Queen of the Hiveby RiverfireChaptersPrologue 2Chapter 1 Making choices Chapter 2 Sun and the MoonChapter 3 An Ally and The Secondary Duty of a Queen.Chapter 4 Live to Fight Another Day, For the Hive We Will StayChapter 5 Hex VS Naiad Chapter 6 the Secondary Queen of the Anthill HiveChapter 7: Four Together One AloneChapter 8 As time rolls onPrologue Prologue 2Mission report re-wright introduction. On order of My Queen Naiad, I, Metallic, will be keeping record of all the missions the warriors under my command are sent on, and rather than simply putting them in a file I will re-wright every mission report in this book and when it is filled another book after it. (I am doomed to live a life of paper work) For the moment I will recap. My name is Metallic I am second in command of the Hive directly under My Queen. Starlight and Pipsqueak both work directly under me. We are all sworn to Queen Naiad's command. Drones who are and have been sworn to my Queen are as fallows: Warriors: Metallic (Me) Starlight Pipsqueak ~~Haze~~ (Dead) Siren Chomp Trouble Poison Wind Bird's Song Scouts: Fang Workers (all worker Drones included. Hatchery, Cleaner, ect): Hiss (Hatchery) Shadow (Book keeper) Violet (Service) Shock (Service) Chapter 1 Making choices Chapter 1 Making choices Entry 1 in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad sat on her throne and considered her options. The Hive was weak, there numbers where at half of what they should have been at and that wasn't even her worst problem. Her Drones where all under trained. "My Queen?" A voice interrupted her thoughts and Naiad turned to see who had spoken. Metallic dipped his head to her. Standing behind him was a nervous looking grey earth pony flanked by two of her warriors. "I told you I'd take my meals in my personal chambers." Naiad said calmly, The pony flinched but seemed to be trying to keep its head high. "Yes my Queen" Metallic said evenly "This pony came here asking to speak with you, she says she's the mayor of the nearest pony town" The pony towns nearby where in the Hive lands and not a part of Equestria and completely under changeling rule. It was perfectly reasonably that the leader of the nearest one would risk life and limb to meet there new Queen, and maybe get on her good side. Naiad looked at this pony for a moment and considered her options. The pony villages on changeling land did not actually have much love in them. The changeling population had made them cautious about who they loved, because it could make them a target for the Hive's hunters. Maybe if Naiad gave the ponies in her territory a little more freedom she could fix that. For now though Naiad met the ponies gaze with her own "Speak." her voice lacked any emotion. The pony dipped his head "My Queen I've come to pay my respects." Naiad looked at him for a moment before speaking "What is your name pony?" "Able Soul My Queen" "Well Able you are very brave in coming here, but at the moment I do not have time for you." she turned to Metallic "Escort him back to his village." "Yes My Queen" The Drone responded before leading Able out of the chamber. Queen Naiad sat and thought. The Villages where a valuable source of food but with her Hive as weak as it was they wouldn't be enough A plan started to form in the young Queen's mind and all the experience of every Queen before her suggested it was a bad Idea. But she had to hope, and with the threat of Anthill hive attacking, and a Hive War raging she could not do nothing. Her mind reeled spinning out plan after plan and eventual settled on her original thought. It was crazy and she had enough to worry about but if she didn't do something her Hive would die out. She cursed Queen Night for her stupidity, may she come back as a pony and live her live in fear of the Hive she wronged so badly. Naiad picked up a quill and paper and started writing, calling for a scout as she did so. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Mission report re-wright of Scout Fang's Mission "The Sun And The Moon" Fang flew with a white flag in his mouth. He'd been flying for a few days but he was used to flying for a long time and it felt nice to be out of the Hive for so long. Still the gentle breeze and calm day did nothing to easy the fear in his heart. The task given to him was perhaps worse than the time Night sent him to retrieve a dragon egg. Though Naiad had assured him she had her reasons. Fang had crossed into Equestria two days ago now he had finally arrived in Canterlot. Still holding the flag and still very much in changeling form Fang landed in front of two very shocked guards. He set the flag down and stood at attention "I have come by request of My Queen Naiad to speak with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna" he fought to keep the fear out of his voice. Fang was perfectly aware that the only reason he had not been attacked was because he'd been carrying a white flag, a sign of peace and surrender. One of the guards called somepony over and sent them running to Canterlot castle the other kept a spear pointed at Fang. Silence reined and all three stood watching each other. After maybe an hour another guard came over. "Princess Celestia will see you." on the way to the castle the guards searched through Fangs saddle bag before giving it back to him. It seemed everypony stopped to watch Fang and three royal guards walk through Canterlot. They reached the glittering white castle and went inside. Fang admired the halls as they walked. He didn't understand how ponies could live in open spaces like the castle. In the Hive the halls where small and cozy, they barely had enough room for two changelings to walk side by side. Fang didn't even feel like he was in a building walking through the castle. They reached the throne room and two unicorns opened the doors. Fang stepped inside swallowing his nerves and walking to stand in front of the two thrones. On each sat one of the Princesses. Fang told himself it was no different from being sent to deliver a message to one of the other Hives. Except that his people considered it dishonorable the kill a messenger and he didn't dare hope ponies had the same code of honor. Celestia broke the silence. "My guards tell me you came from Queen Naiad? What happened to Queen Chrysalis?" Fang blinked for a moment confused by the statement until he realized Celestia thought there was only one Hive and one Queen. Naiad had told him to be honest so he answered honestly. "There are many Hives among my people My Queen Naiad leads the Bee-Keep Hive." He took a deep breath to keep his voice from shaking, he would be brave for the pride of his Hive "Queen Chrysalis was the Queen of the Hives, Queen of all our people, Since her failed attack on Equestria she has been exiled and the Hives have descended into war until a new Queen of the Hives is decided. That is the matter on which I am here." "And why are you here Drone" Luna startled him by speaking to him as a Queen would. Her sister gave her a confused and slightly disapproving look. Fang thought himself a fool, legend claimed Luna had originally created the changelings as a filly so she could have constant companions, eventually her parents had found out and Luna had been forced to abandon the changelings. Her parents had not thought they would survive but the changeling society had lived on its own. Apparently the legends where true and Luna knew more about the Hives than her sister ever would. Fang pulled a scroll out of his saddle bag and read. " Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Formally requests the aid of Princess Celestia Queen of the sun and day, and Princess Luna Queen of the moon and night. Due to the attack of former Queen of the Hives, Chrysalis, on the city of Canterlot the Hives are at war. Under any other circumstances I would handle the problem as is expected of me, by bringing my Hive into the war to stand alone against the other Hives, however my duty belongs to the members of my Hive and I have not the time to worry about my reputation. As events unfold around me a am shamed to admit the my Hive was left in disarray by the last Queen and is in no position to defend itself should another Hive decide to attack. I already have my hooves full trying to get my little changelings in order, with chaos unfolding around me I am left with little choice but to join the conflict. My Hive is not capable of lasting long when we join the battle, and so I have sent the message to ask for your aid. I wish I could have come in person, It would have been more appropriate however I dare not leave my Hive without my protection. I need your help. I cannot wait to be attacked and plan therefor to attack the nearest Hive first. It is a battle, however, that my Hive can not win as they are now. Should you chose to aid me and should I become Queen of the Hives, You have my word on My honor I will do my utmost to build a treaty between our people that will benefit us both. I am sure you are as concerned about the ponies who live in the Hivelands as I am concerned about my Hive. I am also sure we could eventually work something out. Signed- Naiad Queen of the Bee-Keep Hive " Celestia blinked as he finished, Luna looked stunned. The guards where all quiet. "My Queen asks you send your reply back with me, she will accept your answer no matter what it may be." Fang finished speaking and levitated the scroll over to the Princesses. Author's Note (I was like OHMYGOSH pony name what do I do. Oh wait I'll steal a name from one of my OCs. But no they'er all female and I cant give a girl name to a guy. :/ Anyway He wound up with a lame name but I wounder if anyone caught the reference? ) The story has started. How will events unfold? Chapter 2 Sun and the MoonMission report re-wright of Scout Fang's Mission "The Sun And The Moon" Part 2 Fang waited quietly for a reply. After a moment Luna spoke. "It has been I long time since I lived with your kind, You have all changed so much in those years. Tell me Drone what dose being 'Queen of the Hives' mean?" Fang kept his voice calm, though hearing Luna confirm his suspicion about the origins of his people bothered him. "The Queen of the Hives commands the other Queens. Whether our people go to war or sign a treaty is her choice, she creates and changes the laws we fallow." "And....Naiad?...is offering to create a treaty with Equestia should we help her obtain this position?" Celestia inquired. "Yes." Fang spoke carefully "As well as create laws that protect the ponies in the Hivelands" "How will you feed?" Luna asked sounding curious. "Once a long time ago Changelings lived among ponies peacefully and earned there meal rather than stealing it, I believe that is my Queen's intention." For a moment Luna and Celestia looked at each other, then Celestia spoke "Will you be so kind as to wait outside while we discuss the matter?" Fang dipped his head and left. He waited out side the throne room with two royal guards while Luna and Celestia talked. After several hours Luna came to speak with him. "Would your Queen mind if we-I came to discuss the matter in person?" "I'm sure she would be pleased" Fang replied. Naiad had said to allow Luna, Celestia and however many guards they wished to bring. The fact that she was so willing to allow the enemy into her territory was a sign of desperation, but that probably wasn't how the ponies saw it. "May I bring Princess Twilight and her friends with me" Luna spoke with a sly smile. "Certainly" Fang truly hoped letting the keepers of the elements of harmony, Equestria's greatest defense, come to the Hive wasn't pushing it. Mission report re-wright of Scout Fang's Mission "The Sun And The Moon" Part 4 Fang stared at the Hivelands for a moment. It had been a very long miserable train ride. Twilight had had a new question for him every couple seconds. Finally they had reached the Hivelands, Fang had never been so happy to say that His Hive's territory bordered Equestria. "How long has your Hive been on this land?" Twilight asked "The Beekeep Hive has been on this land for several hundred years, My Queen took the Hive a few months ago." he responded and started walking. "My sister says Equestria has not had and trouble from the Hivelands in six hundred seventy two years, at least not before the attack on Canterlot." Luna lightly informed Twilight before she could ask "When I was last here, this land belonged to the Hive of Tooth and Claw, prey-tell what happened to them." "Queen Flytrap took this land I do not know what happened to the hive that ruled here before ours" Fang responded "Do all hives run the same or are they different" Twilight asked "Every Hive has there own base interest and how the Hive is run is based around that. My Hive, for example used to be military based, as such the Drones at the top of our hierarchy where warriors and the rest of the Hive provided for them. I believe however My Queens intent is for our Hive to become a information based Hive, should this become the case the Drones on the top will be our scientists and book keepers and the rest of the Hive will cater to there needs." Fang continued though he was sick of answering questions. "Do-" Twilight started to ask another question Fang interrupted her. "Drone, show your self!" Fang let his authority ring in his voice, elsewise he not be obeyed. Sure enough a young scout Drone slipped out of the bush it had been hiding in. Fang frowned, concerned, as the Drone practically crawled in front of him and cowered there. The problem wasn't that a Drone had been watching them, the problem wasn't even that it had been spying on him and trying to stay out of sight. If it had been a Drone from Fang's Hive he would have expected it, part of a scouts training was spying on fellow scouts. The problem was that the Drone's shell, wings, and eyes where not the bright shimmering silver of the Bee-keep hive but instead the blood crimson red of the Anthill Hive. "P-Please D-dont k-kill me Queen H-Hex c-c-cast me out I-I d-didnt know what else to do" The enemy drone sniffed "I-I-I d-didnt know wh-where else to go. I-I-I." He then gave up talking and hide his face between his knees and sobbed. This presented Fang with a problem. For one thing the Drone could be lieing, it wasn't that easy even for another changeling to tell when a changeling was lieing. For another thing even if he wasn't lieing a Drone without a Hive was practically dead already, Queens so rarely took in changelings that where not there own. But Fang could hardly kill him, it wouldn't be the best impression on there guests, nor did he believe he could kill the rouge scout anyway he wasn't trained to kill. At least the ponies had gone quiet. "Why?" Fang asked sharply "W-why what?" the crimson Drone asked quietly "Why did she cast you out?" "I-I failed a mission... Sh-she wanted me t-to find the Heart Hive's Hive and I-I couldn't" he chocked "Why did you come