He turned another corner, the grubs following them. He wished that the caretakers hadn't left for sleep. And that mysterious 'ling who was probably the one assigned to watch him.
He was currently following Ocellus. She knew the way to- he didn't know where they were going. She simply told him to follow her.
Turning another corner, they came upon a grisly sight. Or, one could just say a pile of bodies.
Ocellus gaped, but had enough awareness to guide the young grubs to the other corrider.
"This shouldn't be possible!" She practically hissed. "The throne blocks out all magic except changeling magic! How are we being invaded? Why is the ground shaking?"
There were metal arrows (If they could be called that) sticking out of the bodies. It was a surprisingly calm observation that he made.
"Maybe it wasn't entered with magic?" He offered, pointing at the bodies as best he could. He had to fight to not allow his voice to sound shaky. He couldn't panic. If he did, they might die.
He didn't want any of them to die.
Ocellus shook him out of his thoughts.
"We need to go."
The roof shook ominously another time. He hadn't heard a scream for a while, though he didn't know whether that was a good or bad thing.
They travelled onwards. So far there were no more bodies in sight, which he was rather grateful for.
The roof kept shaking in an almost procedural manner, as though to remind them of their situation. By the time they reached their destination, Ocellus and Pigeon had one grub on each of their backs due to their apparent exhaustion. He was skeptical of the idea at first, but Ocellus convinced him to do it. There were 50 grubs behind him who wanted a turn, unfortunately. Maybe he'd reach his destination before it was the next ones turn.
They reached a place he hadn't been to before. It had changelings churning down a smooth, sloped, and giant gaping hole as though it was a water funnel and they were the water. Some changeling warriors were directing the evacuation, though there were a few infiltrators helping.
Changelings were all around them, talking and generally panicking.
Pharynx was among them, though he hadn't noticed him in the clamour until said 'ling took notice of them.
"Soldiers, the last nursery group has arrived!" He barked and, almost instantly, there was a good couple of them leading the grubs down the hole.
"Pharynx!" Ocellus shouted to be heard "Who is invading?"
Pharynx didn't glance back as he answered.
"Some new special operative ponies that we somehow missed. They didn't attack with traditional magic. They look like pegasi if you attached bat wings to them instead of bird wings." He looked around distractedly, ready to holler orders. "Probably connected to the new pony princess."
He looked back. "What are you doing, standing there? Get down the tunnels!"
They did.
The change from the grey of hethicus to the mute colours of the underground was startling.
He and Ocellus were just... running.
According to her, the tunnels had multiple exits and paths, so much, in fact that it really wasn't a surprise when they, who had done a conscious effort to stick together, had lost every other 'ling.
It was still almost unbelievable, though.
It was likely another reason, she had mentioned, as to why the tunnel was sealed. It may have been a mole tunnel that found its way through somewhere uncovered with hethicus.
She didn't think escaping aboveground was a good idea.
He was inclined to agree. If the ponies invaded the hive, no way they didn't try to make sure no one got out.
She had made a low glow with her horn, the only thing allowing them any semblance of sight.
Why couldn't they see without light, anyway? Couldn't insects see in the dark? Maybe they couldn't.
He was starting to wish he was a biologist.
The ground was starting to shake, and Ocellus started running faster.
How could Ocellus run this fast? What speed had she infused in her legs?
He had longer legs and yet she could run faster.
Maybe he should exercise more.
Dirt erupted behind him.
He shouldn't look back. He really shouldn't. Everything was shaking, and a pile of earth fell beside him, narrowly avoiding killing him.
The roof was falling down.
He rushed out of the tunnel and into daylight.
He closed his eyes. He had just narrowly avoided death from whatever was behind him.
God, he wished he was back in time. No one tried to kill him a few hours ago.
Opening his eyes the tunnel they were just in appeared to have collapsed.
He hoped whatever chased them wasn't going to pop out of the ground. Maybe it went away.
Looking around he-
Was that green?
He was bewildered.
Was grass supposed to be this green and... bright?
The penal 'ling knew grass was green, but this grass seemed to be too green.
Huh. He was lying on grass. Grass!
Pigeon stood up.
The guard was outside.
Wind was blowing against his carapace.
"Pigeon?"
That was Ocellus. He returned to reality.
She looked tired. Her ...mane? was messy and soil seemed to inhabit it like a parasite.
The infiltrator was gazing off into the distance, towards-
Oh.
That tall grey skyscrape-palace was the hive, wasn't it?
From here he didn't see anything very different about it.
Certainly not that it was being invaded. It didn't seem to be on fire or anything. No ominous smoke was billowing out of it.
Ocellus jerked back, as if struck.
He turned toward her.
"Are you okay?"
"Didn't you feel it?" She said. "The queen is dead."
"...You can sense that the queen is dead?" He replied skeptically.
"You can't? ...That shouldn't be possible. Does being penalized sever your connection to the queen?"
"I don't know. Is there some sort of next in line for the throne?"
"No. Chrysalis was exceedingly.. paranoid about successors. Maybe she was part of the reason we are in this situation." There was a bitter tinge to her tone.
"What chased us down there?"
"A mole. I hope the others got away unharassed."
"Bigger than I thought moles were."
She snorted. "That one was likely a juvenile."
She turned her eyes once more towards the hive.
"The ponies are probably dealing with the biggest mole infestation in hive history. Maybe it'll give them some pain."
She stared at the hive.
Said 'ling kept doing it till Pigeon shook her out of her staring.
"Well, where should we go?"
"we should probably head- I don't know. I really don't. Everything was kind of hanging on having a hive."
"What about the old one?"
She whirled around towards him. "How do you know about that?"
"Locust told me."
Ocellus sighed. "She always did have a tendency to talk too much." She gave what he said some thought. "That might work. Some of 'lings might have gone there. But we will need to find transport. Which means going to a pony town or village since that happens to be the civilization that surrounds the hive." The tone made it clear that she didn't feel eager about that.
They got up and walked in a random direction, in hopes of bumping into something.
They did not look back. They knew the fate that awaited the hive.