Prologue[]
An chrysalis hung from the cave ceiling, gold and white in a sheltered cavern. Two female dragons each with four wings, stood at the entrance, half asleep, their carefully carved spears resting against the ground. In front of them stretched a wide web of tunnels, with dragons of all different shapes and sizes, yet the same tribe, rushed around, carrying out various errands to please the queen and higher ranks.
Suddenly, the chrysalis made a crumbling sound, like the crushing of leaves. The guards flicked their tails to acknowledge the sound but remained silent as a talon suddenly s crashed through the silk casing. Then a hollow-tipped tail, then a delicate, glassy wing and finally a sleek, narrow head poked it’s way out of the cocoon, until it was completely destroyed. All that remained was a golden dragon.
The AntWing looked around in confusion and puzzlement, his eyes searching, until his gaze had a flash of recognition and he settled down, sighing with relief. “That wasn’t too bad.” he remarked quietly to himself as he began to smooth his new, moist scales. He observed his talons in wonder. Before he had begun his transformation, his scales had been a blank white, with very subtle hints of pale gold. Now they were fully yellow, apart from a few white scales that lined his eyes and underbelly.
One of the guards, a dark red like dried blood, opened her mouth to speak. “Follow me,” she commanded simply. The yellow AntWing nodded obediently and let the super major lead the way through the maze of passages. He flexed his new, fragile wings as he used his antennas to feel his way through the underground corridors until they came to another cavern.
This cove was lit by firelight and surrounded by soft-scaled dragons. They’ve only recently completed their transformation, like me, the yellow drone guessed.
He searched for his friend, Pharaoh, and realised with a pang of grief that he might never seen her again, and even if he did, he might not recognise her. She would soon be working as a spy. She had been excited about doing her dangerous job her whole life, but the golden AntWing, Safari, had his own misgivings about being an adult in the colony.
He wondered who he’d be assigned to. All AntWing males were drones, the best AntWings at flying and carrying, and they were assigned to a dragon of higher rank. The queen’s sons, the lucky drones, were assigned to take care of Her Majesty herself.
Safari curled up in one of the nests, excited and anxious as he drowned out the chorus of chatter in his ears and sank into a deep sleep.
Chapter 1[]
“Wake up. You’re being assigned today.”
Safari woke up with a jolt at the russet talon poking him. This day was the first and probably last time he would speak to the Queen personally. He stood up, held his head level but not high, and noticed that all the drones that had been in the room were now in single file. All of them looked confused, excited and anxious, just like Safari.
The bulky dragon at the head of the line lead the confused drones down a dark tunnel that twisted and turned deep into the ground. Safari bristled in fear at the slightest sound until they were lead into a massive cave, bejewelled with metals and colourful gemstones. On an elegant diamond and silver throne lay Queen Tawny, the Yellow Crazy Colony’s queen, who was famous for not losing her wings after she layed eggs.
Safari was almost at the back of the line, so he waited a long time before he finally came face-to-face with the queen. He swallowed all his anxiety and tried to look steadily at the alate. She looked back with a lack of interest as she surveyed the surrounding dragons, all of high ranks. “You will be with General Redwood. Get to know him well, as you will serve her for the rest of your life. Unless she dies, in which case I will appoint you a new AntWing to serve.” Queen Tawny twitched her wings as a sign that she had dismissed him.
He knew who General Redwood was from experience, and he made an awkward beeline towards her. She looked down at him with excitement at finally having a drone of her own and clapped her talons. “Come, I’ll show you where my cavern is. Then you can tell me all about yourself!”
Safari felt his heart lift slightly with happiness. He had heard some of the other drones conversions about how careless their owners were. It looked like Safari’s would be very different.