on a lark

[alicornucopia]

She combs and combs the world aside and there is another world, just ahead, and she steps in.

The combed-away hole closes behind her. She puts her comb in her pocket.

Thanjen (Unbitwise)

Blueberry (kappa)

Hivers (Rockeye)

Comments

[allforthehive]

They pass a lot of cropfields, a few Hivers, and a few buildings sticking up out of the sand.

After a while the worker asks, "Do humans not have princesses? You seemed interested, as if the idea was new."

[alicornucopia]

"Humans do have princesses, but I haven't met one before."

[allforthehive]

"Everyone in our hive meets the Princess when they are born and when they are dedicated, even if they never do again."

[alicornucopia]

"What's dedicating?"

[allforthehive]

"When we are old enough to understand things, we are ceremonially given the tools for the job we were assigned at birth. Not all stay in the same job forever, but all at least start in a predetermined place."

[alicornucopia]

"Humans don't do that. They pick jobs later on," she says authoritatively. "Without a princess nearby to help."

[allforthehive]

"Are all humans good at the same jobs? I could never be a Warrior, no matter how much I desired it. I am simply too small. Warriors are made on purpose."

[alicornucopia]

"Humans can be bigger or smaller but you can't guess from looking at a newborn one, or get them that way on purpose."

[allforthehive]

"Hivers are made. I was made small and with good endurance, to be a worker. Warriors are made tall and tough and strong. Scientists are made smart. The idea of a hive without specialized roles is strange to me."

[alicornucopia]

"Well, humans don't live in hives, either."

[allforthehive]

"How do they live, then?"

[alicornucopia]

"In countries and cities."

[allforthehive]

"...This translation is strange. I understand what you mean just by the word."

[alicornucopia]

"That's useful. It would be sort of hard to explain them."

[allforthehive]

"You do not seem to be using scent at all, and I understand you still. Do you understand what my pheromones mean when you smell them?"

[alicornucopia]

"Yeah. Humans don't do that."

[allforthehive]

"It makes sense that a different species would be very strange."

[alicornucopia]

"Yes."

[allforthehive]

Back to silently riding the hovercraft, then.

[alicornucopia]

Yup.