Chapter Text
Fir may have considered themselves a braver-than-average irken among the vast majority of workers, but one clumsy step proved to make their heart race as they observed the drop down. The cliffside they now stood on was dry, weak, and crumbling at the corners. Mining must have really damaged the land here. They had grown used to at least the occasional glisten of crystal ore packed deeply within the rock walls, but here these walls were barren. This is the only way out. That's right, this was their ticket out. Fir’s last pathway to the outside was unfortunately discovered what felt like all too quickly by the others and blocked off. Unsafe due to fungal infection. There was barely any fungi that lined the path, not enough to inflict any sort of serious sickness. Fir looked over the cliffside cautiously, approximately a 14 foot drop or so. Wouldn't be a challenge for a hunter or invader irken,but for a small one like Fir… Well…
They could feel a cold anxiety crawl along their spine as they struggled to will themselves forward. Over the side of the ever crumbling dry cliffside that trickled white silvery sand in between their claws as they carefully placed the heel of their foot on a semi sturdy layer of rock. Yes, as long as they kept their wits about them, they would be fine. One cautious step after another and soon they found themselves merely 3 feet away. Low enough to jump! Pushing themselves from the cliff and tumbling into the sandy cavern floor below, they quickly shuffled towards the small opening before them. Light from the outside bled into the dark confines of the hive. The outside… Laying themselves down flat on the floor, they began to squeeze their way through the small hole. A cold breeze chilled the hair on their antenna as they slid their way through. Before them, another cliff leading directly upward. Fir took a moment to admire the pink hue of the sky, and the feel of their feet sinking into the soft reddish sand below. Right, just one more climb and my search will begin! And with the determination of a newly hatched smeetling, they began their climb up the second cliffside. The rock here was much sturdier, healthier and solid than the path they took to get here which made the climb up a lot quicker. Worker irkens after all where experts at getting around difficult inclines; small though they be.
Once they reached the top, they found themselves once more star struck by the wide open desert that stretched before them. Mixes of white and pinkish red sand carried along the wind as it raced past. Incredible! A glorious rich world, with so many wonders to be discovered!A nearby vibration tore them from their wonderment, and instinctively they quickly scanned the area for somewhere to hide. But before Fir could lower themselves back down onto the cliffside wall, two hands swooped down from above and gracefully lifted them up by the forearms.
“How did I know I’d find you out here?" Looking up, the small irken saw the semi irritated semi disappointed look of the hunter. An irken such as themselves, with a set of pink and reddish wings that made a hum as they flickered in the sky. “Xim? Where did you?.." Fir’s words seem to trail off as the two lifted up into the air, and the grandiose view of the hive stretched out before them. “I just got back from patrol, and I came back to find you missing." With ease the two drifted between some of the steep towers of rock and clay clustered around from the caves down below. “How did you manage to slip past Jor this time?" There was just the slightest twinge of amusement in Fir’s friend's voice.
“Easy. I waited around for about five minutes until they fell back asleep."
"Figures.” As the two approached an opening to the hive, the beat of Xim’s wings started to slow. Gently the two landed onto the flat surface of smooth polished rock flooring. “You're lucky I found you before they noticed you were gone again. So let's hear it, what's your excuse this time?” With one hand still wrapped around their arm, Xim narrowed their crimson orbs down at the small irken expectantly. “Just thought I'd do a little digging is all…” Sheepishly Fir’s gaze drifted towards the ground. Their foot twisting in place as they muttered. "Let me guess, you thought you'd find more-"
" Spores. ” Fir half heartedly yanked their arm away from Xim’s grip, who let it go with ease. Followed by a rather cross sigh, “You are the only irken I've ever seen willing to look for something so infectious."
