It has been a long time since I hunted, if it could be counted as hunting. When we went around the territory with the older swarmlings we often flushed out small rodents and chased them down. Nothing special, but exciting. The few times I witnessed an actual hunt was when a group of adults which had been lazing about, seemingly doing nothing, suddenly all got up radiating excitement and intent as a singular entity.
This makes me realize I'm missing a part of the sensation now. Everyone is excited, focused and preparing for a fight, but there is no desire to kill. The atmosphere seems almost playful. Before I have any time to think more on it, we're on the move. Everyone flows out of the cave we've been resting in and only now do I get a better idea of how many there really are. Ten, twenty, thirty, at least forty walk, jump or crawl into the slowly brightening light.
The first ones out are the more nimble and lighter ones. Quite a few make a running jump and spread their wings. With a *thump* and some quick flapping of their wings they clear the treetops that start a bit more than a dozen meters away. The others jump from tree to tree. Off to the right other familiar looking creatures are also gaining height, which makes me realize this was not the only cave of swarmlings.
They are the scouts. Normally that would only be the imps of a swarm, but many, including me, lack wings or are too heavy to fly. After them follow the chasers, usually the scamps. After an imp spots prey, the scamps will stop it from escaping and try to drive it towards the main body. The main body is made up of spawns, who can take more of a beating and have more strength. As much as I'd like to help drive prey, my place is with the main group. Still too small, I'd be a liability elsewhere.
None of the tasks is without danger. Lone imps are often taken by flying predators, scamps are killed by the creature they're chasing and spawn take grievous wounds taking down beasts bigger than they are. None of which applies here. The whole group, more than eighty now the second cave has joined us, is such a mismatch of different bodies, everyone just does what they think they do best. There is no danger here, no predators ready to take advantage of a moment of inattention.
We're heading in a different direction than where I remember the clearing to be. The trees are denser here, but undergrowth is sparse. There is no grass at all, only moss, and barely any dead leaves. For a moment a feeling of strangeness overcomes me and I am reminded how much of an unnatural place this is. As I continue to follow the group it becomes apparent that the cavern starts to narrow here.
The first hint are the other demons we're running into. A small group of bear-like creatures give us a wide berth while a group of flying creatures is harassing our own flyers. Through a break in the canopy I can see the opposite cavern wall coming closer. I wonder for a moment if this place is even a bit natural.
We are heading towards a gap in the far wall and encounters are becoming more frequent. There is some posturing and threatening, but we're mostly unimpeded. There are no groups capable of standing up to a swarm and the stronger individuals don't seem to care. We meet the spiky bear plodding along and walk around him without provoking a reaction, though when someone clambers over him he shakes the spikes on his back, launching the daring scamp off to the side. As our large group approaches the narrow point the other demons start to wait for us, they don't want to be caught in the middle of our large group. No such thing above the trees as I get a spectacular view of the winged snake slamming into an unfortunate imp and using its tail to wrap around it and launch it at the ground, where it lands with a decent *thud*. It shakes it off and joins the main group.
Despite a lot of excitement going on around me, our speed remains constant if a bit high and I frequently have to run to keep up with the trot of the others. Finally we get to the passage. It's a large tunnel without anything growing in it. The ground is smoothed some way. Making a high jump I can see the front of our formation is well into the tunnel though a few are standing at the side to scare off anyone who'd dare to join in the press of bodies.
And a press it does become as the swarmlings have to walk closer together than before to all fit through. It's all I can do to not be left behind and maintain my position surrounded by bigger and stronger swarmlings. After nearly stepping on me again, the one walking behind me picks me up and lifts. I expect it to throw me away but instead I am placed on its back which seems to be reinforced with some kind of armour plates, giving me a comfortable perch.
Behind me there are only a few more swarmlings and I realize how close I had gotten to falling to the rear. Not a good place for me. A bit further behind the other creatures are posturing for position and slowly falling in behind our column. Overhead some kind of bird dives at me and I scramble to dodge its talons. As it veers off to avoid colliding with the swarmling I'm riding I'm sure I can hear it laugh. Avians and swarmlings, especially imps, don't get along. We're completely different species and both using the skies. Our imps get ambushed while scouting, while a swarm isn't beneath taking a freshly caught prey from an avian, taking the avian as food too if it doesn't escape in time.
