Long spindly legs moved. Complex appendages at the end of each grasped lifted and twisted cylinders throughout the chamber. Arrays of mirrors shifted each shining through colorful membranes at the exit of the hive. Its slender mandibles ground together as it excited the tymbals at the base of each. This, in turn, caused the membranes to hum. It was a complex working of flashes. As the signaler manipulated the query to the nearby spire its compound eyes toggled off and on, filtering for various spectrums.

Querying was precise work. A single miscalculated flicker would cause the message to go unanswered. As such the signalers had the most complex lobed brains out of all of the dauver save the queen. Reflective compound bounced light down from small openings in the hive. What were nearly imperceptible holes, allowed light to converge through an array of mirrors into a large beam for the dauver to read. The signaler's eyes watched for the changes in the spire's output. All relevant changes were sent out for hive processing, results were sent back to the queen and then back to the signaling drone for additional query context.

~~Open relay channels to node 12.

Connection affirmed.

Confirm encryption key.

Spire message content uploaded.~~

The data was routed through the new primary channel. Data relayed back to the drone contained the new encryption key. Its brain quickly deciphered the message and it began sending the new query.

* * *

Her chitin bulged, tearing in some places on the Queen's bloated body. Her long legs unneeded now, were unable to support her weight. She would process data and coordinate the hive against any threats. The constant influx of data consistently told of more hives purged due to infestation. It was advancing.

The queen dictated her new units to the remaining northern perimeter. Two nodes had provoked a response from sentinels.

Another signal came from a new region. Another relay was unresponsive. She sent more of the new sensor drones to begin investigating along with hunters. With her new drones, the swarms should be able to dig up and remove soil infected by the fungi and remove it into local vents.

* * *

Wings of Iklinini's new signaler's buzzed as they left to migrate towards the newly isolated hives. Her influence had spread across the northern periphery in its entirety now. New patterns from the spire had emerged and Iklinini adapted the information towards her purpose.

Previously Mother had been responding to new behavioral traits of what she believed to be the infestation. It was these Iklinini had modeled her mock events after. These events allowed her to obscure her numbers and obtain several swarms who had been sent up to destroy any possible carriers. Till now the spires had been remiss in spotting live specimens of the plague. Now though the old behavioral patterns had emerged.

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Mother had not accounted for a variable in the newer pattern. Hives impacted fell under one of two criteria: they had not recovered from the forced dormancy, or the were underpopulated. Her assessment that this was a new adaptation may have been warranted as a hypothesis; but, the inorganic and sporadic spread of the precursor likely had another explanation. Incoming sensor drones would serve a purpose, but more so in providing data.

Despite what may be a false spread, the pattern Iklinini had repressed from Mother was not. Iklinini's new hive and newly controlled hives were in line for the infected creature to intersect. It was imperative to take full control of Mother's swarm and be rid of her imperfections.

More signalers were sent to the eastern and western borders. More nodes would be taken. She would continue masking the true course of the infestation and taking advantage of the false spread. Iklinini would discover the cause and use whatever data would come to her disposal.

* * *

Valcha tapped commands to the chela after Sanshall had alerted the taster. The shaman chided himself at not noticing the signs of the baru-rog. He'd lured smaller and younger leaps of the predators to train chela's soon to receive their names. This was not a small leap. They were mature and capable of coordinating and muting their prey.

The Shaman of the Plains did not consent to be prey. The unnamed chela who first fell was promising but failed in standing so near the lower canopy. A shame, Valcha had already chosen a name for him. Ilsebeck and the other stood alert and angled to watch Valcha for commands. They failed to see the 3 baru-rog's gorging on the body.

The way-minder and objective had fled. These were still soft. Sanshall was as weak toothed as the singer, always running and avoiding.

Valcha signaled and they looked and drew closer towards the shaman. Valcha tapped Ilsebek, the only named among them and made his intentions known. The taster drew a small satchel of powder from his pack and held it ready in one hand.

Six more of the leap landed from the canopy. There would be more behind them, Valcha knew. The Shaman and two of the chela lept towards the two flanking them from the right as Ilsebek turned around. Muteness turned to angry deafening shrieks of rage.

Kesit like hands grabbed at the smaller chela's neck and fang. Valcha saw from his periphery as the larger chela took advantage of the downed kesit and first punctured the sack and then spine of the beast.

Valcha rolled forward to-the side out of the direction of the baru-rog. Ripe with eggs and soft she was. Quickly. He pivoted around slashing at her hind before she could fully pivot. On three hands she turned limping to face him.

Valcha saw past the female from his new vantage. This hunt favored all but Ilsebek's prey. The female lept as the shrieking continued to tear at the shaman's ears. It was a weak jump, barely over his head. He bobbed towards the side as she grabbed at his fang and snapped at him. His fang shallowly kissed through her flank. The large chela jumped on her back driving his fang through her neck. The fang sank down, down towards where he would have been but a moment ago.

Eyes met with pride and then the unnamed turned to look behind him. Her death musk sprayed marking the large kesit. Others from the leap forgot their feast at the scent of the female that the Shaman of the Plains had kept alive. This hunt favored none of them.

Valcha turned, Ilsebek had already started running past the smoldering bodies of his prey. It was not weakness to flee after hunting well. Valcha deftly swung and threw a bola at the turned kesit. The shaman fled the hunt to join with the taster.