The ant army began the arduous process of dragging the bunny's lifeless body back to the colony. As they trudged through the forest, the unmistakable scent of blood lingered in the air, drifting far and wide. From the safety of the bushes, the fox watched. Its golden eyes gleamed with an intelligence far greater than that of a mere scavenger. It remained still, its body tense with anticipation, observing the trail of ants and their precious prize.
Back at the colony, the ants quickly disassembled the bunny's corpse. The bones, deemed useless for now, were discarded near the nest entrance, forming an eerie pile that hinted at their recent kill. The meat was meticulously portioned and stored within the food chambers, ensuring the colony had ample resources for the days to come. The skin, soft and intact, caught Gerhan's attention.
Through the eyes of a controlled worker ant, he stared at the pelt, his human mind wandering into strange territory. "What if I use this to make something? Maybe draw on it… write… something to remember this life by." The thought seemed absurd for a moment, but it also offered a sense of purpose, a way to combat the creeping loneliness that had been gnawing at him. The ants were loyal, hardworking, and social among themselves, but they lacked the depth of interaction his human mind craved.
Meanwhile, life in the colony continued with steady determination. With the food stores replenished, Gerhan decided it was time to focus on growth. Eggs were laid at a faster rate, his skill [Random Egg] allowing him to fine-tune the future roles of his ants.
However, Gerhan's curiosity didn't stop there. He decided to conduct an experiment, selecting three worker ants as his subjects. Each ant was given a specific diet:
• One was instructed to consume dirt.
• Another was assigned to eat bones.
• The last was fed only brains, under the theory that it might boost intelligence and transform the ant into some kind of "genius ant."
To keep them alive and functioning, each ant was supplemented with small amounts of normal meat, as their bodies still needed the energy to operate. Gerhan's skill [Essence Devourer] was the key to this experiment, as it allowed them to extract some level of nutrition and power even from substances that should have been inedible.
In addition to this, Gerhan discovered an edible mushroom. It was small, vibrant yellow with white spots, designed by nature to look poisonous and ward off predators. To him, however, it looked like a perfect addition to his colony's food supply. Its fast reproduction rate and abundance made it an ideal candidate for cultivation.
"Perfect," he thought. "If this works, I won't have to rely only on hunting animals. This mushroom could provide us with sustainable food, especially during tougher times."
As the experiments progressed and the colony thrived, Gerhan's ambitions grew. He could feel the beginnings of something monumental stirring within his mind—a plan to transform his humble colony into an unstoppable force. Yet, in the shadows of the forest, the fox continued to watch, biding its time.