42 Prospects (1/2)
A large beetle creeps toward the edge of the cliff and peers into the canyon below. It's clawed feet make the stones appear to be pebbles compared to its monstrous size. As it walks forward it shoves several stones down into the arid valley below.
The sides of the canyon walls are steep and ripple up toward the sky uneven. Sia stays close to the walls. She takes advantage of the shade and is blocked from sight from any flying predators.
Or at least that is what she hypothesized.
Rocks cascade down from above and a loud sound erupts from somewhere nearby. It's like a high powered fan was turned on. It's as if someone recorded the sound of a large fly buzzing in their ear and amplified it 20 times.
Sia feels faint. She crouches low against the wall and looks around with an eye. She wants to get as small as she can, but still able to run if she has to. Her position is wide open.
'Where is that sound coming from?!' She thinks.
Sweat gathers on her forehead and slides down her temples. She wipes at it and turns her head to get a better view of the area.
She looks around frantically for a better hiding spot. Suddenly, she sees a blue-green mass coming from the same direction she had been walking. She doesn't know how long it had been behind her, but it's humongous. It is quietly wriggling in her direction. It does not alter its course at all.
Sia begins to crawl. Oddly shaped rocks dig into her knees and shin. She winces as her scratched palms make contact with the ground, but she doesn't want to be overtaken by either creature.
'It's probably hunting that thing...not me. I'm barely a snack for whatever this is...I just need to get away and stay out of its business.'
The noisy industrial fan sound gets louder and Sia cannot control herself any longer. She jumps up and runs. It feels like it is coming right for her!
She huffs and moves her head from side to side trying to find a space in the rock that might give her shelter.
Hissing begins. A chill runs up Sia's spine and she spares a glance over her shoulder.
The blue-green mass is long and chunky. It has a pale yellow line running along the middle of its body, and there are green spots on either side of its head.
'A caterpillar?' She thinks before gasping as she sees the caterpillar fight back.
The winged beetle bites the body of the caterpillar. The caterpillar will not allow it without a fight. It's little ”legs” grip down on the ground and then it springs it's lower body up and flings the beetle off it's back.
The beetle goes back for more. It bites again, but this time the caterpillar moves faster and catches the beetle in its mandibles. It clutches the beetle for only a moment before dropping it and swinging its body around to smash the beetles form into the ground. It slams down like a hammer. The beetle recovers and surges up again.
It is a battle of wills.
Sia stops fleeing and backs into a wall as she watches the battle with awe.
The beetle tires first. It flees to acquire weaker prey.
Victory is a silent affair for the caterpillar. It uncurls and continues waddling along the canyon as before. Sia's mouth gapes as she goes over the fight in her head. An idea comes to mind.
'It just might work.' She thinks.
She decides to use the caterpillar as a shield between her and the unknown threats around them. When she sees a large dark opening in the walls she retreats until the caterpillar is in front of her. After it survives passing by the area, she scurries back around the perimeter of the creature to get a look at where they are headed. She doesn't want to spook the thing so she doesn't approach it. One hit from it would probably split her skull open.
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THE MANDUCA SEXTA IS VICTORIOUS
'I didn't expect that. Do hornworms eat flesh?' Dernel asks as he watches Sia's actions through the devices triangular prism screen within the immersive mode.
NEGATIVE
MANDUCA SEXTA CONSUME PLANTS AND LEAVES
'Great. Continue monitoring her. She'll need your help eventually. Be ready to step in. We won't get any second chances with this.'
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The sun beats down on Sia as she watches her caterpillar guardian. Something is wrong.
It kept a steady pace for several hours and then it stopped moving.
She was tempted to call out to it and ask what was going on, but...she doesn't have a death wish. They left the canyon an hour ago, and Sia continued following because every other space large enough to fit her was also large enough to fit a large insect.
'Traps all around me. Where is my salvation?'
She crouches and glances over at her savior.
'Maybe it's hungry? There isn't anything to eat out here. Isn't that what caterpillars do? Eat till they drop?' She looks over at the blue-green mass.
It doesn't appear to be breathing.
'Wait! Maybe it's going to turn into a butterfly or moth?! But there's no cocoon....no, that can't be it.'
She grabs a rock the size of her hand and tests the weight.
The caterpillar's color doesn't camouflage it from sight. It's the only colorful spot in the entire desert. It's incredibly vulnerable just laying there in the open.
She moves far away from the caterpillar, almost double the space needed to be out of striking distance, and then tosses rocks at the caterpillar's body. She throws three stones.
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'Don't overdo it or she'll be suspicious.' Dernel orders S.I.D.
PINPOINTING TARGET
CALCULATING TRAJECTORY
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The first stone hits the ground right in front of the caterpillar. At least 5 or 6 feet from the target.