Ahead I can see the end of the tunnel. Behind us the light is slowly brightening to 'day', but ahead of us is a space lit brightly with unnatural white light which hurts my eyes a bit to look at. As the various flying beings get to the room ahead they change direction sharply upwards, so the ceiling there must be higher again. A breeze I hadn't been able to feel until inside of the tunnel is coming from behind. As it lessens for a moment I try to smell what is ahead, but all I can smell is swarmlings.
It's hard to think I'm heading the wrong way though, everyone is heading here. Behind me a short conflict breaks out as a rachni spider-like creature tries to use the ceiling to rush ahead. Something reptilian with extremely developed hind legs jumps out of the throng, grabs it and throws it back all in one fluid motion. The landing is less than perfect as it lands on another one of its kind, this one with spikes growing along its sides.
Just a few more meters until the end of the tunnel and I can finally get a better view of what lies ahead. It's a large hall, big enough to accommodate all the swarmlings and the various other creatures. While we were not the first to arrive, the swarm does not stop and continues on to the front. All around are small conflicts as demons vie for position and the smell of blood is in the air, but true to Harijia's words there are no grievous injuries.
Right at the front is a creature the general shape of a spawn with short but powerful hind legs and strong longer forelimbs. The head is very different though. It's skin is like the stone of the cavern and a number of imps are perched on it. It doesn't smell like a swarmling, but it doesn't seem to mind.
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The room itself is smoothed natural stone, though the ceiling is rough. The far wall has several large doors and smaller doors are in the walls on the side. Bright white lights are paced evenly around the top of the wall, shining down on me so there is light shining in my eyes no matter where I look unless I look down. The floor which drops a bit after the tunnel rises slowly towards the far end where it briefly turns into quite a steep slope with a platform between the far wall and the slope. The swarmlings have stopped a bit away from the slope and off to one side. There is nothing yet which tells me why, so I do what I've learned I should do in such situations: nothing. I wait and watch and wonder why Harijia warned me about the swarmlings eating first, there is no way I could have missed this.
It's not until most of the demons are gathered that the doors on the far end open. Small one-wheeled wagons are pushed along by devils who lift their end to deposit the contents in front of them all along the ramp. As it slides down I am met with the inviting sight of different kinds of food. Meat, bones, plants and fruits all mixed together. Losing all restraint my legs propel me forward. It's clear the devils have taken a share of the bounty first, but they've left the best parts like the brain, tongue, heart and other organs. Picking some of my favorites out of the piles I just manage to dodge as more is dumped from above.
It's only been me and some of the smaller swarmlings who have gone to eat right away. On the other side of the room I can see smaller demons eat as well. The bigger ones are still standing back, which puzzles me. With such a bounty in front of me it doesn't take long for me to be full and I withdraw holding a large bone in one claw to take with me as a snack later on. The unlimited capacity to eat from when I was a hatchling long gone. The other smaller swarmlings are doing the same, picking things that will keep a while and moving away. Still the bigger ones don't move.
On the far side of the feeding grounds bigger demons are eating already and the press of bodies behind the swarm is lessening. A few minutes later I understand what they had been waiting for. From the newly arriving wheelbarrows comes a tantalizing smell of poison and venom. Now the stronger and bigger ones move and fights break out between swarmlings. Me and the other smaller ones scramble to get out of the way. As much as I'd like some, there is absolutely no chance for it right here and now.
I take my bone and head for the tunnel again. No-one bothers me as everyone would rather take from the bounty in front of them and aren't hungry enough to bother me or any of the other departures. Past the tunnel to the large cavern it is time to set about finding Harijia. Bone in tow I first jog around the clearing, then to the place where I first saw her, the small room past the cells. As I get to the correct opening in the cavern wall I can already hear her voice. She's talking with someone else with a deeper voice in the devil language. They're not talking about food and I have a hard time understanding them.
