As he sat one morning continuing to twist the fibres he reached for some more to splice in as he was near the end, only to find he didn’t have any left the first step was over, as both sides where nearly out, rather than cut one side and try to splice it into the other he simply tied off the ends together, the cord he had made was hundreds and hundreds of meters long whilst being no thicker than a shoe lace, if it was going to be any use in climbing out of this hole it was going to need to be a lot stronger which meant thicker so even more twisting.
Having reached a stopping point Gar wanted to do something different for a while, he had nothing specific in mind he would be fine with anything as long as it was different. The rain had eased a bit, not stopped just not pounding down, so he decided to use the opportunity to stretch his legs and check on his camp, make sure the rain hadn’t ruined anything, not that there was much to ruin.
Checking the outside of his shelter it seemed to be doing well the sheets of moss and plants really seemed to hold the mud together and help the rain run off. The fire pit was washed out a black line of soot and ash flowed away from it, all his wood was soaked, he was going to have to find some more dry wood to light any fires when the rain eventually stopped. He groaned in disappointment when he looked at his meat most of it was still hanging on the drying wracks he had made, some had fallen to the floor all of it though had gone beyond being edible. All that food wasted was a crushing blow to Gar unable to stand just looking at the waste Gar started pulling the meat from the stands; he instructed the badgers to pick up the pieces and throw them off the edge where he had been dumping his rubbish. He stopped throwing the meat against the ground when one particularly rotten piece splattered across his feet after impact, settling for just letting the pieces drop once he got them off the frame for the badgers to pick up.
He was drawn out of his work, and sulking, by a snapping sound, B2 was snapping his jaws together, making a rather loud noise looking at what was going on. Something was just poking over the edge of his ledge, as he watched it became clear it was an antenna, followed by the rest of the ant. With something to take his sour mood out on Gar jumped into action. The four badgers raced at the ant as Gar ran for his shelter, grabbing his spear from where it lay then he was off to the ant.
“Mega-ra ant worker level 2”
Before Gar could get there the ant had already lost five of its legs to the attacks from the badgers, it almost looked pathetic wiggling on the ground with only one leg. Gar stepped to the side of it then brought his spear down just behind the things head removing it completely.
“You have killed a level 2 Mega-ra ant worker 3 experience awarded”
“Basic spear levelled up basic spear level2”
The head rolled off coming to a stop against B1’s front leg, Gar was unsatisfied he felt something inside calling for blood, he wanted more of a fight, movement over the edge of the plateau caught his attention, more ants where Climbing over the edge, down below there was a veritable parade of ants. A sinking feeling in his gut became a gut wrenching lurch when he saw an ant running away with a piece of the rotten meat in its mandibles.
Gar realised he had brought the ants straight to him, dumping rotten meat, scraps and waist over the edge, he had thought the height would protect him from any scavengers that might come. Unfortunately for him what had come where ants and a vertical wall was nothing to them. The fear he felt washed away any annoyance or anger he just wanted to run, he was at his base his one safe place in this world he had nowhere to run too. A snap of bone jaws pushed the fear back just enough to let him function, he wasn’t alone he had Bodger and the others. Two ants where mostly onto the platform while a third head was just poking over, the first two got two badgers each sent to deal with them, the third Gar would deal with himself, he wanted nothing more than to stand back and let the badgers take the risk but knew if he didn’t get involved as well there were too many ants and they would get overrun even with his help that was a distinct possibility.
Gar got to the third ant just as it was moving over the edge before the thing could bring itself fully over the edge Gar swung his spear like a bat impacting the ant and sending it falling back over the edge. Gar moved onto the next closest ant Bodger and B1 where at this one harassing it and looking for an opening Gar had them both move to the side of the ant away from him, the ant turned to face its aggressors giving Gar an opening from behind, a wide swing of his spear in from the side and he was able to cut through two of the legs on the ants right side, with the creatures mobility reduced to practically nothing Bodger and B1 where quickly able to dart in and finish it off.
“You have killed a level 3 Mega-ra ant worker 4 experience awarded”
Looking over to where B2 & B3 where just finished off there ant.
“You have killed a level 2 Mega-ra ant worker 3 experience awarded”
A quick look over the edge told Gar he had a little time before any more ants got to the top. He gathered the badgers near him then looked down to see what he was dealing with, there were about six more ants climbing up the cliff to his platform, there was another twenty or so ants crawling over and digging in his waste pile. He saw what he could only assume to be the ant he had knocked of his ledge it had a few ants carrying it its carapace cracked and dented a few of its legs sticking out at odd angles and obviously broken, the ants carrying the injured one where in a chain of ants leading away from the platform following the high walls round, each ant carrying a chunk of something from the waste pile.
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No more time to observe as the next ant reached the top. In direct control of the badgers Gar was able to dispatch it quickly, as its two front legs reached over the top he had B2 and B3 grab a leg each in their jaws and pull, the ant fell forward onto the ground right in front of Bodger who moved forwards while the ant was disorientated and finished it with a savage bite.
“You have killed a level 2 Mega-ra ant worker 3 experience awarded”
A quick, clean, and efficient kill, it had still taken to long. With all his focus on controlling the badgers to be most efficient dealing with one ant he had given time for three more ants to climb onto the ledge, they were close together, observe showed two where more workers the third was different it was bigger than the others with large serrated mandibles, it was revealed to be a.
