Tika went rigid at the center of the tunnel a second time...

     although, this time, Whisper not only felt the power, the force, that emanated from Tika...

     she became a part of it. 

     She became a part of the telepathic wave that rose into the swarm of bees that, even then, attacked those cellar dwellers closest to the surface...

     but the bees got no further than that.

​     Thousands of them.

     They had no minds, of course, only receptors. 

     Tika's telepathic wave overcame those receptors until they accepted no directives other than hers. 

     They hovered for several seconds, buzz, buzz.

     Then off they flew... 

​     to perform their new mission...

     although, really, it wasn't so much a new mission as it was the original mission with a new target.

     Before, they were to attack everyone below Hrrm's Hive...

​     Now, they were to attack everyone ​within Hrrm's Hive, unless Tika wanted them protected. 

     Whisper, for instance. None of the bees went anywhere near Whisper.

     Whisper found the whole experience exhilarating.

     Tika dropped another image into Whisper's mind.

     Whisper stepped back out of the space dug into the tunnel where she'd been, then climbed a ladder that led back to Hrrm's Hive.

CONTINUE