"It is entirely my failure in absorbing your teachings, for which I am eternally grateful, that I am not capable of solving the issue on my own, your magnificence." This is the voice of Harijia, but in a tone I have not heard before. Subservient. "I could find no other solution than to beg of your greatness to lower yourself to assisting one such as myself."
As I enter the corridor the bone clatters against the floor and the voices fall silent. At the place where the corridor opens into the room I stop. Two sets of eyes are on me, making me decidedly uncomfortable. In the room is Harijia and a strange devil man in dark green robes. They're sitting at a small table with cups holding some hot liquid in front of them. Neither moves and neither do I.
The man is the first to break the silence. "So this is the specimen you were talking about. It doesn't look too impressive."
Harijia waves a hand dismissively. "The potential is there, if we can overcome the problem I mentioned." She motions me to come closer. "It's big for its age and the musculature and bone structure is already further developed. At this rate it can become a true asset to you, master."
The difference in their speech is audible. Harijia clearly has trouble forming some of the sounds. When she speaks the face of the devil shows something. Disdain.
"I'll be the judge of that when the time comes. Now, enough with the pleasantries, flattery and horrible tea, tell me clearly what did you call me here for." The devil pushes the cup away from him and stands up.
Harijia follows and stands up as well, but stays bowed with her head down in supplication. "If you could modify the rune to show when he can be summoned again, please. It will lower your gains a bit, but I believe it to be worth it in the end."
The man stares straight ahead at the wall for a while, then gives a short nod and takes a short rod from inside the robe. "I'll inform you about the price soon." He turns his eyes back on me. "Get on the table. Don't even try to run. If you harm me, I'll make sure you die slowly and painfully. Understood?"
Fear grips me. My body is shaking and I wouldn't be able to speak if I wanted to, so I copy his earlier gesture and nod. I run and jump on the table, leaving the bone behind. I can't stop shivering. A hand grips me from behind, leaving the back of my skull free.
Harijia appears in front of me and speaks. "This is for your own good. It will hurt, but it will be short."
A moment later something presses against the back of my head and it hurts indeed, though not nearly as much as when those others first put the brand there. The devil doing it now is muttering as he works.
"Such sloppy work. No understanding at all. This line is bad. Now, here, and to close it, here."
At his final word there is a short flash of pain travelling through my whole body instead of just my head, but it's nowhere near as bad as I've had before. When he lets me go I shake myself and move a bit to see if everything still works.
"Quite hardy. I see. I'll take my leave now, Harijia. Be sure to keep me informed if there are complications." His tone suggests there should be none and if there are, they would most likely not be his fault.
In a way, I admire the confidence in this devil. It's what the highest ranking swarmlings possess. One day it will be mine as well. I watch as he leaves the room towards cavern, but turns into one of the side corridors instead of going straight ahead. Beside me Harijia straightens from the bow she had held from the moment she stood up from the chair. Part of my attention goes to her and I watch her shiver, which is quite a sight in a serpent. There is a lot of shiver going on in a body like that.
"That went better than I could have hoped for," she appears to speak to the thin air in front of her, then she turns to me. "Be grateful such an important person came to aid you with your problem."
Her attitude irritates me and I turn my head to stare at her. As nice as it is to have food and supposedly not have to worry about my safety, I never asked for this. I was taken, brought somewhere, taken here and the only problems they have solved are the ones they created.
Harijia either ignores me, doesn't care or doesn't notice. She slithers towards the corridor with the cells. With nothing better to do I follow, picking up the bone I dropped on the way out. Outside she turns to me once more.
"It's good you came here, you can follow instructions. Most swarmlings can. A defiant attitude will get you punished and, if it goes on a long time, me as well. I will not let that happen." The friendly Harijia is gone to the background. This is a very serious Harijia. When she talks about punishment I detect a hint of fear.
"If we have that clear, my new instructions are simple. Eat, grow, exercise and learn. The new mark will let us know when you can be summoned again safely, I will get you then." With that, she turns around and disappears back in the corridor, back to the cells.
I take her suggestion and exercise. Running around a bit sounds like a great idea right now to clear my head.