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// Chapter 10 
// Story: To Be a Changeling 
// by PlagueRat 
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He woke up again, as he had most days, surrounded in a pile of sleeping larva. Something about today felt different however. For a little while he just stayed in place while letting the grogginess of slumber fade. Another of the larva stirred beside him, letting out a little hiss before crawling away from the group. This created an opening in the mass for him to squeeze himself out through so he could start his morning ritual. Sluggishly he wormed his way free and onto a clump of moss so he could do his business.

Wow I can’t seem to wake up today… He thought while watching his fellow larva awaken. I feel like I’m heavier too.

The other larva also appeared to be fatigued as they roamed the cavern. By now they should have all been calling out for breakfast and swarming around one of the caretakers. Instead they just meandered across the cave floor and only let out an occasional soft hiss.

Lacewing and Katydid were standing close to the door and discussing something while they monitored the scene. Katydid nodded to Lacewing, who then turned around and passed through the exit.

Something’s going on. He surmised while keeping his eyes on the remaining changeling. Lacewing left to get something or someling for some… reason? Umm… How did I end up over here?

Without realizing it he had moved across the room and closer to one of the cavern walls. He shook his head, trying to clear out the cobwebs and regain some focus. While glancing around he now noticed how all the other larva had been gathering along the edges of the room. Some of them even started crawling straight up the surface.

I need to start looking for a spot too… Something in his mind said. Wait... Wait? Why am I looking for a spot?

He shook his head and tried to blink away the fog that was obstructing his thoughts. Now he was getting worried, questioning if something was wrong with him. Letting out a weak hiss, he pushed his muscles to carry him forward in the direction of Katydid. She noticed he was crawling up to her and her attention moved from the climbing larva down to him when he hissed out again.

I think I need help. He wished he could send out the thought to her. I feel so strange.

“Now where do you think you’re going?” She asked him, while lowering herself down to his eye level. “Are you waiting for queen Chrysalis before you start weaving? Don’t worry, she’ll be here.”

After a minute trying to decipher what she said he just pressed his head against her. Some of the larva had reached the top of the wall and transitioned to the ceiling, each seeming to zero in on a different location. He found his own eyes drawn up, focused on a nice spot near the center of the ceiling, just next to a short stalactite.

That should be good… I need to get up there. He felt more than thought. I need to start… start, what? What’s going on with me?!

The blanket covering the entrance lifted with a slight rustle and Chrysalis trotted in. Behind her Lacewing followed and behind Lacewing trailed a few other changelings. They whispered among themselves while looking up at the larva.

Each grub had stopped at a different location, scattered all over the ceiling. One of them then pressed the end of its body against the stone surface, paused for a moment and then pulled its rear away. A thick greenish tinted strand of silk was left clinging from the larva to the ceiling. Carefully bending itself in half, the larva griped a strand of filament in is two front hooves, then straightened its body out to hang perfectly upside down. Using its two front legs it began to draw out more silk.

He watched in amazement as his fellow larva all started to follow suit and began to weave long silken threads around themselves. Curiously he bent himself around and looked at the end of his body. Just under his rear four small fuzzy little nubs flexed all on their own.

Never noticed that before, He thought. But then I never examined back there before.

Something gently nudged the back of his head, causing him to stiffen up and remember the small crowd of changelings standing just behind him. When he turned around he found all eyes were now on him. Chrysalis was leaning down, her muzzle just a foot away, and giving him a slightly concerned look.

“Go on now, there is nothing wrong.” She said softly and nuzzled her snout against his cheek. Then she leaned in and whispered into one of his ears. “I promise I’ll be here when you emerge.”

When he glanced up from Chrysalis to the crowd, curiosity was the expression most of them had adapted while regarding him. Something else was there when he looked into their eyes… Or maybe it was just a feeling growing inside of him and his mind just linked it to their gazes.

Something was telling him this was just the natural way of life.

Willing himself around again, he hesitantly started to crawl toward the cavern wall. Once he started to ascend his mind and body transitioned into auto pilot, as if his instincts had begun to fully take control. Chrysalis stood to her full height again, watching in silence along with her fellow changelings as he reoriented himself upon reaching the ceiling. He homed in on the location he picked out from the floor and placed his spinnerets to the stone surface.

The other larva had nearly finished their cocoons by the time he was starting his own. With little thought his hooves collected strand after strand of silk and spun it methodically. First he surrounded himself with multiple vertical threads, each firmly connected to his anchor point. Next he assembled long stands to weave a net like structure all around himself. This step took the longest, and he had to repeat it over and over again until the net became a tube that tapered on all sides up to the ceiling. Once that was completed he finally he felt he was finished.

Peeking down, out of the cocoon’s opening, he took one last glimpse at the changeling congregation. Some of them had started to turn and leave, but a few stayed behind. He made eye contact with the one who took care of him the most before connecting the opening in the cocoon together and sealing himself inside. Fully enclosed now, he carefully turned himself right side up and settled into a comfortable position.

Before he went to sleep he pictured how she was smiling.