Vajra’s eyes studied the map that rested where it had been left open on the log. She looked over the boundaries, and mentally plotted out the areas she could see. With idle thoughts she directed her daughters, preparing for the night watch. Defense in depth. Multiple scouts, from all angles. Her daughters were covering themselves in soot and mud to disguise their scent. Those in the trees that still had leaves were doing the same, and carefully constructing small lodges of rolled up leaves to further hide themselves. They used all her old tricks, as well as several new ones she had devised. Nothing would escape her daughters’ sight. The fast reaction force of Immortals were on a rotating watch, ready to spring into action. Satisfied at her daughters’ diligence, she turned her head to look upon the humans and bears. They had just fallen asleep after they danced themselves to exhaustion. How utterly unbecoming. They were reveling in their deliverance, like they had already won. And while naturally Fa Ram would emerge victorious, it still felt premature to be so carefree. The enemy was still out there. Waiting. And like Vajra herself, they had changed. Each soldier was twice the size of the ones Vajra remembered. They were faster, stronger, more numerous; their venom had progressed in potency and their mandibles were even sharper. They were also tougher, but not by an amount that made those defenses unsurpassable. Their stingers had outpaced their carapace, and while they were terrific (...)