here?" "I h-heard Queen N-Naiad w-was considering g-going after the t-title o-of Q-Queen of the hives. I figured out of all the Queens near by I had the most to offer her" he got a bit braver at the end seeming to steal his courage long enough to speak. Fang's ears sliped back, If this scout, and Fang had known immediately be the way he walked that he was a scout, If this tinny little scout, who by his own clam was worth so little to Queen Hex, knew that Queen Naiad was going to try and become the new Queen of the changelings then the Bee-keep Hive had a traitor amongst them. Fang buzzed the rest of the way back to the hive with the ponies trotting behind him and the crimson scout walking the whole time with his head down clearly terrifyed of what awaited him. Luna, mercifully, kept Twilight quiet. She seemed to realize it was not the time for questions. Entry 6 in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad sat on her throne and looked at the situation before, Fang had brought her not only Princess Luna and every single keeper of the Elements of Harmony, but also an enemy Drone whose eyes where locked to the ground in front of him. "Fang" she spoke softly "If you where any other scout..." "I know my Queen" Fang replied refusing to look at her "But I do have a cause for my actions if you would allow me to explain" Naiad sighed, it was going to be a long day. --To be continued Author's Note Terribly sorry for the long wait, I had no idea how to proceed. Queen Hex. I like the sound of that to bad she's the bad guy. What do you think of the crimson scout, I think he's kinda cute in a sad way it'd be a shame to kill him off. *Evil smile* Chapter 3 An Ally and The Secondary Duty of a Queen.Entry 6 in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. (Continued) As Fang gave his report the crimson Drone seemed to shrink. Luna on the other hand stood tall and watched Naiad with what could only be described as a political attention. Twilight watched with what must have been wonder, Rainbow dash looked like she just wanted things to happen, clearly she was tired of ponies talking, Fluttershy was trying to hide behind Applejack who was doing her part to be impossible to read, Rarity was trying and failing not to get any Hive Goo on her hooves, Pinkie pie was bouncing up and down in a way that was starting to get on Naiads nerves. Fang on the other hoof stood at a proper scouts attention, Naiad's two main attendants Violet and Shock, stood of to one side with passive attention, Metallic stood at Naiad's right eyeing the newcomers with a guards suspicion. When Fang finished Naiad took a deep breath and considered her options. She turned to the ponies after a moment "If you will excuses us for a second a problem has come up I must attend to" Luna nodded in understanding and Poison and Trouble escorted the ponies out of Naiads chamber. Once they were gone Naiad turned to Fang "Your dismissed" he dipped his head and left the chamber as-well. Naiad stood up and walked down from the platform her throne sat on. She circled the enemy Drone once quietly and then spoke, "What are you called?" "F-Fire" "What was your rank in the Anthill hive?" "S-scout 3rd rank" Naiad considered that for a moment it was the lowest rank a scout could be. "How is it Hex came to know anything about my Hive, She shouldn't even know a new Queen has risen in this here." "I-I don't know" "Then what do you know, that you come here seeking asylum, why shouldn't I have you chased of my land." "Q-Queen Hex plans to attack in two days time I-I know where I-I can show you." -Record lost- For some unknown reason all the reports of the interrogation of the scout Drone named Fire have been lost. I suspect My Queen had something to do with it... though I do not presume to know my Queen's mind. I'll put a brief summary here for anydrone wanting to know what happened. Queen Naiad questioned the scout about Hex's planed attack and then agreed to allow him to stay in our Hive. She asked him to be her mate. As any drone would he gladly accepted, it is a privilege to be part of future generations. Anyway she turned him from red to silver and had him tucked away somewhere out of harms way, since it can be tricky for a Queen to get a mate he was put somewhere safe. After all My Queen could never take any of us as a mate, we are all technically her sisters, brothers, aunts, and uncles. Depending an whether we are the children of Queen Night or the children of Queen Lilly before her. Hopefully soon Queen Naiad will have children of her own. --- Shadow the book keeper Entry 7 in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad, having finished with the drone, left her chamber with Metallic and three other guards trailing her. "Come," she said shortly to Luna "I will show you why you are here." "We have not agreed to help you yet." Luna responded thought she followed all the same with Twilight and her friends following her. "No, but I have little doubt when I am done you will. Your people are kindhearted some would say much to so for your own good." Naiad said little else until they were out of the Hive, she then directed her course to the nearest pony village and spoke while she walked. "My people are not a kind race and I will not pretend for your benefit that we are. However that does not mean we are incapable of compassion." she gestured to Metallic "He cannot Shape-shift, if I lacked compassion he would not still be alive. As a race we have become what we needed to survive, the ponies that live under our rule are not happy. It is that lack of joy that drove Queen Chrysalis The Light-less Queen to declare war on Equestria. The ponies we have available to feed on are too afraid to feel love, they believe it will make them a target. I will not feign innocence it this matter many Hives enslave the ponies that have been drained dry, many others my'n included eat them instead." Somepony gasped, Naiad ignored them. "I do not see how this would make us wish to aid you" Luna responded after a moment of silence. "Simple I am giving you a chance to remedy the situation." Naiad stopped on a hill over looking a pony village and spread her wings out to gesture to it "This village and five others in my territory are my Hive's only source of love. If you can bring love and hope back to the ponies living in it, I will give the ponies in my territory, and should I become queen of the Hive's in all the Hive land, the right to freedom, They may come and go as they please, no Hive will be allowed to enslave anypony, or eat anypony. We will still feed but when we are done we will leave the ponies in their town with their family so they may recover. This I promise you on my honor as a Queen. Changelings will remain the dominant race in these lands but the ponies will no longer have cause to live in fear." Suddenly there was a rainbow maned Pegasus hovering in Naiads face "And why do you care if these ponies are happy!" Metallic tensed. "My people are dyeing out. Did you think Chrysalis attacked Equestria for fun? It was an act of desperation. If my Hive is to have any chance in the war to come we will need to be well fed, as it is many in my Hive have died from lack of love in the last few weeks, I have let them in an effort to keep others alive. Never in our history have we been so malnourished as we are now and I am left to choose who, in my already shrinking hive, will be fed and who will be left to die. All because these ponies have lost hope in a better future" Rainbow dash landed with her ears back. Luna looked at Naiad for a moment "You have six villages in your territory?" "Yes" "With this we will help you" Luna spoke slowly looking at the village in front of her "If Twilight, Rainbow dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and AppleJack each go to one of these villages they can bring the joy back to the ponies there, in the mean time I will stay here in order to work out the treaty you promised in your letter." Naiad nodded in silent agreement and led the way into the village. Chapter 4 Live to Fight Another Day, For the Hive We Will Stay(A note from the book keeper, I appear to have lost track of which number this is and My Queen keeps the others on her person so I cant check. --Shadow the book keeper) Entry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad watched as her changelings gathered in the clearing. Metallic stood to her right at a warriors attention and Luna stood a distance to her left as her guest. A low muttering could be heard among the members of her Hive. When the last one gathered all fell silent they looked at Naiad. "Children!" Naiad's voice boomed "There are many things I must say now and you all must hear me" She looked around the gathered changelings and continued "Fang has by now relayed my orders regarding the ponies that live here from now on, they are to be treated as well if not better than any changeling. Our numbers are few and dwindling fast it is my hope that the ponies we rely on for food will start to provide more love soon. Rest assured that I have now taken a mate and when Night's eggs run out, will provide new ones. I haven't however called you all here to reassure the weak-hearted among the Hive" Naiad stood tall and ran her eyes over her Hive "We are dieing, not just this Hive, but our entire nation we have been foolish and careless, we have forgotten what our ancestors taught. As a people if we are to survive we must act with compassion. I will not pretend we are compassionate, nature has made us cruel and so we chose the easy way out. Rather than learn to act with care we started to act how we felt. Under our cruelty the ponies we cared for withered. Still rather than do what was right we stole love from the ponies who where already starved for any kind of affection! We acted foolishly and now we are paying for it!" she took a breath and continued "We let our only source of food diminish into what it is now. It is only because of our carelessness that we are in this position. Do not be fooled into believing that the other Hives have fared much better." Naiad's eyes scanned the crowd "We stand at the rim of a Hive war, one we must enter and one we must win. It is a Queen's duty to preserve her Hive and a Drone's duty to aid her. It is our peoples purpose to survive against all odds! We must win this war, for if all changelings do not go back to the old way, as our Hive will, then we will die out. It is our duty each and everyone to stand in the face of death and challenge its existence! We must do this for our Hive and we must to this for all changelings. We must change our ways and heal what we have broken!" Naiad took a deep breath "Long Live The Hive!" For a moment nothing happened, Naiad feared nothing would. Then her changelings spoke. "Long live the Hive" they all echoed her They understood, Naiad could have danced, had her mind not been set on acting mature. Her little Drones understood. Why they would have to face such hard changes, and why she would throw her already battered and broken Hive into a fray they where not ready for, they understood. "Metallic!" she barked "Yes my Queen" "We are now a Hive at war, proceed accordingly. Gather the troops tonight we destroy Queen Hex and take the land of the Anthill Hive." "Right away My Queen Commander" Metallic left her side and wadded into the crowd snapping orders. Naiad smiled, she'd be hearing that title until the war was over. "We could help" Luna walked over to her and whispered "I will never be accepted as Queen of the Hives unless my Hive dose this itself, other Hives may aid me and the ponies on our land may also aid me, but Equestria must not interfere in this war." Record of lead warrior Metallic It had started to snow by the time we had gathered the army, It was not a natural snow for it was the middle of spring, but rather a changeling powered blizzard. The Drones pushed it toward the Anthill Hive. It would arrive well before we did but, while it would give our attack away, The Beekeep Hive's talent had always been in fighting in bad weather. I still think we should have recruited ponies from the villages in our territory but Luna had advised against it and My Queen had- excuse me, My Queen Commander, had agreed, and that had been the end of that. I believe I'm supposed to be writing in third person, you'll have to get over it my dear reader, A warrior is trained to always give a first person report. That means you, by the way Shadow, I know you'r reading this, get a life I don't have time for you to harass my about this report! Sigh, anyway I should move on. I led the army to the border and we waited there for My Queen to show up. (I'm not going to add commander every time it would add like three pages to my final report) My Queen just bit my head of (Metaphorically of course she doesn't hate me that much) I'd better move to third person now. Metallic took in his surroundings, a light snow had dusted the land when the blizzard had come through. It would give them the advantage, his Hive knew how to fight in the snow and cold, it was part of their basic training. Eventually the Queen showed up. She looked a bit nervous shifting on her hooves but when she turned to the army her voice rang clear "No mercy!" The changelings hissed in response, it was a quiet thing but it shook the ground. "I will meet you on the battle field" She took to the air and flew ahead "Attention!" Metallic snapped, his warriors obeyed. "You all heard the Queen! No Mercy! If somebody so much as looks at you funny kill them. Our enemy has the numbers and that is a problem we must remedy if we are to survive this fight. Protect the Queen our goal is to get her to Queen Hex as quickly as possible. Am I understood!" The warriors roared this time, a battle cry that could be heard all the way to the Anthill Hive and far beyond. "To Wing!" Metallic called, as one Naiad's changelings rose from the ground and went to challenge Hex. Author's Note Shadow: "Harsh Metallic" Metallic: "THIS ISN'T A GAME YOU FOOL PEOPLE WILL DIE, I"D RATHER IT BE THEM THAN US!!!" Shadow: "Okay, okay you don't have to get all defensive" Metallic: *Glaring* Shadow: *Sneaks away while Metallic glares him down, there for defeating the purpose of sneaking in the first place* Chapter 5 Hex VS Naiad Chapter 5 Hex VS Naiad Record of lead warrior Metallic "The Battle of the Swarms" When the army arrived it was a sight to behold. Snow whipped through the air in a fury while the weather Drones defended the clouds from the few of the Anthill Hive that came to disperse them. Naiad was staying up in the clouds as-well shooting down anyone who got too close. The red clad warrior Drones of the Anthill Hive where forming ranks, it was there that Metallic focused. He angled himself toward them and dove like a arrow, the rest of the army followed suit. Chaos ensued, Drone met Drone in a battle of life and death. Metallic