" I told you these ones aren't infectious! I still have a couple in my nest and- ” Xim’s gaze once more fell upon the small irken with great annoyance. “All spores are infectious Fir, didn't I tell you to get rid of those?” Behind them, Fir could see their long tail sway back and forth in irritation. Scoffing, Fir started towards the doors ahead. “Whatever. Lets just go back, you caught me. Congratulations." This answer seemed to only provoke Xim even more, as they swiftly stepped in front of Fir. Blocking the entryway back into the hive. The stern look in their eyes was more than enough to get their point across. Fir could feel themselves getting progressively more vexed by the minute. “Don't you think if they were infectious like other fungi, that I would be terribly inflicted by this point? But look!" They took a step back, gesturing to themselves. “Still healthy. Seriously Xim what do you take me for, some mindless strider? I know what I'm talking about!” And with that they circled around the hunter, whose eyes still followed them as Fir opened the entryway back into the hive. But before entering they stopped, Xim’s heavy gaze still lingering on them. " Ever since you started leaving the hive with the other hunters, you've been acting all high and mighty." Their hands clenched, claws rubbing against the rough palm of their hand. “The old Xim wouldn't-”
"We aren't the same Fir.” Those words placed a heaviness on Fir that they couldn't quite describe. “And we never were. Not you, not me. And not Pak.” You're wrong. They decided to bite back the words sitting just on the edge of their fangs. And even as the hunter opened the other door to the hive, Fir couldn't bring themselves to look at them. “Now come on. The flight foraged a good bit today so I-" Fir couldn't be bothered to listen to the rest of whatever half-assed apology the irken was about to rattle off, and strode into the darkened tunnel that led downward with haste. They had grown tired of being talked down to.
The two parted down different tunnels, lined with glowing blue glassy orbs that were permanently glued to the ceiling. Encased with a solidified foam only worker irkens could produce from deep within their lower organs. And even though Fir refused to look back, they could still feel Xim’s gaze linger on them for just a little. Before the hunter turned, and departed from the doorway. Seriously, who do they think they are? Fir hadn't even noticed when their face began to form a scowl. The two had hatched within the same season, raised as smeetlings within the same season. And never did Fir feel weaker or inferior to their friend in the slightest.
The two were absolutely inseparable, always getting into trouble were trouble was needed. Finding new tunnels within the caverns no other smeetling would dare to go. But now that the two are grown, well… Xim seemed to fit right into their role as a protector of the hive while Fir was chained to the life of a simple irkling. Confined to the hive, home of the irken people that had been here for centuries upon centuries. Tunnels dug deep into the planet that kept them safe from predators that lurked behind every corner in the vast landscape outside. Or that is what is told to worker irkens at least, hunter or invader irkens on the other hand were free to venture outside of the hive as long as they were accompanied. Supposedly more fit to face the dangers that awaited their people in the canyons.
Or, again, at least that's what worker irkens like Fir were told. Fir on the other hand, knew better, being as they worked in the recovery dens. Where multitudes of fatality injured or fungi infected hunters and invaders alike ended up, almost daily at this point. Not to mention, Fir themselves had been outside many of time. Given, they never got very far. A few feet into the grove of spike roots just a little ways outside the hive walls. Where irken hunters kept delicate care of the thorn ridden roots most other creatures wouldn't dare come near. Each thron filled with sweet shining sap that worked as not only food; but as a healing agent that was used within the recovery dens to close and protect open wounds.
Most other workers shuttered at the thought of what kind of monster that lurked just outside their home could make such horrid wounds. Fir, on the other hand, found themselves fascinated. Most of the more well observed creatures of planet irk had been observed in mining caves, where some of these vile monsters lived within the rock among the plethora of ore. Often referred to by the hunters as “small game", but anxiety inducing to the average worker. Most of the hostile insectoids barely stood as a challenge against the venomous strike from the stinger of a mighty hunter irken, located at the end of their long tails. Others though... Fir felt the touch of a multitude of tiny miniscule legs brush against their foot. Their little islopup was squirming with excitement at their feet, delighted by their return. “Aw, hey buddy." They crouched down to give the bug a pat. “Got caught again today too… You were supposed to keep watch, what happened?” At Fir’s question, the dark purple islopup curled just a bit in guilt. "Oh I can't stay mad at you.” The irken scooped their round little companion up into their arms much how one would carry an egg. Further down into the tunnels the two strode, until eventually they reached the drop off. Just a small hop downwards into the main den. A spacious cavern filled with the chatter and clicks of the irken people, as they conversated with each other over a meal. Fir made their way down to where they could see one of their more welcoming friends; Pak. Who was busy peeling the bark from a pile of freshly picked sap thorns. The sharp, blade like legs of the gir bug attached at her spine slowly carved the bark from the thorns with ease. “Ah Fir! There you are, I haven't seen you all day." Pak greeted them with a soft smile, which faded as they slowly started to read the underlying irritation that seemed to show on Fir’s disgruntled face. “So I take it, grub-for-brains caught onto your schemes again today to?"
