Xanxhin awoke from her slumber with a groggy mind and exhaustion filling her body, so she felt slightly better than when she took to the land of dreams. As she rose the bear carcass she had been cradeling fell to the ground, its bones even more crushed and in tatters after a night spent in the queen´s restless embrace. However not a fly nor worm or mite had as much as looked at the decomposing feast, no insects dared get close to the queen without her permission, but if she wished it a good portion of the forest´s insectoid inhabitants would rush to do her bidding. Conscious about it or not such was the queen´s power.
The sun had risen by the time Xanxhin made it to the cave entrance where Zala quickly bowed and wished her a good morning, the warrior hardly having moved from the spot were he started his vigil. During the night nothing really happend but it did give him time to think, and sensing that his aunt was not in too foul a mood he asked a question.
"My queen, this servant of yours is unaware of where he is and wondered if his queen might know" With his head still bowed down he waited with baited breath for an answer and after a moment a sigh was heard from the former ruler of Ker´xaba.
"If I had not recently had most of my sensory organs replaced I might´ve been able to discern our posistion with help from the stars," she rose her compound eyes of different size and colour, her antennae twitching, towards the blue skies above in what might have been reminiscence as she continued "but now all I can do is guess."
After a few moments, she answered Zala´laixa second question before he could ask it.
"If we are lucky we are in the kingdom of Mandrake, the Devilking´s land, and we simply need to make contact with his forces to get some help, if we are less fortunate we might be in Ceedar or Tryffle or any other of allied countries that has banded against the Devilking, where we will be deep in enemy territories and a force ready to kill us might apear without notice"
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The queen paused before continuing, tearing her eyes from the skies and choosing a few birchtrees as a new target for her dream like stare.
"And in worst case scenario we are in another world." Xanxhin said, dejected.
"I do not understand, my queen, how could a world without any possible enimes be the worst case scenario?" Zala asked, having raised his head to do so but swiftly regretted it. The queen almost headbutting him as they locked eyes.
"Beacuse, High Executioner, I.Would.Be.Unable.TO. GET . MY . REVENGE!" The venom in the queens voice almost visible to Zala, whom felt stupid for angering his queen and dared not to move.
The queen, in her rage, had opened the carapace on her back baring her wings, unconsciusly making them vibrate in annoyance. Small, almost pitiful little things that usually stayed hidden, the ends now frayed and crumpled, were a good reflection of how she looked. The royal sisters wings were both the same colour of divine blue however Xanxhin´s were alot smaller. While Xoto´s big wings seemed massive enough to encompass the heavens her sister´s wings seemed so pathetic, Xanxhin hade not flown for centuries and in this pace never would.
A simple "Forgive me, my queen" would hardly be enough quell her fury and taking his own life in shame would hinder her. As they continued their impromtu staringcontest Zala´laixa was at a loss of what to do, but luckily his queen knew.
"As you are all that I have, High Executioner, you will sadly have to function as both Soldier and Hunter at the moment, I have only a few eggs left inside me, a final gift from Zvazz, that need my immediate attention. I will need alot of nourishment and you WILL secure it for me. Is that understood High Executioner?" The insectiod ruler practically spat out the last few words, but the crimson beetle was already too eager to please his queen to notice.
"I shall stake my life on it my Queen." As Zala scampered of into the unfammiliar forest to hunt he continued the scentence in his head: "...or give it to you shall it be needed."