crashed into a Drone that had appeared to be a commander, something crunched. He jumped up shacking of the dazed feeling and swung on the nearest Drone with an energy bolt. The sickly green light flew from Metallic's horn and slid right through the unlucky warrior. Someone crashed into his side and he let the momentum carry him a little was before twisting around and sinking his teeth into his attackers throat. One of the Bee-keep warriors shot a bolt of light into the air, it whistled like a fire work and exploded in a shower of yellow and blue. Metallic cursed under his breath and took to the air. He hovered between two battles, one on land and the other in sky. His eyes scanned the battle below first and it only to a second for him to find what he was looking for, Hex's warriors where changing form and his Queen's warriors where changing to meet them. The battle below had turned into a battle between lions, bears, wolves, and anything else that was big enough and strong enough to kill something else. Metallic couldn't help anymore. He spun to the battle above only to be met with a shower of yellow and green from another explosion. I signal like the one bellow that the enemy had started changing form.Hissing every curse word he knew Metallic went in search of Hex. It wasn't long before he found what he was looking for. The Anthill queen was surrounded by Naiad's warriors. A green fire circled her and she was bending her magic to lay wast to all around her. Metallic flipped in the air so he was hovering upside down, and promptly sent out his own signal. The first shot he fired exploded black, the second was purple, and the third was black again. He did it a second time to make sure it was seen and then joined the warriors in fighting Hex. Entry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. The Queen of the Bee-keep Hive shot down any enemy drone that came within her range. The cold of the storm battered her form all sides. Her own warriors kept there distance, ready to aid her if need be, but else-wise staying out of her way. She waited while she fought, for someone to signal Hex's location. A gust of air took her be surprise and it took a moment for her wings to put her right again. Yellow and blue light flashed from bellow and Naiad suppressed the sudden urge to laugh, Metallic would not be pleased to be called out of battle. Oh the wonderful elation of a fight. Hex's pathetic Drones didn't stand a chance against Naiad's power. She twisted her magic and set to draining the life force of any who would appose her. She would need the extra power in the upcoming fight. The clouds surrounded her with a welcoming cold. On the ground and in the air, the snow and cold where slowing down the Anthill Hive. Naiad's army had the advantage despite their numbers. Black flashed in the corner of her eye, she turned to watch as purple followed it then black again. The prosses then repeated itself. Someone had signaled Hex's location to her. Naiad took a deep breath and drew the energy that had built up in the storm to her. She let it warm her and then she turned to face the Queen. Suddenly she wasn't so sure of herself. "I can do this" She hissed. "I will do this...for the Hive" She feared she would fail, she could loose her Hive and her life. Naiad arrived and was shocked and dismayed by what she saw. Her warriors lay dead in heaps on either side of the Anthill Queen. Metallic and seven others where all that still stood facing her, they where all focused on holding up a shield while Hex fired one energy bolt after another at them. "Hex!" Naiad's voice boomed, the red Queen turned to face her, quickly loosing interest in Naiad's Drones. After a moment she joined Naiad in the air. "Your Hive has lost this battle! Do your duty as Queen and surrender!" Naiad didn't think it would work but it might still spar her a battle she might not win. Striking at the Queen code would at least shake the faith of Hex's Hive in their Queen. "The day I surrender to a just hatched brat is the day I die!" Hex boomed back at her. Well it had been worth a shot, the battle around them had stopped. Clearly the Drone's from both Hives saw no point in fighting further when their Queens where about to settle the matter. "Then prepare to meet you're fate!" Naiad's voice echoed back. She let Hex have the first shot, a blot of black energy ripped through the sky toward her. The sliver Queen lowered her horn and absorbed the blast, pulling the extra magic into herself. Hex roared and fired again, Naiad swung out of the way, no doubt her little trick wouldn't work a second time. She fired a bolt of her own, it was really little more than a beam of light and missed Hex by a good bit. She was saving her energy and trying to get Hex to use her own. Hex fired, Naiad dodged then Naiad pretended to fire back at her. They went on like that for quite some time. Hex eventually seemed to slow down, Naiad took her chance. Her horn lit green as she built up energy in it. Hex fired again and Naiad swung further away. She threw all the magic she had gathered into her spell and set to pulling all the energy around her into it as-well. Hex screamed in rage and charged her; Naiad let her spell go. A beam of green fire consumed the Anthill Hive's Queen, she screamed. When eventually Naiad's spell faded nothing was left of Hex, she had been completely destroyed. Exhausted Naiad faced the warriors of the Anthill Hive and her own. A few Drones, those who must have been sworn to Hex, came to fight her but Metallic had taken two down before they got close and one of her other warriors had killed the rest. "T-The Queen is dead long live the Queen" One of Hex's Drones started and the rest picked it up. "The Queen is dead long live the Queen" it was almost whispered across the Anthill hive, murmured but never shouted. It was that quiet declaration, while the Drones turned from red to silver, that told Naiad she would have a long road ahead of her. They had loved their Queen, and Naiad had just killed her. "It was for the good of my Hive and theirs" Naiad whispered to herself. Author's Note I'm not sure why the chapter feels rushed when I read it.... I'm also not quite sure how to fix it. Chapter 6 the Secondary Queen of the Anthill HiveEntry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad picked her way around the fallen bodies of Drones from both sides. Queen Hex had been carried off right away, Naiad's Drones where being lined up to be taken home for the funeral. Naiad tripped over the body of a young Anthill Drone, she stumbled briefly before catching herself. The colors of the Drones where fading to the shining white color that all changeling Drones where born with. The only way to tell them apart when that happened was sense of smell. Metallic bounded over to her "We await your orders My Queen" "Do you feel nothing for these Drones Metallic" Naiad asked. "I do not, My Queen" Metallic replied "Why, pray tell?" She inquired tonelessly "What is the life of one Drone, or a thousand, compared to the survival of the Hive as a whole...My Queen." He responded "Hmm.. Yes, I suppose when you look at it that way" Naiad sighed, having lost a fight Metallic was not aware that she was fighting. She spun to face him "Report" She demanded. He obeyed. Entry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad walked calmly down the nursery of the Anthill Hive, she knew what she was looking for and she hoped she would find it. Metallic walked at her right while two Anthill warriors trailed behind. She glanced from egg-sack to egg-sack until she spotted the object of her search. In one egg-sack a black egg stood all alone. "Pull it down and take the egg out." Naiad ordered. The Anthill warriors jumped eagerly to obey. By then a crowd had formed behind the silver clad Queen. The two warriors lied the egg carefully in front of Naiad, it didn't really matter to her how close it was to hatching. She charged her horn and fired. The egg grew and cracked. A few moments latter a young Queen changeling was standing in front of Naiad. She had a long yellow mane that fell in pieces around her and a short yellow tail with one hole in it. Both her mane and her tail tapered to a point at the end. She looked at Naiad for a moment before struggling to her hooves.When she finally managed to stand upright she dipped her head to the elder Queen in respect. Entry # 1 in the record of Secondary Queen Thriae, 55th ruler of the Anthill Hive. She regarded the silvery Queen and her bronze warrior for a moment before speaking. "You intend to conquer the Hives and take your place as Queen of the Hives?" She inquired. Naiad nodded. "I can see as-well you intend to change our ways?" It was stated as a question. "I do." The elder Queens horn lite and she tilted it to the younger. "For the better I hope." The child Queen took the offer and touched her horn the silver's. Pain flashed through both, memories and ideas sank into the yellow clad Queen's mind. Almost as soon as the spell started, it ended. The Queens pulled away from each other, both feeling a little stunned. The younger stood a little in awe of her elder. "To take another Hive with your own so torn apart, and you so young yourself." she stared shakenly at the Bee-Keep Hive's Queen Naiad. "I was not given, and do not have, a choice," Naiad spoke with an icy calm. "and watch whom you call young, hatchling." The yellow Queen nodded then turned to her soon to be Drones. "I am Queen Thriae, I will stand in command of this Hive under the command of Queen Naiad until such time as there is peace again in the Hives. Once the Hives have re-united under one ruler I will stand as Primary Queen of this Hive" and with a few choice words Queen Thriae announce her rule. "Long live the Queen" One drone spoke and the others echoed, they all started switching to yellow. Or more accurately to a yellow color with a silver tint, it almost looked gold. "Queen Thriae?" Naiad asked amused, though she had to shout to be heard over the clamor. Thriae puffed up defensively and shouted back "It is a perfectly reasonable name." "Yes," purred Naiad "and it has no hidden meaning at all." her voice was laced with sarcasm. Entry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. The flight home was a enjoyable one, Naiad enjoyed the calm. "It's not often a Queen gets to enjoy herself" she mused She did a few lazy loops in the air before settling into a lower flight."One Hive down many to go, but at least I have a bigger army to work with," she smiled. "and now that I have a mate my own Hive can grow as-well." "What a day what a day" Entry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Luna was standing a distance away, watching the changelings. Naiad, of course was aware of this but payed her no mind, the sun had set and so it was time to put the dead to rest. The Bee-keep Drones who had died in the fighting lied in front of the Hive in a pile. Having been brought home as soon as Naiad had settled matters at the Anthill Hive. "Today we lost many good Drones," Naiad started the gathered Drones fell silent. The Queen sighed "They died for the good of the Hive, and serving the good of our people." "For the Hive" Her Drones echoed quietly. "Our people will one day number as many as the stars in the sky, but for now we send out kin to rest among the stars." Naiad continued. "The stars" They echoed "Light the fire" Naiad finished "Fire" was echoed like a hiss, the word continued to be whispered from Drone to Drone until Metallic and the other sworn warriors magicked the fire to life. The area was lite red as the bodies of the fallen caught fire, silence fell. They would hold vigil until daybreak. Author's Note The Thriae where three half bee naiads (which is a water spirit) from Greek mythology. Chapter 7: Four Together One AloneEntry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Queen Naiad had just sent a letter to the Quicksand Hive, in it she explained her plan and asked for there surrender. She was hoping for a quick yes, it would save both Hives an unnecessary battle. She had one more hope for the day as she walked down to the nursery, among many traditions her people had lost was one she thought would her well to bring back right away. After all if she intended to return the changelings to the old ways then she needed to start making changes right away. Naiad hesitated at the entrance of her nursery, what she was about do had stopped being done years ago for a reason. It was dangerous, she took a deep breath and stepped inside. Her little Drones stopped working only long enough to glance at her, then went back to what they where doing. Tending the pods took a lot of work, her changelings bustled from one place to another, keeping the eggs moist and at the right temperature. "HISS!" her voice boomed. The Drone who had only recently been put in charge of the nursery darted forward "Yes, My Queen?" "Search the nursery and bring me any Queen eggs you find." Naiad ordered "Right away My Queen" Hiss saluted and then darted away calling orders to the other workers who scrambled to obey. Naiad was sure that they thought this was a culling, and she did intend to cull her brood while she was in the nursery but she didn't think she wanted to make a habit of it, Metallic had proven that the Drones, usually classified as to week to carry their weight should at least be given a chance. However her Hive was in a weakened state with barely enough food to support the current population, she couldn't afford to spare resources to any changeling who could not immediately benefit her. Her experiment regarding the Drones like Metallic would have to wait. She knew that the last culling had not been that long ago, it was still possible that there was at least one Queen egg hiding in the nursery. A Queen egg didn't show any difference from a Drone egg until two weeks after it had been laid, so while unlikely it was possible that there was at least one hiding in the nursery somewhere, maybe one had even escaped Night's notice. It was unlikely but a Queen could hope. She turned to Metallic who, like always, was right by her side, "Destroy any damaged eggs." He dipped his head, "As you wish My Queen" and walked away. Trusting that he would take care of the culling for her Naiad sat down to wait. After a few minutes a young female Drone and a young Male approached her holding a large egg sack with a single Queen egg in it. Both crouched in front of her as a form of submission. The female was the one who spoke "W-We where going to over throw Queen Night, My Queen." she confessed. Naiad was far to happy to actually have a Queen egg than to be upset at its origins, though, the fact that Hiss and Fang where not the only Drones who had sought to over throw Queen Night bothered her a bit. "Very well," She spoke much more calmly that she felt "Lets just pretend you found it just now." "Yes, My Queen. Thank you