2 War never Dies (2/2)
The Dung beetles and Cockroaches died first. They were the slowest of their community and easy prey once the Mammals caught up. All of them started losing hope. The Mammals were too numerous and too fast to flee. Some Insects had to make the sacrifice and play Decoy, so the rest of the Community could flee.
Out of all of the remaining Insects only a few fighters remained. Some Arachnoids, some Mantis, and some Ants. Most of them were enlisted in the Army from the beginning so their numbers weren´t great anymore.
Milena knew that if she didn´t do something soon all of them were going to die. She at least still had the strength to buy some time.
So she did the only thing that made sense for her: Fight for the Hive.
With a tug and a throw, she threw her son to a nearby beeling.
"Take care of my son. I will buy us as much time as possible", Milena said, accompanied by a chirping sound that all of the Insects here knew all too well. The cry for War, the cry for the Hive, the cry to throw away everything you have to protect something precious to you.
Dozens of different Insects started chirping as well, some of them doing the same as Milena, but they all knew they had to do something.
Their followers still amounted to almost a hundred, and Insectoids even had troubles fighting them two on one. Holding them off was the only thing they could do.
Moon, Milena's son took a last look at his mother with tears in his eyes. He already most likely lost his father today, and now his mother was gone as well.
All of the remaining Insects that had wings knew when this was their time to escape. Insectoids with Wings long since lost the ability to fly properly, or even for longer periods of time, but it was good enough for short bursts of speed. Which they all started doing now. Most of the Insectoids that didn´t fight were good at running away. Flies, Grasshoppers, Bees, all of them were good at running away.
With their silhouette drawing smaller and smaller while the bee carrying Moon got higher and higher Moon got a last glimpse of his mother.
Meanwhile Milena was fighting to her Heart's content. She was never a gentle soul and when she had to die she at least wanted to take a few of these beasts with her. She had the strength to kill them with one punch but lacked the speed necessary to hit them properly. At least some of her companions were Arachnoids, which were useful in slowing down the enemy.
They couldn't spin the silk fast enough to be a real threat, but if two of them together used their silk they could use it as a binding rope. So Milena, together with two arachnoids took out 3 Mammals at once, 2 Lions and one Hyena. They used the same strategy all the time. Milena was distracting the Mammal while the Arachnoids prepared the Silk, so they could bind the Mammal. After that Milena could finish them with a devastating punch.
This strategy worked well until the Mammals killed all of the other Insects and started ganging up their little trio.
Blood already poured down from Milena. There was no escape now. She watched as the dozens of Mammals closed in on them with but one thought: "Jakob, Moon. I hope you two are okay. And if not then let´s meet in our next lives."
With that last thought, Milena resounded with the warcry of the Insectoids again, facing the horde of Mammals.
---
Half a day later Jakob reached the clearing, with horror reaching his heart. Out of the few hundred people that left the Hive, he only saw a few dozen at best.
"My ploy didn´t help them as much as I thought.", Jakob thought. Dread started welling up in his heart. He couldn´t see either Milena nor Moon.
Jakob saw his friend, the Dungbeetle Tzkrrt, and hurried over to him. Tzkrrt was sitting on a pile of dung, seemingly unhurt but exhausted.
"Tzkrrt my friend, how did you survive? And have you seen Milena or Moon? We got separated on the way here and I can´t see them." Jakob hastily asked.
"Jakob, thank the Hive you are alive. I only survived because when the Assault started I was gathering Dung from the other end of the Hive. I started fleeing as soon as I saw that every ounce of hope was lost. The refugees caught up to me and I saw the terror unfold. Pursuers caught up to the last refugees and your wive Milena led a resistance charge to help us escape. She led out the most fierce Warcry I ever heard. But I am afraid, my friend, your Wive gave her life for the rest of us here. I am deeply sorry for your loss."
Tzkrrt recounted what happened solemnly and also told Jakob that he saw his son escape with the help of a Bee.
"I don´t see her now, Tzkrrt said, but I am sure she and Moon are fine."
Jakob only nodded and patted Tkrrt´s shoulder, walking past him.
With most of the administrators probably dead and everyone in Panic, the remaining Insectoids needed someone who told them what to do. Even if Jakob didn´t see himself fit in this role, he knew what he had to do. Insects never give up, he thought to him.
Jakob was slowly walking over to the middle of the clearing on the outer edges of the swamp where most of the Insectoids were gathered. He climbed on a small rock so everyone could see him and also to give himself a better overview of the Survivors. Almost all of the races of Insectoids present in the Hive had at least a few remaining Survivors. Ranging from Mantis to Dungbeetle at least they could try and survive.
"Insectoids. Listen up. I am Jakob. Most of you probably know me, as Milena the princess's husband. I know everyone's grieve here, as Milena is most likely dead and our son, Moon, is currently missing. I am grieving as much as everyone else here, but we must survive this. Insects never give up. So we have to do what we have to do."
Jakob took a deep breath, staring everyone in the sometimes multiple eyes. Determination could be seen in his.
"Our pursuers might still try to wipe us out but we won´t allow that. First, let us all go to the middle of the swamp. There we have the highest chance of not being seen and also to survive in case someone spots us. Walking on the mud and dirt is a lot easier for us than them. Now follow me. We will get through this. I promise!"
Jakob seemingly reached most of the remaining Insectoids as determined looks could be seen and some even shouted to show their will to survive.
"War never Dies", Jakob said, with a stern face and closed eyes.
