The growth of the swarm is proceeding rapidly. Within the next week, the first Hunter drones are fully operational and many more are in production. Sylvia's swarm was able to discover three more abandoned outposts, but these contained no organic structures other than a Spire. These outposts act only as relays to increase the swarm's maximum operational range. The Gatherer drones are a complete success, bringing in a lot of plant biomass. The Hive Queen herself remains cautious and continues to train her skills. As a result, she is eventually able to cast her magic efficiently even in a skirmish situation and was able to accumulate a few more Strains. By the end of the week, this is the new state of Sylvia's Swarm:

Hive Queen Sylvia: Completed 2 out of 5 growth phases

Minimum time until next growth phase can be started: 1 day

Growth effects: photographic memory, massive control range for Sylv units, egg production at two drone eggs per day, increase in size (height of 1,32m) and in all basic physical attributes

Knowledge learned: Human communication (Western language), basic reading, basic fire understanding, basic spell construction, chantless magic, basic creature and plants information, running, climbing, small combat experience

Strains gathered (New Strains are highlighted): Rapid Regeneration, Improved Strength, Needle Spines R.A., Acid Slime R.A., Acidic Spines R.A., Reinforced Hide, Improved Hardened Carapace, Ceiling Runner, Feathery Wings, Silk Generation, Poisonous Flesh, Full Body Chitin Armor, Optical Camouflage, Improved Vision, Improved Sense of Smell, Pheromone Glands, Heat Vision, Echolocation, Tunneling Claws

Strain Combination Update: Elite Hunters (Lesser Improved Strength à Improved Strength)

New knowledge: The maximum number of Strains for a hunter before it becomes genetically unstable is 6 Strains. This maximum may be higher for bigger creatures.

Old Hive Complex (Inactive):

1 small Digestion Pool

1 small Spawning Grounds

1 Worker (Spinny, the first drone)

6 Hunters (Rapid Regeneration Strain)

Primary Hive Complex (Expanding):

1 Digestion Pool

1 Spawning Grounds

1 Spire

1 Nutrients Sacks (Biomass storage)

1 Fungus Farm

17 Workers (9 Outpost, 4 Gatherers, 4 Spider)

Worker drone eggs: 6

Hunter Hive Complex (Active):

1 Digestion Pool

2 Spawning Grounds

1 Spire

2 Fungus Farm

8 Workers (4 maintaining the farms and 4 Gatherers)

6 Elite Hunters (not fully matured yet)

In production: 8 Elite Hunters

Relay Hive Complex I, II, III (Empty)

(POV Sylvia)

My swarm has been developing slowly but well. Once the Hunters start providing a reliable biomass supply, I can start producing advanced units. To safely navigate through this forest back to my original hive complex, I will need this extra combat power. I hope I don't cause too many problems for Elise and the others. I have changed myself in the meantime and will soon begin my next growth phase. I can feel that this one will bring great changes and will last much longer than the last one. I can suppress it and do it later, but that would deny me the benefits I would get from it.

I lay the next two drone eggs, Gatherer type, to further increase the biomass supply. I can also produce Workers instead of Hunter in the fully developed Spawning Grounds that are available to me, but don't see the advantage of that at the moment. I am aiming to produce 60 Hunters and 20 Gatherers to ensure enough biomass supply for my production. I am halfway to the Gatherer quota I would like to see. The only other production structure I need is a Hatchery to create large creatures like the Hive Commander. I transmit my previous build plan in simplified form to the swarm so that it can continue to operate during my inactivity in the growth phase of my body.

My instincts tell me that during the growth phase the connection to my swarm will not break off. However, my consciousness will be lowered to a minimum, similar to a deep sleep. This mean that I don't have to worry about losing control of the swarm as I grow. However, it could end disastrously if an emergency occurs during my sleep. The Workers and Hunters I have created so far are not intelligent enough to solve complex problems on their own. For that, I need a Hive Commander, which I do not yet possess. To address this weakness, I test how many instructions I can store in my swarm and am surprised that it has quite a good capacity. The information the swarm is supposed to remember is divided into packets and then stored dynamically on two separate individuals at any time. This prevents information loss and means that the number of creatures in my swarm determines how many instructions I can store. I just have to make sure to keep them very simple so that they make sense to a Worker or Hunter.

