Erlea sat on the edge of the platform with her feet dangling over the edge and her hand clutching Miere's. Her eyes were locked across the various zones to the dark clouds that billowed up from the Kandra Hive. She worried her lip as the flickers of flames erupted from the shifting darkness that surrounded.
“W-What's happening?” asked Miere in a soft voice.
“I don't know. Nothing good.”
Both Erlea's and Miere's wings fluttered with their fear. It matched the same nervous movements of the hundreds of other bees that watched with growing fear from on top of the platform.
Saroia wasn't one of the ones watching. She was a few yards behind Erlea speaking with the Task Mistress and many of the senior Honningbie guards. She was terse, snapping at anyone who got too close to her.
Erlea glanced over at her, her worry growing. It felt like they should be doing something but no one gave any orders. Most of them were actually waiting for the last wave of older hunters that flew out toward the other hive. There had been three squads now; none of them had returned.
Her body growing more tense by the moment, she turned to look out across the trees. It was getting dark. In an hour or so, they wouldn't be able to see the dark clouds but she suspected the flames would be visible throughout the night.
“It's horrible,” whispered Miere. Her voice was a low hum with her fear.
“Should we go down?”
Miere whimpered and shook her head. “My stomach is so twisted that I don't think I could eat anything. I don't know what to do.”
Nilli sat on the other side of Erlea, her bare thigh sliding against the younger Honningbie. The rat on her shoulder hissed before closing its eye.
Erlea glanced at her. “Nilli?”
Nilli shrugged. “Sarry will figure something out.” Her voice was subdued.
With a sigh and a sick feeling in her stomach, Erlea looked back across the trees. The entire side of the Kandra Hive was on fire now, massive streamers of flame burning brightly and setting the surrounding trees on fire. It was miles away but there was no question that the fire was getting worse.
“Come here, Erlea.”
She jumped at Saroia's sharp voice. Scrambling to her feet, she turned away from the flames.
Miere's grip lingered in her own but Erlea headed over to the older hunter.
Saroia looked months older in only a few short hours. Her good wings were slumped against her back, her broken wing tucked underneath as she looked around.
“What can I do?”
Saroia didn't say anything as she turned to look at the surrounding bees. After a moment, she slipped her arm around Erlea's waist and tugged her away from the crowded edge. “I need you to go to your chamber and rest.”
Erlea's stomach clenched violently. “W-Why?”
“We're preparing for an attack. Double guard shifts, overlapping the younger ones like you with the older ones. I'm going to assign you to Nilli. She is the only one who understands summoning and she knows how to use those OAFs.”
“I-I…”
Saroia's eyes were shimmering. “I'm sorry, Bee, but I can't take a risk. We have to protect the hive and the queen. If the squads we sent out actually came back, I would be less nervous. But they haven't, so we have to assume the worse.”
Erlea whimpered.
Saroia hugged her tightly, her one good arm squeezing. She leaned to whisper into Erlea's ear. “This doesn't look good for any of us. I'm hoping for the best, that this is just a mistake, but we have to plan for the worse.”
“I-I'm scared.”
“I know. It's okay. Do you remember what I told you?”
Gulping, Erlea nodded.
Saroia's breath was hot against her ear. “Get ready to kill, little bee.”
Erlea sobbed, she couldn't help it.
“You have no training, no preparation, and you are a virgin. This is going to be the worse night of your life. If I'm right, it's going to be a bloodbath and you are going to have to fight more than you can ever imagine just to survive the night. If the guards and hunters fall, this hive will be burning by morning.”
Tears were running down Erlea's cheeks.
“I'll take your lover and the others to the Queen's Chamber. That's the most protected room in this hive but it isn't that big and there are a lot of bees. I'm gathering up hunters to send some of the more experienced Honningbies to the neighboring hives, tunnels, and trees, but…” Saroia gulped. “The other monsters are going to be gathering for the night. More random encounters, more risk. We're going to… lose a lot of our bees along the way.”
“Send me then. I can protect them.”
Saroia smiled grimly. “As much as I hate it, I need you here. You are one of our better fighters, even as a virgin. If we are against a horde, your RKAs are going to be critical and most of us can't shield while fighting. We might need you for a choke point or to block an entrance.”
Erlea wiped the tears from her face. Dread choked her, clutching her heart and causing her wings to vibrate.
Saroia released her and slipped away. “I know it's asking a lot but try to go to your chamber and sleep. I'll have someone wake you.”
Erlea felt sick as she stepped back. She glanced at Miere and Nilli who were both staring at her.
“I'll talk to Miere and Nilli. Go, get ready.”
Erlea sobbed as she turned her back on her friends and lover. She walked toward the center ramp that would take her inside.
“Erlea!” called Miere.
Cringing, Erlea forced herself to keep walking.
“L-Love?”
Erlea's tears ran faster. She hesitated, desperate to turn around and run back.
Saroia intercepted Miere. “Come here.”
It took all of Erlea's strength to head toward her room. She wanted to do something: lash out at attackers, fly to the rescue of the Kandra Hive, or even throw herself into Miere's arms. She couldn't do anything. She was helpless until violence came to her.
She knew what Saroia suggested. If she fell, she was going to be raped and or murdered. There would be no quarter given for her and whatever creature finally won would ruin her for the rest of her life.
Tears rolling down her cheeks, she did the one thing she could do, try to sleep.