My Queen!" The female ran off, the male followed her. It seemed there was a changeling who valued their life, perhaps Naiad had miss judged her Drones. A little while latter Hiss came back with a smaller egg sack being supported by two other workers inside where two eggs, both solid black. Naiad had to fight with herself to keep from jumping for joy at the discovery. "Very well done. Is this all of them?" "Yes My Queen" Hiss replied as the drones set the eggs in front of her. "Remove all three and lay them in out for me then." she ordered "Yes My Queen" Hiss responded with a brief glance at the egg sack already laying there, her eyes light with suspicion but she said nothing about it. Once all the eggs where out in front of her Naiad bent her horn to the first to hatch it. It grew and cracked, a moment latter a young emerald green Queen was struggling to her hooves, her mane and tail where short and ended in an uneven zigzag. With only a brief glance at her Naiad turned to the second, she didn't notice that every Drone in the room had stopped to stare, no one had expected her to hatch the eggs. The second hatched a pail pink Queen, she stumbled upright blinking at the world, her main fell like a wave around her and her tail seemed to swirl on its way down, the tip ended just before the ground. The third was harder as Naiad was growing tired, but after a moment a little brown shelled Queen opened her eyes to the world for the first time, her main looked like it was in a bun, ending in a circular bunch at her neck, and her tail was extremely short. Naiad glanced at the three of them, thrilled and terrified at the same time. "Welcome to our world my little changelings, we have much to do and little time to do it in. Come." then she spun around and walked the other way hoping that they would find their footing quick enough to follow. The Little coco colored one caught up to her first following only a step behind her, the other two caught up a moment latter, but the brown one spoke before they could. "This is a very old tradition Queen..." "Naiad." Naiad spoke simply, they where part of Night's brood and so they had Nigh'ts memories and not her own, she didn't expect them to know her name. "Queen Naiad." She responded Naiad spoke again "I intend to return all the Hives to the old way." "So you do not intend to kill us?" The pink one inquired, she was the tallest of the three the little brown one being the smallest "I do not" Naiad replied, then she smiled "You will all need names." They walked for a while and then the little coco one spoke "Cicada I think." she smiled "And I will go by Katydid" said the pink Naiad glanced at the emerald Queen only to find that she wasn't looking at the rest of them. Quite the opposite she was walking with her head down and to the side. Naiad trotted in front of her and stopped forcing the young Queen to stop as-well, still she didn't look up, keeping her head down and her face hidden instead. "Look at me" Naiad demanded, suspicion pricked her. The emerald Queen reluctantly looked up and Naiad was shocked. A thicker jaw line and longer fangs labeled this Queen as male, male changeling Queens where still known as Queens changelings didn't use the term King. A male born with the Queen gene was extremely rare, there was only one alive so far as Naiad was concerned, The ruler of the Predator Hive. Her young male Queen gave her a very cautious look, Naiad realized he expected her to kill him upon the discovery. Katydid gasped when she picked out the difference between him and the rest of them, Cicada muttered something under her breath. Naiad's reaction was not what any of them had expected, including herself. After the shock passed she picked him up with her magic and twirled in a circle spinning him around herself while she did. "A male, a brother, how rare, how special!"she sang and then horrify with herself stopped dead in her tracks and dropped him flat on the ground. "Nobody saw that." she said flatly. "Of course not." Cicada said seriously. At the same time Katydid replied "Saw what?" With a light "Good" and a brief check to make sure that they where the only ones in the hall she started walking again. Katydid and Cicada followed her. Naiad called "You'll still need a name!" over her shoulder. The Male Queen called back "Locust" before running to catch up to her. And just like that Naiad had three lesser Queens to help run her Hive. If any got too ambitious she would have to kill them but for the moment she was just happy to have someone to relate to. Author's Note Yay more "Queens" I'll have pictures of them eventually. The Pink Queen. Katydid The Emerald Queen, Locust The Brown Queen, Cicada Chapter 8 As time rolls onThe lesser Queens of the bee-keep hive In record of Lesser Queen Locust The young male Queen stalked the halls of the Hive, A few weeks ago the Quicksand Hive had surrendered without Naiad's Hive needing to attack. They where a timid bunch and where quick to give into the Hive closest to them. Naiad had gotten the News a day after he had hatched. With both the Quicksand forces and the Anthill forces Naiad had launched an attack on the Swarm Hive and Their Queen had surrendered rather than risk a fight, not just against Naiad but against Locust and Katydid as-well, Cicada had stayed behind to guard the Hive. Usually, after anywhere between a dozen and a hundred Drones had killed each others the two Queens went head to head and the winner won the fight, however in the old days when lesser Queens had been common place they had always fought right next the their Queen. The only reason the Drones fought at all was to force a path between the two Queens so they could fight. Word that Naiad had taken the Swarm Hive with so little effort had reached the Daybreak Hive and they where currently in the process of negotiating their surrender with Naiad. The Changeling territories could be divided into four different "clusters". The Cluster of Struggle, The Cluster of Bravery, The Cluster of Survival, and the Cluster of Balance. The Struggle Cluster consisted of The Bee-Keep Hive, The Anthill Hive, The Quicksand Hive, The Swarm Hive, The Daybreak Hive, and the Heart Hive. The Bravery Cluster consisted of The Cat Hive, The Truth Hive, The Meadow Hive, The Dark Hive, and The Discarded Hive. The Survival Cluster consisted of The Molted Hive, The Laughing Hive, The Wolf Hive, The Starlight Hive, The Chaos Hive, and The Forever Hive. The Balance Cluster consisted only of The Frozen Hive, The Molten Hive, and The Forest Hive. Traditional one Queen rose to power in each cluster and then all the Queens of the Clusters battled for supremacy, with the Daybreak Hive's surrender the only Hive left in the Struggle Clusters for Naiad to take was the Heart Hive, and she was confident enough to send Locust and Cicada rather than go herself. Currently Locust was headed to meet up with Cicada, then they would meet up with Naiad's army led by the Drone Metallic, and from there they would proceed to the territory of the Heart Hive and take it by force. The only flaw in their plan was that they had no clue where the Heart Hive's Hive was. "Good evening Cicada" Locust approached the Coco colored Queen from behind. "Good evening Locust, how are you faring?" She responded lightly not even bothering to turn to face him. She appeared to packing a saddle bag full of herbs, though the changeling version of a saddle bag was two green sacks made of the same material as an egg sack. "Well, and you?" "Well and fine" With formality out of the way Locust pointed down the hall with a hoof "We should be going." 'Yes I know." Cicada turned around threw her saddle bag on then started down the hall with Locust at her side. When the two lesser Queens exited the Hive both where surprised, Locust had honestly thought Naiad had been taking the Heart Hive to lightly, but as they approached the gathered army they where both met with a sight to behold. The army had to be one and a half the size of the entire Hive's population, Drone's where clad in The Bee-Keep Hive's dazzling silver, The Anthill Hive's cheery Yellow, The Swarm Hive's deep purple, The Quicksand Hive's dull tan, and much to their surprise the Daybreak Hive's snow white. Of course since all the Hives where in Naiad's service every Drone was tinted silver. Naiad had apparently been waiting for them as-well, because there she was basking in the sun next to the current Secondary Queens of the Hives she had conquered Thriae of the Anthill, Creep of the Swarm, Shade of the Quicksand, and Frost of the Daybreak. Locust and Cicada exchanged a wary glance with each other. Cicada took a deep breath before approaching the group, Locust followed close behind her. Both walked up to Naiad and dipped their heads to her. "Oh good, you'r here!" Naiad said to them with a smile "We've been waiting." then she turned to the other Queens "As I was saying, having more food readily available isn't the only benefit to returning to the old ways, returning the the tradition of keeping lesser Queens means we can focus on more important matters while somebody else manages the day to day affairs of running the Hive" "Don't you worry that they will try to overthrow you?" Creep asked while eyeing them through her long purple main "I still think you should just kill them" Cicada stood a little straighter, Locust glared at the ground rather than at her. "Of course they'll try." Naiad commented brightly "But someone will always be trying to overthrow me, its better it be someone I trained than someone an unsatisfied Drone trained. When, eventually, I am overthrown it will be by someone with experience dealing with the Hive, and there for the Hive will be better off. After all the Hive comes first." "The Hive comes first" Every queen in the group echoed "I agree with you Naiad" Shade said flatly though she was eyeing the two lesser Queens in a way that made both uncomfortable. Her mane and tail were medium length and dull tan, she was a bit taller than your average queen. "Is that one male?" The white clad Queen named Frost asked picking Locust up with her magic, only to be blasted by an energy beam from Naiad that left everyone in the group shocked. Locust, who had wound up flat on his back after being picked up and then dropped, found Naiad standing over him, crouched to fight, teeth bared, ears flat, and glaring at Frost who was slowly pulling herself upright. He was likely more shocked than anyone else but at least he had the mind to stay still and stay quiet. Frost looked at the young silvery Queen for a moment before dipping her head is surrender "I meant no harm" Shade was giggling and trying to cover it up. Thriae smiled wickedly "I cant blame you for being protective, a male Queen is a rare treat" Naiad backed away from Locust glaring at Thriae. Locust was trying to hide a blush at the implication. Shade laughed out right. "I suppose I agree with you Naiad, back in the old days the Hive's did much better for themselves." Frost said flatly. "I am also with Naiad on this." Thriae chirped in to no ones surprise. "I still think its a bad Idea" Creep stated. "Oh dear" Shade pulled a hoof to her muzzle in fake concern "I wasn't aware The Swarm Hive where a bunch of cowards." "I wasn't aware that I needed any of your approval" Naiad replied finally recovering from her earlier episode. Everyone laughed except Creep who glared at the ground. "Very well" she hissed when the group had gone quiet "I consed to the point" "Good." Naiad chimed "Then let us get to work," She turned to Locust and Cicada "You two go take the Drones and conquer the Heart Hive, we have some planing to do." Author's Note (Anypony catch the reference?) The Hive's as Naiad knows them The Struggle Cluster Queen: Naiad Hive: Bee-keep Color: Silver Queen: Thriae Hive: Anthill Color: Honey Yellow Queen: Creep Hive: Swarm Color: Dark Purple Queen: Shade Hive: Quicksand Color: Pail Tan Queen: Frost Hive: Daybreak Color: Pure White Queen: Echo Hive: Heart Color: Sea-foam green The Bravery Cluster Queen: ---- Hive: Cat Color: ---- Queen: Glaze Hive: Truth Color: Dark Brown Queen: Pounce Hive: Meadow Color: Pumpkin Orange Queen: ---- Hive: Dark Color: ----- Queen: Chrysalis (Dead?) Hive: Discarded Color: Blue The Survival Cluster Queen: East Hive: Molted Color: Pail Yellow Queen: Giggle Hive: Laughing Color: Hot pink, red streaked Queen: Lonely Hive: Wolf Color: Dully Gray Queen: Glint Hive: Starlight Color: Dark Green Queen: Empty Hive: Chaos Color: Clear? (The Chaos hive is known for being odd) Queen: Lost Hive: Forever Color: Black The Balance Cluster Queen: ---- Hive: Frozen Color: ---- Queen: ---- Hive: Molten Color: ---- Queen: ---- Hive: Forest Color: ---- Prologue Prologue Hi I'm Queen Naiad. Shortly after becoming Queen I discovered that my Drones are extremely......stupid. A lack of information let my warriors kill the last Queen's warriors with relative ease, but its quickly becoming a problem for me. Night's....lunacy has me shocked. She seemed to think that by not telling her Drones anything she was keeping better control. Everyone is under trained. I'm surrounded by Idiots! Its a miracle that the Hive hasn't been taken over by another one, we'r probably at the weakest that this Hive has ever been at! I'm so angry! It dost matter, really, I'll just fix the problem. Anyway this is my personal record, I intend to keep a record of Hive activities in a different book. I also intend to wright about my personal feelings, everyone seems to think I'm a mindless robot, and while I will never let my Hive know what i'm thinking it might be helpful for the Queen after me to have something to show her Hive. So this is the first entry in my journal. Oh and I intend to wright the record in third person, If I don't It might give whatever Drone decides to read about the last Queen's thoughts ideas, reading 'I' constantly would make him (or her) put himself in my place, and that isn't appropriate, So I'll start the record. I'v gotten I Drone named Shadow to start a library and on my death the record of the Hive in my time will be put there. One day I hope for our Hive to be the best informed Hive that there is. I also intend to start training scientists. It would be great to start coming up with new spells Oh and one more thing, Hives do have names but for some reason in Night's time no one used the name of our Hive, it just became known as the Hive by the river's edge. I blame this on more stupidity on Nights part. Our Hive is and always has been know as the Bee-keep. Our first Queen was named Bee. Our the Hive closest to us is the Quicksand Hive its a days fly north. I'm not overly concerned about them they tend to keep to themselves. To the west lies the Anthill. They are a bit further away but a bigger concern I believe that they'er Queen intends to become the next Queen of The Hives. That could be a problem if they try to expand this way.
