The five of them ventured deeper into the tunnels, a quiet excitement buzzing through their antennae like static. They had always wondered what lay beyond the water chamber, the place where clean, glistening droplets pooled from the ceiling into little natural bowls. It was the colony's spring, the source of their water, and something about it always whispered mystery.
They arrived there first, taking a few sips. Cool and refreshing. The mineral-rich taste tickled their mandibles.
"Let's go further." Mira's voice echoed with enthusiastic energy. And none of them argued.
The stone path turned darker the deeper they went. Mushrooms became sparse, and the soft glow that had lit the walls of the colony faded into a steady gloom. The air was cooler here, and thick with the smell of old moss and something else... something dry and bitter. A palpable sense of a bloodlust filled being gloomed from behind them.
That was when Brill screamed.
"AHHHHHH! It's a spider! An EVIL spider!"
He nearly fell over, his legs shaking. His antennae flailed wildly.
Everyone stopped, tense.
only to see Norkk rolling on the floor laughing, having just poked Brill from behind.
"I got you, I really got you! Ha you should've seen your face!" Norkk wheezed through his cackling.
Brill's face looked pale as a tiny ant could be.
Mira groaned.
"Ugh, stop behaving like hatchlings. Do you want a spider to come along and snatch us? Keep it up and you'll be spider food before we even think of heading home."
As if the cave had heard her, there was a soft sound:
Tap. Tap. Tap.
A glistening thread dropped from the ceiling behind her… followed by fangs.
A spider, long-limbed and glossy, slowly descended behind her, fangs twitching, mouth watering as if dinner had just walked into its web.
The others froze, their legs stiffened, antennae flat with fear. Watching in silent horror as the spider came down silently above Mira's head.
Still oblivious, Mira huffed:
"You know, back in my day, I used to get the most pats. I was the most responsible. You should at least try to learn something from me."
"Mira…" Brill's voice shook, eyes wide.
"Not now Brill. Do you have ANY idea how stressful it is to manage everything. While all you guys do is play around with no sense of responsibilities. Honestly, what does the Giant even see in you guys." Mira rambled on, oblivious to the danger.
"Mira... b-behind you…" Brill broke through his fear.
She blinked and slowly turned.
Two bulbous eyes. Eight legs. A dripping fang.
And a thought passed through her mind.
"....Damn."
The cave echoed with a single, unified shriek:
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
They bolted.
"WHY DO UGLY CREATURES KEEP FOLLOWING US?!" Mira screamed as she ran.
Brill was flailing mid-run, sobbing:
"I WANT MY BEAR! I WANT MY BEAR! I WANT MY BEAR!"
The tunnel twisted and turned ahead of them as panic filled every crevice of their little forms all except three. Norkk. Zell. Skitt.
They had seen worse in the simulations; their minds were cool and lightheaded. They had trained for this.
The simulations… they'd practiced.
As they ran, Norkk took the lead, his voice sharp and clear.
"Zell, flank and bite. Just like we practiced! Skitt! Wait for my signal. Aim for the abdomen once we break through!"
They cut hard right through a fork in the tunnel, breaking off from Mira and Brill entirely.
The spider pursued, legs scraping along the tunnel walls, eyes gleaming with primal hunger.
They could feel its steps. Hear its breath.
But Norkk was calm.
He summoned it. The barrier. Faint, flickering, filled with hope that it would last long enough.
He ran straight at it.
The spider hissed.
And then impact.
The barrier shattered in a flash of light and sound, fragments slicing the air. Some hit the spider directly, cutting into its forelegs and mouth. It staggered.
Zell burst from the side like a bullet, mandibles open and bit into its leg, locking it down.
The spider shrieked and kicked, trying to shake him.
That was when Skitt leapt from Norkk's shadow, leaping over him, onto the spider's back, and plunged his mandibles deep into its abdomen.
A crack. A tremor. And then the spider collapsed.
Its legs spasmed. Its hiss died in its throat.
They stood there, panting, their antennae still bristling with leftover fear and triumph. Then Skitt grinned.
"Yeah! We did it!"
"The Giant's gonna be so proud when he hears about this!" Zell beamed.
They bumped mandibles, sharing a victory clitter and small, excited jumps.
Then Zell froze.
"Umm… guys?"
He turned slowly.
"Where's… Mira? And Brill?"
A moment of silence.
As the trio were left alone with nothing but their thoughts.