I spend the rest of my time before the growth phase making preparations for my inactivity and end up with a simple code of conduct for my absence. I head to the now completed Queen's Hall, which is located at the lowest point of my Primary Hive Complex. It can be isolated from the rest of the Hive Complex by organic armored doors and has its own small food and water supply. Here I feel safe and make myself comfortable before starting my next growth phase. My consciousness goes into a deep sleep while my body secretes a purple secretion that prepares me for my second transformation.

(POV Elise)

It's been almost two weeks since Sylvia was kidnapped by the bird of prey. I tried to follow it, but without success. As I went deeper and deeper into the forest, it became too dangerous even for me and I could not find any trace of Sylvia. It tears me up inside to lose my fosterling, she is such a sweet girl and still so young! I don't give up and will continue to look for her, even if the chance that I will see her again becomes smaller and smaller, the more time passes. I believe in Sylvia, I believe that she can make it back to us. I want to believe in that.

Erik blames himself for not being able to help her, for noticing the bird of prey too late. I have talked to him several times about it not being his fault and slowly he seems to accept that. But that doesn't change the fact that he is now alone again, his only playmate gone.

My husband is supporting me through this difficult time and slowly I am getting back to my normal routine. I still keep a lookout when I am out and about, but you can't blame me for that. I hope that Sylvia is doing well and that she will make it back to us someday.

(POV Karina, shortly before sunset, exact time unknown).

My metal shield shakes under the blow and I strike back with my sword. With a screeching sound, the giant spider backs away from me, its front leg almost completely severed by my sword. Beside me, my comrade writhes on the ground as the venom kills him from the inside out. I have to get out of here, and I have to get out of here now! I take advantage of the fact that the monster in front of me is distracted by its injury and dash off to the side. Just in time to avoid the horde of smaller spiders, which instead pounce on my poisoned comrade on the ground. He's beyond help anyway, I tell myself as the screams of pain behind me subside. This forest is dangerous, we all knew that from the start, but we weren't careful enough.

Panting I run further away, I hope I am faster than these spiders! I feel the monster behind me using its magic again. I dart to the side, just in time to avoid a magical poison dart, which hits the spot, where I was just a moment ago with a hissing sound. I sprint on, putting a few trees between me and the pursuer. I run on and on, too afraid to turn around. Then a huge lizard, over three meters long, appears in front of me and blocks my way. I brace my sword and try to dodge to the side. But the lizard is faster than I thought and follows my movements skillfully with its six legs. Before it can bite, I swing my sword and hit the beast in the mouth. It snaps back in agony and snatches my sword from my hands with huge force.

I continue my escape, but the lizard lunges with one of its front legs and tries to strike at me. I parry with my shield, whereupon a metallic screech can be heard as the lizard's claws are deflected by the shield. I'm pushed off to the side by the force and use the momentum to move further away from the danger. I sprint further away, hopefully fast enough, but I'm already pretty out of breath. I can't keep this up much longer and the lizard is close on my heels. I can clearly hear it hissing and the sound of breaking wood, as it follows me.

Without my weapon and without a plan of where I am in the Everglade forest, I am as good as dead, but I can't run back because of the fat lizard that wants to eat me. Damn it, damn it, damn it!

I keep running, my legs aching, my lungs burning, I can't go on! Just when I want to give up hope, the last rays of the sun disappear and a humanoid figure appears sideways in front of me. It calls over to me, "Over here, come into the tunnel!" and draws attention to itself with gestures. I don't hesitate and mobilize my last reserves to reach said tunnel as quickly as possible. Behind me I hear strange noises, but I ignore them considering the chance of survival in front of me. I can barely make out the figure in front of me, and as I get closer to it, it disappears into a hole in the ground. With one last leap I jump to the hole and climb down as fast as possible. Behind me I can make out many new noises, as if many small animals are moving. Something is going on up there. While I'm still thinking about it, I notice the strange texture of the tunnel, it's covered with a solid layer. It's a strange feeling, but I'm far too exhausted to think about it anymore. I can hear sounds of a struggle from outside the tunnel and just keep crawling forward. I penetrate a kind of transparent curtain, which closes again behind me, and find myself in a small cave. It is warm and damp in the cave, and due to the lack of light I can only make out rough outlines.

Then the humanoid figure from before appears directly in front of me, at least I think it’s the same person. She carefully takes my hand and speaks in a gentle tone: "You are safe here. The predator upstairs is already being taken care of. You can rest now."

With these words, the last bit of energy with which I still dragged myself down here leaves me. I collapse on the spot and can no longer move. Everything just hurts, I lay there paralyzed while my rattling breath slowly calms down.