Prologue 2Mission report re-wright introduction. On order of My Queen Naiad, I, Metallic, will be keeping record of all the missions the warriors under my command are sent on, and rather than simply putting them in a file I will re-wright every mission report in this book and when it is filled another book after it. (I am doomed to live a life of paper work) For the moment I will recap. My name is Metallic I am second in command of the Hive directly under My Queen. Starlight and Pipsqueak both work directly under me. We are all sworn to Queen Naiad's command. Drones who are and have been sworn to my Queen are as fallows: Warriors: Metallic (Me) Starlight Pipsqueak ~~Haze~~ (Dead) Siren Chomp Trouble Poison Wind Bird's Song Scouts: Fang Workers (all worker Drones included. Hatchery, Cleaner, ect): Hiss (Hatchery) Shadow (Book keeper) Violet (Service) Shock (Service)
Chapter 1 Making choices Chapter 1 Making choices Entry 1 in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad sat on her throne and considered her options. The Hive was weak, there numbers where at half of what they should have been at and that wasn't even her worst problem. Her Drones where all under trained. "My Queen?" A voice interrupted her thoughts and Naiad turned to see who had spoken. Metallic dipped his head to her. Standing behind him was a nervous looking grey earth pony flanked by two of her warriors. "I told you I'd take my meals in my personal chambers." Naiad said calmly, The pony flinched but seemed to be trying to keep its head high. "Yes my Queen" Metallic said evenly "This pony came here asking to speak with you, she says she's the mayor of the nearest pony town" The pony towns nearby where in the Hive lands and not a part of Equestria and completely under changeling rule. It was perfectly reasonably that the leader of the nearest one would risk life and limb to meet there new Queen, and maybe get on her good side. Naiad looked at this pony for a moment and considered her options. The pony villages on changeling land did not actually have much love in them. The changeling population had made them cautious about who they loved, because it could make them a target for the Hive's hunters. Maybe if Naiad gave the ponies in her territory a little more freedom she could fix that. For now though Naiad met the ponies gaze with her own "Speak." her voice lacked any emotion. The pony dipped his head "My Queen I've come to pay my respects." Naiad looked at him for a moment before speaking "What is your name pony?" "Able Soul My Queen" "Well Able you are very brave in coming here, but at the moment I do not have time for you." she turned to Metallic "Escort him back to his village." "Yes My Queen" The Drone responded before leading Able out of the chamber. Queen Naiad sat and thought. The Villages where a valuable source of food but with her Hive as weak as it was they wouldn't be enough A plan started to form in the young Queen's mind and all the experience of every Queen before her suggested it was a bad Idea. But she had to hope, and with the threat of Anthill hive attacking, and a Hive War raging she could not do nothing. Her mind reeled spinning out plan after plan and eventual settled on her original thought. It was crazy and she had enough to worry about but if she didn't do something her Hive would die out. She cursed Queen Night for her stupidity, may she come back as a pony and live her live in fear of the Hive she wronged so badly. Naiad picked up a quill and paper and started writing, calling for a scout as she did so. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Mission report re-wright of Scout Fang's Mission "The Sun And The Moon" Fang flew with a white flag in his mouth. He'd been flying for a few days but he was used to flying for a long time and it felt nice to be out of the Hive for so long. Still the gentle breeze and calm day did nothing to easy the fear in his heart. The task given to him was perhaps worse than the time Night sent him to retrieve a dragon egg. Though Naiad had assured him she had her reasons. Fang had crossed into Equestria two days ago now he had finally arrived in Canterlot. Still holding the flag and still very much in changeling form Fang landed in front of two very shocked guards. He set the flag down and stood at attention "I have come by request of My Queen Naiad to speak with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna" he fought to keep the fear out of his voice. Fang was perfectly aware that the only reason he had not been attacked was because he'd been carrying a white flag, a sign of peace and surrender. One of the guards called somepony over and sent them running to Canterlot castle the other kept a spear pointed at Fang. Silence reined and all three stood watching each other. After maybe an hour another guard came over. "Princess Celestia will see you." on the way to the castle the guards searched through Fangs saddle bag before giving it back to him. It seemed everypony stopped to watch Fang and three royal guards walk through Canterlot. They reached the glittering white castle and went inside. Fang admired the halls as they walked. He didn't understand how ponies could live in open spaces like the castle. In the Hive the halls where small and cozy, they barely had enough room for two changelings to walk side by side. Fang didn't even feel like he was in a building walking through the castle. They reached the throne room and two unicorns opened the doors. Fang stepped inside swallowing his nerves and walking to stand in front of the two thrones. On each sat one of the Princesses. Fang told himself it was no different from being sent to deliver a message to one of the other Hives. Except that his people considered it dishonorable the kill a messenger and he didn't dare hope ponies had the same code of honor. Celestia broke the silence. "My guards tell me you came from Queen Naiad? What happened to Queen Chrysalis?" Fang blinked for a moment confused by the statement until he realized Celestia thought there was only one Hive and one Queen. Naiad had told him to be honest so he answered honestly. "There are many Hives among my people My Queen Naiad leads the Bee-Keep Hive." He took a deep breath to keep his voice from shaking, he would be brave for the pride of his Hive "Queen Chrysalis was the Queen of the Hives, Queen of all our people, Since her failed attack on Equestria she has been exiled and the Hives have descended into war until a new Queen of the Hives is decided. That is the matter on which I am here." "And why are you here Drone" Luna startled him by speaking to him as a Queen would. Her sister gave her a confused and slightly disapproving look. Fang thought himself a fool, legend claimed Luna had originally created the changelings as a filly so she could have constant companions, eventually her parents had found out and Luna had been forced to abandon the changelings. Her parents had not thought they would survive but the changeling society had lived on its own. Apparently the legends where true and Luna knew more about the Hives than her sister ever would. Fang pulled a scroll out of his saddle bag and read. " Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Formally requests the aid of Princess Celestia Queen of the sun and day, and Princess Luna Queen of the moon and night. Due to the attack of former Queen of the Hives, Chrysalis, on the city of Canterlot the Hives are at war. Under any other circumstances I would handle the problem as is expected of me, by bringing my Hive into the war to stand alone against the other Hives, however my duty belongs to the members of my Hive and I have not the time to worry about my reputation. As events unfold around me a am shamed to admit the my Hive was left in disarray by the last Queen and is in no position to defend itself should another Hive decide to attack. I already have my hooves full trying to get my little changelings in order, with chaos unfolding around me I am left with little choice but to join the conflict. My Hive is not capable of lasting long when we join the battle, and so I have sent the message to ask for your aid. I wish I could have come in person, It would have been more appropriate however I dare not leave my Hive without my protection. I need your help. I cannot wait to be attacked and plan therefor to attack the nearest Hive first. It is a battle, however, that my Hive can not win as they are now. Should you chose to aid me and should I become Queen of the Hives, You have my word on My honor I will do my utmost to build a treaty between our people that will benefit us both. I am sure you are as concerned about the ponies who live in the Hivelands as I am concerned about my Hive. I am also sure we could eventually work something out. Signed- Naiad Queen of the Bee-Keep Hive " Celestia blinked as he finished, Luna looked stunned. The guards where all quiet. "My Queen asks you send your reply back with me, she will accept your answer no matter what it may be." Fang finished speaking and levitated the scroll over to the Princesses. Author's Note (I was like OHMYGOSH pony name what do I do. Oh wait I'll steal a name from one of my OCs. But no they'er all female and I cant give a girl name to a guy. :/ Anyway He wound up with a lame name but I wounder if anyone caught the reference? ) The story has started. How will events unfold?
Chapter 2 Sun and the MoonMission report re-wright of Scout Fang's Mission "The Sun And The Moon" Part 2 Fang waited quietly for a reply. After a moment Luna spoke. "It has been I long time since I lived with your kind, You have all changed so much in those years. Tell me Drone what dose being 'Queen of the Hives' mean?" Fang kept his voice calm, though hearing Luna confirm his suspicion about the origins of his people bothered him. "The Queen of the Hives commands the other Queens. Whether our people go to war or sign a treaty is her choice, she creates and changes the laws we fallow." "And....Naiad?...is offering to create a treaty with Equestia should we help her obtain this position?" Celestia inquired. "Yes." Fang spoke carefully "As well as create laws that protect the ponies in the Hivelands" "How will you feed?" Luna asked sounding curious. "Once a long time ago Changelings lived among ponies peacefully and earned there meal rather than stealing it, I believe that is my Queen's intention." For a moment Luna and Celestia looked at each other, then Celestia spoke "Will you be so kind as to wait outside while we discuss the matter?" Fang dipped his head and left. He waited out side the throne room with two royal guards while Luna and Celestia talked. After several hours Luna came to speak with him. "Would your Queen mind if we-I came to discuss the matter in person?" "I'm sure she would be pleased" Fang replied. Naiad had said to allow Luna, Celestia and however many guards they wished to bring. The fact that she was so willing to allow the enemy into her territory was a sign of desperation, but that probably wasn't how the ponies saw it. "May I bring Princess Twilight and her friends with me" Luna spoke with a sly smile. "Certainly" Fang truly hoped letting the keepers of the elements of harmony, Equestria's greatest defense, come to the Hive wasn't pushing it. Mission report re-wright of Scout Fang's Mission "The Sun And The Moon" Part 4 Fang stared at the Hivelands for a moment. It had been a very long miserable train ride. Twilight had had a new question for him every couple seconds. Finally they had reached the Hivelands, Fang had never been so happy to say that His Hive's territory bordered Equestria. "How long has your Hive been on this land?" Twilight asked "The Beekeep Hive has been on this land for several hundred years, My Queen took the Hive a few months ago." he responded and started walking. "My sister says Equestria has not had and trouble from the Hivelands in six hundred seventy two years, at least not before the attack on Canterlot." Luna lightly informed Twilight before she could ask "When I was last here, this land belonged to the Hive of Tooth and Claw, prey-tell what happened to them." "Queen Flytrap took this land I do not know what happened to the hive that ruled here before ours" Fang responded "Do all hives run the same or are they different" Twilight asked "Every Hive has there own base interest and how the Hive is run is based around that. My Hive, for example used to be military based, as such the Drones at the top of our hierarchy where warriors and the rest of the Hive provided for them. I believe however My Queens intent is for our Hive to become a information based Hive, should this become the case the Drones on the top will be our scientists and book keepers and the rest of the Hive will cater to there needs." Fang continued though he was sick of answering questions. "Do-" Twilight started to ask another question Fang interrupted her. "Drone, show your self!" Fang let his authority ring in his voice, elsewise he not be obeyed. Sure enough a young scout Drone slipped out of the bush it had been hiding in. Fang frowned, concerned, as the Drone practically crawled in front of him and cowered there. The problem wasn't that a Drone had been watching them, the problem wasn't even that it had been spying on him and trying to stay out of sight. If it had been a Drone from Fang's Hive he would have expected it, part of a scouts training was spying on fellow scouts. The problem was that the Drone's shell, wings, and eyes where not the bright shimmering silver of the Bee-keep hive but instead the blood crimson red of the Anthill Hive. "P-Please D-dont k-kill me Queen H-Hex c-c-cast me out I-I d-didnt know what else to do" The enemy drone sniffed "I-I-I d-didnt know wh-where else to go. I-I-I." He