---
A long dark ribbon moved where the desert rolled into shallow waves. It was not a road. It was a column of ants soldiers. It bent when the land bent. It straightened when the land allowed. She could count ranks by how the light fell. Some ants' armour plates shone like resin. Some ants were wrapped in cloth. Some ants' backs carried shields like doors. Every small group kept its time without looking over its shoulder.
Her breath caught. She forgot to let it out for three heartbeats. The Friend put a paw on her body. It felt like a reminder and a comfort.
"Many ants," she whispered. "More than I have ever seen."
