The Arboreal Gauntlet
[Prompt: A conflict between two unequal powers in your world]
"Trees? You're telling me we're dooming hundreds of our sharpest Claws over trees?"
For dozens of cycles, the skitter colonies made a relentless push through the thousand-plus islands of the Fractal Archipelago. When it became clear there was no more land they could conquer, they turned their gazes inland. By now, the skitters had amassed so much power, they were able to mammoth-stomp every ground they encountered. But one seemingly-unassuming forest would give them a lot of unanticipated grief. When the colonies' flying scout-aheads first saw the PlaceholderName forest, they thought they were a lot closer when they were. When, hours later, they still hadn't reached the trees, they were thoroughly perplexed. Only on next wakeup did one realize the truth: the trees were massive. Like, an order of magnitude above any plant they had ever before seen. Oh, this was exciting. With trees this big, a group of skitters could build a long-spanning bridge, quickly! The Oakspines were skilled at their function, but it was not speedy work. A tree-giant could provide a means for quick bridging, and accessible to anyone with strong paws! The scouts journeyed into the forest, looking around for potential obstacles or threats. They saw no apparent enemies -- only that the trees were remarkably healthy and neat. They would make fine material for bridge and building. Expedition complete, the scouts flew back to their supes to make their happy report. This should make an easy life-mine, and they could use the material now. So, with minimal plans and caution, they began their arboreal conquest. They'd have their first trees before sleep. That's what they thought would happen. Reality was far harder. The forests were quiet and surprisingly bright; crowns were remarkably reserved, allowing in plenty of light to dapple the ground. The place was nothing short of cheery, until the first strongjaw began beavering. At first gouge, the trees exploded with creatures, made of knives and vengeance. The creatures, which looked remarkably like giant preying mantids, descended in a flurry of wings and willow branches. They pounced and bit and slashed with their saw-sharp arms, killing dozens of skitters in heartbeats. The rest scattered to the trees, running for their lives from what, so far, was merely a green blur. Soon, they would learn of the willowings, guardians of the forest, sylvanian speakers, and in a decidedly un-Loraxian way. The willowings were herbivores. But they were not docile. Thus began the Arboreal Gauntlet in the Placeholder theater -- one of the bloodiest phases in skitter world conquest. In the end, the skitters had more access to power, and they would win this war. At least, the tablets would record it that way. But willowings had other kinds of power, and they would put up a winter-siberia of a fight. I have zero actual details for the play-by-play of this war, but a lot of it is going to be your classic "lots of inefficient power going up against brutal guerilla tactics" style of conflict. (If I can work it in, I plan to make full use of the "gorilla warfare" pun opportunity when I write this conflict longform.)
For dozens of cycles, the skitter colonies made a relentless push through the thousand-plus islands of the Fractal Archipelago. When it became clear there was no more land they could conquer, they turned their gazes inland. By now, the skitters had amassed so much power, they were able to mammoth-stomp every ground they encountered. But one seemingly-unassuming forest would give them a lot of unanticipated grief. When the colonies' flying scout-aheads first saw the PlaceholderName forest, they thought they were a lot closer when they were. When, hours later, they still hadn't reached the trees, they were thoroughly perplexed. Only on next wakeup did one realize the truth: the trees were massive. Like, an order of magnitude above any plant they had ever before seen. Oh, this was exciting. With trees this big, a group of skitters could build a long-spanning bridge, quickly! The Oakspines were skilled at their function, but it was not speedy work. A tree-giant could provide a means for quick bridging, and accessible to anyone with strong paws! The scouts journeyed into the forest, looking around for potential obstacles or threats. They saw no apparent enemies -- only that the trees were remarkably healthy and neat. They would make fine material for bridge and building. Expedition complete, the scouts flew back to their supes to make their happy report. This should make an easy life-mine, and they could use the material now. So, with minimal plans and caution, they began their arboreal conquest. They'd have their first trees before sleep. That's what they thought would happen. Reality was far harder. The forests were quiet and surprisingly bright; crowns were remarkably reserved, allowing in plenty of light to dapple the ground. The place was nothing short of cheery, until the first strongjaw began beavering. At first gouge, the trees exploded with creatures, made of knives and vengeance. The creatures, which looked remarkably like giant preying mantids, descended in a flurry of wings and willow branches. They pounced and bit and slashed with their saw-sharp arms, killing dozens of skitters in heartbeats. The rest scattered to the trees, running for their lives from what, so far, was merely a green blur. Soon, they would learn of the willowings, guardians of the forest, sylvanian speakers, and in a decidedly un-Loraxian way. The willowings were herbivores. But they were not docile. Thus began the Arboreal Gauntlet in the Placeholder theater -- one of the bloodiest phases in skitter world conquest. In the end, the skitters had more access to power, and they would win this war. At least, the tablets would record it that way. But willowings had other kinds of power, and they would put up a winter-siberia of a fight. I have zero actual details for the play-by-play of this war, but a lot of it is going to be your classic "lots of inefficient power going up against brutal guerilla tactics" style of conflict. (If I can work it in, I plan to make full use of the "gorilla warfare" pun opportunity when I write this conflict longform.)
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