then gave up talking and hide his face between his knees and sobbed. This presented Fang with a problem. For one thing the Drone could be lieing, it wasn't that easy even for another changeling to tell when a changeling was lieing. For another thing even if he wasn't lieing a Drone without a Hive was practically dead already, Queens so rarely took in changelings that where not there own. But Fang could hardly kill him, it wouldn't be the best impression on there guests, nor did he believe he could kill the rouge scout anyway he wasn't trained to kill. At least the ponies had gone quiet. "Why?" Fang asked sharply "W-why what?" the crimson Drone asked quietly "Why did she cast you out?" "I-I failed a mission... Sh-she wanted me t-to find the Heart Hive's Hive and I-I couldn't" he chocked "Why did you come here?" "I h-heard Queen N-Naiad w-was considering g-going after the t-title o-of Q-Queen of the hives. I figured out of all the Queens near by I had the most to offer her" he got a bit braver at the end seeming to steal his courage long enough to speak. Fang's ears sliped back, If this scout, and Fang had known immediately be the way he walked that he was a scout, If this tinny little scout, who by his own clam was worth so little to Queen Hex, knew that Queen Naiad was going to try and become the new Queen of the changelings then the Bee-keep Hive had a traitor amongst them. Fang buzzed the rest of the way back to the hive with the ponies trotting behind him and the crimson scout walking the whole time with his head down clearly terrifyed of what awaited him. Luna, mercifully, kept Twilight quiet. She seemed to realize it was not the time for questions. Entry 6 in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad sat on her throne and looked at the situation before, Fang had brought her not only Princess Luna and every single keeper of the Elements of Harmony, but also an enemy Drone whose eyes where locked to the ground in front of him. "Fang" she spoke softly "If you where any other scout..." "I know my Queen" Fang replied refusing to look at her "But I do have a cause for my actions if you would allow me to explain" Naiad sighed, it was going to be a long day. --To be continued Author's Note Terribly sorry for the long wait, I had no idea how to proceed. Queen Hex. I like the sound of that to bad she's the bad guy. What do you think of the crimson scout, I think he's kinda cute in a sad way it'd be a shame to kill him off. *Evil smile*
Chapter 3 An Ally and The Secondary Duty of a Queen.Entry 6 in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. (Continued) As Fang gave his report the crimson Drone seemed to shrink. Luna on the other hand stood tall and watched Naiad with what could only be described as a political attention. Twilight watched with what must have been wonder, Rainbow dash looked like she just wanted things to happen, clearly she was tired of ponies talking, Fluttershy was trying to hide behind Applejack who was doing her part to be impossible to read, Rarity was trying and failing not to get any Hive Goo on her hooves, Pinkie pie was bouncing up and down in a way that was starting to get on Naiads nerves. Fang on the other hoof stood at a proper scouts attention, Naiad's two main attendants Violet and Shock, stood of to one side with passive attention, Metallic stood at Naiad's right eyeing the newcomers with a guards suspicion. When Fang finished Naiad took a deep breath and considered her options. She turned to the ponies after a moment "If you will excuses us for a second a problem has come up I must attend to" Luna nodded in understanding and Poison and Trouble escorted the ponies out of Naiads chamber. Once they were gone Naiad turned to Fang "Your dismissed" he dipped his head and left the chamber as-well. Naiad stood up and walked down from the platform her throne sat on. She circled the enemy Drone once quietly and then spoke, "What are you called?" "F-Fire" "What was your rank in the Anthill hive?" "S-scout 3rd rank" Naiad considered that for a moment it was the lowest rank a scout could be. "How is it Hex came to know anything about my Hive, She shouldn't even know a new Queen has risen in this here." "I-I don't know" "Then what do you know, that you come here seeking asylum, why shouldn't I have you chased of my land." "Q-Queen Hex plans to attack in two days time I-I know where I-I can show you." -Record lost- For some unknown reason all the reports of the interrogation of the scout Drone named Fire have been lost. I suspect My Queen had something to do with it... though I do not presume to know my Queen's mind. I'll put a brief summary here for anydrone wanting to know what happened. Queen Naiad questioned the scout about Hex's planed attack and then agreed to allow him to stay in our Hive. She asked him to be her mate. As any drone would he gladly accepted, it is a privilege to be part of future generations. Anyway she turned him from red to silver and had him tucked away somewhere out of harms way, since it can be tricky for a Queen to get a mate he was put somewhere safe. After all My Queen could never take any of us as a mate, we are all technically her sisters, brothers, aunts, and uncles. Depending an whether we are the children of Queen Night or the children of Queen Lilly before her. Hopefully soon Queen Naiad will have children of her own. --- Shadow the book keeper Entry 7 in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad, having finished with the drone, left her chamber with Metallic and three other guards trailing her. "Come," she said shortly to Luna "I will show you why you are here." "We have not agreed to help you yet." Luna responded thought she followed all the same with Twilight and her friends following her. "No, but I have little doubt when I am done you will. Your people are kindhearted some would say much to so for your own good." Naiad said little else until they were out of the Hive, she then directed her course to the nearest pony village and spoke while she walked. "My people are not a kind race and I will not pretend for your benefit that we are. However that does not mean we are incapable of compassion." she gestured to Metallic "He cannot Shape-shift, if I lacked compassion he would not still be alive. As a race we have become what we needed to survive, the ponies that live under our rule are not happy. It is that lack of joy that drove Queen Chrysalis The Light-less Queen to declare war on Equestria. The ponies we have available to feed on are too afraid to feel love, they believe it will make them a target. I will not feign innocence it this matter many Hives enslave the ponies that have been drained dry, many others my'n included eat them instead." Somepony gasped, Naiad ignored them. "I do not see how this would make us wish to aid you" Luna responded after a moment of silence. "Simple I am giving you a chance to remedy the situation." Naiad stopped on a hill over looking a pony village and spread her wings out to gesture to it "This village and five others in my territory are my Hive's only source of love. If you can bring love and hope back to the ponies living in it, I will give the ponies in my territory, and should I become queen of the Hive's in all the Hive land, the right to freedom, They may come and go as they please, no Hive will be allowed to enslave anypony, or eat anypony. We will still feed but when we are done we will leave the ponies in their town with their family so they may recover. This I promise you on my honor as a Queen. Changelings will remain the dominant race in these lands but the ponies will no longer have cause to live in fear." Suddenly there was a rainbow maned Pegasus hovering in Naiads face "And why do you care if these ponies are happy!" Metallic tensed. "My people are dyeing out. Did you think Chrysalis attacked Equestria for fun? It was an act of desperation. If my Hive is to have any chance in the war to come we will need to be well fed, as it is many in my Hive have died from lack of love in the last few weeks, I have let them in an effort to keep others alive. Never in our history have we been so malnourished as we are now and I am left to choose who, in my already shrinking hive, will be fed and who will be left to die. All because these ponies have lost hope in a better future" Rainbow dash landed with her ears back. Luna looked at Naiad for a moment "You have six villages in your territory?" "Yes" "With this we will help you" Luna spoke slowly looking at the village in front of her "If Twilight, Rainbow dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and AppleJack each go to one of these villages they can bring the joy back to the ponies there, in the mean time I will stay here in order to work out the treaty you promised in your letter." Naiad nodded in silent agreement and led the way into the village.
Chapter 4 Live to Fight Another Day, For the Hive We Will Stay(A note from the book keeper, I appear to have lost track of which number this is and My Queen keeps the others on her person so I cant check. --Shadow the book keeper) Entry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad watched as her changelings gathered in the clearing. Metallic stood to her right at a warriors attention and Luna stood a distance to her left as her guest. A low muttering could be heard among the members of her Hive. When the last one gathered all fell silent they looked at Naiad. "Children!" Naiad's voice boomed "There are many things I must say now and you all must hear me" She looked around the gathered changelings and continued "Fang has by now relayed my orders regarding the ponies that live here from now on, they are to be treated as well if not better than any changeling. Our numbers are few and dwindling fast it is my hope that the ponies we rely on for food will start to provide more love soon. Rest assured that I have now taken a mate and when Night's eggs run out, will provide new ones. I haven't however called you all here to reassure the weak-hearted among the Hive" Naiad stood tall and ran her eyes over her Hive "We are dieing, not just this Hive, but our entire nation we have been foolish and careless, we have forgotten what our ancestors taught. As a people if we are to survive we must act with compassion. I will not pretend we are compassionate, nature has made us cruel and so we chose the easy way out. Rather than learn to act with care we started to act how we felt. Under our cruelty the ponies we cared for withered. Still rather than do what was right we stole love from the ponies who where already starved for any kind of affection! We acted foolishly and now we are paying for it!" she took a breath and continued "We let our only source of food diminish into what it is now. It is only because of our carelessness that we are in this position. Do not be fooled into believing that the other Hives have fared much better." Naiad's eyes scanned the crowd "We stand at the rim of a Hive war, one we must enter and one we must win. It is a Queen's duty to preserve her Hive and a Drone's duty to aid her. It is our peoples purpose to survive against all odds! We must win this war, for if all changelings do not go back to the old way, as our Hive will, then we will die out. It is our duty each and everyone to stand in the face of death and challenge its existence! We must do this for our Hive and we must to this for all changelings. We must change our ways and heal what we have broken!" Naiad took a deep breath "Long Live The Hive!" For a moment nothing happened, Naiad feared nothing would. Then her changelings spoke. "Long live the Hive" they all echoed her They understood, Naiad could have danced, had her mind not been set on acting mature. Her little Drones understood. Why they would have to face such hard changes, and why she would throw her already battered and broken Hive into a fray they where not ready for, they understood. "Metallic!" she barked "Yes my Queen" "We are now a Hive at war, proceed accordingly. Gather the troops tonight we destroy Queen Hex and take the land of the Anthill Hive." "Right away My Queen Commander" Metallic left her side and wadded into the crowd snapping orders. Naiad smiled, she'd be hearing that title until the war was over. "We could help" Luna walked over to her and whispered "I will never be accepted as Queen of the Hives unless my Hive dose this itself, other Hives may aid me and the ponies on our land may also aid me, but Equestria must not interfere in this war." Record of lead warrior Metallic It had started to snow by the time we had gathered the army, It was not a natural snow for it was the middle of spring, but rather a changeling powered blizzard. The Drones pushed it toward the Anthill Hive. It would arrive well before we did but, while it would give our attack away, The Beekeep Hive's talent had always been in fighting in bad weather. I still think we should have recruited ponies from the villages in our territory but Luna had advised against it and My Queen had- excuse me, My Queen Commander, had agreed, and that had been the end of that. I believe I'm supposed to be writing in third person, you'll have to get over it my dear reader, A warrior is trained to always give a first person report. That means you, by the way Shadow, I know you'r reading this, get a life I don't have time for you to harass my about this report! Sigh, anyway I should move on. I led the army to the border and we waited there for My Queen to show up. (I'm not going to add commander every time it would add like three pages to my final report) My Queen just bit my head of (Metaphorically of course she doesn't hate me that much) I'd better move to third person now. Metallic took in his surroundings, a light snow had dusted the land when the blizzard had come through. It would give them the advantage, his Hive knew how to fight in the snow and cold, it was part of their basic training. Eventually the Queen showed up. She looked a bit nervous shifting on her hooves but when she turned to the army her voice rang clear "No mercy!" The changelings hissed in response, it was a quiet thing but it shook the ground. "I will meet you on the battle field" She took to the air and flew ahead "Attention!" Metallic snapped, his warriors obeyed. "You all heard the Queen! No Mercy! If somebody so much as looks at you funny kill them. Our enemy has the numbers and that is a problem we must remedy if we are to survive this fight. Protect the Queen our goal is to get her to Queen Hex as quickly as possible. Am I understood!" The warriors roared this time, a battle cry that could be heard all the way to the Anthill Hive and far beyond. "To Wing!" Metallic called, as one Naiad's changelings rose from the ground and went to challenge Hex. Author's Note Shadow: "Harsh Metallic" Metallic: "THIS ISN'T A GAME YOU FOOL PEOPLE WILL DIE, I"D RATHER IT BE THEM THAN US!!!" Shadow: "Okay, okay you don't have to get all defensive" Metallic: *Glaring* Shadow: *Sneaks away while Metallic glares him down, there for defeating the purpose of sneaking in the first place*
