I settled onto my "bed" in my room, and opened my [Status]

[Status:

Name: Ashlani

Race: Sonic Magicblood Sub-Swarm Alpha

Current quests:

—Have one of your spawn grow to adulthood successfully. Progress: Fetus. Rewards: Constitution +5, Intelligence +6, Magic +4.

--Kill 10 humans. Progress: 0/10. Rewards: Constitution, Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Magic +7.

—Usurp control of the entire swarm. Progress: 5%. Rewards: Intelligence +9.

Stats:

-Constitution: 33+7=40

-Strength: 38+7=45

-Agility: 39+7=46

-Intelligence: 33+7=40

-Magic: 27+7=34

Skills:

Innate Leadership—cannot evolve

Pack Tactics—current evolutionary progress: 0/10

Improved Bloodlust—current evolutionary progress: 0/3

Dominance—current evolutionary progress: 87/100

Improved Vision--current evolutionary progress: 0/18

Sonilphon—current evolutionary progress: 34/50

Evolutionary foresight

-Sonic Magicblood Swarm Beta—Requirements: Acknowledgement of the Swarm's Alpha.

-Sonic Magicblood Swarm Alpha—Requirements: Deposing the current Swarm Alpha. Acquiring the approval of 75% of the total swarm.

-Sonic Khatif Sub-Swarm Alpha--Requirements: Skill: Combatant's Bloodlust, Improved Sonilphon, Sub-Swarm Alpha race.

Other evolutions possible, but not currently foreseen.]

Considering how easy two of my prey had been, I supposed I should count myself lucky that I'd gotten the base amount of stats from that Quest. That said, the two new Quests were just rehashing or expanding on previous Quests. What does that mean, [System]?

[The Administrator has deemed it unnecessary to divulge that information. However, that decision may be rescinded, depending on your future growth.]

... Of course... I couldn't help but hope for information, but the more time I've spent asking it questions, the more I've come to think that it was less of a sadistic pleasure the Administrator takes in denying me, and more of a restriction on the information they can give me at one time. At least, that's what I was telling myself for now.

I shrugged and settled down to sleep, but before I could actually sleep, Sybil came in and sidled close to me.

"How are the eggs going to be?"

She shrugged. "No way to tell. Vefir has done and is doing what he can, but there's no guarantee even if they were carried for longer."

I felt the rage boiling within me, in a way that I hadn't felt in a while. It grew, and I channeled it to Viilor, to humanity, to those around us... It almost felt good. As I felt my grip on my emotions slip, I suddenly wanted to try to do the "invigorating wave" thing I had done before. The magic swelled within me, and I almost effortlessly let it pulse out of me.

Sybil suddenly went rigid next to me. "What did you just do?"

I shrugged, "Something I did once and it seemed like something I should try to learn how to do. What did it do to you?"

She sat up. "I feel like I have all sorts of things that I could say to you right now, 'Lord Alpha'," I chuckled as she continued, "But the first one would have to be: are you seriously using me as an experimental subject right now?"

I paused for a moment, trying to figure out how best to respond so as not to give her more ammunition, then decided to abide by a suggestion that I had received from a teacher in my past life: It is not often that someone makes a mistake by keeping their mouth shut. I cocked my head to the side and looked at Sybil. She looked back at me, a hint of mirth in her eyes that slowly faded to exhausted sadness. In my mind I could see her in Treel's place, eggs that were to be my own children exposed to the air, earlier than they could survive. Suddenly, I saw her no longer as the best option for me to grow personally and a phenomenal Gamma, but began to see her as my mate.

Gently, I nuzzled her, and, after a surprised pause, she returned the gesture. I realized that, other than what had happened in the heat of the moment, this was almost certainly the only time I had been physically intimate with her. I scoffed, and she pulled back to look at me.

"Nothing, I'm just... nervous. Oncli died when we were still young and generally helpless, and all the casualties since have been either nameless or someone I wasn't close to. And with what's coming... Treel isn't the last."

Sybil looked into my eyes. "Ashlani, you're a decisive leader, and you're becoming a good one. You have a good support system," she jokingly gestured towards herself, "and you just need to continue growing. We all are, and I don't think anyone will fault you for what happens. You're on the front lines, shedding just as much blood as the rest." She gently bunted my head. "Just stay alive and paint the forest with their blood. That will bring rest and relief to the dead."

I mulled that over, then nodded and laid down. Sleep was quick to come, but I only slept fitfully.

...

The next morning, the first thing I did was get the entire swarm to come to the main room we had created for this express purpose. Once they all had gathered, I stood up to address them all, with Took on my right and Sybil on my left. As I began to speak, I felt a gentle, subtle assurance wash over me from Sybil's direction.

"We suffered losses yesterday, some of our strongest hunters, and one of our core leaders. There are several reasons for this, but the main issue is that the new foe that we face has adapted to hunt keelish. They are called humans, and allow me to address some of the main issues they present and provide guidelines for you to follow from here on.

1. Half of any group that leaves the den should be using the different vision, since they disguise themselves so that we can't see them with our usual vision.

2. If you ever encounter them and there is an individual who is constantly making noise, even if quietly, they are your first target, as they can use powerful magic.

3. They use weapons, not their own bodies, to attack, so try to avoid their weapons as best as you can. If this means to attack from a distance, to sneak up on them, whatever, I don't care. They are deadly."

I hated the strictly informational nature of my little talk, but I couldn't think of any other way to put it, and it was information that all my swarm needed to know, so I just acknowledged the fact that I was a horrible public speaker.

Then, I approached Joral specifically. He stood straight as I approached, grinning excitedly. I spoke evenly and quietly, "Look, I won't tell you to stay in the den to keep you safe, but understand when I tell you--" I hunched down so my eyes were on level with his, and only an inch away, "You aren't ready to face them right now. I invite you to scout and see what you can see, but know that if you engage, especially with your small pack, you will almost certainly all die." I nodded to him and turned as I finished, "Good luck out there. Find them for me, and I'll let you in on the hunt."

I could hear him practically vibrating in excitement, and I shook my head as I walked back to Took and Sybil. Sybil was quietly talking to a few of her... agents, I guess I'll call them, while Took looked around. Octavi stood to Took's side, and looked proud to be there. I smiled, and remembered Sybil's reassurance from the night before.

"Alright, Beta, Gamma, I'll be away from here for at least three days, possibly more. I have every confidence that you will be able to correctly manage the swarm while I am gone. If you absolutely need me, you'll know where to find me." I nodded, gently bunted Sybil, and turned to go down to the Alqats.

...

When I entered the training space for the Alqat, Wisterl and a couple other members of the Alqat were waiting for me.

"I see you're good for your word. Good." She grinned widely at me.

I rolled my neck, and nodded. "I'll be here for at least three days, maybe more, if you can stand me." I glanced at my [Status] as I spoke, two entries filling my view as I activated [Bloodlust].

[Improved Bloodlust—current evolutionary progress: 0/3

Sonilphon—current evolutionary progress: 36/50]

Wisterl grinned widely at me, as she snarled out, "I'll make sure not to kill you. You might get close though."

Without another word, we rushed to battle.