A Reclining Queen - Relaxation
The threats had finally been put to rest and the hive had moved to a safer location. The queen lay in the hive’s inner chambers exhausted from both work and war. She curled her huge bulk up near the center of her clutch of eggs. She laid her massive head on the ground and hissed; much like a human would after a long and exhausting day of work.
The queen drifted into a peaceful slumber just as something slammed into her side. She snarled as her weary senses reawakened. The two little runners backed away afraid of the angry queen.
The queen’s head cocked curiously as she watched them pouncing on each other. She didn’t understand the aggression paired with the joyful clicks. Suddenly she remembered something she had seen among animals on Earth. They were play fighting.
The queen rolled on to her back hissing and invitation. The two runners chirped in uncertainty as they looked at the queen lying on the chamber floor. She squeaked and the hatchlings cocked their head. Taking a chance one pounced toward the queen who tried to bat it away. The runner was to fast and dodged the huge claws with a graceful leap.
The queen had been the last of her hive. She had grown up alone with no siblings. She had never had a chance to play. She had learned to fight because she needed to survive not in the games of children as her protected daughters now did. She enjoyed the test of her skills. Soon more hatchlings joined in and she took them all in stride but they were young and tired quickly. The chirps of exhaustion echoed and with a hiss the queen ended the games. She too was exhausted and once more lay on the ground. This time though the small bodies climbed on her snuggling into every crevasse her curled frame provided.
Crossposted to theatrical_muse
The queen drifted into a peaceful slumber just as something slammed into her side. She snarled as her weary senses reawakened. The two little runners backed away afraid of the angry queen.
The queen’s head cocked curiously as she watched them pouncing on each other. She didn’t understand the aggression paired with the joyful clicks. Suddenly she remembered something she had seen among animals on Earth. They were play fighting.
The queen rolled on to her back hissing and invitation. The two runners chirped in uncertainty as they looked at the queen lying on the chamber floor. She squeaked and the hatchlings cocked their head. Taking a chance one pounced toward the queen who tried to bat it away. The runner was to fast and dodged the huge claws with a graceful leap.
The queen had been the last of her hive. She had grown up alone with no siblings. She had never had a chance to play. She had learned to fight because she needed to survive not in the games of children as her protected daughters now did. She enjoyed the test of her skills. Soon more hatchlings joined in and she took them all in stride but they were young and tired quickly. The chirps of exhaustion echoed and with a hiss the queen ended the games. She too was exhausted and once more lay on the ground. This time though the small bodies climbed on her snuggling into every crevasse her curled frame provided.
Crossposted to theatrical_muse