Chapter 5 Hex VS Naiad Chapter 5 Hex VS Naiad Record of lead warrior Metallic "The Battle of the Swarms" When the army arrived it was a sight to behold. Snow whipped through the air in a fury while the weather Drones defended the clouds from the few of the Anthill Hive that came to disperse them. Naiad was staying up in the clouds as-well shooting down anyone who got too close. The red clad warrior Drones of the Anthill Hive where forming ranks, it was there that Metallic focused. He angled himself toward them and dove like a arrow, the rest of the army followed suit. Chaos ensued, Drone met Drone in a battle of life and death. Metallic crashed into a Drone that had appeared to be a commander, something crunched. He jumped up shacking of the dazed feeling and swung on the nearest Drone with an energy bolt. The sickly green light flew from Metallic's horn and slid right through the unlucky warrior. Someone crashed into his side and he let the momentum carry him a little was before twisting around and sinking his teeth into his attackers throat. One of the Bee-keep warriors shot a bolt of light into the air, it whistled like a fire work and exploded in a shower of yellow and blue. Metallic cursed under his breath and took to the air. He hovered between two battles, one on land and the other in sky. His eyes scanned the battle below first and it only to a second for him to find what he was looking for, Hex's warriors where changing form and his Queen's warriors where changing to meet them. The battle below had turned into a battle between lions, bears, wolves, and anything else that was big enough and strong enough to kill something else. Metallic couldn't help anymore. He spun to the battle above only to be met with a shower of yellow and green from another explosion. I signal like the one bellow that the enemy had started changing form.Hissing every curse word he knew Metallic went in search of Hex. It wasn't long before he found what he was looking for. The Anthill queen was surrounded by Naiad's warriors. A green fire circled her and she was bending her magic to lay wast to all around her. Metallic flipped in the air so he was hovering upside down, and promptly sent out his own signal. The first shot he fired exploded black, the second was purple, and the third was black again. He did it a second time to make sure it was seen and then joined the warriors in fighting Hex. Entry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. The Queen of the Bee-keep Hive shot down any enemy drone that came within her range. The cold of the storm battered her form all sides. Her own warriors kept there distance, ready to aid her if need be, but else-wise staying out of her way. She waited while she fought, for someone to signal Hex's location. A gust of air took her be surprise and it took a moment for her wings to put her right again. Yellow and blue light flashed from bellow and Naiad suppressed the sudden urge to laugh, Metallic would not be pleased to be called out of battle. Oh the wonderful elation of a fight. Hex's pathetic Drones didn't stand a chance against Naiad's power. She twisted her magic and set to draining the life force of any who would appose her. She would need the extra power in the upcoming fight. The clouds surrounded her with a welcoming cold. On the ground and in the air, the snow and cold where slowing down the Anthill Hive. Naiad's army had the advantage despite their numbers. Black flashed in the corner of her eye, she turned to watch as purple followed it then black again. The prosses then repeated itself. Someone had signaled Hex's location to her. Naiad took a deep breath and drew the energy that had built up in the storm to her. She let it warm her and then she turned to face the Queen. Suddenly she wasn't so sure of herself. "I can do this" She hissed. "I will do this...for the Hive" She feared she would fail, she could loose her Hive and her life. Naiad arrived and was shocked and dismayed by what she saw. Her warriors lay dead in heaps on either side of the Anthill Queen. Metallic and seven others where all that still stood facing her, they where all focused on holding up a shield while Hex fired one energy bolt after another at them. "Hex!" Naiad's voice boomed, the red Queen turned to face her, quickly loosing interest in Naiad's Drones. After a moment she joined Naiad in the air. "Your Hive has lost this battle! Do your duty as Queen and surrender!" Naiad didn't think it would work but it might still spar her a battle she might not win. Striking at the Queen code would at least shake the faith of Hex's Hive in their Queen. "The day I surrender to a just hatched brat is the day I die!" Hex boomed back at her. Well it had been worth a shot, the battle around them had stopped. Clearly the Drone's from both Hives saw no point in fighting further when their Queens where about to settle the matter. "Then prepare to meet you're fate!" Naiad's voice echoed back. She let Hex have the first shot, a blot of black energy ripped through the sky toward her. The sliver Queen lowered her horn and absorbed the blast, pulling the extra magic into herself. Hex roared and fired again, Naiad swung out of the way, no doubt her little trick wouldn't work a second time. She fired a bolt of her own, it was really little more than a beam of light and missed Hex by a good bit. She was saving her energy and trying to get Hex to use her own. Hex fired, Naiad dodged then Naiad pretended to fire back at her. They went on like that for quite some time. Hex eventually seemed to slow down, Naiad took her chance. Her horn lit green as she built up energy in it. Hex fired again and Naiad swung further away. She threw all the magic she had gathered into her spell and set to pulling all the energy around her into it as-well. Hex screamed in rage and charged her; Naiad let her spell go. A beam of green fire consumed the Anthill Hive's Queen, she screamed. When eventually Naiad's spell faded nothing was left of Hex, she had been completely destroyed. Exhausted Naiad faced the warriors of the Anthill Hive and her own. A few Drones, those who must have been sworn to Hex, came to fight her but Metallic had taken two down before they got close and one of her other warriors had killed the rest. "T-The Queen is dead long live the Queen" One of Hex's Drones started and the rest picked it up. "The Queen is dead long live the Queen" it was almost whispered across the Anthill hive, murmured but never shouted. It was that quiet declaration, while the Drones turned from red to silver, that told Naiad she would have a long road ahead of her. They had loved their Queen, and Naiad had just killed her. "It was for the good of my Hive and theirs" Naiad whispered to herself. Author's Note I'm not sure why the chapter feels rushed when I read it.... I'm also not quite sure how to fix it.
Chapter 6 the Secondary Queen of the Anthill HiveEntry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad picked her way around the fallen bodies of Drones from both sides. Queen Hex had been carried off right away, Naiad's Drones where being lined up to be taken home for the funeral. Naiad tripped over the body of a young Anthill Drone, she stumbled briefly before catching herself. The colors of the Drones where fading to the shining white color that all changeling Drones where born with. The only way to tell them apart when that happened was sense of smell. Metallic bounded over to her "We await your orders My Queen" "Do you feel nothing for these Drones Metallic" Naiad asked. "I do not, My Queen" Metallic replied "Why, pray tell?" She inquired tonelessly "What is the life of one Drone, or a thousand, compared to the survival of the Hive as a whole...My Queen." He responded "Hmm.. Yes, I suppose when you look at it that way" Naiad sighed, having lost a fight Metallic was not aware that she was fighting. She spun to face him "Report" She demanded. He obeyed. Entry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Naiad walked calmly down the nursery of the Anthill Hive, she knew what she was looking for and she hoped she would find it. Metallic walked at her right while two Anthill warriors trailed behind. She glanced from egg-sack to egg-sack until she spotted the object of her search. In one egg-sack a black egg stood all alone. "Pull it down and take the egg out." Naiad ordered. The Anthill warriors jumped eagerly to obey. By then a crowd had formed behind the silver clad Queen. The two warriors lied the egg carefully in front of Naiad, it didn't really matter to her how close it was to hatching. She charged her horn and fired. The egg grew and cracked. A few moments latter a young Queen changeling was standing in front of Naiad. She had a long yellow mane that fell in pieces around her and a short yellow tail with one hole in it. Both her mane and her tail tapered to a point at the end. She looked at Naiad for a moment before struggling to her hooves.When she finally managed to stand upright she dipped her head to the elder Queen in respect. Entry # 1 in the record of Secondary Queen Thriae, 55th ruler of the Anthill Hive. She regarded the silvery Queen and her bronze warrior for a moment before speaking. "You intend to conquer the Hives and take your place as Queen of the Hives?" She inquired. Naiad nodded. "I can see as-well you intend to change our ways?" It was stated as a question. "I do." The elder Queens horn lite and she tilted it to the younger. "For the better I hope." The child Queen took the offer and touched her horn the silver's. Pain flashed through both, memories and ideas sank into the yellow clad Queen's mind. Almost as soon as the spell started, it ended. The Queens pulled away from each other, both feeling a little stunned. The younger stood a little in awe of her elder. "To take another Hive with your own so torn apart, and you so young yourself." she stared shakenly at the Bee-Keep Hive's Queen Naiad. "I was not given, and do not have, a choice," Naiad spoke with an icy calm. "and watch whom you call young, hatchling." The yellow Queen nodded then turned to her soon to be Drones. "I am Queen Thriae, I will stand in command of this Hive under the command of Queen Naiad until such time as there is peace again in the Hives. Once the Hives have re-united under one ruler I will stand as Primary Queen of this Hive" and with a few choice words Queen Thriae announce her rule. "Long live the Queen" One drone spoke and the others echoed, they all started switching to yellow. Or more accurately to a yellow color with a silver tint, it almost looked gold. "Queen Thriae?" Naiad asked amused, though she had to shout to be heard over the clamor. Thriae puffed up defensively and shouted back "It is a perfectly reasonable name." "Yes," purred Naiad "and it has no hidden meaning at all." her voice was laced with sarcasm. Entry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. The flight home was a enjoyable one, Naiad enjoyed the calm. "It's not often a Queen gets to enjoy herself" she mused She did a few lazy loops in the air before settling into a lower flight."One Hive down many to go, but at least I have a bigger army to work with," she smiled. "and now that I have a mate my own Hive can grow as-well." "What a day what a day" Entry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Luna was standing a distance away, watching the changelings. Naiad, of course was aware of this but payed her no mind, the sun had set and so it was time to put the dead to rest. The Bee-keep Drones who had died in the fighting lied in front of the Hive in a pile. Having been brought home as soon as Naiad had settled matters at the Anthill Hive. "Today we lost many good Drones," Naiad started the gathered Drones fell silent. The Queen sighed "They died for the good of the Hive, and serving the good of our people." "For the Hive" Her Drones echoed quietly. "Our people will one day number as many as the stars in the sky, but for now we send out kin to rest among the stars." Naiad continued. "The stars" They echoed "Light the fire" Naiad finished "Fire" was echoed like a hiss, the word continued to be whispered from Drone to Drone until Metallic and the other sworn warriors magicked the fire to life. The area was lite red as the bodies of the fallen caught fire, silence fell. They would hold vigil until daybreak. Author's Note The Thriae where three half bee naiads (which is a water spirit) from Greek mythology.
