So i’m off to find someone else The first nest I see is a bush.I yell at the top of my lungs “Hey anyone home!” turns out, that was a mistake A big lizard with brown streaks on his back emerges from the bushes. “Who dares come this late at ni….” he sees me! “Ahh, a pretty little ant has come to visit.” ‘Uhhh no, sorry wrong house!” “No,no” He says “You must stay for dinner, on the menu? ROASTED ANT!” He yells. “Uhh… no thank you. I already ate uhhh, byeeee!” I say as I turn to run. I run as fast as my little legs can carry me. [[RUN!]]

“No,no” He says “You must stay for dinner, on the menu? ROASTED ANT!” He yells. “Uhh… no thank you. I already ate uhhh, byeeee!” I say as I turn to run. I run as fast as my little legs can carry me. “Come back little ant, you can be my appetizer!” Then all of a sudden I abruptly stop and the lizard goes flying over me, smashing into a tree. “YOU’LL PAY FOR THAT YOU WRETCHED ANT!” he screeches. Does this guy ever go down? As I run for dear life, a leg sticks out of a hollow tree. “Pssst!” whispers the voice of the owner of the leg. “Pssst! Over here!” friend or foe I prefer my chances with something smaller, at least I hope it’s smaller.(God, I really hope it’s smaller.) I leap to the side and reach for the leg. It pulls me in and that voice whispers again. “Press your back to the side of the tree.” I do what I am told, I press my back to the trunk of the tree as the lizard sticks its claws into the tree trying to catch me. “Come out little ant,” he says, “I know you're in there!” [[Go forth 2]]

He stays there for a few hours then finally gives up and goes to reap some other small innocent souls for dinner. “Come,” says the voice no longer whispering “before it comes back.” The shadowy figure emerging into the light, a huge black rhino beetle with a horn sticking up on his nose. “Quit gawping, let’s go!” He says as he sprints down the dew full plants. [[Go forth 3]]

Once we were in his home he gave me some food and water. After I finished I said “I don’t think we were properly introduced, my name is Wade what’s yours?” “Hunter,” he grunts. “Right so Hunter, would you happen to know the way to the wasp nest,specifically (ahem) uhh.. Strickler's?” he immediately stops what he’s doing. “And why would want to go there, eh,” he eyes me suspiciously “an’ why you asking me?” “Well you see I meet these dung beetles and….” “You mean the Marx brothers, I swear the next time I see them.” he scowls “Yeah, yeah them, so can you help me, my colony will die.” he glares at me, his eyes twitching. “Get out” he whispers. “But…” I start “GET OUT!” he roars. He grabs me then throws me out the door. I knock on his door “Hunter, open the door, come on Hunter. I can’t go back and I can’t face him alone,” no answer, “ what are you so afraid about!” I yell it’s starting to rain. He opens the door and says, “You want to know? You really want to know?” I nod, he lets me in and he sits down, I do the same. Now its really pouring outside.“Back a few months ago,” he starts “Strickler attacked me and a few co-workers, and my brother,” now his voice is shaking “he swooped in and just ...just killed him right in front of me.” he takes a breath “ever since I vowed to get him back, to make him hurt, like he made me hurt, but every time I think of him my anger just keeps on building up. I can’t take it anymore” I don't know what to say, “Hunter, I’m sorry, I… I had no idea, I'm sorry.” He stares at me with tears at the brim of his eyes. “I’ll help you, for him.” [[Start quest.]]

The next day we started the long tread to the wasps’ nest. The day out was muddy and humid from the rain last night. Before we even stepped outside that same lizard that was chasing me yesterday, was perched on a low tree branch, paying close attention to everything. If I stayed there for one more second he would have seen me, but Hunter pulled me in before he turned his head. “What are we going to do?” I ask. “Two options,” he says “we wait or we get in disguises and try to sneak through” I hesitate “Which way is faster?” I ask even though I already know the answer “Guess.” he tells me with a smile curling around his mouth. [[Suit up]]

Within fifteen minutes we are already suited up in grass camouflage “Here’s the plan,” says Hunter, “we’re going to crawl military style pausing every few seconds or so, so the lizard doesn’t notice us, and if he does, run like hell. Got it?” I nod “Good, then out we go.” He pushes me out and I immediately dive down on my lower stomach and start crawling. I do as Hunter told me, I pause every few seconds to make sure the lizard doesn’t see me he does eye the area I'm in suspiciously. Everything seems to be going fine, until Hunter bumps into me and the lizard sees me. He swoops down from his perch on the branch and land right above me he looks around then takes a step back, onto my back, it’s taking every single ounce of strength I have in me not to yelp out in pain. But eventually he moves on. When I think he’s gone I get up and tap the lumpiest part on the grass behind me “Hunter, what was that?” I say “Not now, Get down your idiot, he’s still here.” [[DON'T MOVE!]]

I feel heavy breaths on my back. I freeze, “OH-NO, you found me,” I say giving him a fake chuckle. [[RUN AWAY!]] [[FIGHT!]]

I turn around and and lunge at the lizard sinking my sharp mandibles into his stomach. He yells in pain, Hunter emerges from his hiding place and joins the battle. He lunges at the lizard and knocks him over with his mighty horn. The lizard falls backwards and slams on the ground, unconscious. I waste no time, I start to run. [[Go forth 4]]

I feel heavy breaths on my back. I freeze, “Can I at least have a headstart?” I ask without turning around. I know he is smiling “Afraid not,” he sneers. I take off like a shot, but obviously the lizard was faster than a shot. He catches me, gripping me hard, his claws digging into my side. Then I hear a loud, deep roar but it doesn’t come from the lizard. It’s Hunter and he’s going for the lizard’s tail, he grasps it as hard as he can and pulls. The lizard yelps as he is swept off his feet and slams into the mud with a thump, he releases me and I start to run, Hunter not far behind.

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I’m already turning around to go south but I swing back and say “Hey, you never told me the beetles’ na…” But no one was there. Probably excited to go to their new hoard of dung. Now I have to find a beetle who is (I hope) south from here and whose name I don’t know. So yeah I'm doing fine, JUST fine. I started south toward this beetle then my doom.