The scouting trip

"I would never keep milady waiting." He responds, tipping his fedora (Not really) I canter up to the group closely, all nodding an affirmative when I inquire if we were ready to go over the link. White Fury wastes no time in turning the corner of the frozen hallway to the left. We all follow closely, me because I'm eager to get out of here and Flurry because I /think/ he may be trying to come onto me with how clingy I've been with him.

The corner turn I couldn't have imagined if I hadn't seen it. The exit was literally just an open passage into a mountain pass, we appeared to be a sizable amount up the mountain. Most likely to prevent any blockage by snow of the exit. But it seems we've burrowed ourselves into a thick ice sheet frozen into a mountain in a wasteland...And I feel great as the cold winds brush over my forming chitin, the cold has always made me feel great. By the expressions and body language of my companions I can tell they agree with my assessment of the cold. "Usually this exit is blocked by a ward that creates one of them fog walls. On the outside it would look like more snow on the mountain. It would block any snow flurries making their way in. But uhh...With the lack of magic energy around here it wore off and we can't afford to feed it."

"That's too bad, but uhh. Can we get going? I'm getting restless just watching all that open land, my wings are getting better so uhm...I'd like to get started." He nods at me, understanding. "Sure, lets saddle up boys and girl." He says, walking out of our little hole in the ground. Followed by Flurry, then me. Blur seems to prefer taking rear guard as I take my first steps out into the mountain range. The sight is beautiful, better than the paintings and other such artwork outside, I can almost see the flurries dancing with eachother all down the mountain. The winds makes the hilly formations of snow all around dance a splendid play before my eyes.

It was really a great sight. But I only had a few moments to love it before we were off, flapping our wings of frigid and thin exoskeleton. (That's right) The days I've had have allowed me to develop my flying muscles.

We start the long journey south. Our wings quietly buzzing, only slightly louder than the soft wind howling around us. We fly for quiet awhile, but the link keeps me busy. As instructed by Rem I need to learn how to understand and instruct the hive. Though since most of the normal happenings of the hive I myself to not fully understand yet. I just opt to listen and observe the natural processes.

A hour into the flight, still working on the lin- W-what? A small distance away I sight a hulking mass of grey fur. It appears to be busy fighting another one of itself, I can take a guess it's a snow giant. "Snow giant everyling, keep clear." I hear Blur announce over the link, dipping down left.

The giants themselves appear to be in some intimidation contest, growling and waving about their arms. How they stand on two without tripping is an interesting thought. They are huge in comparison to even Rem. At least as tall of eight drones trying to stand on two hooves.

Looking closer from our little half-circle around the scuffle I can see that they have pure white eyes, tusks from the bottom jaw that curve over the upper lip. Two dots on the face for a nose, surrounded by wrinkled and furry skin. They hold a bipedal posture and long, fur covered arms tipped with three fingers that are in turn tipped with thick claws. The feet hold the same characteristics. All in a massive ball of grey and tinted white.

The one I had spotted first seemed to be winning. The other one backing up as he stepped forward. The losing giant waving his arms and yelling in a desperate bid to scare off his assailant it would seem. We reach the end of our circle but I send out a command to wait. I feel I need to see what was about to happen.

The smaller giant ends his arm waving and hollering. His face still midsnarl, he drifts his face to take a look up at us. His eyes linger on our floating forms only a few seconds before he bangs his arms on his chest and barrels into the bigger giant. Much to his surprise of the big guy, who had apparently been watching as well.

The yelp from the defending party is nearly deafening. These things have quite the set of lungs to hurt my ears from nearly seventy feet above them.  This only marginally matters considering the little guy had just taken a bite of the left shoulder of the howling turned screeching big guy. He throws his massive head into the other colossal giant, headbutting him. The effect is immediate, he is no longer biting and is now reeling away. Letting out a screech of his own. The infuriated giant gets up, ignoring the red clump of fur on his shoulder and kicks the other party. Hard. I mean, he might have just broken the smaller guy's entire rib cage. I can hear a audible crack, then the red mouthed menace falls to the ground. Not getting back up.

I'm urged to move along by my siblings before I can witness whatever the big guy is walking up to the down combatant to do. But I can hear some rather disturbing sounds behind me as we clear out.

I'm not sure how to feel about it. But breeze flies up beside me to let out a "Don't think too hard on any of that. Those things are monsters, even to eachother." I take his word for it and set myself back on hive management. But It only lasts a few minutes, because in the distance I can see the gleam of a huge dome in the distance.

"Alright everyling, hit the deck. We don't want to get seen too close."