The Queen sat in her chamber monitoring her brood. Those That Hunt had finally come as she knew they would. The genetic memory of her mothers had shown her that Those That Hunt would challenge any hive they found. The stronger the hive the more they would challenge. The Queen had tried to keep her brood secretive, hidden. Her hive was underground. Her brood had adapted to the change admirably with a much more lithe body and smaller dorsal vent stacks.

It was all for naught. The Queen began to cast her mind out for options to escape Those That Hunt for as long as she was alive and free the hive could be built anew. As she searched for a way out she let her conscious mind feel the link to her progeny. They were fiercely defending her in the upper levels from this attack but she could feel the link sever in places where one, two, or even whole groups would fall. This silence was most disturbing to her. Not since the beginning of the hive had she felt such quiet and loneliness. Each link severed was another blow to her, another of her precious children lost.

Pushing out the urge to have them near she called them to her. Through the tunnels she felt the remains of her children coming: the swift Runners, the strong Warriors, and closest still, the protective Praetorians. Let Those That Hunt come. They would meet a hive united.

There in the Queen's chamber with her brood quivering in excitement all around her the Queen regarded her situation. Those That Hunt were close. The hive webbing practically thrummed with their footfalls. There would be but one way out: through the Hunters. As the Queen readied her daughters something strange happened. The Queen felt a pull within her, a calling of sorts. Something she hadn't felt since the old Queen, her mother. It was one of longing, of needing acceptance, and was powerful. Her brood could feel it through her: this need was overpowering to them and they raised their head in a keening cry of desire to end that loneliness. No Queen should be without her hive.

On the back wall of the Queen's chamber an outline of a circle started to form drawing the attention of the occupants. The outlined flared once and then opened into a brilliant blue portal. The call reverberating through each of them bade them through the portal. The Queen struggled against it for a moment but it was stronger than her. Caving to this desire she pushed her brood through the portal.

As the Predators (Those That Hunt) entered into the queen's chamber all they could see was the last bits of a bladed tail before a circle of light flickered out and collapsed. This would require much debate, for the Great Serpents had never shown this ability before.