Naive stepped from its coffin to the sound of another's lid popping open. Natus greeted the returning skeletons.

“Hello. Did you learn something new?”

“I learned about insects.”

Natus sat rapt as Naive told its experiences, explaining this and that until it felt a tug at its arm. Cognate had Naive’s hand in its grip and attention now held, spoke its mind.

“We didn’t finish our investigation. The ants don’t know what happened.”

Naive found this suggestion vexing. Of course the ants didn’t know, they weren’t the ones investigating. At the insistence of the tugging hand, Naive parted from Natus and back along the path to the insect cave. The two travelled the tunnels in silence. Through the cave of fluid air they passed, digestion avoided. Only once they dropped into the mound leading to the insect cave did they speak.

“How do we get up?”

The two skeletons stared up through the smooth vertical passage, wondering how to get the hole above. The last time an ant had come and dragged them out and Naive concluded that it would happen again. As Naive contented itself to patience as Cognate spoke out.

“Help us up.”

Cognate had requested help. Enlightened by the revelation of new technique, Naive contributed to the cause.

“Help us up.”

“Help us up.”

“Help us up.”

“Help us up.”

The chant continued as the skeletons spoke up to the hole. This went on for some hundred repetitions until an insect peered over the edge.

“Oh. I thought I heard something coming from over here. I could barely hear you. What are you doing down there?”

“Help us up.”

“Sure. Here, grab my tail. Try not to stick yourself on the stinger.”

A long, segmented appendage was lowered into the hole. Cognate grabbed on and Naive followed suit, trying to not “stick” itself on the pointed end. In one fluid motion, the two were flicked up and over. The tail rested in the air above the main body of its insect owner. Naive continued to hang from the appendage as it surveyed the cavern.

There was an immediate noticeable change. The blanket of smaller insects that covered the ground was mostly absent. Only a few stragglers scurried about. There were still some larger ones milling around. The lower visible population wasn’t the only change. In the distance there was a black a cloud that filled the air. It writhed through the air, streams coming to and from the ground. Naive, confused, voiced the conclusion of its observations.

“Things are different.”

“Clever one aren’t you? Let go of my tail would you, i’m getting tired.”

Let go they did, falling onto the back of the insect directly below it, who let out a chitter on impact.

“Damn, get off.”

Climbing over legs, the skeletons clambered off the insects back.

“I was gonna make a few digs at you for being an idiot but clearly I'm no better.”

“Oh I’m an idiot.”

Naive considered the claim for a moment and realized it wasn’t entirely accurate.

“And I’m Naive.”

The other skeleton of the group cut in.

“Hello. I’m Cognate.”

At the reminder Naive lifted a hand and joined in.

“Hello.”

“You skeletons really are something else. I’m a scorpion, we don’t have names. Call me whatever you like.”

Cognate took up the offer immediately.

“You are Tail Lift.”

The scorpion stared at the skeleton.

“Did you just name me?”

“Yes.”

Tail Lift sighed

“Look, you two should get out of here. The bees are going on a massacre.”

“We’re going to see the ants.”

The scorpion laughed.

“Good luck with that. They’ve been holed up in their ant hill since this started.”

As Naive went to leave, Cognate asked a final question.

“What will you do?”

“I will stay here. If any bees get this far they’ll meet stinger and claw.”

Naive found that strange. Should it have been introducing its hands and legs separately from itself? The two departed, intent on wrapping up their investigation. The mound came up before them and the skeletons went up along with it. As they neared its entrance, an ant suddenly climbed out and addressed them.

“Your back. We thought you had been turned.”

“Turned?”

“Come. We need to hear your investigation.”

Grasped in mandible, Naive and Cognate were pulled into the ant hill. Life bustled as ants worked and travelled. Mandibles carved alcoves and tunnels and ants hurried along with the debris. Past the work the two were taken and into the queens cave. Dropped on the ground, the skeletons laid in a heap as their ride hurried back into the tunnels.

“Hello. We found out what the bees are after.”

Cognate addressed the colossal ant in the room. Naive realized it was time to share their results and gave its piece.

“They don’t plan to fight. Queen Joanna told us.”

The ant queen huffed out a breath.

“What she told you was clearly false. If you are done wasting our time you can leave.”

“She told us that she only wants to make beauty.”

Cognate took over the conversation as Naive idly wondered what a “she” was.

“Is that what that transformation is supposed to be? Beautiful?”

“Transformation?”

“They gore insects and leave their carcasses to bubble and molt. From the remains comes a bee.”

The ant queen gestured to the exit.

“We have much work to do. If there's nothing you can do to help our situation then please leave.”

“So what the bees are doing isn’t beautiful?”

A giant clawed leg crashed into the ground.

“No. It is disgusting and abhorrent. We are ants, we serve our duty, to make us into anything else is a treatment worse than death.”

“I’ll help. I’m going to go talk to Queen Joanna.”

Cognates suggestion seemed to quell the giant ants energy, her previous volume now but a whisper.

“Talk? What good is talk?”

“Will you come with us?”

“I must stay here. You will go alone, but take my sincere hopes with you Cognate.”