Chapter 7: Four Together One AloneEntry # unknown in the record of Queen Naiad, 67th ruler of the Bee-keep Hive. Queen Naiad had just sent a letter to the Quicksand Hive, in it she explained her plan and asked for there surrender. She was hoping for a quick yes, it would save both Hives an unnecessary battle. She had one more hope for the day as she walked down to the nursery, among many traditions her people had lost was one she thought would her well to bring back right away. After all if she intended to return the changelings to the old ways then she needed to start making changes right away. Naiad hesitated at the entrance of her nursery, what she was about do had stopped being done years ago for a reason. It was dangerous, she took a deep breath and stepped inside. Her little Drones stopped working only long enough to glance at her, then went back to what they where doing. Tending the pods took a lot of work, her changelings bustled from one place to another, keeping the eggs moist and at the right temperature. "HISS!" her voice boomed. The Drone who had only recently been put in charge of the nursery darted forward "Yes, My Queen?" "Search the nursery and bring me any Queen eggs you find." Naiad ordered "Right away My Queen" Hiss saluted and then darted away calling orders to the other workers who scrambled to obey. Naiad was sure that they thought this was a culling, and she did intend to cull her brood while she was in the nursery but she didn't think she wanted to make a habit of it, Metallic had proven that the Drones, usually classified as to week to carry their weight should at least be given a chance. However her Hive was in a weakened state with barely enough food to support the current population, she couldn't afford to spare resources to any changeling who could not immediately benefit her. Her experiment regarding the Drones like Metallic would have to wait. She knew that the last culling had not been that long ago, it was still possible that there was at least one Queen egg hiding in the nursery. A Queen egg didn't show any difference from a Drone egg until two weeks after it had been laid, so while unlikely it was possible that there was at least one hiding in the nursery somewhere, maybe one had even escaped Night's notice. It was unlikely but a Queen could hope. She turned to Metallic who, like always, was right by her side, "Destroy any damaged eggs." He dipped his head, "As you wish My Queen" and walked away. Trusting that he would take care of the culling for her Naiad sat down to wait. After a few minutes a young female Drone and a young Male approached her holding a large egg sack with a single Queen egg in it. Both crouched in front of her as a form of submission. The female was the one who spoke "W-We where going to over throw Queen Night, My Queen." she confessed. Naiad was far to happy to actually have a Queen egg than to be upset at its origins, though, the fact that Hiss and Fang where not the only Drones who had sought to over throw Queen Night bothered her a bit. "Very well," She spoke much more calmly that she felt "Lets just pretend you found it just now." "Yes, My Queen. Thank you My Queen!" The female ran off, the male followed her. It seemed there was a changeling who valued their life, perhaps Naiad had miss judged her Drones. A little while latter Hiss came back with a smaller egg sack being supported by two other workers inside where two eggs, both solid black. Naiad had to fight with herself to keep from jumping for joy at the discovery. "Very well done. Is this all of them?" "Yes My Queen" Hiss replied as the drones set the eggs in front of her. "Remove all three and lay them in out for me then." she ordered "Yes My Queen" Hiss responded with a brief glance at the egg sack already laying there, her eyes light with suspicion but she said nothing about it. Once all the eggs where out in front of her Naiad bent her horn to the first to hatch it. It grew and cracked, a moment latter a young emerald green Queen was struggling to her hooves, her mane and tail where short and ended in an uneven zigzag. With only a brief glance at her Naiad turned to the second, she didn't notice that every Drone in the room had stopped to stare, no one had expected her to hatch the eggs. The second hatched a pail pink Queen, she stumbled upright blinking at the world, her main fell like a wave around her and her tail seemed to swirl on its way down, the tip ended just before the ground. The third was harder as Naiad was growing tired, but after a moment a little brown shelled Queen opened her eyes to the world for the first time, her main looked like it was in a bun, ending in a circular bunch at her neck, and her tail was extremely short. Naiad glanced at the three of them, thrilled and terrified at the same time. "Welcome to our world my little changelings, we have much to do and little time to do it in. Come." then she spun around and walked the other way hoping that they would find their footing quick enough to follow. The Little coco colored one caught up to her first following only a step behind her, the other two caught up a moment latter, but the brown one spoke before they could. "This is a very old tradition Queen..." "Naiad." Naiad spoke simply, they where part of Night's brood and so they had Nigh'ts memories and not her own, she didn't expect them to know her name. "Queen Naiad." She responded Naiad spoke again "I intend to return all the Hives to the old way." "So you do not intend to kill us?" The pink one inquired, she was the tallest of the three the little brown one being the smallest "I do not" Naiad replied, then she smiled "You will all need names." They walked for a while and then the little coco one spoke "Cicada I think." she smiled "And I will go by Katydid" said the pink Naiad glanced at the emerald Queen only to find that she wasn't looking at the rest of them. Quite the opposite she was walking with her head down and to the side. Naiad trotted in front of her and stopped forcing the young Queen to stop as-well, still she didn't look up, keeping her head down and her face hidden instead. "Look at me" Naiad demanded, suspicion pricked her. The emerald Queen reluctantly looked up and Naiad was shocked. A thicker jaw line and longer fangs labeled this Queen as male, male changeling Queens where still known as Queens changelings didn't use the term King. A male born with the Queen gene was extremely rare, there was only one alive so far as Naiad was concerned, The ruler of the Predator Hive. Her young male Queen gave her a very cautious look, Naiad realized he expected her to kill him upon the discovery. Katydid gasped when she picked out the difference between him and the rest of them, Cicada muttered something under her breath. Naiad's reaction was not what any of them had expected, including herself. After the shock passed she picked him up with her magic and twirled in a circle spinning him around herself while she did. "A male, a brother, how rare, how special!"she sang and then horrify with herself stopped dead in her tracks and dropped him flat on the ground. "Nobody saw that." she said flatly. "Of course not." Cicada said seriously. At the same time Katydid replied "Saw what?" With a light "Good" and a brief check to make sure that they where the only ones in the hall she started walking again. Katydid and Cicada followed her. Naiad called "You'll still need a name!" over her shoulder. The Male Queen called back "Locust" before running to catch up to her. And just like that Naiad had three lesser Queens to help run her Hive. If any got too ambitious she would have to kill them but for the moment she was just happy to have someone to relate to. Author's Note Yay more "Queens" I'll have pictures of them eventually. The Pink Queen. Katydid The Emerald Queen, Locust The Brown Queen, Cicada
Chapter 8 As time rolls onThe lesser Queens of the bee-keep hive In record of Lesser Queen Locust The young male Queen stalked the halls of the Hive, A few weeks ago the Quicksand Hive had surrendered without Naiad's Hive needing to attack. They where a timid bunch and where quick to give into the Hive closest to them. Naiad had gotten the News a day after he had hatched. With both the Quicksand forces and the Anthill forces Naiad had launched an attack on the Swarm Hive and Their Queen had surrendered rather than risk a fight, not just against Naiad but against Locust and Katydid as-well, Cicada had stayed behind to guard the Hive. Usually, after anywhere between a dozen and a hundred Drones had killed each others the two Queens went head to head and the winner won the fight, however in the old days when lesser Queens had been common place they had always fought right next the their Queen. The only reason the Drones fought at all was to force a path between the two Queens so they could fight. Word that Naiad had taken the Swarm Hive with so little effort had reached the Daybreak Hive and they where currently in the process of negotiating their surrender with Naiad. The Changeling territories could be divided into four different "clusters". The Cluster of Struggle, The Cluster of Bravery, The Cluster of Survival, and the Cluster of Balance. The Struggle Cluster consisted of The Bee-Keep Hive, The Anthill Hive, The Quicksand Hive, The Swarm Hive, The Daybreak Hive, and the Heart Hive. The Bravery Cluster consisted of The Cat Hive, The Truth Hive, The Meadow Hive, The Dark Hive, and The Discarded Hive. The Survival Cluster consisted of The Molted Hive, The Laughing Hive, The Wolf Hive, The Starlight Hive, The Chaos Hive, and The Forever Hive. The Balance Cluster consisted only of The Frozen Hive, The Molten Hive, and The Forest Hive. Traditional one Queen rose to power in each cluster and then all the Queens of the Clusters battled for supremacy, with the Daybreak Hive's surrender the only Hive left in the Struggle Clusters for Naiad to take was the Heart Hive, and she was confident enough to send Locust and Cicada rather than go herself. Currently Locust was headed to meet up with Cicada, then they would meet up with Naiad's army led by the Drone Metallic, and from there they would proceed to the territory of the Heart Hive and take it by force. The only flaw in their plan was that they had no clue where the Heart Hive's Hive was. "Good evening Cicada" Locust approached the Coco colored Queen from behind. "Good evening Locust, how are you faring?" She responded lightly not even bothering to turn to face him. She appeared to packing a saddle bag full of herbs, though the changeling version of a saddle bag was two green sacks made of the same material as an egg sack. "Well, and you?" "Well and fine" With formality out of the way Locust pointed down the hall with a hoof "We should be going." 'Yes I know." Cicada turned around threw her saddle bag on then started down the hall with Locust at her side. When the two lesser Queens exited the Hive both where surprised, Locust had honestly thought Naiad had been taking the Heart Hive to lightly, but as they approached the gathered army they where both met with a sight to behold. The army had to be one and a half the size of the entire Hive's population, Drone's where clad in The Bee-Keep Hive's dazzling silver, The Anthill Hive's cheery Yellow, The Swarm Hive's deep purple, The Quicksand Hive's dull tan, and much to their surprise the Daybreak Hive's snow white. Of course since all the Hives where in Naiad's service every Drone was tinted silver. Naiad had apparently been waiting for them as-well, because there she was basking in the sun next to the current Secondary Queens of the Hives she had conquered Thriae of the Anthill, Creep of the Swarm, Shade of the Quicksand, and Frost of the Daybreak. Locust and Cicada exchanged a wary glance with each other. Cicada took a deep breath before approaching the group, Locust followed close behind her. Both walked up to Naiad and dipped their heads to her. "Oh good, you'r here!" Naiad said to them with a smile "We've been waiting." then she turned to the other Queens "As I was saying, having more food readily available isn't the only benefit to returning to the old ways, returning the the tradition of keeping lesser Queens means we can focus on more important matters while somebody else manages the day to day affairs of running the Hive" "Don't you worry that they will try to overthrow you?" Creep asked while eyeing them through her long purple main "I still think you should just kill them" Cicada stood a little straighter, Locust glared at the ground rather than at her. "Of course they'll try." Naiad commented brightly "But someone will always be trying to overthrow me, its better it be someone I trained than someone an unsatisfied Drone trained. When, eventually, I am overthrown it will be by someone with experience dealing with the Hive, and there for the Hive will be better off. After all the Hive comes first." "The Hive comes first" Every queen in the group echoed "I agree with you Naiad" Shade said flatly though she was eyeing the two lesser Queens in a way that made both uncomfortable. Her mane and tail were medium length and dull tan, she was a bit taller than your average queen. "Is that one male?" The white clad Queen named Frost asked picking Locust up with her magic, only to be blasted by an energy beam from Naiad that left everyone in the group shocked. Locust, who had wound up flat on his back after being picked up and then dropped, found Naiad standing over him, crouched to fight, teeth bared, ears flat, and glaring at Frost who was slowly pulling herself upright. He was likely more shocked than anyone else but at least he had the mind to stay still and stay quiet. Frost looked at the young silvery Queen for a moment before dipping her head is surrender "I meant no harm" Shade was giggling and trying to cover it up. Thriae smiled wickedly "I cant blame you for being protective, a male Queen is a rare treat" Naiad backed away from Locust glaring at Thriae. Locust was trying to hide a blush at the implication. Shade laughed out right. "I suppose I agree with you Naiad, back in the old days the Hive's did much better for themselves." Frost said flatly. "I am also with Naiad on this." Thriae chirped in to no ones surprise. "I still think its a bad Idea" Creep stated. "Oh dear" Shade pulled a hoof to her muzzle in fake concern "I wasn't aware The Swarm Hive where a bunch of cowards." "I wasn't aware that I needed any of your approval" Naiad replied finally recovering from her earlier episode. Everyone laughed except Creep who glared at the ground. "Very well" she hissed when the group had gone quiet "I consed to the point" "Good." Naiad chimed "Then let us get to work," She turned to Locust and Cicada "You two go take the Drones and conquer the Heart Hive, we have some planing to do." Author's Note (Anypony catch the reference?) The Hive's as Naiad knows them The Struggle Cluster Queen: Naiad Hive: Bee-keep Color: Silver Queen: Thriae Hive: Anthill Color: Honey Yellow Queen: Creep Hive: Swarm Color: Dark Purple Queen: Shade Hive: Quicksand Color: Pail Tan Queen: Frost Hive: Daybreak Color: Pure White Queen: Echo Hive: Heart Color: Sea-foam green The Bravery Cluster Queen: ---- Hive: Cat Color: ---- Queen: Glaze Hive: Truth Color: Dark Brown Queen: Pounce Hive: Meadow Color: Pumpkin Orange Queen: ---- Hive: Dark Color: ----- Queen: Chrysalis (Dead?) Hive: Discarded Color: Blue The Survival Cluster Queen: East Hive: Molted Color: Pail Yellow Queen: Giggle Hive: Laughing Color: Hot pink, red streaked Queen: Lonely Hive: Wolf Color: Dully Gray Queen: Glint Hive: Starlight Color: Dark Green Queen: Empty Hive: Chaos Color: Clear? (The Chaos hive is known for being odd) Queen: Lost Hive: Forever Color: Black The Balance Cluster Queen: ---- Hive: Frozen Color: ---- Queen: ---- Hive: Molten Color: ---- Queen: ---- Hive: Forest Color: ----
Prologue Prologue Hi I'm Queen Naiad. Shortly after becoming Queen I discovered that my Drones are extremely......stupid. A lack of information let my warriors kill the last Queen's warriors with relative ease, but its quickly becoming a problem for me. Night's....lunacy has me shocked. She seemed to think that by not telling her Drones anything she was keeping better control. Everyone is under trained. I'm surrounded by Idiots! Its a miracle that the Hive hasn't been taken over by another one, we'r probably at the weakest that this Hive has ever been at! I'm so angry! It dost matter, really, I'll just fix the problem. Anyway this is my personal record, I intend to keep a record of Hive activities in a different book. I also intend to wright about my personal feelings, everyone seems to think I'm a mindless robot, and while I will never let my Hive know what i'm thinking it might be helpful for the Queen after me to have something to show her Hive. So this is the first entry in my journal. Oh and I intend to wright the record in third person, If I don't It might give whatever Drone decides to read about the last Queen's thoughts ideas, reading 'I' constantly would make him (or her) put himself in my place, and that isn't appropriate, So I'll start the record. I'v gotten I Drone named Shadow to start a library and on my death the record of the Hive in my time will be put there. One day I hope for our Hive to be the best informed Hive that there is. I also intend to start training scientists. It would be great to start coming up with new spells Oh and one more thing, Hives do have names but for some reason in Night's time no one used the name of our Hive, it just became known as the Hive by the river's edge. I blame this on more stupidity on Nights part. Our Hive is and always has been know as the Bee-keep. Our first Queen was named Bee. Our the Hive closest to us is the Quicksand Hive its a days fly north. I'm not overly concerned about them they tend to keep to themselves. To the west lies the Anthill. They are a bit further away but a bigger concern I believe that they'er Queen intends to become the next Queen of The Hives. That could be a problem if they try to expand this way.