" I don't know how they keep finding my exits! This one was way far off down the tunnel. It had to have been on the north half of the hive.” Fir plopped themselves down across from Pak, grunting in frustration as they did so. "Maybe Xim’s already scanned that side of the caves for openings…” Pak scooted closer, leaning in as they lowered their volume. “And? Did you find anymore of those strange spores?"
"No. Didn't even get a chance to really sink my claws into the sand before I was plucked up.” Fir’s antennas drooped in defeat. " I don't know Pak. The rest of the recovery den workers don't believe me. Told me if I was caught with any type of fungi that I would be assigned work in the mines instead… Maybe we should just give up?” Pak lowered their dark purple eyes in thought. "Bring them to me after we eat. I will store them in a safe spot.”
“But what if you get caught?"
The blade-like legs of Pak’s gir bug came to a halt as Pak smirked. “I dare anyone to try and search my den." Fir had to question if that sentence alone meant that they were risking too much. Pak suddenly cuffed Fir’s hand with their own. “If you really believe these spores can help kill off fungi infection, then we'll press forward with this plan. Your very clever Fir. I've seen it, first hand.” Fir couldn't help but glance as the moon's long old scar just below Pak’s rib cage. Not
too terribly long ago, the irken had spent quite a while in the recovery den from an injury they gained during a raid. Invaders were cunning irken, accompanied by the noble gir bug of the planet irk. Once a season invaders are introduced to their companions, and trained to ambush nearby threats to the hive. Strong and quick as they were, invaders were unfortunately more vulnerable by the nature of their work to the monsters they had to face on the outside. Pak had come back from the last raid in particularly bad condition, around the sametime Fir had come across a rather strange fungi spore that looked quite a bit different than the average fungi. Any normal irken wouldn't have recognized it as such, due to the fact that it more so resembled a strange looking stone with small glowing seeds scattered across the top rather than a mushroom.
And being as most fungi have awful effects on irken upon exposure, it took Fir quite a while to be certain it was a fungal spore to begin with. It hadn't inflicted them with an illness, rash or infection in the slightest. In fact their islopup, who had been suffering from some kind of fungal induced plague, had taken quite an impressive bite out of the spore. And within 2 days, showed a full fledged recovery. Rather strange reaction considering islopups that typically where kept by irkens as pack mules, were often affected by the same illnesses irkens were.
Both Fir and Pak had since then been making an effort to find more, in hopes of helping those held in the quarantine chambers deep below the planet's surface. More and more fungi patches were being discovered within the mines, which led to more and more inflicted irkens. Some of whom were incurable, and thus locked away from the hive for safety until they would unfortunately meet their demise. Fir never dared to go down there, rarely did any of them.
But… if this specific spore could cure this islopup…
A deep low vibration from the middle of the cavern grounded Fir back into reality. All irkens within the main den turned as the long body of the irken queen twisted along the cavern stalagmite that towered in the middle. Her multitude of legs dug into rock, until finally she rose to the top of the pillar. Her eyes were a stunning shade of gold that stood out even within the dimly lit atmosphere of the caverns. “My dear family… The great hatching will soon arise. A new generation of irken will be gifted to us once more. I have been keeping a close eye on each and every irkens contributions to our family to select only the best caretakers…”
The crowd stirred, some standing from where they sat in excitement. Despite the wonderful news, Fir felt a dread drape over them as they noticed an unusual pause from their queen. “... My family, I hate to tell you. Some of the youth has been lost." At this, those who stayed seated were now at attention. Chitters of worry, of fear, echoed throughout the hive.
“Indeed, it seems the most vulnerable of us has been taken by the fungi. They were carefully disposed of outside the hive.”
An eerie silence now hung over the family, various worried looks exchanged. Fir felt Pak gently wrap their hand within Fir’s own. There was a look of concern that flashed behind their eyes. “... As much as it pains me to have come to this conclusion. Those inflicted by any untreatable inflictions must be escorted to the lands above. Away from the hive. We cannot risk another plague such as this to snatch away the youth of the irken people.”
[ End ]
what's that? surprise art you say? WHY YES!!