“Mega-ra ant solider level 5”
The solider was twice the size of its worker counterparts Gar had no idea what he should be doing he wasn’t a commander he didn’t know tactics, time was not on his side more ants where coming whatever he did he had to do it quick, with no better option Gar advanced on the ants, B3 was sent at the worker on the left, B2 for the worker on the right, Bodger and B1 where sent at the solider. All the badgers where given the same instructions get the ants attention but stay out of its range of attack. Gar followed B2, the solider was the main threat but the workers couldn’t just be held off or Gar and his badgers would just be overwhelmed as more ants arrived. B2 easily got the workers attention the ant lunged and snapped its mandibles at B2, receiving a swipe from B2’s claws across the face in return. During this exchange Gar moved round to the side and swung down, trying to repeat his act from before and remove the ants head. Instead the ants movements and Gars poor control led to him striking the ant on the back, cracking the carapace before the knife that was his spear tip slipped down scoring a middle leg then continuing on to the floor, this left Gar at a bit of an awkward angle and off balance, the ant turned towards the attack lunging again with its mandible. Gar flailed he wasn’t able to tell if he got lucky and moved the spear in the way or if the ant aimed for the spear, either way it bit down on the shaft near the blade. Using the leverage of the shafts length Gar was able to twist the whole ant pushing it down into the ground and pinning it. Before the ant could realise it just needed to release its mandibles to be free Gar had B2 move in and finish it off.
“You have killed a level 3 Mega-ra ant worker 4 experience awarded”
The fight had felt like an age to Gar when it had been done in a few strikes over a few seconds. B2 was sent to help B3 with the other worker while Gar did a quick check for any ants that had reached the top before turning his attention towards the solider ant. The solider ant seemed to be doing okay against Bodger and B1, there were some scratches in its legs but it seemed to have the strength and armour advantage the badgers seemed to be faster and the solider hadn’t been able to get a good hit in. The badgers and Gar where going to have to be extremely careful because one direct hit from that thing would be all it takes to take them out.
To avoid the ant Bodger and B1 had had to give ground and, so there was space behind the ant between it and the cliff edge. Moving round Gar got behind the large ant, the things carapace as a solider was undoubtedly tougher than a worker so Gar aimed for the legs, specifically where it joined the body. At the last moment before the spear hit the joint the ant shifted knocking the spear off course and pointing its backside at Gar. Gar felt burning at his waist dropping him to the floor in pain, the ant had shot something at him, some liquid it had splashed across his waist line and it burned. Acid, Gar had known some earth ants used acid it just hadn’t occurred to him that this thing would as well. Gar rolled on the ground rubbing the acid off on the moss, his actions would have looked perverse if anyone had been watching as he thrust and rubbed his waist into the ground, he didn’t care he just needed to get the acid off.
Gar was saved from the ant capitalising on his moment of weakness by Bodger and B1 latching onto a leg each during the ants distraction to fire its acid and it seemed between its large size and inflexible body the soldier ant was unable to bring its mandibles to bear on the skeletons so they held on and savaged the legs while the ant tried to shake them off. With the acid no longer burning into him Gar got to his feet remaining hunched over, more to reduce pain than any attempt at stealth, B1 got flung off the leg it held landing a way off, quickly getting up and dashing back seemingly undamaged. Bodger let go of its leg as well, instead of moving back though Gar had Bodger get low and move under the large ant. Gar was behind and to the left of the soldier ant; B1 was in front and to the right of the ant while Bodger was directly underneath the solider ant. The ant was battered but going strong two legs on its right side where savaged and didn’t seem to be able to hold any weight however unlike the workers this ant seemed to have enough strength in one leg on a side to hold itself up, this ant was defiantly much smarter than the workers. That still did not mean it was smart, B1 snapped its jaws darting in and out swiping its claws, Gar thrust and waved his spear about both doing what they could to get the ants attention and staying away from the back end and the mandibles. Before the ant could work out what to do Gar had Bodger attack the last leg on the ants right side, Bodger got a good bite in Gar could hear the crunch from where he stood, with no working legs on its right side the ant collapsed unable to get up, Gar circled the ant going round the front staying away from the acid launching back end, while giving the still very deadly mandibles a wide berth. Once on the creatures right side he continued approaching a badger on either side of him just in case, still a little hunched over from the pain of his acid burns. Unable to do much to stop him the ant had no choice only able to watch as he approached then plunged his spear into the insects compound eye, it sank in with a disgusting squelch, it went in deep, the ant still lived, Gar lent on the end of the spear shaft driving it in deeper until he got the message.
“You have killed level 5 Mega-ra ant solider 13 experience awarded”
“You have killed level 2 Mega-ra ant worker 3 experience awarded”
B2 and B3 had finished the other worker as well, Gar wanted to just celebrate victory and rest, he was out of luck another ant could already be seen coming over the edge. Gar changed tactics they couldn’t keep up trying to kill every ant and the blood lust he felt wasn’t him he wasn’t trying to kill everything in his way. Instead he had B1 the closest to the new ant, charge it as the ant came over the edge, slamming straight into the ant and knocking it off the cliff, it had been a snap decision but one Gar was glad he made it worked surprisingly well. A look over the edge showed Gar a few more ants were coming, the majority of them still seemed more interested in the waste pile than him, and the ant that was knocked of the cliff was doing better than the last one he had knocked off still injured but leaving under its own strength.
