Ocellus took a breath, trying to calm herself as she and Cilia moved among the warriors. Pharynx-dominus was leading the remaining warriors out to a town called Ponyville, to aid a troop that had failed in an attempt to raid the town. Cilia and Ocellus would be going with them, leaving another medic, Needle-medicus, in charge of their stores.
Ocellus had never met Needle-medicus before, he usually operated on the front, but he had been the one who had returned to the Hive with information of the failed raid, and he was injured. So Ocellus and Cilia would go with these warriors in his place, Cilia because she was the only other medic, Ocellus because she was her apprentice and duty bound to follow her. They were currently giving the warriors traveling herbs, which Ocellus had never made before the previous night.
“That’s everyone.” Cilia said, passing Ocellus her own bundle. “Here. I had mine already. Eat it and recite the ingredients.”
Ocellus put the herbs in her mouth and chewed, finishing and swallowing before speaking. By then, the warriors were on the move with Pharynx-dominus in the lead, and she and Cilia were trotting at the back of the pack.
“Chamomile, burnet, daisy leaves, and sorrel.” Ocellus recited, and Cilia nodded in approval.
“Are you scared?” Cilia asked, and Ocellus nodded. “It’s alright. The warrior drones will protect us, and we won’t have to go out onto the battlefield itself.”
“O-Okay.” Ocellus said nervously. Cilia gave her a comforting nuzzle.
“You’ll be fine, Ocellus. Remember, confidence.”
-----------------------------
“Don’t forget the bark, Ocellus.” Cilia told her apprentice. “We need to wrap the bundles in them or they fall apart.”
“Yes ma’am.” Ocellus said, using a strip of the named bark to tie the bundle of dock leaves together. She watched as Cilia took the bundle and stored it in her saddlebags.
“Hm… we’re running low on marigold.” Cilia said
“I can go collect some.” Ocellus told her, getting up and grabbing an herb basket.
“Be careful, and make sure to come back before it gets dark. This forest is wild.” Cilia reminded her, and she nodded.
“Hey, are you heading out?” A changeling warrior on guard asked. Ocellus vaguely recognized him as Hunter-equeas, and she nodded meekly.
“T-To gather herbs.”
“Okay. Can you keep an eye out for Pharynx-dominus while you’re out there? He went out on a solo patrol but hasn’t returned yet.”
“O-Oh, certainly.” Ocellus said in confirmation.
“Thanks.” Hunter-eques said simply, before walking back over to a crowd of other warrior drones.
Ocellus then headed into the forest, looking around. In all honesty, she was really more eager to explore than she was in collecting marigold or looking for Pharynx-dominus, but of course she knew she had a job to do. Still, she had never seen so much green before. Even though she knew there were some plants she should avoid (the formerly-thought-to-be-mythical blue plant known as Poison Joke, for instance) she loved seeing all the life around her.
For once, hunting patrols nearly always came back bearing plenty of prey. Ocellus was certain they were eating better than anyone at the Hive. But she was also certain they were fighting a losing battle with the ponies. If Pharynx-dominus was not there to relay commands that kept them at least in equal standing with the ponies, they likely would have retreated by now.
“I suppose Pharynx-dominus is a bit like the bark we use to bundle herbs.” Ocellus mused to herself. “Without it to hold the herbs together, they would blow away in the wind. Without Pharynx-dominus to lead us, we would have retreated. Blown away and lost to the wilderness.”
Ocellus giggled a little to herself at her own profound words. She smiled softly. Was this the confidence Cilia spoke of? It somehow seemed to come easier to her when she was alone. It was strange. Ocellus figured if she could be confident on her own, doing so while treating a patient should be the same… if only it were that simple.
Ocellus soon managed to find some marigold growing under the shade of a tree. She picked some, placing it in her basket. Ocellus then noticed some lavender nearby, the bright purple blossoms a dead giveaway.
“Well, it’s getting dark… but I haven’t found Pharynx-dominus yet, and lavender is good for fevers…” Ocellus reasoned, heading for the lavender.
As Ocellus collected the lavender into her herb basket, she heard a rustling noise. She nearly yelped, but quickly covered her own mouth with a hoof. If it was a predator she could accidentally alert it to her position, and that would not be good. A branch snapped from something stepping down on it, and she trembled, but took a steadying breath, before stepping over.
“I can do this… courage…” Ocellus whispered to herself, creeping towards the source of the noise, then peeking through the undergrowth.
Her eyes widened. Pharynx-dominus was standing there, along with two changelings she knew definitely hadn’t come with them. Thorax and Apex-discipulus, the Rankless One and the lucky apprentice. Zenith-discipulus was the only apprentice there besides her, having snuck along with Hunter-eques. If Thorax and Apex-discipulus were here, they had definitely…
“Abandoned the Hive.” Ocellus whispered, voice as low as she could muster so it wouldn’t get her caught. “But why isn’t Pharynx-dominus-”
“-You said you would because of me and Apex. But you never said anything about mother. And she’s the reason you’re out here.” Thorax was saying, his eyes focused in on Pharynx, staring at him intently.
Ocellus’ eyes went wide as Pharynx-dominus stammered to find a retort.
“I know you want to protect everyone, Pharynx…” Thorax began, Ocellus saw him moving closer to his brother. “But you out of all of us should know you can’t protect everyone. Especially not the ones you don’t love.”
Ocellus barely had time to contemplate what he could mean by that when Pharynx-dominus finally managed to regain his voice.
“I… I do… love you, Thorax… it’s just… I’ve devoted my life to defending the Hive… I can’t just turn my back on that…”
“Then don’t. You love the Hive. You love us. Protecting and defending us is protecting the legacy of the Hive. Let’s face it, I doubt many of us will return from these battles. Apprentices will go next, then worker and nursery drones, then younglings, and then what? At least you’ll have a chance to help one of the next generation and your fellow Prince. To have a chance to restart the Hive once it falls.”
Ocellus waited with baited breath as Pharynx-dominus hesitated. She was unsure who she wanted to win this argument. Thorax had a point, though yes, it was pretty bleak. But the changelings needed a General, didn’t they? Then…
“Well… my exact words were ‘I promise I’ll come back to you’… didn’t say where exactly I’d return to you. This counts.” Pharynx-dominus said at last.
Ocellus could take it no more, standing up, still in shock. She would have to make a decision for what to do now. She couldn’t go back and tell the others that Pharynx-dominus had abandoned them-they’d hunt him down, and he would become a prisoner, along with Thorax and the General’s apprentice. But what else could she do?
However, it seemed her body had just accidentally made the decision for her. Her movement had alerted the others to her presence. Pharynx-dominus had turned around, and was staring at her, eyes widened slightly, and Ocellus tasted fear. She gulped nervously and tried to look calm as Pharynx-dominus stepped closer.
“Ocellus-discipula, what did you see?” he asked her.