Losing their queen, nest and territory in one day, wolf ants faced the harshest times their swarm had ever experienced. They safely got away from the wall, running as fast as they could until the human world was far behind. Despite how cruel that world might be, it was the place where their beloved forest grew. A warm and cozy nest, in which countless generations grew up, couldn't be easily replaced. And amidst the unfamiliar surroundings, with countless dangers, the family was left with endless grief over the loss of their loved ones.

Only ten survived; a number with which they now had to create a new nest. For the first few days, Kindhearted's wound worried them as much as his constant gazing at the direction of the wall. Scared to death that their father might follow his mate, the siblings took turns and stayed by his side all the time.

Driven away from their home, they were forced to grow up. The first one to undergo metamorphosis was Rainstorm. While he was asleep for three days, the others could not leave him behind. To make matters even worse, they were out on the open flat grasslands.

At first, the swarm wanted to settle down in a nearby grove. It was made up of rocky trees - a perfect place to raise a new herd of aphis cows. But when the workers started digging the ground, a pack of predators appeared. With long legs and strong bodies, they were fast and well-coordinated. It wasn't the danger that the swarm was used to. The encounter turned into a fight, and although they didn't lose anyone, Dawn, as a lone healthy soldier, was covered in wounds afterwards. They couldn't afford to stay there exposed to constant threats, and at the end of the day, the swarm retreated west.

Here, vast short grass stretched out to the horizon. They were not used to this landscape. Everything, from animals and birds to soil, was unfamiliar to them. They dug shallow holes in the ground to use as cover, but the soil here was no good. It was too loose to build a proper nest, and every tunnel they started crumbled almost right away. These holes served only as a temporary refuge while they waited for Rainstorm.

'He took our escape and Dawn's injury close to his heart,' thought Storge, lying down beside her brother. 'I need to transform too. I have to.' She glanced at Clear-Eyed. The she-wolf worker had recently been acting strange, getting closer to Dawn. Scared and nervous, Storge wanted to undergo metamorphosis every time she went to sleep, but to no avail. 'If I don't change, Clear-Eyed might become the queen.' A part of her wanted to give up, feeling relieved at the possibility of handing over responsibility to someone else. But memories of her mother urged to push these weak-hearted thoughts into a corner.

The wolf ants roamed around their temporary shelter, trying to find any food. Urged to adjust to their new surroundings, they explored further and further away from the sleeping Rainstorm. Last night, hunters were lucky enough to catch an animal similar to a flydeer, but with only one horn on the end of its nose. A small herd of these animals was surrounded by wolves, and most ran away, but one was unfortunate. It was a feast compared to the latest catch they had been surviving on, which consisted of small rodents and lizards. And, as if hearing about the hunter's success, Rainstorm finally woke up.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

With a new soldier, and with Kindhearted's steady recovery, the swarm's strength increased. Storge glanced at Hailstone. Her brother was still a worker and was still gloomy as on the day they left their nest. He lay on the grass, staring at the walnut in front of him and rolling it with his paw. Storge had no idea how he had gotten this during the chaos, but he persistently carried the walnut all the way to the grassland. Even when they were hungry and constantly in search of food, Hailstone did not eat the nut, nor would he let anyone else have it.

'I miss her too. But you need to get a grip on yourself. We need to survive.'

Despite his sister's rebuke, Hailstone just turned away. Storge sighed and left him behind. There were too many other problems to waste effort on a sullen wolf. They were so few in numbers. Fortunately, the three aphis cows they brought with them went into hibernation. Otherwise, they would have starved with no rocky trees around. It was truly a miracle given the circumstances.

But luck can't be on their side forever. With Rainstorm's metamorphosis, the swarm headed west again. Every time they stopped for a rest, Storge tried the local soil. She hoped to find a place for a new nest, but the ground remained loose and unwelcoming. Sighing, Storge wandered around the area the swarm used for day rest. The sun was high, and the weather was hot. The wolf ants' sleep was shallow and restless. 'They need a nest. But then, even if the ground is fine, there are no rocky trees to feed our cows.'

Tired, Storge continued her search. It was her responsibility, and while Rainstorm and her father were supporting her as soldiers, there were things only she could do. As queen, she had to guide her swarm, find a mate and increase their numbers. But first, she needed to metamorphose. 'Yet I can't even do that,' bitterly thought Storge as she walked further and further away from the others. 'It's my fault we're in this mess. I have to be a proper queen.'

She stopped. The dry air was filled with smells that were unfamiliar at first and became accustomed after days in the grasslands. It had a new scent. Storge sniffed greedily, as if thirsting for weeks and finally finding clear water. 'Am I imagining things?' she looked around. There was no one around, but she couldn't be mistaken. The smell of another wolf's ant. Someone she didn't know. The thought of another pack made her heart beat faster with excitement one moment, then filled it with fear the next. If they crossed into another swarm's territory, it could lead to a fight, and they were not in the best condition to win.

Storge turned back. She had to return to the others first. Before the situation became dangerous, they needed to decide what to do. Should they change direction? Or should they try their luck again in the grove they abandoned? Or maybe, just maybe, could they meet with this new swarm? She hadn't reached a conclusion when she returned to the sleeping wolves. They were exhausted, and the smell of the other swarm was so faint and distant that Storge didn't have the heart to wake her family up. She decided to stay awake and protect their peace. But the moment she sat down on the grass, she started to nod off. It wasn't just the accumulated fatigue; it was something else and stronger. She tried to fight the feeling, but soon she lay on the ground caught in deep slumber.