//------------------------------// // Mini-Episode 1: Oh Gods // Story: The Hive Life // by Thorax //------------------------------// "Touch it" Mandible said nervously as he crouched behind a rock "This is a terrible idea" Thorax hissed back as he stood in front of the monstrously large sleeping beast. "We're getting paid to retrieve some Widowmaker venom, if we go back without it that means empty stomach for us." "We're getting paid by Cocoon" Thorax whispered as he decided against it and moved back to the hiding spot with Mandible. "That means it's a suicide mission in the name of "science" and I don't want anything to do with it." Mandible gave a sigh "I don't like it any more than you" he spoke as he peaked over the rock back at the sleeping arachnid. "But it’s either getting paid for going on a suicide mission, or get ordered to go on a suicide mission. Widowmakers the largest type Arachnid in all of Equestria and other abominations lived beneath the hive in the forbidden lower levels. However their venom made one of the best healing powders so every now and again a squad of highly trained Changeling soldiers were sent into the lower levels to gather some. Sadly neither Mandible nor Thorax were those trained soldiers. "This is a terrible, terrible idea" Thorax whispered as both he and Mandible once again stood in front of the maw of the sleeping arachnid "Wait" a look of horror slowly spreading across the Changelings face. "How do we get the venom?" Mandible was about to answer as a slow rumbling sound came from in front of them, right where the Widowmaker was sleeping. "Oh pooh" the Changeling muttered as the arachnid slowly pulled itself up off the ground. The beast gave a low growl as it stared down at the two much smaller insects. "What do we do now?" Mandible whispered as he locked his gaze on the Widowmaker's glowing yellow eyes Thorax didn't answer, instead a ring of green flames washed over him leaving a much smaller Widowmaker in his place. "Mama!" he shouted at the larger beast, in hopes that maybe, just maybe his disguise would work and he wouldn't. The sudden roar that echoed throughout all layers of the Hive served as a sign that it did not work and they would soon be dead. Meanwhile in Chrysalis's Castle "Did you hear that?" The Changeling Queen asked as she lifted her head from her couch and peaked out the window. "Yes my Queen" Scarab answered from his guard post at the door. "Sounds like a Widowmaker..... About to eat two really stupid Changelings." "I should go save them shouldn't I?" Chrysalis sighed as she pulled herself off her couch. "Probably" Scarab answered flatly The Changeling Queen gave another sigh as she lazily lifted off and slowly started on her way towards the forbidden levels of the Hive "Maybe I'll get a snack first" Chrysalis's muttered to herself as she slowly buzzed through the air. 5 Minutes ago in Cocoon's nest Cocoon remained unshaken as a some unseen creatures roar echoed through the house. Silently she put down her beaker and the other chemicals she was currently mixing, before turning her gaze towards Carapace who had been recruited as her assistant. "One job" Cocoon stated flatly "I gave them one simple job." "I say we leave them." Carapace answered with a smile "I mean, it you said it was a simple job, we can't always be there to bail them out." "Science does demand sacrifices" The Changeling Princess answered as she thought about leaving them. "But getting eaten by a Widowmaker seems a little harsh." "I guess" Carapace said with a bit of sadness hinted in her voice. Back with the two morons "I think we lost her" Thorax wheezed as he tried to catch his breath. "I think the Leviathan ate her!" Mandible shouted back with a look of horror. As his mind still tried to process the horrors he has just witnessed. They had heard tales of Leviathans giant unholy abominations the size of mountains but they didn't think such creatures could possibly exist. "That thing was huge, did you see it? I remember them talking about those things, but I thought it was a myth. That thing could swallow our Castle whole, in fact I think it could just swallow the Hive" Mandible took a deep breath as he fell on his flank. "I just want to go home" Thorax answered as he finally slumped to the ground. "I miss when the only thing trying to kill me was a squirrel. Now it's abominations and world eaters." As if to add insult to injury the familiar clacking of claws rapidly began to fill the air as their friendly neighborhood Widowmaker peered its head over the rock that served as their hiding place. "Oh come on" Both Mandible and Thorax groaned in unison as they stared up at the creature about to devour them. The two Changelings closed their eyes as they prepared to embrace whatever horrible death was about to come. "Bad Girl" came the familiar voice of Chrysalis; causing the two other Changeling's to open their eyes. A look of stunned confusion washed over their faces as they watched Chrysalis scold the beast. "That's a bad girl Buttercup; we don't eat mommies’ minions." The Widowmaker started shamefully at the ground as Chrysalis continued to lecture it on why eating Changelings was bad. A few minutes later Chrysalis finished her lecture and sent the creature on its way. Afterwards she turned her attention to the two fools who apparently thought entering a forbidden place was a good idea. "Oh gods, you two again?" Chrysalis sighed as she realized who she had just saved. "You two couldn't even deal with a squirrel." "I dealt with that squirrel" Thorax shouted in response. "No you didn't, a hawk did." Mandible retorted. "Yes I did..." Thorax whispered to himself. "Besides Cocoon made us do it." Chrysalis gave a facehoof "You two are just lucky that was a baby, the adults don't play with their food." *Thud* *Thud* Chrysalis wasn't too surprised at the sight of not one, but two unconscious changelings.